Bolt-In VS Weld-In Bucket Pins - Which bucket pin do I need?

When it comes to optimising the performance and longevity of your digger bucket, the decision between bolt-in and weld-in bucket pins is a crucial one. Each option offers its own set of advantages and considerations, and determining the best choice for you requires an understanding of your specific needs and operating conditions. In this blog, we're going to dive into the details of both bolt-in and weld-in bucket pins, comparing the pros and cons of installation processes, maintenance requirements and costs. Continue reading so we can provide you with the insights you need to make an informed decision.

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What are bolt-in bucket pins?

Bolt-in digger bucket pins are what the name suggests...pins that are fixed into your bucket hanger using nuts and bolts, like shown in the picture. On smaller excavators, usually from 0.75 to 4 tons, they can sometimes be secured in place with a lynch pin, instead of nuts and bolts. This is because the bucket size and power of the machine doesn't warrant anything stronger to hold them in place. The term 'bolt-in' refers to the ability to easily remove the fixing (bolt or lynch pin) and slide out the bucket pin from the hanger brackets.

What are the pros and cons of bolt-in bucket pins?

The biggest benefit to maintaining your efficiency and productivity during installation and equipment maintenance is the ease of removing and replacing your bucket pins when they become worn. It's inevitable that with time your bucket pins will wear. Unfortunately this isn't something you can avoid, especially if you're using attachments that are powerful and vigorous, like when using a riddle bucket or hydraulic breaker. So making your pin changes as quick and efficient as possible is a huge bonus. As mentioned above, bolt-in pins allow you to easily unbolt or remove the fixing and slide out your bucket pin, to quickly reinsert the new pin and resecure in place.

If you don't own or use a quick coupler on your digger then using a bucket with bolt-in pins is essential to mounting your bucket or attachment to the excavator dipper arm. To mount to your machine without a coupler, you will need to locate the pin through the bucket hanger brackets AND the end of the excavator arm - this can obviously only be achieved if you can remove the pins from your bucket. But there's no need to worry, if you do have a coupler fitted to your excavator you can still use a bucket with bolt-in pins, so you're still able to enjoy the benefits of quick and easy pin changes.

Although the advantages of bolt-in bucket pins are apparent, there is also a disadvantage that you must consider. This being, the cost. The cost of a digger bucket with bolt-in pins can be slightly more expensive than a bucket with weld-in pins because of the extra components that go into the ease of pin removal. Such as: the nuts, bolts or lynch pins, but also the bosses that have to be secured to the hanger bracket to allow you to fix the pins in place. These features don't usually add a huge additional cost but it is a factor to consider when weighing up your new bucket purchases.

What are weld-in bucket pins?

Weld-in bucket pins are...you guessed it, pins that are welded into the hanger bracket of your excavator bucket. This means that they are secured to the hanger by welding both ends of the pin into the pin holes in the hanger bracket, rather than using bolts or a lynch pin to secure the pins in place. Weld-in bucket pins are usually available for most size ranges of digger bucket but will only be available from a selected number of manufacturers, as they are the least common option.

What are the pros and cons of weld-in bucket pins?

A big advantage of using excavator buckets with weld-in pins is the strength added to the hanger. The weld-in pins can actually increase the strength of your bucket by becoming a structural part of the hanger, and reducing the chance of your hanger bracket buckling or bending under the pressure and power of the machine while digging, grading or bulking. As previously mentioned, buckets with bossed hangers tend to be more expensive. Buckets with weld-in pins don't require bosses as the pins are welded directly to the hanger so these buckets tend to be slightly cheaper which is a bonus if you're on a tight budget.

The huge downfall of digger buckets with weld-in bucket pins is how difficult the pins are to remove and replace when worn. Unlike bolt-in pins that can be easily unscrewed and removed, weld-in pins must first be ground out with a grinder. Depending on the level of wear and the ease of pin removal, sometimes the entire hanger bracket would also have to be ground off and a new one welded on in its place before the pins can be welded back in. Not only is this a timely job which will ultimately reduce your productivity, but it can also be a lot more expensive if the hanger also needs repairing or replacing. As well as the expense of replacing your pins, buckets with weld-in pins can only be used with a quick coupler as the pins can't be removed to be directly mounted to your machine. So, unless you already own a quick coupler, this could be another costly addition to your equipment that could be avoided if bolt-in pins were used instead.

So now you know the pros and cons of bolt-in versus weld-in pins, you should now be able to make an informed decision. Weld-in pins might be easier on your wallet initially but could end up costing you more in the long run. Bolt-in pins are quicker to replace, but might cost a bit more upfront. To make the best choice for you, think about how often you'll need to change these pins, the kind of jobs you're doing, and how much money you can put towards maintaining your buckets. By considering all these factors you should be ready to make a decision.

