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Can a Cracked Tractor or Skid Steer Bucket Be Welded?
Quick answer
- Usually yes. Cracked shells, worn cutting edges and torn side plates are routine repairs on a bucket with a sound structure.
- Published prices (skid steer size): about $150–$500 for a crack repair and $400–$1,200 for a full rebuild, vs about $1,500–$4,000 for a new bucket.
- Replace instead when the shell is badly worn or deformed, or repairs approach 40–50% of a new bucket.
Why
A loader bucket is a wear item. Cutting edges, teeth and side cutters are meant to be replaced, and cracks at the corners, ears and back wall are common welding work. As Wainscott's Mobile Welding puts it, most buckets that look finished need edges, wear bars and a couple of side plates, not a new bucket.
The catch is timing. Run the cutting edge until it's gone and the shell starts wearing, and a cheap edge job becomes a structural rebuild. Werk-Brau describes a $400 cutting edge job that became a $12,000 bucket replacement after the edge wore through.
The quick attach plate is the other key spot. A worn or bent plate can let one locking pin engage and the other not, which is how buckets fall off.
How to tell if yours is fixable
- Wash the bucket. Caked mud hides cracks, especially at the corners, the heel and the mounting ears.
- Measure the cutting edge at the center and both ends. Werk-Brau suggests replacing it before it wears below about 70% of its original thickness.
- Check the shell behind the edge. Werk-Brau recommends a professional look at any shell wear deeper than about 1/4".
- Look at the ears and pin bores, or the quick attach plate. Oval pin holes or a plate that won't lock evenly is a priority fix.
- Check whether the edge is bolt-on or weld-on. Bolt-on edges are cheaper and faster to swap.
What the welder does
- Clean the bucket and inspect the shell, corners, ears and quick attach plate.
- Cut off the worn weld-on edge (or unbolt a bolt-on one) and fit the new edge.
- Grind out cracks in the shell or side plates and weld them full depth.
- Add wear bars, side plates or gussets where the bucket keeps wearing or cracking.
- Repair or replace the quick attach plate, or rebuild worn pin bores.
- Check the bucket sits square and locks evenly on the machine.
Fair shop price
| Job | Published price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting edge replacement (skid steer, by width) | $150–$450 | Ames Hydraulics |
| Bucket crack repair (skid steer) | $150–$500 | Ames Hydraulics |
| Full bucket rebuild (skid steer) | $400–$1,200 | Ames Hydraulics |
| Quick attach plate repair or replacement | $200–$600 | Ames Hydraulics |
| Cutting edge replacement, larger loader/excavator bucket (mobile) | $900–$2,800 | Wainscott's Mobile Welding |
| Full rebuild, larger loader/excavator bucket (mobile) | $3,000–$8,000 | Wainscott's Mobile Welding |
These are published prices from the sources listed, not quotes. Your price depends on rust, access, metal type, and travel. Typical welder labor runs about $60–$125/hr nationally (HomeAdvisor).
Price sources: Ames Hydraulics · Wainscott's Mobile Welding · HomeAdvisor.
Cost to replace instead
A new skid steer bucket runs about $1,500–$4,000 (Ames Hydraulics). Werk-Brau suggests buying new when the shell is worn deeper than 1/4", there are multiple weld cracks or impact deformation, or repairs would cost more than 40–50% of a new bucket.
Replace it instead when…
- The shell is worn thin or deformed from impacts.
- There are multiple weld cracks in the structure, not one.
- The repair estimate is approaching half the price of a new bucket.
DIY or hire a pro?
Swapping a bolt-on cutting edge is a reasonable DIY job. Cutting off and welding on a heavy edge, rebuilding ears or welding a quick attach plate takes a big machine, thick-plate skill and good fit-up. That's pro work, and it's ideal mobile work since the bucket can be fixed where it sits.
🚩 Ripoff red flags
- Selling you a new bucket when the shell and ears are sound and it only needs an edge.
- Welding a new edge on without checking the shell behind it or the pin bores.
- Building up a worn quick attach plate again and again instead of checking the machine-side coupler.
- No reinforcement on a crack that keeps coming back at the same spot.
🧰 Tools & parts for this job
⚠️ This is a structural, load-bearing part. Epoxy, putty, or other DIY adhesive fixes are not safe here. Below are replacement parts and protective gear only; the repair itself should be a proper weld or a new part.
- Bolt-on cutting edgeCheaper and faster to replace than a weld-on edge.
- Bolt-on bucket teethHelps protect the edge and shell in hard digging.
- Weld-on quick attach plateLets your welder fit an old bucket to a newer machine.
- Digital caliperMeasure cutting edge wear so you replace it before the shell gets damaged.
- Grease gunGreasing pins and bushings keeps the bores from wearing oval.
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⚠️ Safety
Lower the bucket to the ground or block it securely before anyone works on or under it. Never rely on the hydraulics alone.
Make sure both quick attach pins lock fully before lifting. A plate that doesn't lock evenly can drop the attachment.
This is general information, not an inspection. If in doubt, have it looked at in person. See our safety disclaimer.
Need this fixed in Delaware?
If you're dealing with a cracked bucket or worn cutting edge near Middletown, Townsend, Smyrna, Dover, Newark and the Wilmington area, across New Castle and Kent County, and into Eastern Maryland around Elkton, RickTheWelder can take a look at the shop in Townsend or on site. Send a few photos and request a quote at rickthewelder.com. Not sure it's worth fixing? Start with a $19 photo review.
Common questions
Can a cracked skid steer bucket be welded?
Usually yes. Cracks in the shell, corners and side plates are routine welding repairs if the overall structure is sound.
How much does it cost to replace a bucket cutting edge?
Ames Hydraulics lists $150–$450 for skid steer cutting edges by width. Larger loader and excavator buckets run about $900–$2,800 (Wainscott's Mobile Welding).
Is it worth rebuilding a loader bucket?
Often. A full skid steer bucket rebuild is listed around $400–$1,200 vs about $1,500–$4,000 new. Werk-Brau suggests buying new when repairs exceed 40–50% of a new bucket.
Bolt-on or weld-on cutting edge?
Bolt-on edges cost more up front but are faster to change and protect the bucket. Weld-on edges are cheaper parts but take cutting and welding each time.
Can a bucket be repaired without taking it off the machine?
Yes. Bucket and edge work is common on-site mobile welding work.
Related guides
Sources
- Ames Hydraulics – Skid Steer Attachment Repair
- Wainscott's Mobile Welding – Excavator & Loader Bucket Repair Cost
- Werk-Brau – When to Replace Wear Parts vs. Buy a New Bucket
- HomeAdvisor – Cost to Weld Metal
Prices and sources checked 2026-10-19. Ranges are updated as we find better data.