Cutting Edge Tips

How to Maintain Cutting Edges for Buckets 
 
Properly maintaining your bucket cutting edges is a critical step to ensure maximum performance from your excavators, wheel loaders, CTLs, skid steers, and other equipment. To help you out, we’ve put together key best practices for cutting edge operation and maintenance that you and your operators can follow. 

Don’t back drag 
Back dragging your bucket will shorten the lifespan of your cutting edges by causing damage and premature breakage before it wears down.
 
Avoid excessive down pressure
Bucket cutting edges and the buckets themselves will last longer if you minimize how much down pressure is applied while the bucket is engaged with the ground.  
 
Always use corner protection 
Using corner guards on your cutting edges will not only increase your bucket’s strength and make digging and loading more effective, but it will also prevent premature wear and increase the lifespan of your edge. 
 
Choose the right bucket cutting edges for your machine 
Different machines require different types of cutting edges. For example, larger, more powerful pieces of equipment should use thicker edges. Using a thinner option for a large machine can lead to accelerated wear and tear. For grader blades, we recommend choosing single bevel curved blades over a double bevel curved blade. The leading bevel on double bevel curved blades will generally wear out quickly, turning it into a single bevel curved blade. Single bevel curved blades last longer and are typically more cost effective.
 
Use the correct bolts and nuts 
If you use the wrong sized bolts and nuts, they may loosen, leading to a loose cutting edge. An edge that isn’t properly secured to the moldboard can break, causing expensive downtime. We recommend using Grade 8 bolts or higher, as lower quality ones may stretch and loosen. 
 
Remember to rotate bucket cutting edges regularly
Routinely flipping your bucket blade can potentially double the lifespan of your cutting edge. How often you rotate the edge will depend on the type of material you are working with and how often you use the bucket. 
 
Check the position of the loader edge 
The base edges are the main support for the entire bucket system, while the primary engagement edges used for digging should be the bolt on cutting edges. If the base edge is excessively worn, the bucket is not as stable or effective.
 
Routinely inspect wear plates and bolts 
You can increase the working life of your bucket and cutting edges by replacing worn out wear plates and checking to make sure bolts are tight and don’t have any visible signs of damage. Loose cutting edges can be damaged and even fall off the bucket, creating hazards for surrounding equipment. 
 
 
If you have any questions about cutting edges for buckets or other equipment maintenance topics, contact our team today!