Bobcat bucket teeth are the replaceable wear parts bolted or pinned to the cutting edge of your skid steer, track loader, or excavator bucket. They dig into material first, protecting the bucket lip from wear and improving penetration in hard or rocky ground. When teeth get worn, chipped, or rounded off, digging efficiency drops and you burn more fuel pushing the bucket through material. Replacing worn teeth restores cutting performance and extends the life of your bucket.
TL;DR - Quick Facts
- What they do: Penetrate material and protect the bucket cutting edge from wear
- Signs of wear: Rounded tips, visible cracks, uneven wear patterns, slower digging
- Tooth styles: Standard, heavy-duty, rock, and chisel profiles for different applications
- Mounting types: Pin-on, bolt-on, and weld-on depending on bucket design
- Replacement difficulty: Easy to moderate with basic hand tools
What Do Bucket Teeth Do on a Bobcat?
Bucket teeth serve two purposes: they concentrate digging force into a smaller contact area for better penetration, and they take the brunt of wear so the bucket itself lasts longer. On Bobcat skid steers and track loaders, teeth are mounted along the bucket's cutting edge and are designed to be replaced as they wear down.
- Penetration: Pointed teeth break into hard-packed soil, gravel, or debris more easily than a flat cutting edge
- Wear protection: Teeth are sacrificial. They wear out so the bucket lip does not
- Material breakout: The gaps between teeth help material flow into the bucket and release cleanly when dumping
Not all Bobcat buckets come with teeth. General purpose buckets often have a smooth cutting edge for finish grading, while dirt buckets and severe-duty buckets use teeth for tougher digging conditions.
What Are the Different Types of Bobcat Bucket Teeth?
Bucket teeth come in different profiles designed for specific ground conditions. Choosing the right style affects how well your bucket digs and how long the teeth last.
- Standard (general purpose): A versatile pointed profile for mixed conditions. Works well in dirt, sand, loose gravel, and light clay. This is what most operators run for everyday work.
- Heavy-duty: Thicker and more wear-resistant than standard teeth. Built for abrasive materials like crusite, recycite, and dense gravel. Last longer in tough conditions but cost more.
- Rock teeth: Reinforced with a wider base and hardened tip for breaking into rock, frozen ground, and heavily compacted material. Designed to withstand impact without cracking.
- Chisel (flat) teeth: A flat cutting profile for scraping and prying rather than penetrating. Useful for breaking up asphalt, hard pan, or removing roots.
- Tiger teeth / twin tiger: Serrated or twin-point designs that grip loose material better. Popular for loading mulch, wood chips, and other loose organic material.
Most Bobcat skid steers and track loaders use standard or heavy-duty teeth. Rock and chisel teeth are more common on excavator buckets where impact forces are higher.
How Do I Know When to Replace Bucket Teeth?
Worn teeth hurt productivity before they fail completely. Here are the signs that it is time to replace them:
- Rounded or flattened tips. New teeth have a sharp point. When the tip rounds off, penetration suffers and you have to push harder to dig.
- Visible cracks or chips. Cracks at the base of the tooth can lead to breakage. A broken tooth left in the ground can damage tires, tracks, or other equipment.
- Uneven wear. If some teeth are worn more than others, the bucket digs unevenly and pulls to one side.
- Increased fuel consumption. Worn teeth require more hydraulic force to dig, which burns more fuel and puts extra strain on the machine.
- Wear into the adapter or bucket lip. If the tooth has worn down to the point where the adapter (the part that holds the tooth) is contacting material, replace immediately. Adapter damage is expensive.
A good rule of thumb: replace teeth when the tip has worn back about 50% of its original length. Do not wait until they are completely worn or broken.
What Mounting Systems Do Bobcat Bucket Teeth Use?
The mounting system determines how teeth attach to the bucket and how easy they are to replace. Bobcat equipment uses several systems depending on the bucket type and age.
- Pin-on teeth: The tooth slides onto an adapter welded to the bucket lip and is held in place by a retaining pin. Pins can be rubber flex pins (hammer in/out) or spring-loaded locking pins. This is the most common system on Bobcat loader buckets.
