Excavator Screening Buckets

Screening buckets sort material with a hydraulically driven drum instead of fixed bars. Load the bucket, set the drum turning and the fines fall through the screen while stones and oversize stay inside, with no need to shake the machine. You may also see them called rotary screening buckets or trommel buckets.

We offer four sizes for 4 to 22 tonne excavators. Each has interchangeable Hardox screens with holes from 20 to 80mm, a protective frame around the drum and CAT J250 teeth on the front edge.

Screening bucket Bucket volume Drum diameter Oil flow Weight
4–6 tonne screening bucket 0.4m³ 720mm 20 l/min 450kg
6–10 tonne screening bucket 0.55m³ 690mm 20–30 l/min 620kg
10–16 tonne screening bucket 0.75m³ 1120mm 30–50 l/min 1020kg
17–22 tonne screening bucket 1.1m³ 1300mm 30–50 l/min 1620kg

Screening buckets run off your auxiliary hydraulics and need a case drain line. Send us your excavator details and we'll check your machine can run one. For a simpler option with no hydraulics, see our riddle buckets, or browse the full sorting buckets range.

Check your machine first with our guide to screening bucket hydraulic requirements.

Still choosing between the two? Compare them in our guide to riddle bucket vs screening bucket.
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How a Screening Bucket Works

A hydraulic motor turns a drum lined with screen plates. As it rotates, material tumbles against the screens and anything smaller than the holes drops out, while larger stones and debris stay in the drum until you tip them out. Swapping the screens changes the size of material that passes through.

What They're Used For

  • Screening topsoil and peat on site
  • Processing compost and green waste
  • Recycling rubble and demolition waste
  • Producing clean backfill for pipes and services
  • Sorting quarry rock and aggregate

Hydraulic Requirements

The drum needs an auxiliary hydraulic circuit with flow and return lines plus a case drain, and all three connections are on the front of the bucket. The 4–6 and 6–10 tonne buckets run at 80 to 120 bar with 20 to 30 l/min of flow. The 10–16 and 17–22 tonne buckets run at 210 bar with 30 to 50 l/min.

If your excavator doesn't have a case drain, one can often be retrofitted, so check with us before you order.

Screening Bucket or Riddle Bucket?

A screening bucket costs more than a riddle bucket, but it handles large volumes of fine material quickly and doesn't need the machine to shake the load. That means less wear on pins and bushes and a more consistent product. If you only sort now and then, or you're working with heavy rock, a riddle bucket is simpler and cheaper.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a trommel bucket?

It's another name for a rotary screening bucket, taken from the rotating trommel screens used in quarries and recycling plants.

What screen sizes are available?

Screens are available with holes from 20mm to 80mm, and they're interchangeable, so you can change the product size on the same bucket. Tell us which size you need when you order.

Do I need a case drain?

Yes. The bucket has flow, return and drain connections, so your machine needs a case drain line as well as an auxiliary circuit.

How long does delivery take?

Usually 7 to 10 working days.