How to Install Drive Pins on Komatsu Backhoe Buckets

The backhoe bucket drive pins on a Komatsu backhoe connect the bucket teeth to the bucket shank and secure the bucket to the frame of the backhoe. Over time, excessive use of the drive pins will cause them to wear down and cause the bucket to get loose or cause the bucket teeth to loosen and break. The wear on the bucket drive pins comes from the excessive movements of the bucket while the wear on the bucket teeth comes from excessive digging. Before the pins can be installed, the old pins must first be removed.

Instructions

1

Park the Komatsu backhoe in a safe working area. Curl the bucket upward until the bucket teeth are almost touching the bottom of the bucket frame. Lower the bucket to the ground so that the bottom of the bucket is resting on the ground. Lower the outriggers on both sides of the backhoe completely to the ground to prevent the backhoe from moving. Turn the engine off.

2

Remove the main bucket-to-frame drive pins by loosening and removing the locking bolts from the end of each drive pin with an open-end wrench. There will be one bucket-to-frame drive pin on each side of the bucket, with a lock bolt on each end of the drive pins. Place the bucket-to-frame lock bolts in a safe area.

3

Tap the inside end of each bucket-drive bolt with a hand-held sledge hammer and a large center punch until the pin comes out of the outside hole on the bucket. Move to the other bucket pin and do the same thing to remove the pin from the bucket.

4

Insert a clean rag through each bucket-drive-pin hole. Push the rag back and forth through the hole with the punch to clean out the hole. Spray a generous amount of lubricating oil inside of each bucket-pin hole to lubricate the holes. Push the two new bucket pins through each end of the bucket. Use the hammer and punch if necessary. Screw the locking bolts into the end of each bucket pin and tighten each bolt with the open-end wrench.

5

Crank the backhoe engine and open the bucket up so that the teeth on the front of the bucket are easily accessible. Spray a clean rag with the lubricating oil and push the rag through the bucket-shank hole with the long center punch or a short piece of PVC pipe. The shank hole is the front section of the bucket that secures the teeth to the bucket.

6

Loosen the lock bolt from the end of the shank pin that secures the pin inside of the bucket shank with an open-end wrench. Pull the pin out of the shank with your hands. Wiggle the teeth as needed to get the rod out of the shank.

7

Place the new teeth inside of the bucket-shank guides. Push the new shank pin through the holes of the new teeth and secure the locking bolt to the end of the shank pin.