- Bolt-on teeth: The tooth bolts directly to the bucket cutting edge using hardened bolts and nuts. Common on older buckets and some aftermarket cutting edges. Requires a wrench to replace.
- Weld-on teeth: Permanently welded to the bucket. Not replaceable without cutting off and re-welding. Rare on modern equipment but sometimes seen on custom or fabricated buckets.
- Direct pin (hammerless): Newer tooth systems that use a top-lock pin you can install and remove by hand or with a small pry bar. Faster to change in the field without a hammer.
When ordering replacement teeth, you need to match both the tooth profile and the mounting system. A tooth designed for a pin-on adapter will not fit a bolt-on bucket.
How Do I Find the Right Bucket Teeth for My Bobcat?
Bobcat bucket teeth are not universal. The correct tooth depends on your bucket model, the adapter style, and sometimes the machine itself. Here is how to identify what you need:
- Check your bucket, not your machine. Bucket teeth fit the bucket, not the skid steer or track loader. The same Bobcat S650 can run different buckets with different tooth systems.
- Look at the existing teeth or adapters. If you have worn teeth still installed, look for part numbers stamped on the side. If only adapters remain, the adapter part number tells you which teeth fit.
- Measure the adapter width. Adapter width (measured across the top) is the key dimension. Common sizes on Bobcat equipment include 1", 1-1/8", and 1-1/4" widths.
- Count the number of teeth. Bucket width determines how many teeth you need. A 72" bucket typically has 5-7 teeth depending on spacing.
- Contact us with your bucket details. Email sales@partsonline.com with your Bobcat model, bucket width, and photos of the existing teeth or adapters. We will confirm the correct replacement parts.
Browse our Bobcat parts collection to search by part number if you already know what you need. A common bucket tooth equipment owners purchase from us is Bobcat 6737325.
How Do I Replace Bucket Teeth on a Bobcat?
Replacing pin-on bucket teeth is straightforward and can be done in the field with basic tools. Here is the general process:
- Position the bucket. Lower the bucket flat on the ground or tilt it back so you can access the teeth safely. Shut off the machine.
- Remove the retaining pin. For flex pins, drive them out with a hammer and punch from the bottom up. For spring-loaded pins, compress the spring and slide the pin out.
- Slide off the old tooth. Once the pin is out, the tooth should slide off the adapter. If it is stuck from dirt and corrosion, tap it with a hammer or use a pry bar.
- Clean the adapter. Wire brush or scrape off any dirt, rust, or debris from the adapter before installing the new tooth. A clean fit prevents premature wear.
- Slide on the new tooth. The tooth should fit snugly on the adapter. If it is too loose, check that you have the correct size.
- Install the retaining pin. Drive the flex pin in from the top until it seats, or install the locking pin until it clicks.
Repeat for each tooth. The whole job takes 15-30 minutes for a set of 5-7 teeth once you have the process down.
What Tools Do I Need to Replace Bucket Teeth?
For pin-on teeth with flex pins (the most common setup on Bobcat loaders), you need:
- Hammer (3-4 lb hand sledge works well)
- Punch or drift pin for driving out flex pins
- Wire brush for cleaning adapters
- Pry bar for stubborn teeth
- Penetrating oil for frozen pins or teeth
- Gloves and safety glasses
For bolt-on teeth, add a socket set or wrenches (typically 3/4" or 7/8") and a breaker bar for rusted bolts. Some operators also carry spare pins and hardware in the machine.
How Long Do Bobcat Bucket Teeth Last?
Tooth life depends on what you are digging and how often. There is no fixed hour interval because wear varies dramatically by application.
- Sand and topsoil: Low wear. Teeth can last hundreds of hours.
- Gravel and mixed fill: Moderate wear. Expect to replace teeth every 100-300 hours depending on conditions.
- Rock and concrete debris: High wear. Heavy-duty or rock teeth may only last 50-100 hours in severe applications.
