Bucket teeth are among the cheapest parts on the machine and they decide how well it digs. Fit the wrong style and you lose penetration, burn fuel and wear the bucket lip. Fit the wrong series and the tooth will not go on at all.
Three decisions, in order: the tooth system your bucket is built around, the tip style your ground calls for, and the matching pin and retainer. Astrak stocks the CAT J-Series from J200 to J800 for machines up to 100 tonnes, plus bolt-on teeth for minis up to 8 tonnes.
Step one: identify the system
Most excavator and loading shovel buckets in the UK run a pin-on tooth and adapter system. We stock CAT J-Series and twist-on teeth and adapters for excavators and loading shovels up to 100 tonnes: J200, J225, J250/CAT 205, J300/CAT 215, J350/CAT 225, J400, J460/CAT 235, J550/CAT 245, J600, J700 and J800.
Machines up to 8 tonnes are different. They generally run bolt-on teeth, and we stock JCB, Kubota (K2) and Massey Ferguson (K3) patterns with the matching hardware. Super V style teeth and adapters, Komatsu K-Max and Volvo teeth, plus heel and lip shrouds, are all stocked alongside.
The tooth, the adapter, the pin and the retainer all belong to the same series. A J350 tooth needs a J350 pin (BTCJP-350-00) and a J350 retainer (BTCJR-350-SD). Mixing series is the most common cause of teeth being lost in the ground, so quote the series on every order.
Step two: match the tip to the ground
We stock long tips, rock chisels and heavy-duty penetration tips, covering light construction through to heavy mining. The choice comes down to one question: does your ground break the tooth, or wear it away?
| Style | Code | Choose it for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Long | SL | General excavation in soil, clay and mixed ground, where penetration matters more than wear life |
| Rock Chisel | RC | Harder, broken material where the tip needs to split and hold an edge |
| HD Penetration | HP | Compacted or difficult material that the tooth has to get into |
| HD Abrasion | HA | Abrasive material that wears the tooth away rather than breaking it |
Weight is a fair proxy for how much wear metal a tip carries. Across the J400 series a standard long tip weighs 9.4kg, a rock chisel 11kg and a heavy-duty abrasion tip 13.5kg.
Heavier is not automatically better. A heavy abrasion tip in soft ground costs you penetration and fuel for wear life you will never use. Tell us what the bucket is digging and we will match the tip to it.
Adapters and edge thickness
Where an adapter needs replacing too, the bucket lip decides. Twin strap adapters wrap over and under the lip and are stocked across J250 to J550 for edge thicknesses from 25mm to 60mm. Flush mounted adapters sit into the lip and are stocked for J300 and J350, covering 25mm to 45mm. Confirm the edge thickness before ordering: an adapter for a 25mm lip will not sit correctly on a 38mm one.
The rest of the wear package
- Cutting edges. Wear strip and single bevel profiles from 8mm to 60mm for all excavators and loading shovels, sourced in the EU and through-hardened to 500HB.
- Bolt-on edges. Double-bevel and single-bevel blades for dozers, loading shovels and excavators, all through-hardened to 500HB.
- Wear strips and armour wear bar in 500HB, 80mm to 200mm wide.
- Bespoke edges. Profiles from 12mm to 90mm within seven days of order, with an on-site measuring service for non-standard edges.
Browse bucket teeth, cutting edges, bolt-on edges, the GET range or our GeoXD buckets.
The GeoTip brochure, Edition 7
The full ground engaging tools range in one document: J-Series teeth and adapters, tip styles and weights, bolt-on teeth for minis, cutting edges and bolt-on blades, with part numbers throughout.
Download the GeoTip brochureThe buckets those teeth go on
Our GeoXD range covers digging, ditching, utility and riddle buckets for 0.8 to 25 tonne machines, supplied with teeth fitted and specified for the job.
Digging buckets
General excavation across the 0.8 to 25 tonne range.
Ditching buckets
Grading and clean-up work, toothless or with a bolt-on edge.
Riddle buckets
Screening and separating, stocked for 5 to 25 tonne machines.
See the full GeoXD bucket range.
Frequently asked questions
What bucket teeth should I use on my excavator?
Start with the series your bucket is built around, then pick the tip style for your ground. Standard long tips suit soil, clay and mixed ground. Rock chisels suit harder, broken material. HD penetration tips suit compacted ground. HD abrasion tips carry the most wear metal for abrasive material.
How do I identify my bucket tooth series?
The fastest route is the original part number stamped on a worn tooth. Failing that, send us the machine make and model, the bucket size, the lip thickness and a photograph of the bucket lip with the existing tooth in place.
What is the difference between a rock chisel and a standard long tooth?
A standard long tip prioritises penetration and suits general excavation. A rock chisel carries more material and holds an edge in harder, broken ground. In the J400 series a standard long tip weighs 9.4kg against 11kg for the rock chisel.
Do bucket teeth, pins and retainers have to match?
Yes, all from the same series. A J350 tooth needs a J350 pin (BTCJP-350-00) and a J350 retainer (BTCJR-350-SD). Mixing series is the most common reason teeth are lost in the ground.
What bucket teeth fit a mini excavator?
Mini excavators up to 8 tonnes generally run bolt-on teeth rather than a pin-on system. Astrak stocks JCB, Kubota K2 series and Massey Ferguson K3 series bolt-on teeth with the matching bolts and nuts.
Get a quote for your bucket teeth
Send us the machine, the bucket and what it is digging. We will specify the series, tip style and hardware from stock.
Astrak Group develops and manufactures products intended to be compatible with machinery and equipment from various manufacturers. Unless indicated otherwise, Astrak Group has no relationship, commercial or otherwise, with the owners of the trademarks.
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