4–6 Tonne Excavator Grading/Ditching Bucket – 1200mm & 1500mm

The 4–6 tonne excavator grading bucket is a fixed, smooth-edged bucket for groundworkers, landscapers and plant operators completing levelling, reinstatement and finishing work. Available in 1200mm and 1500mm widths, it gives compact and mid-sized excavators a broad working face for shaping surfaces, spreading loose material and cleaning existing ditches after the main excavation is complete.

Also known as a 4–6 tonne ditching bucket, this model combines a 20 × 160mm HB400 abrasion-resistant cutting edge with reinforced floor wear strips, a low-profile shape and an extended flat base. The two width options allow the attachment to be matched more closely to the site: choose 1200mm where control and manoeuvrability matter most, or 1500mm for faster coverage across open ground.

Key Features

• Designed for excavators in the 4–6 tonne carrier class
• Choice of 1200mm or 1500mm working width
• 20 × 160mm HB400 abrasion-resistant cutting edge
• Reinforced wear strips help protect and strengthen the bucket floor
• Wide, toothless edge supports accurate levelling and a clean surface finish
• Low-profile shape improves visibility of the working edge
• Extended flat base supports controlled grading and efficient loading
• Fixed design for straightforward grading, ditch cleaning and loose-material handling

4–6 Tonne Grading Bucket Specifications

The manufacturer publishes the capacity figures at 040-DT model level and provides width-specific empty weights. If exact capacity for a particular width is critical to the application, please confirm it before ordering.

Choosing Between the 1200mm and 1500mm Widths

The right width depends on more than how quickly the bucket can cover the ground. Wider grading buckets increase attachment weight and leverage and can carry a greater volume of material, so the excavator, hitch, reach and ground conditions must all be considered.

Choose the 1200mm grading bucket when working around buildings, utilities, kerbs or other restricted areas where accurate placement and manoeuvrability are important. Its 146kg empty weight is also 28kg lower than the 1500mm version, which may be useful on smaller machines within the 4–6 tonne class.

Choose the 1500mm grading bucket for open plots, broader landscaping work, ditch maintenance and final site trimming where wider passes can improve productivity. The extra width is useful for spreading and shaping loose material but should only be selected when the machine can handle the attachment and intended load safely throughout its working range.

Where This Ditching Bucket Works Best

A 4–6 tonne excavator is commonly used across housebuilding, utilities, landscaping, drainage and general groundworks. This bucket is intended for the finishing and loose-material stages of those jobs, rather than aggressive penetration into hard ground.

Typical applications include:

• Levelling topsoil, sub-base and loose aggregates
• Reinstating ground after drainage, utility or foundation work
• Spreading backfill and shaping material around building plots
• Cleaning established ditches, swales and drainage channels
• Forming verges, banks, batters and landscaped slopes
• Preparing areas for paving, turf or other surface finishes
• Final grading and site clean-up after excavation

This is a fixed grading bucket and does not tilt hydraulically from side to side. Where a changing working angle is required without repositioning the machine, a hydraulic tilt bucket is a different attachment and should be specified separately.

Capacity, Material Weight and Machine Stability

Bucket volume does not tell you the weight of the load. Wet clay, saturated soil and dense aggregate can be considerably heavier than dry topsoil, and the practical lifting limit changes as the bucket moves farther from the machine. The selected width must therefore be considered alongside the material, working radius, undercarriage position, quick-hitch weight and site gradient.

Always include the bucket’s empty weight—146kg for the 1200mm version or 174kg for the 1500mm version—when assessing the total load. Follow the excavator and hitch manufacturers’ operating limits and do not select a bucket by carrier class, width or capacity alone.

Fitment and Compatibility

Excavator grading buckets are not universal. The 4–6 tonne carrier rating is a starting point, but the linkage must also match the excavator or quick hitch. Before ordering, confirm the exact machine make and model, hitch type, pin diameter, pin centres and dipper gap.

Our guide to measuring an excavator for a new bucket explains the dimensions required. If you would like us to check the specification, 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 contact area, smooth cutting edge and controlled movement of loose material. If the job involves penetrating compacted ground, opening trenches, digging foundations or excavating around utilities, use a toothed 4–6 tonne excavator digging bucket for the main excavation before changing to the grading bucket for reinstatement and finishing.

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. Typical fulfilment is within 7–10 working days, although stock, 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.

4–6 Tonne Grading Bucket FAQs

Which width should I choose?

Choose 1200mm for greater control in restricted areas and a lower empty bucket weight. Choose 1500mm for wider passes and faster coverage across open ground, provided the excavator and hitch can handle the attachment and intended material safely.

How much do the two bucket widths weigh?

The 1200mm version weighs 146kg and the 1500mm version weighs 174kg. The weight of the quick hitch and material in the bucket must also be considered when checking machine limits.

Will this bucket fit every 4–6 tonne excavator?

No. Machines in the same weight class can use different pin sizes, pin centres, dipper gaps and quick-hitch systems. The machine 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 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 tilt bucket is a separate attachment used when the working angle needs to change without repositioning the excavator.

Can this bucket be used for digging?

It can collect loose soil and complete light excavation or ditch-cleaning work, but its wide, toothless design is not intended for aggressive digging in hard or compacted ground. A 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. Photographs of the hitch and an existing bucket are also useful when checking compatibility.