15–22 Tonne Excavator Grading/Ditching Bucket – 2100mm & 2400mm

The 15–22 tonne excavator grading bucket is a heavy-duty fixed bucket for large-scale levelling, earthworks, ditch maintenance and bulk movement of loose material. Available in 2100mm and 2400mm widths, it gives contractors and plant operators a broad working face for trimming construction platforms, shaping embankments and finishing ground efficiently after the main excavation has been completed.

Also known as a 15–22 tonne ditching bucket, this attachment combines a 30 × 250mm HB400 abrasion-resistant cutting edge with reinforced floor wear strips, a low-profile shape and an extended flat base. The smooth, toothless edge is designed to spread, collect and grade loose material while leaving a cleaner surface than a conventional toothed digging bucket.

Key Features

• Designed for excavators in the 15–22 tonne carrier class
• Choice of 2100mm or 2400mm working width
• Width-specific capacities and empty bucket weights
• 30 × 250mm HB400 abrasion-resistant cutting edge
• Reinforced wear strips help protect and strengthen the bucket floor
• Wide, toothless edge supports accurate grading and a cleaner finish
• Low-profile design improves visibility of the working edge
• Extended flat base supports controlled levelling and efficient loading
• Heavy-duty fixed design for regular construction, groundwork and civil-engineering use

15–22 Tonne Grading Bucket Specifications

Choosing Between the 2100mm and 2400mm Widths

The widest bucket is not automatically the most productive option. Increasing the working width also increases the empty attachment weight, material capacity and leverage acting on the excavator. The correct choice depends on the exact machine, quick hitch, working radius, material density, site gradient and space available to manoeuvre.

Choose the 2100mm grading bucket where control, access and lower attachment weight are the priorities. At 622kg, it is 66kg lighter than the 2400mm version and its 815-litre heaped capacity is less likely to collect more material than the task requires. It can be the more suitable choice for machines toward the lower end of the 15–22 tonne class, restricted working areas and jobs where the operator needs to grade accurately around structures or services.

Choose the 2400mm grading bucket for open earthworks, broad construction platforms and larger areas that need to be levelled or trimmed efficiently. Its 939-litre heaped capacity is 124 litres greater than the 2100mm model, allowing more loose material to be moved and a wider area to be covered with each pass. The excavator and hitch must be capable of safely controlling the 688kg empty bucket and its intended load throughout the complete working range.

Where This Ditching Bucket Works Best

Excavators in the 15–22 tonne class are commonly used for civil engineering, road construction, commercial groundworks, drainage, demolition preparation and larger landscaping projects. This bucket is intended for the finishing, reinstatement and loose-material stages of those jobs rather than aggressive penetration into hard or compacted ground.

Typical applications include:

• Levelling topsoil, sub-base, crushed material and loose aggregates
• Trimming construction platforms, haul roads and working areas
• Spreading backfill and reinstating ground after drainage or utility work
• Cleaning established ditches, swales and larger drainage channels
• Shaping embankments, batters, verges and landscaped slopes
• Preparing ground for roads, concrete slabs, paths, turf or other finishes
• Loading and moving loose soil during site clearance and earthworks
• Completing final grading after foundations, drainage or bulk excavation

This is a fixed grading bucket and does not tilt hydraulically from side to side. The excavator must be positioned to create the required working angle. Where the operator needs to change the angle independently of the machine, a hydraulic tilt bucket or tilt-rotator grading bucket is a different attachment and should be specified separately.

Capacity, Material Weight and Machine Stability

Bucket capacity describes internal volume, not a safe payload. Wet clay, saturated soil and dense aggregate can be substantially heavier than dry topsoil, and the load imposed on the excavator rises as the bucket moves farther from the machine. A wide bucket that is safe close to the tracks may affect stability differently when extended or slewed across a slope.

Allow for the empty bucket weight—622kg for the 2100mm model or 688kg for the 2400mm model—before adding the quick hitch and material load. The machine configuration, boom position, working radius, undercarriage orientation, ground bearing capacity and gradient must all be considered. Follow the excavator and hitch manufacturers’ operating limits and do not select an attachment from carrier class, width or capacity alone.

