Thank you for your purchase of our Excavator Bucket Sets!
First things first, you need to remove the existing bucket from the model. It is usually held on by rivets, but sometimes by friction pins.
- To remove rivets, all you need to do is drill from the hollow side. As you start drilling, the rivet should start coming out of the other side. You can drill all the way through, or you can start pulling out the rivets once you have enough "rivet" to grasp with needle nose pliers. Most rivets will be removed with 1/16" drill bits, but some models need a bigger drill bit. The drill bit should be about the size of the burred end of the rivet.
- To remove friction pins, you will need some sort of punch. Sometimes, you can use a small precision screwdriver as one. A friction pin is just like a rivet, but it has a rough end to keep the part in place instead of a burred edge. Lightly tap from each side of the bucket. Whichever side the the rough end is on is what side the pin will come out. This can be tricky but at the same time it can be very easy to do.
Next, you need to cut the included mounting pins. It is recommended that you use flush cutters to cut the pins. These will leave a flat edge versus a rough, sharp edge left by pliers. These can be found on Amazon, and any of these will do the trick: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=flush+cutters&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Below is a chart with the pin lengths.
| 25 Ton Set | 35 Ton Set | 45 Ton Set | |
| Coupler Pin (Linkage) | placeholder | placeholder | placeholder |
| Coupler/Thumb Connection Pin (Stick) | placeholder | placeholder | placeholder |
| Bucket Pins | placeholder | placeholder | placeholder |
| Thumb Cylinder Mount Connection Pin | placeholder | placeholder | placeholder |
| Pro-Link Thumb Linkage (45 Ton Set ONLY) | placeholder | placeholder | placeholder |
Now you need to insert the pins. Do this carefully so you don't accidentally chip the paint or anything like that. Even if you have the pins already drilled out, it is always a good idea to use the 1/16" drill bit and run it through so you have an exact sized hole. You can also use a very minimal amount of super glue to hold the pins in place. Of course, don't glue the pins on the back of the buckets because you will not be able to swap the buckets around, but you can glue the coupler pins, thumb cylinder mount pins, and the pins on the FRONT of the buckets.
Now, you're all set! it should look something like this. If you'd like, you can go to your local dealer and get a spray can of the corresponding bucket set color, and paint the ends of the pins. Just shake the can well, spray a small amount onto a paper plate, and use a fine paint brush (or Q-Tip, although we recommend using a fine paint brush) to gently apply the paint to the end of the pins. This is totally optional. My personal preference is to have the ends of the pins painted because it looks a lot cleaner.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. It is best if you message us directly on Instagram or Facebook because we can exchange pictures, but either is fine.
Again, thank you for purchasing our bucket sets! We hope you enjoy them.