Lost a cutterhead tooth on the Mississippi near Baton Rouge last spring.

The vibration was different for about 30 seconds before I heard it hit the pump. Now I check every single tooth with a feeler gauge before I start a shift. Anybody else had a tooth come loose mid-dredge?

3 comments

3 Comments

daniel_martin19d ago

Had a cutter tooth let go in the Gulf a few years back, thing was rattling around inside the ladder for a solid minute before I could shut down. Feel like those locking pins are the weak point when they get worn. Check them all with a magnet before you start, even the ones that look tight?

emma_dixon7019d ago

Haha yeah I had a tooth let go once too, but it just bounced off my shin on the way down. Probably should've checked those pins with a magnet after reading this, but my head's too thick to learn the easy way.

riley4319d agoTop Commenter

You still running those old style pins with the little spring clips too, @emma_dixon70? I've seen guys put a tack weld on them just to sleep better at night. Did your shin bounce off the tooth or the pin itself? Those things come flying out with some violence when they let go.