L3901 4 in 1 loader bucket capabilities

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
Let us know how it goes for you you.
It wont take long to get the hang of the bucket.

Im guessing it wont have hooks as most buckets dont have them standard.
One trick with a 4in1 is to weld the hooks inside the bucket on the top edge.
When you hook up your chains open the bucket. This lets you lift from the back of the bucket rather than the the front edge which gives you more lifting power.
Got it, thanks. I think I saw this on a DIY mods video. I don't have a welder so you think it would impair the bucket any if I drilled holes to install the hooks?
 

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
Let us know how it goes for you you.
It wont take long to get the hang of the bucket.

Im guessing it wont have hooks as most buckets dont have them standard.
One trick with a 4in1 is to weld the hooks inside the bucket on the top edge.
When you hook up your chains open the bucket. This lets you lift from the back of the bucket rather than the the front edge which gives you more lifting power.
I communicated with someone from Ken's Bolt on Hooks & they said they had nothing for the CB1060 4in1 bucket due to the nature of how it's built. If you have any backup showing hooks would work without impairing the bucket, that would be great. You got any pics or sites showing how these would properly be installed?
 

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
Check out this you tube: Why a 4 in 1 bucket fails when it comes to working with Brush piles...
I watched the video. Who would grab 20 ft tree debris with even a grapple? The guy should have cut everything up. This is only one negative video on the 4in1 bucket.
Fake news.
 

SDT

Well-known member

Equipment
multiple and various
Apr 15, 2018
3,084
925
113
SE, IN
Does anyone have the 4 in 1 loader bucket? I'm wondering of the capabilities it has.
On my property there are several piles where Juniper trees were cleared about 50 yrs. ago by the ranchers, thinking it would enhance grass growth for the cattle. Bad idea, doing this created erosion issues.

Anyway, I want to use the 4in1 bucket to grab the piles move & them to one location for burning. Some of these trunks weigh about 200-300 lbs. Can the 4in1 accomplish the task?
I have three tractors with FELs.

Standard type bucket on M9960 and B3350. 4-in-1 bucket on L6060. Also have HD grapple for use with M9960.

The 4-in-1 bucket weighs nearly twice what a standard bucket weighs and significantly reduces payload. Yes, it's handy for the occasional, small job and I use it for such to avoid mounting the grapple to the M9960, but I would not buy it again.

SDT
 

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
I have three tractors with FELs.

Standard type bucket on M9960 and B3350. 4-in-1 bucket on L6060. Also have HD grapple for use with M9960.

The 4-in-1 bucket weighs nearly twice what a standard bucket weighs and significantly reduces payload. Yes, it's handy for the occasional, small job and I use it for such to avoid mounting the grapple to the M9960, but I would not buy it again.

SDT
The CB1060 4in1 bucket weighs 360 lbs with 3k lbs clamping force & the specs for the standard 66" bucket weighs about 212 lbs. (same size, not twice as heavy) I can't see how a 148 lb difference would significantly impair lifting capacity, in comparison.

The most, at this point, I'll be moving around is about 200-300 lbs. of payload & since this has 3k of clamp pressure, I'm comfortable working with this bucket.

What 4in1 are you referring to? Maybe you have an inferior model compared to the CB1060. To date, I haven't found anything negative about this bucket except one where the guy was moving 20' downed trees.

How is payload significantly reduced working with a 148 lb heavier bucket?
 

SDT

Well-known member

Equipment
multiple and various
Apr 15, 2018
3,084
925
113
SE, IN
The CB1060 4in1 bucket weighs 360 lbs with 3k lbs clamping force & the specs for the standard 66" bucket weighs about 212 lbs. (same size, not twice as heavy) I can't see how a 148 lb difference would significantly impair lifting capacity, in comparison.

The most, at this point, I'll be moving around is about 200-300 lbs. of payload & since this has 3k of clamp pressure, I'm comfortable working with this bucket.

