There are so many excavator bucket types out there that choosing the right one can be difficult, especially if it’s been a while since you last upgraded. While you might be tempted to wing it and get the bucket you think is right, there is an actual process to selecting an excavator bucket that will ensure you get the right fit, allowing you to maximise the productivity and efficiency of your machine and help you keep maintenance costs low.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best way to choose an excavator bucket that will fit the needs of your machine and your business, focusing on three key aspects: the size of your machine, the type of work you use it for, and your budget.
The Size of Your Machine
The size of bucket you can buy is often limited by the tonnage and specifications of your excavator. Larger widths and capacities are often only approved for use on larger machines as these same buckets on a smaller machine would make it unsafe to work with.
We often think that bigger is better when it comes to buying buckets, but a bucket that is too big for your machine can actually reduce your excavator’s performance, leading to excessive fuel consumption and premature wear. All of this can lead you to unnecessary maintenance and repair costs that could have been avoided.
That’s why it’s essential to ensure that your excavator and bucket are compatible. The first way to do this is to check your manufacturer’s recommendations for bucket size based on the excavator’s operating weight and hydraulic capacity. Once you know these, you can ensure the bucket’s weight doesn’t exceed the lifting capabilities of your excavator, as an oversized bucket can strain the hydraulics and reduce handling precision.
The Type of Work You’ll Be Doing
Different types of buckets are designed for different purposes. Using a bucket for the wrong purpose can cause the bucket to wear faster or cause your machine to use unnecessary fuel and power. It is important to choose a bucket that is designed to do the job you need it for to avoid this. Below are some of the most common types of buckets and what they’re used for.
General Purpose (GP) Buckets
A general purpose (GP) bucket, or digging bucket, is the most common kind of bucket you will see. The teeth on these buckets are designed to be able to penetrate a variety of materials, making them ideal for a wide range of general excavating jobs. GP buckets are also able to be customised with different types of teeth, removable side cutters and service blade adaptors, making them suitable for a majority of excavation work.
Mud Buckets
Mud buckets, or clean-up buckets, are usually wider and have more capacity than GP buckets, and have a flat cutting edge rather than teeth which makes them ideal for loading and moving around softer material. Using this kind of bucket to try and dig up hard or dense material will slow you down and use excess machine power, as they lack the ability to penetrate the ground.
Tilt Buckets
Tilt buckets (sometimes called grading buckets) are designed with two hydraulic cylinders, enabling them to tilt up to 45 degrees to each side. This flexibility and precision makes tilt buckets particularly useful for projects that involve detailed grading, contouring, or landscaping, and they will often be used in large civil projects where precise grading and earth shaping is required.
Specialty Buckets
For specific jobs like rock handling or trench digging, specialised buckets such as rock, trenching, or skeleton buckets are available. These are designed to handle the unique challenges of certain materials and tasks.
Your Budget
At the end of the day, we’re all trying to work within a budget, and oftentimes balancing that budget is one of the most challenging parts of buying an excavator bucket. Although it can be tempting to buy the cheapest bucket available, that’s not always the most sensible move. Here are some things to consider when it comes to your budget that will help you make the right choice.
Initial Cost vs. Longevity
Excavator buckets are specially engineered pieces of equipment, and while it’s easy to balk at their initial cost, try and remember the value and longevity they offer. So long as it’s used and maintained properly, a quality bucket should last years, and will be used across dozens of projects and hundreds or even thousands of machine hours.
If you’ve got your eye on a specific bucket but are worried about the price, trying breaking it down on a cost-per-use basis: you’ll quickly realise how much value you get out of your investment.
Efficiency Gains
Another thing to keep in mind is that an investment in the right bucket is an investment in efficiency. A smaller, cheaper bucket may be easier on the wallet up initially, but it could end up costing you far more in lost efficiency. A larger, more suitably sized bucket might be more expensive but cheaper in the long run by reducing fuel consumption and man hours by minimising the number of cycles needed to complete a task.
Additionally, while specialty buckets may cost more upfront, their durability and task-specific enhancements will help you get through jobs faster and can reduce long-term operating costs by minimising wear and repair needs.
Trust Hogan Engineering for Australia’s Best Excavator Buckets
Choosing the right excavator bucket can make or break the efficiency of your operation. At Hogan Engineering, we’ve been helping businesses and operators of all shapes and sizes get the most out of their machines for decades. With an extensive range of excavator buckets and attachments, as well as the ability to customise attachments to your specific needs, we make it easy to find the perfect bucket for your excavator. Contact us today to discuss your next attachment purchase!