mini excavator bucket pins

[lilscoop]

i have a kx040 mini and i would like to know what i can do to take out the sloppy play in the bucket...
most play is in the main bucket pin, like 40mm in size...

 

[Lil Foot]

If the pin setup is like most (all?) Kubotas, you are left with only one alternative- have a machine shop line bore/line ream the holes, and make oversize pins. (or weld them up & re-machine)
If you are very lucky, and most of the wear is on the pins, just replacing them will improve the play, but not eliminate it.
Most commercial tractors & excavators use replaceable pins & bushings, but Kubotas use a steel-on-steel setup with no replaceable components.

In the near future, I will be re-machining the bucket pins & holes on my Hanix N150-2 mini ex.
I think the bucket on mine swings side-to-side about 4 inches, pretty loose.

 

[lugbolt]

The excavators have bushings.

between the bucket and the stick are two thrust washers. They wear out. You can put more than one washer in there to take up the slack, that's what they are for. When they get loose you can pop the pin out and toss another shim in there to get you by for a while. This also helps keep the pin from wearing, as well as the bushings. They still wear, just not nearly as quickly as they would if the washers are not shimmed pretty tight and the o-rings gone (which is very common). Those o-rings keep the grease in and help reduce the amount of dirt/water/etc that get into the pin/bushing area. Grease the fittings OFTEN and grease the snot out of it.

The bushings are in the stick, normally have to beat them out-takes some force, kinda pressed in.

040's have a bolt holding the pin don't they? I forget...the last few I did were KX080's, which had about a 5/8" dia spring pin, aka "roll pin".....pain in the neck. Anyway the pin goes through the bucket, and is supposed to keep the pin from rotating inside the bucket pin holes, which reduces or eliminates wear in the pin holes on the bucket side, and placing the wear on the stick's bushings (which are replaceable).

Most of the tractor/loaders don't have bushings, just pin on steel. When they wear, you have to machine them for a slightly bigger pin, or remove material or whatever. Excavators are much more friendly, using bushings.

 

[fried1765]

If the pin setup is like most (all?) Kubotas, you are left with only one alternative- have a machine shop line bore/line ream the holes, and make oversize pins. (or weld them up & re-machine)
If you are very lucky, and most of the wear is on the pins, just replacing them will improve the play, but not eliminate it.
Most commercial tractors & excavators use replaceable pins & bushings, but Kubotas use a steel-on-steel setup with no replaceable components.

In the near future, I will be re-machining the bucket pins & holes on my Hanix N150-2 mini ex.
I think the bucket on mine swings side-to-side about 4 inches, pretty loose.

View attachment 75385

That is such a sweet looking little machine!
Ever since your first photos......
I want it !!

 

[Lil Foot]

That is such a sweet looking little machine!
Ever since your first photos......
I want it !!

As soon as I first saw it, it stuck me as unusual, and I knew I wanted it. There is something kinda old school about the design that makes it attractive to me, despite all the grease, dirt & maintenance issues.
Not sure if it is the long but low body, the saucy forward lean ROPs/top, or something else, but it has personality.

 

[fried1765]

As soon as I first saw it, it stuck me as unusual, and I knew I wanted it. There is something kinda old school about the design that makes it attractive to me, despite all the grease, dirt & maintenance issues.
Not sure if it is the long but low body, the saucy forward lean ROPs/top, or something else, but it has personality.

AGREED !!!

 

[Spikeba]

Not sure what Lilfoot is talking about but my Kubota KX71-3 Super (much like your 40) has bucket shims and theyre available in the Kubota parts catalog.
The Bushings are also available.

 

[Lil Foot]

Not sure what Lilfoot is talking about but my Kubota KX71-3 Super (much like your 40) has bucket shims and theyre available in the Kubota parts catalog.
The Bushings are also available.

Should have been clearer- (most if not all) old Kubota backhoes lack any replaceable bushings- just soft pins in soft side plates.

 

[Spikeba]

Should have been clearer- (most if not all) old Kubota backhoes lack any replaceable bushings- just soft pins in soft side plates.

More to the point, define "old" and "most".
Keep in mind, Zepplins first album is now 56 yrs old......

That said, with minimal research, all post 2000 (25 yr old) Kubotas have bushings, not "steel on steel" that require machining to service.
Lilscoop's KX040 made its debut in 2019.....

Lets all try to give advice pertinent to the question rather than steer someone completely off course.

 

[whatsupdoc]

A KX040-4 has bushings

 

[Spikeba]

A KX040-4 has bushings
View attachment 159951

View attachment 159952

Thanks Doc, but we've established this already. Always good to see schematics and part numbers.
Methinks previous poster is NOT a Kubota fan.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

More to the point, define "old" and "most".
Keep in mind, Zepplins first album is now 56 yrs old......

That said, with minimal research, all post 2000 (25 yr old) Kubotas have bushings, not "steel on steel" that require machining to service.
Lilscoop's KX040 made its debut in 2019.....

Lets all try to give advice pertinent to the question rather than steer someone completely off course.

Thanks Doc, but we've established this already. Always good to see schematics and part numbers.
Methinks previous poster is NOT a Kubota fan.

@Spikeba, you're very likely not going to like me or this statement!
Why you chose to bring up a 3 year old dead post and stir the pot with it is a little baffling to me.

I don't like when someone comes along and tries to School someone using an attitude , when they clearly need to get and education themselves!

So within the spirit and spite that you slung at @lilfoot, which is a very helpful, great member, and great person), I'll give you my statements on this.

First the OP stated he had a KX040 which was made in 1990 not 2019 like you so boldly stated.
This is straight from KUBOTA

It was a grey market excavator, It is not anywhere close to a KX040-4 or -5

The OP never came back on to clarify if it was a KX040, KX040-2, KX040-3 or any other variant.
So that is a grey area also, But I'm going to assume that what he stated he had, is what he had.

Whether it has bushings or not is also a grey area because I don't have a parts breakdown of that specific model to state one way or another.

They did not use bushings in the Old model Backhoes which is what @Lil Foot had said.
He was also nice enough to come back and clarify that.
He knows as he has or has had several over the years.
And yes he's a kubota fan!

Not sure what Lilfoot is talking about but my Kubota KX71-3 Super (much like your 40) has bucket shims and theyre available in the Kubota parts catalog.
The Bushings are also available.

Again you are trying to compare a MUCH newer excavator with a much older excavator.
Using your own words.
"Lets all try to give advice pertinent to the question rather than steer someone completely off course."

If your going to give matter a factly facts you better be right on the mark.

Please choose the right response.
I'll say this, the only acceptable response is to apologize to @Lil Foot for the attitude and move forward with this learning experience.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

A KX040-4 has bushings
View attachment 159951

View attachment 159952

@whatsupdoc, ReRead the OP's statement did he say he had a KX-040-4 ?
If your going to back a racehorse make sure the jockey has not pulled the wool over your eyes.