What 4in1 are you referring to? Maybe you have an inferior model compared to the CB1060. To date, I haven't found anything negative about this bucket except one where the guy was moving 20' downed trees.

How is payload significantly reduced working with a 148 lb heavier bucket?
360/212, close enough to "about twice" for me in this case.

A decrease in payload of 148 lbs. is significant to me for a machine of this size.

Not sure what you mean by "inferior," and do not have the model number of my 4-in-1 bucket at hand, but it's the Kubota supplied model.

It's your money so it's your decision but, not being in the landscaping business, I will not buy another 4-in-1 bucket. I've had my L6060 for three years and the paint is still on the 4-in-1 bucket.

SDT
 
Last edited:

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
360/212, close enough to "about twice" for me.

A decrease in payload of 148 lbs. is significant to me for a machine of this size.

It's your money so it's your decision but, not being in the landscaping business, I will not buy another 4-in-1 bucket. I've had my L6060 for three years and the paint is still on the 4-in-1 bucket.

SDT
Maybe you don't no how to fully utilize its potential. I used one from a friend of mine & learned how to grapple wood, bulldoze, & do some grading.
Maybe your model is defective or something. 148 lbs won't hinder any payload when dealing with 200-300 lbs if the total payload capacity is over 1k lbs. , right? The loader has potential of lifting over 1k lbs.. The 4in1 didn't cost that much - was under $3k which would have been more if I were to buy a std. bucket with grapple. Less implements means less space to store.
 

SDT

Well-known member

Equipment
multiple and various
Apr 15, 2018
3,084
925
113
SE, IN
Maybe you don't no how to fully utilize its potential. I used one from a friend of mine & learned how to grapple wood, bulldoze, & do some grading.
Maybe your model is defective or something. 148 lbs won't hinder any payload when dealing with 200-300 lbs if the total payload capacity is over 1k lbs. , right? The loader has potential of lifting over 1k lbs.. The 4in1 didn't cost that much - was under $3k which would have been more if I were to buy a std. bucket with grapple. Less implements means less space to store.
Let us know how it works out after you have used it for a year or two.

BTDT

SDT
 

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
Let us know how it works out after you have used it for a year or two.

BTDT

SDT
Sounds like you had a bad experience with your bucket, sorry to hear that. You should have gone with the CB1060.

Review the vids on this bucket, maybe you can sell yours & get this one.
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,382
4,022
113
Chenango County, NY
Art -

I don't know SDT beyond interactions here on OTT.

I find him to be very experienced and knowledgeable. I doubt he expresses advice learned from YouTube, but first-hand. I would just advise giving his recommendations more credence.

Even if nothing more, SDT's word of caution would make me take pause. While there's many folks here on OTT whose advice I hold in high regard; honestly there's others not so much...SDT is certainly with the former, and not the latter category.

Not lobbying for or against a 4-in-1. I've never used one, but certainly know how they work.

I have a friend that loves them on his commercial TLB's. Has had them for 30 years on 3 machines I recall.

Just my suggestions.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
Art -

I don’t know SDT beyond interactions here on OTT.

I find him to be very experienced and knowledgeable. I doubt he expresses advice learned from YouTube, but first-hand. I would just advise giving his recommendations more credence.

Even if nothing more, SDT’s word of caution would make me take pause. While there’s many folks here on OTT whose advice I hold in high regard; honestly there’s others not so much...

Not lobbying for or against a 4-in-1. I’ve never used one, but certainly know how they work.

I have a friend that loves them on his commercial TLB’s. Has had them for 30 years on 3 machines I recall.

Just my suggestions.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks RCW, noted.
I have a friend that has one on his Cat 420 & he let me use it for a month. I've never used one before that but enjoyed the features I was able to utilize.
The Kubota dealer mentioned they're worthwhile and didn't try to push selling one since it was a special order item.