- Frozen ground: Very high wear and impact stress. Teeth can chip or break in a single shift if ground is frozen solid.
Rotating teeth periodically helps even out wear. If the center teeth wear faster than the outside teeth (common when crowding into piles), swap their positions to extend overall life.
Should I Replace Teeth Individually or as a Set?
It depends on how evenly they have worn:
- Replace as a set if all teeth are similarly worn. Mixing old and new teeth creates an uneven cutting edge, which causes the bucket to dig unevenly and wears the new teeth faster.
- Replace individually if one tooth is damaged (cracked, broken, or missing) but the others still have life left. Just watch for uneven wear going forward.
Buying a full set is usually more cost-effective per tooth than ordering singles. Keep a spare set on hand so you are not stuck waiting for parts when teeth wear out mid-job.
Do Adapters Need to Be Replaced Too?
Adapters are the mounting points welded or bolted to the bucket that the teeth slide onto. They wear slower than teeth but do eventually need replacement.
- Inspect adapters every time you change teeth. Look for cracks, mushrooming (metal spreading from impact), and wear on the surfaces where the tooth seats.
- Replace adapters when worn past limits. If the adapter has worn thin or the tooth fits loosely, the tooth will move during digging and wear out faster.
- Match adapters to teeth. If you switch to a different tooth style or brand, you may need new adapters to match.
Adapter replacement is more involved than changing teeth since they are usually welded on. A fabrication shop can cut off worn adapters and weld new ones in place.
Are Aftermarket Bucket Teeth as Good as OEM?
Aftermarket bucket teeth are manufactured to match OEM dimensions and fit the same adapters. The key factors are material hardness and heat treatment, which determine wear resistance.
- Quality aftermarket teeth use the same high-carbon alloy steel as OEM
- Heat treatment hardens the tooth surface while keeping the core tough enough to resist cracking
- Dimensional accuracy ensures proper fit on standard adapters
- Significant cost savings compared to dealer pricing, often 30-50% less
The practical difference in the field is minimal for most applications. Where OEM teeth might have an edge is in extreme rock or demolition work where maximum hardness matters. For general dirt, gravel, and mixed material, aftermarket teeth perform the same and cost less.
Browse Bobcat skid steer parts and Bobcat compact track loader parts collections for aftermarket bucket teeth and adapters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bucket teeth from other brands on my Bobcat bucket?
Yes, as long as the tooth matches your adapter style and size. Bucket teeth are not brand-specific. What matters is the adapter width and mounting type, not the machine brand.
How many teeth does a Bobcat bucket have?
It varies by bucket width. A 66" bucket typically has 5 teeth, a 72" bucket has 5-6, and an 80" bucket may have 6-7. Tooth spacing is usually 10-14" apart.
What is the difference between a bucket tooth and a bucket edge?
Teeth are the pointed wear parts at the bottom of the bucket. The cutting edge (or bucket edge) is the flat steel plate that runs the width of the bucket behind the teeth. Both are replaceable wear items.
Can I weld bucket teeth instead of using pins?
You can, but it is not recommended. Welded teeth cannot be replaced easily when worn, and the heat from welding can weaken the bucket lip. Pin-on or bolt-on systems exist specifically so teeth can be swapped quickly.
Why do my center teeth wear faster than the outside teeth?
The center teeth do more work when crowding into piles or digging in confined areas. Rotating teeth from center to outside positions periodically helps even out wear across the set.
Do I need to replace the flex pins when I change teeth?
Inspect them each time. Flex pins wear and can become loose over time. If a pin drives out too easily or does not hold the tooth snugly, replace it. Pins are cheap insurance against losing a tooth in the field.
What if my bucket does not have adapters for teeth?
Some buckets have a plain cutting edge without tooth mounts. A fabrication shop can weld adapters onto the bucket lip to add teeth, or you can order a bolt-on tooth bar that attaches to the existing edge.
How do I store spare bucket teeth?
Keep them in a dry location to prevent rust. A light coat of oil on the mounting surfaces helps. Many operators keep a spare set in the cab or toolbox so they are ready when needed.