Here at Rhinox, we want to help improve your productivity by providing a quality product every time. If bolt-in pins are the best options for you, why not check out our whole range of buckets and attachments with bolt-in bucket pins. If weld-in pins are your preferred choice, Rhinox can manufacture these upon request. To place an order for buckets and attachments with weld-in pins, give us a call on +44 (0) for help placing this order. You can find our dedicated hitch buckets and attachments on our website. These include Martin Hitch, Harford Safelock and S60. If you need more information about our buckets and attachments or want to speak to one of our friendly sales team about placing an order, don't hesitate to get in contact via our contact us page.

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If you want to learn more, please visit our website Volvo Bucket Adapters.

Volvo construction uses an innovative pin-on thumb design that allows the thumb to be used on its extendible dipper with an inner slide design.

An extendible dipper stick can add 5% or more to the cost of a backhoe-loader and typically extends the reach 3 to 4 ft. Productivity gains through the extra reach often pay for this option very quickly. However, there are two very distinct ways to achieve the desired result. One design extends the inner portion of the dippe,r while the other design extends to outer portion of the dipper. There are pros and cons on both sides of it.

The JCB backhoe-loader configures the extendible dipper by allowing the inner section to travel out and away from the tractor. &#;The lighter part goes away from the tractor giving more capacity in lifting a bucket or suspended load at reach,&#; says Jim Blower. &#;This design can be adjusted be re-torquing eight bolts. The whole design can be cleaned out of any dirt or water very easily as it is open.&#; A disadvantage is the thumb becomes a little more complicated to install.

The design allows the hoses and auxiliary hydraulics to be run inside the boom and dipper. &#;This means they are protected and not hanging on the outside of structures in a vulnerable place,&#; says Blower.

Volvo also uses an extendible inner dipper stick design. &#;We extend the inner part of the dipper as opposed to some of our competitor&#;s extending the outer part, which is the heaviest part,&#; says Marcello Bargellini, backhoe product specialist. &#;By extending the lighter part, we actually gain lift capacity. It is much easier to adjust, as well.&#;

The pads may only have to be adjusted every 500 or 600 hours, and are very easy to replace. External screws areremoveed to take the old pad out and put a new oil-impregnated pad in. &#;In about 20 minutes, you are done," says Bargellini.

Volvo developed a unique way to connect a thumb to the inner dipper design. &#;We do install a thumb on this machine, which is a factory-installed thumb,&#; says Bargellini. &#;We can retrofit it, as well. The thumb doesn&#;t require any welding.&#; All you have to do is remove the shorter pin and install the longer pin that comes in the kit. There is a tip extension that can be bolted on if you are using a coupler. This allows the thumb to line up with the teeth on the bucket.

While some manufacturers believe the benefits of the inner slide outweigh the negatives, there are others who believe an outer slide is the better option. An advantage of having the outer part of the dipper extend is it limits exposure of the slide mechanism to the trench. In addition, the serrated edge on an outer box design allows for easy clamping

Case backhoe-loaders use an outer slide design. &#;The main advantage of the outer-type extendible dipper is that it prevents ingress of dirt and debris into the dipper assembly when the extendible section is retracting inward,&#; says George MacIntyre, global product marketing manager. This design also allows a more straightforward installation and use of a thumb attachment on the dipper. &#;Similar to installation of a thumb, auxiliary hoses are routed and secured better on an outer type extendible dipper because of the fixed mounting points on the outer section.&#;

Terex uses a similar approach. &#;The outer extender on the TLB840&#;s dipper stick keeps the slide area clean from debris that can damage inner expender slide components, making plumbing and use of a thumb attachment more effective and useful,&#; says Jamie Wright, product manager. &#;The TLB 840 is designed with a greaseless outer extendible dipper, which allows the components of the extender to remain protected from dirt and prevents water from entering into the wear portion of the stick.

&#;The thumb and the auxiliary hydraulic connectors can travel with the outer extender, allowing the unit to pick and place rocks and other objects further away from the unit," he continues. "The replaceable serrated section at the end of the dipper is valuable when clamping objects to the stick.&#;

According to Wright, &#;Inner dippers do not allow the plumbing to move with the extendable portion of the dipper, where the outer extendible dippers carry the auxiliary hydraulics to travel with the extendible dipper. This allows attachments like thumbs to be used at full extension.&#;

Caterpillar's Kevin Hershberger touts two specific advantages of the Cat outer slide design: it eases serviceability and it allows installation of the Caterpillar hydraulic thumb. &#;With this design, the wear pad system can be adjusted in the field, using common hand tools, and the hydraulic thumb can be used through the full extension range of the E-Stick," he says.

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