I'm no expert, by any means, & never owned a tractor but feel I will benefit from the utility it has.
Thank you for your input - he was the very 1st person expressing a negative opinion.
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,382
4,022
113
Chenango County, NY
I have a friend that has one on his Cat 420 & he let me use it for a month. I've never used one before that but enjoyed the features I was able to utilize.
Okay - we have some commonality in that our knowledge of 4/1 is limited to commercial TLB's.

The Cat 420 could probably pick up your L3901 with the 4-in-1...won't work the other way. The Cat probably weighs 2-4 times the L3901, depending how equipped.

It has MUCH more horsepower, hydraulic capacity/force. It’s comparing apples to oranges.

Heck, a little B26 Commercial Kubota TLB can pick up my BX2360 easily...

Just thinking I wouldn't expect the same performance from the L3901 with the 4/1 that you experienced before.

150 pounds could be a real issue with an L3901; you aren’t realizing that yet due to your seat time in a commercial TLB.

Again, not a lobby for/against. Just want you to be informed and forewarned.
 
Last edited:

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
Okay - we have some commonality in that our knowledge of 4/1 is limited to commercial TLB's.

The Cat 420 could probably pick up your L3901 with the 4-in-1...won't work the other way. The Cat probably weighs double/triple the L3901, depending how equipped, and has MUCH more horsepower, hydraulic capacity/force. It’s comparing apples to oranges.

Heck, a little B26 Commercial Kubota TLB can probably pick up my BX2360 easily...

Just thinking I wouldn't expect the same performance from the L3901 with the 4/1 that you experienced before.

150 pounds could be a real issue with an L3901; you aren’t realizing that yet due to your seat time in a commercial TLB.

Again, not a lobby for/against. Just want you to be informed and forewarned.
All my heavy duty work is done so wont be doing anything huge except moving 200-300 lbs of wood around.
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,382
4,022
113
Chenango County, NY
All my heavy duty work is done so wont be doing anything huge except moving 200-300 lbs of wood around.

Cool!

I can do that in my BX bucket.

Sorry for the tangent; honestly advice just meant to be helpful![emoji3]

Best wishes!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
Cool!

I can do that in my BX bucket.

Sorry for the tangent; honestly advice just meant to be helpful![emoji3]

Best wishes!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
No, I appreciate the feedback. I just sent the guy at kubota (who I've been working with) a message about the load for this. I still have time to change things a bit if I wanted to.

Which tractor so you have? So, you have a std bucket?
 

ItBmine

Well-known member

Equipment
B2620, RTV-X1100C
Jan 21, 2014
1,328
335
83
Canada
My "other" tractor is a Case 580M Backhoe with a 4-in-1 bucket on the front. OMG. I absolutely LOVE the 4-in-1 and not sure what I'd do without it. We bought some property about a year ago and we have been systematically clearing trees and shrubs and stacking them. Well the stack kept growing and turned out to be 1/2 football field sized pile stacked 4' high. This weekend we rented a commercial tree chipper (takes up to 12" diameter branches) and fed the entire pile through it. I was thinking it would take two days and ended up taking about a 1/2 day! The cadence that worked best for us was that I used the 580M (4-in-1) to grab "bunches" of material from the stack and bring it over to two helpers who were in charge of feeding the shredder. Anyway, we made short work of the pile that we had.

The other great part about the 4-in-1 is that once you get the hang of it you can pick up stuff pretty easily - items that trying to scoop them, you'd get a lot of unwanted dirt, etc. I was constantly picking up large boulders and root balls and plopping them into a dump trailer for disposal later.

Never used a grapple and I can imagine it is a very useful tool and likely does a better job than the 4-in-1. So, if you do this a lot - that's probably the right tool. However, there's times when having a similar capability with the bucket is just so darn convenient!
We have a 580 Super M also with a 4 in 1 bucket. I also love it. You can grasp stuff, use it as a box blade, pull snow out from under stuff, and when you get snow or something stuck in the bucket, just open it up.
 

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
Cool!

I can do that in my BX bucket.