Width, Access and Transport Considerations

Both versions are wider than many machines and transport vehicles, so site access and handling should be planned before delivery. The 2100mm model is approximately 82.7 inches wide, while the 2400mm model is approximately 94.5 inches wide. Check gateways, loading areas, storage space and any transport restrictions that could affect safe movement of the attachment.

The bucket is delivered by pallet or suitable freight service. A safe unloading method must be available for an attachment weighing between 622kg and 688kg, and the delivery area must be accessible to the carrier. Do not rely on manual handling or assume that a tail-lift service can unload an attachment of this size without prior confirmation.

Fitment and Compatibility

Excavator buckets are not universal. A 15–22 tonne carrier rating narrows the selection, but it does not confirm that the linkage will fit a particular excavator or quick hitch. Before ordering, confirm the exact machine make and model, operating weight, hitch type, pin diameter, pin centres and dipper gap.

Our guide to measuring an excavator for a new bucket explains how to take the required dimensions. If you would like us to check compatibility, use the request a quote form and include the machine details, measurements and clear photographs of the hitch or an existing bucket.

Grading Bucket or Digging Bucket?

Choose this grading bucket when the priority is a wide working face, controlled movement of loose material and a smooth finished surface. Its toothless cutting edge is suited to levelling, shaping, ditch cleaning, reinstatement and final trimming rather than aggressive ground penetration.

If the job involves breaking compacted ground, opening trenches, digging foundations or carrying out the main bulk excavation, use a narrower toothed attachment from our excavator digging bucket range. Many operators use a digging bucket for the initial excavation before changing to a grading bucket for shaping and clean-up.

For another machine size, browse the complete range of excavator grading buckets. You can also compare digging and finishing attachments in our full excavator bucket range.

Delivery and Ordering

This bucket is supplied to suit the confirmed machine and hitch specification. Popular 20-tonne fitments may occasionally be available for next-day or 48-hour dispatch, but this depends on current stock and confirmed compatibility. Where the required setup is not immediately available, typical fulfilment is within 7–10 working days, although factory workload and fitment requirements can affect the exact lead time.

Please contact us before ordering if the bucket is required for a fixed date. Delivery is made by pallet or suitable freight service, and access and unloading arrangements must be appropriate for the dimensions and weight of the consignment.

15–22 Tonne Grading Bucket FAQs

Which width should I choose?

Choose 2100mm where lower attachment weight, control and site access are most important. Choose 2400mm for wider passes and greater capacity across open ground, provided the excavator and hitch can safely handle the bucket and intended material throughout the working range.

How much do the two bucket widths weigh?

The 2100mm version weighs 622kg and the 2400mm version weighs 688kg. When checking the machine’s limits, also account for the quick hitch and the weight of the material carried in the bucket.

What are the capacities?

The 2100mm bucket has an 815-litre heaped capacity and a 594-litre struck capacity. The 2400mm bucket has a 939-litre heaped capacity and a 682-litre struck capacity.

Will this bucket fit every 15–22 tonne excavator?

No. Machines in the same weight class can use different pin sizes, pin centres, dipper gaps and quick-hitch systems. The machine model and linkage dimensions must be confirmed before supply.

Is a grading bucket the same as a ditching bucket?

For this fixed, smooth-edged design, grading bucket and ditching bucket are alternative names for the same attachment. It is intended for levelling, shaping, ditch cleaning, reinstatement and handling loose material.

Is this a tilt grading bucket?

No. This is a fixed grading bucket and does not tilt hydraulically from side to side. A hydraulic tilt bucket is a separate attachment for applications where the working angle needs to change without repositioning the excavator.

Can this bucket be used for digging?

It can collect loose soil and carry out light excavation or ditch-cleaning work, but its wide, toothless design is not intended for aggressive digging in hard or compacted ground. A narrower toothed digging bucket is normally more effective for penetration and trenching.

What details are needed to confirm fitment?

Provide the excavator make and model, operating weight, hitch type, pin diameter, pin centres and dipper gap. Clear photographs of the hitch and an existing bucket are also useful when checking compatibility.