# Do 4 in 1 buckets hold up?



## sqdqo (May 6, 2002)

I am curious if 4 in 1 loader buckets hold up as well as standard buckets when using breakout force prying etc. Obviously they are more capable but are they worth having or are they trouble?


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## DGODGR (Nov 30, 2008)

You have not said what your application is so your question is somewhat vague. I have one on my Cat 416C TLB. I never ran one until I bought my first TLB (Cat 416B). It took a while to figure out how to use it properly but I'm glad I tried it. I would not hesitate to buy another. My current TLB has over 12,000 hours on it. I had to replace the bottom half of the bucket at about 10,000 hours. This was because the bottom of it wore through and it was cheaper to replace than repair. I will admit one must be more careful because the bottom will bend easier than a regular GP bucket. It can bend in the middle and become a "swale cutter".


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## sqdqo (May 6, 2002)

Bucket would be on a TLB. Thats what I was concerned about, say your trying to pry hard on an object, will you bend the center area of the bucket bottom.


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## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

If you have a backhoe why would you be prying on anything with the front bucket? Use the hoe, that's what its designed for. And to answer your question, the front bucket will bow in the middle if you try prying on stuff. 4 in 1's are great tools. They save a lot of time and labor when in the hands of a capable operator. As with anything else just make sure you keep up with the cutting edges otherwise you'll be buying a really expensive bucket.


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## DGODGR (Nov 30, 2008)

What are you trying to do? I would hope that the bucket would be able to handle most forces that, the machine it's designed for, can apply to it. My bucket bent, slightly, from clamping to pick up my buckets. This can happen if not done correctly. I have also seen a friend's Case (early 580 SL model) 4-n-1 bent. I don't recall what he said caused it. I do recall him using chains, a bottle jack, and an I-beam to straighten it. My 416B & C models had "weld-on" edges on the back of the bottom half, and the bottom of the main half (only the leading edge was bolt-on). I would have prefered the "bolt-on" type as it was expensive to cut them off and replace them. IMO it would have been better (even chepaer in the long run) to pay for the bolt-on mounts at the time of purchase of the machine. Bolt-on egdes would be reversable too so one would get 2x the use from each blade. The Case I mentioned above had all bolt-on egdes. The bottom of my bucket wore out despite edge replacement. If the machine did not have so many hours on it I would add a wear strip to that location, or at least run some hard facing. As it is now it should outlast the rest of the machine.


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## mcwlandscaping (Sep 8, 2005)

Its something that once you have it, you wonder how you managed to do some tasks without it! The guy I rent my shop from has one for his JD 110TLB that I borrow to put on my tractor when needed and it takes everything either of us can put to it....many times things its not necessarily meant to do.


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