Sorry for the tangent; honestly advice just meant to be helpful![emoji3]

Best wishes!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Here's the Kubota answer "The loader lift capacity is around 1,150 lbs, and therefore you won’t notice the extra 100lb addition.

Also, the versatility of the 4-in-1 bucket is worth the extra 100 lbs"
 

BigG

Well-known member

Equipment
l2501, FEL, BB, Rotary cutter, rake,spreader, roller, etc. New Holland TL80 A
Sep 14, 2018
1,949
765
113
West Central,FL
Since you know all why do you bother to ask the questions? The 4 in 1 is a useful tool? Sure it is. Is it all that useful on a smaller tractor maybe not so much. The weight of the 4 in 1 reduces the lift capacity of your tractor about 13%. That means and extra trip every 9 trips. Not a big deal until your are working all day and those extra trips start to add up.

Also the guys that love there 4 in 1 and your limited experience are on much larger heavier stronger machines. So let us try an analogy. Could you fill a 5 gallon bucket with dirt using a teaspoon. Yes it could be done. Could you fill the same bucket with a spade much faster and easier? You bet. So spend your money for your gold plated spoon (4 in 1) and enjoy it. But you need to ask yourself a question, Why doesn't the dealer keep such an expensive most likely lucrative attachment on hand to sell?

Build the barn you want to build without listening to all the people who tried to help and park your L3901 in it with the backhoe on it and enjoy yourself. You asked the questions and got your feelings hurt so do what you want without the years of wisdom that people tried to share with you.
 

ArtinAz

Member

Equipment
L3901
Oct 24, 2019
109
1
16
Snowflake
Since you know all why do you bother to ask the questions? The 4 in 1 is a useful tool? Sure it is. Is it all that useful on a smaller tractor maybe not so much. The weight of the 4 in 1 reduces the lift capacity of your tractor about 13%. That means and extra trip every 9 trips. Not a big deal until your are working all day and those extra trips start to add up.

Also the guys that love there 4 in 1 and your limited experience are on much larger heavier stronger machines. So let us try an analogy. Could you fill a 5 gallon bucket with dirt using a teaspoon. Yes it could be done. Could you fill the same bucket with a spade much faster and easier? You bet. So spend your money for your gold plated spoon (4 in 1) and enjoy it. But you need to ask yourself a question, Why doesn't the dealer keep such an expensive most likely lucrative attachment on hand to sell?

Build the barn you want to build without listening to all the people who tried to help and park your L3901 in it with the backhoe on it and enjoy yourself. You asked the questions and got your feelings hurt so do what you want without the years of wisdom that people tried to share with you. I'm just a troll with nothing to do. That's the only thing I'm an expert at.
Really?? I don't know all - so why bother trolling, I thought this was against the rules here.
The dealer doesn't keep it on hand. This is something I had to ask for and they special ordered it. As for your anologies, they're irrelevant since no one cares. The bucket was a throw-in due to specials they have, buy a tractor get 2 implements.

I guess I got a free golden spoon, then. Analyze that.
Also it's "love their 4in1" not "love there 4in1"
And btw, I have a hard shell - no hurt feelings here, bud. Try trolling another forum.
 
Last edited:

SDT

Well-known member

Equipment
multiple and various
Apr 15, 2018
3,084
925
113
SE, IN
Sounds like you had a bad experience with your bucket, sorry to hear that. You should have gone with the CB1060.

Review the vids on this bucket, maybe you can sell yours & get this one.
Actually, I have not had a "bad experience" but have decided that a 4-in-1 bucket is not appropriate for me for multiple reasons.

That said, a 4-in-1 bucket is just the thing for some landscapers, excavators, etc., especially when used on a skid steer.

When my second pole barn was built about 4 years ago, the concrete folks used a skid steer with 4-in-1 bucket to distribute and level the crushed stone beneath the concrete. The operator was an artist. It was an experience watching what he did with it in such a short time.

SDT