Selecting The Right Excavator Bucket For Your Application Is Critical To Optimize Performance.
The biggest bucket does not always equal the highest production
- Fill factors and cycle times drive production
- Larger buckets can reduce your cycle speed
- Bigger buckets can also put high demands on the boom and stick
- Twisting and torque can adversely impact hydraulics and overall durability
- Always match boom, stick and bucket to application and task
Material density varies with weather conditions
- Wet conditions increase material weight and bucket fill factors
- If material is too dense, you may not be able to load a large bucket to full capacity if material density is heavy and hard to get through
- A smaller bucket may out-dig a larger bucket because the machine is able to cycle faster
Choose the right bucket
Selecting the wrong bucket increases operating costs by as much as 10 to 20 percent or more due to accelerated wear. And that doesn’t include wear on the machine or unscheduled downtime for repairs.
This chart can help you determine which type of bucket is right for your excavator.
(Download the Cat® excavator bucket guide)
To obtain more detailed information about matching buckets to your applications, talk to your Cat® dealer.