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Giving new life to old drawers
Properly refurbished, a used excavator bucket can last longer than a new one - at a fraction of the cost. Entrack has a wide range of components, quality steel and welding expertise. This makes it attractive to refurbish old buckets.
Entrack Heimdal offers comprehensive refurbishment of excavator buckets of all sizes, but especially for machines from 10-15 tonnes upwards. With solid expertise, a wide stock of parts and access to the market's best wear parts, even worn-out buckets can be given a new lease of life - often with higher technical quality and better wear resistance than the original.
- "We see many contractors who want to extend the life of their equipment without compromising on performance," says Alf Syrstad, aftermarket salesman and technical manager for steel and spare parts at Entrack in Central Norway. "A well-executed renovation isn't just about replacing what's worn out, but about building smarter and more efficiently than before.
From scrap to customised tools
The refurbishment process starts with the bucket's base frame - top, bottom and side walls. Everything can be rebuilt. But in particular, new ribs underneath (so-called strips), reinforced corner blocks and, not least, a new front knife are included as standard in the renovation. The front knife can be either straight, pointed or delta/half-pointed. For buckets used in coarse materials or blasted stone, it is common to extend the front blade slightly on the sides and forwards in a delta/half-point formation for better penetration and wear levelling.
Central to this process is also the choice of the right wear parts and tooth systems. Entrack primarily utilises components from Trasteel or the patented system of Combi Wear Parts in Sweden, a supplier known for extreme durability and environmentally friendly production. The teeth, which are bolted to holders and easy to replace, are available in different variants for different types of soil and digging conditions.
- "The aim is always to make the bucket work more easily in the mass," says Syrstad. "If the stone rolls into the bucket instead of sliding, wear is significantly reduced. This means less energy consumption and lower maintenance costs over time.
Quality and heat treatment
One of the most important aspects of bucket renovation is the correct welding process. Before welding starts, the entire bucket is heated to a minimum of 100 degrees to remove moisture and prevent the steel from losing its mechanical properties. Welding then takes place in a carefully defined sequence to prevent deformation and ensure maximum durability.
- «We work with steel grades with a hardness of up to HBW 500 and special protections in chrome carbide,» says Syrstad. "These are materials that can withstand both heavy impacts and continuous friction, such as in excavation environments with stones and gravel. The chrome carbide is soldered to steel plates and welded to exposed parts - such as behind the tooth holder and at the sides, where "chocky bars" provide extra protection.
Economical alternative to buying new
The price difference between a new and a refurbished bucket is significant. A new bucket for a 50-tonne machine can cost around NOK 400,000, while a completely refurbished variant is around NOK 100,000 - plus any upgrades to the tooth system. For machines in the 30-40++ tonne segment, the savings can account for a large proportion of the maintenance budget.
- "Many of the buckets we rebuild are simply better than new," says Syrstad. "With the right components and customisation, the customer gets a product that lasts longer, digs more efficiently and costs less. I can show examples of buckets that we have refurbished that you can hardly see any wear and tear on after more than a year of continuous operation in blasted stone.
Accessibility and flexibility
Entrack Heimdal has a large stock of both worn parts and new and used refurbished buckets ready for delivery - making it possible to help customers quickly, even when unforeseen needs arise. In addition, customisation is offered: Buckets can be customised with special protection, extra protrusions on the front knife for better rolling properties, and different tooth systems adapted to the customer's needs and machinery.
- "As I said, we invest heavily in steel and parts from Combi Wear in Ljungby, Sweden. They produce top quality with green energy. However, there are several systems out there with slightly different features and at different prices., For example, Trasteel's in the Cat J system, which we can also supply and many customers have on their buckets. We're not saying you should change systems just for the sake of it - it's important to assess how the bucket is used and weigh up the investment in renovation against maintenance costs over time. In any case, we recommend using what you have until it's worn out, then you are completely free to choose the level of upgrade," says Syrstad.
With experienced professionals, access to some of the best materials on the market and a conscious approach to sustainability and reuse, drawer refurbishment is a smart and environmentally friendly alternative to buying new - without compromising on performance.
- "We build drawers that last. And we do it in a way that gives the customer value both today and tomorrow," concludes Alf Syrstad.