How To Calculate Excavator Bucket Capacity

The bucket acts as the business end of the excavator. Choosing the right size and type of excavator bucket for your application and the material you are digging or moving can increase production without overstressing your equipment.

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Use this guide to learn how to size an excavator bucket and how to calculate excavator bucket capacity.

Excavator bucket size

Size is the primary consideration when choosing a bucket. If you are digging a trench, the width of the trench will determine the width of the bucket you need. If you are digging foundations or backfilling excavations, the larger the bucket size, the better, within the recommended range of bucket sizes for excavators. The range of bucket sizes available for a particular excavator is determined by the size of the excavator. This is also true for mini excavator bucket sizes.

A larger bucket can increase productivity as you can move more material in one cycle.

 Rock Bucket

How to calculate excavator bucket capacity?

The bucket capacity of an excavator varies according to many factors, including material density, fill factor and production rate. A bucket suitable for gravel may not be suitable for loose soil.

To calculate the bucket capacity of an excavator, follow these steps.

Use a reputable source to determine the standard weight of any material you need to lift. Each bucket comes with a fill factor table that lists the various materials. These values will tell you how much of a particular material the bucket can handle based on the material density.

Rock Bucket

Next, time the digging operation of the excavator. It starts when the bucket starts digging and stops when it starts digging for the next load. Divide this number by 60 to find the excavator's cycle time.

Use the cycle time to determine the production rate per hour. Divide the target weight per hour of loaded material by the cycle time. For example, if you have to move 500 tonnes per hour and the cycle rate is 120 cycles per hour, you must move 500/120 = 4.17 tonnes per cycle.

Divide the cycle payload amount by the material density found in step 1. This will give you the nominal capacity of the drum.

Finally, divide the nominal capacity by the fill factor of the material to obtain the required capacity of any material required for each drum.

Brands will usually provide a chart showing the capacity of the drum based on the size and material of the drum.

 Rock Bucket

Calculating the lift ratio

To ensure that the excavator has enough power to lift the bucket you are going to use filled with the material you need to lift, do some mathematical calculations.

• Note the bucket capacity, listed in cubic yards.

• Multiply it by the material density of the heaviest material you plan to lift. (Consult the manufacturer's material density table or any standard reference.)

• Add the weight of any attachments to obtain the lifting weight. (Remember that the bucket weight may or may not be included in the lifting capacity; if it is, do not add it here.)

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• Take the lifting weight and divide it by the adjusted lifting capacity, i.e. the maximum lifting capacity plus the bucket weight. The result is the lift ratio.

• If the lift ratio is less than 1, the bucket will work for the material you want to lift. If it is higher than 1, the bucket is too heavy for the excavator. You need a smaller bucket - or a bigger excavator.

If you are working with dense material and you need to extend the machine as far as possible, a smaller bucket is safer, even if you have hired the right size excavator. Filling the bucket with heavy material and extending the bucket bar to the end of its working range can cause the machine to tip over.

Whether you&#;re searching for an excavator bucket to replace a worn out and damaged bucket or you&#;re on the hunt for a second bucket to swap for specific jobs, you&#;ll often find a good variety of great, used replacement excavator buckets -- but you might also find yourself wondering, &#;Will this bucket work for my excavator?&#; Luckily, with a few quick and simple measurements, you can narrow your search and make sure the bucket you find is the bucket you need.

 

Print Our Bucket Measuring Guide»

 

Matching the Bucket to Your Excavator

In your excavator bucket search you&#;ll quickly discover there are two ways to find and match an excavator bucket to your excavator -- through make, model, and serial number or by taking some quick measurements. If you&#;re searching specific to your machine, you can grab those details straight from the serial number plate on your machine or in your operator&#;s guide. However, since often buckets will work for a wide range of machines, searching by the dimensions of the bucket will often open up a much wider inventory of available excavator buckets. 

With those details in hand, you can start your search online or contact a reputable excavator bucket seller and they&#;ll be able to match your details with their online database of available buckets.

With a measuring tape and a few minutes with your current bucket you can get all the dimensions you'll need to search for a top-notch replacement excavator bucket. » Click video to play/pause animation.

 

What Measurements Do I Need to Search For an Excavator Bucket?

To get the dimensions you will need to assist in your search for a suitable replacement excavator bucket or an alternate bucket, you&#;ll only need a measuring tape and a few minutes with your current bucket. Below, you&#;ll find descriptions of each measurement and diagrams to help make sure you&#;re getting them right.

Measurements marked required are necessary to ensure the bucket will properly fit your excavator. Other measurements can be used to compare the size of your current bucket and the replacement bucket.

Upper Pin Hole Diameter (Required) [View Image]

Using a tape measure, measure the diameter of one of the upper pin holes on a pin ear by choosing two points directly opposite of each other. (The diameter of a circle is always the maximum distance of any two points at the circle&#;s edge).

Lower Pin Hole Diameter (Required) [View Image]

Using a tape measure, measure the diameter of one of the lower pin holes on the pin ears by choosing two points directly opposite of each other.

Distance From Center of Upper Pin Hole to Center of Lower Pin Hole (Required) [View Image]

Measure the distance from the center of the upper pin hole to the center of the lower pin hole on one of the bucket&#;s pin ears.

Though this measurement is required for your search, many excavators will work within a range of different measurements. Be sure to find your range or talk to a Parts Specialist to ensure you match the most available buckets.

Inside Width of Pin Ears (Required) [View Image]

Measure the distance from the inside side of one pin ear to the inside side of the other pin ear. 

Though this measurement is required for your search, many excavators will work within a range of different measurements with the use of shims. Be sure to find your range or talk to a Parts Specialist to ensure you match the most available buckets.

Inside Height of Bucket [View Image]

Measure the inside of the bucket from the bucket&#;s floor to the inside top of the bucket.

Inside Depth [View Image]

Measure the inside depth of the bucket by measuring from the deepest point in the bucket to a point along the center of the outside edge.

Inside Width of Bucket [View Image]

Measure the horizontal distance from the inside side of one of the bucket&#;s side plates to the inside side of the other side plate.

Cutting Width of Bucket [View Image]

Measure the distance from the outside edge of the furthest most left tooth to the outside edge of the furthest most right tooth or, in a toothless bucket, measure the distance between the outermost edges of the cutting blade.

Excavator buckets are designed with varying thickness of metal, alternate guards and cutting sides, and a range of teeth designs. » Click video to play/pause animation.

 

With those simple measurements in hand (or written down on our measuring guide), you should have all you need to start your used excavator bucket search. For tips on what to look for to ensure your bucket is up to the job, read our Excavator Bucket Buying Guide.

As always, our knowledgeable Part Specialists are here to help connect you with the perfect replacement part to get your back up and running quickly. And when you call they can search not just our deep inventory of used and reconditioned excavator buckets, but our national connected parts network. Just drop them a message.

 

Excavator Bucket Image and Diagram Gallery

Measure the diameter of one of the upper pin holes on the pin ears by choosing two points directly opposite of each other. Measure the diameter of one of the lower pin holes on the pin ears by choosing two points directly opposite of each other. Measure the distance from the center of the upper pin hole to the center of the lower pin hole on one of the bucket&#;s pin ears. Measure the distance from the inside side of one pin ear to the inside side of the other pin ear. Measure the inside height of the bucket from the bucket&#;s floor to the inside top of the bucket. Measure the horizontal distance from the inside side of one of the bucket&#;s side plates to the inside side of the other side plate. Measure the inside depth of the bucket by measuring from the deepest point in the bucket to a point along the center of the outside edge. Measure the distance between the outside edges of the furthest most teeth or the full width of the cutting edge.

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