My latest Pickle 155D w/3pt BH

[garcol]

First I want to thank all of you for posting advice and fixes. I lurk here alot and you all have helped me fix things from the small stuff to rebuilding my engine. She runs good and has saved my bad back a lot of pains.

My latest pickle is, I picked up a small 3pt backhoe for my 155D that already has a loader attached. I am in the process of trying to figure out a way to mount it to the subframe that is already under the tractor from the loader that is there. Shouldnt be too difficult but.....

My wifes sister has just dropped off some trees that need to get in the ground ASAP. They were rootbound in big pots and now just have tarps wrapped around them. We are keeping them wet and hoping for the best.
The ground should be clean, no roots, but maybe a bit hard. And I need holes about 3' dia. and 3' deep minimum.

My questions are:

1. Do I dare run the BH with just being attched with the 3pt? I saw the
the 3pt on the tractor that used to run it, mine is wimpy compared to it.
2. If I do run it with 3pt. Do I raise the stabilizers up to the stop point of
the 3pt, or just to stabilize things?
3. I know I need to go slow (newbie), and take small bites, But will i feel
the strain if I load it up alot?
4. Can I keep the trees (willows) alive for another week or two to buy me
some more time?
Any advice is greatly appreciated, and I really dont wat to split my tractor unless i undo bolts.lol

Thanks in advance

 

[3RRL]

What kind/model and size backhoe is it? Your 155d is kinda small so you need to be sure what size hoe it can handle first. You are always better off with the subframe, but I have dug a lot without the subframe. Of course my tractor is 55hp and the hoe is only 7-½'. Anyway, try to post some more information.

 

[garcol]

I cant find any model or serial or any #'s on it at all.
But it is pretty small. It looks like one of those cad planned ones you build yourself.

I cant see it weighing more than 500lbs max. But even that estimate might be kinda heavy.

The guy I bought it from said it was a manufactured type and parts are still available. But I still think it is one of the do-it-yourself kits.

It has a 12 inch wide bucket, running 3/8 diameter hoses for hydraulics, and has category 1 hookups.
Let me see if I can attach a pic?

 

[3RRL]

Well, you do what you think is best, but if it was me and I had to get that stuff done, I'd hook it up and try it out. I would just take it easy and it should be Ok. If it starts thrashing your tractor around, then I'd reconsider of course.

 

[garcol]

Thanks 3rrl,
Sorry for the bad picture, its the only one I got so far.
I'll take it easy and feel for the "thrashing". hehe
I appreciate your response and advice.
This little tractor is probably more of toy than anything else. But it has surprised me how much work it can do for me and my back.

 

[garcol]

Well I tried...
Apparently the backhoe weighs more than I thought. The 3pt could only lift it about and inch or two. Then couldn't hold it there.
For now I guess I'll dig those holes for the trees by hand and figure out what to with the backhoe later.
Still thinking about solid mounting it. But will weigh that out later.

 

[roxynoodle]

Is your tractor a Yanmar? I have been thinking about a 3ph backhoe for my 1510D. I was looking at a 6 ft depth one on ebay for $2500. It says in the listing it weighs 1000lbs. I don't know if my 3ph can lift that either. My implements all weigh about 1/3 of that.

 

[garcol]

Yes it is a Yanmar 155D. I cant hardly beleive my 3pt wouldnt handle the weight of the BH I bought used for $650.00. But for now, I will have let it sit and get on with my projects. I will get back to it as soon as i can.
I will keep you updated on the progress when I get there.
I have also been warned (numerous times). Even though it is a small BH, It has enough power to rip my tractor apart!

 

[rambler]

Thank you for mentioning the brand of your tractor - numbers don't mean much to us when there are so many makes of machines out there, old & new - helps to know the make as well!

Isn't a 3pt backhoe supposed to have a solid top link, not a typical upper flex arm?

I suspect you are not hooking the backhoe up properly. It should have a solid arm sticking off of it for the top link. This holds the hoe steady on your tractor. The lower arms don't hardly lift anything - they are just stablizer holders.

This is why 3pt hoes are hard on tractors - they put _all_ the stress on that top link. The stress gets transfered to the middle of the tractor, and some are built with rather weak housings in the engine to tranny area - so a hoe can crack them in half there. The 2 weak spots are the top link, & the middle of the tractor.

As well, get the boom sucked in close to the tractor - this makes them a lot lighter for the tractor to lift. Tho in all the 3pt hoes I've seen & the one I own, that upper link is a solid, ridgid deal & you can't really lift the hoe at all. You need to adjust the length of the upper arm so it sits level on your tractor - not lift the bottom arms.

I have a 8 1/2 foot hoe I put on a 85 hp tractor, so don't worry too much about stresses on the tractor....

--->Paul

 

[garcol]

Well I got the 3pt hooked up properly and it lifted it. Although it was straining, I got it up enough to get it unloaded from the trailer.

I had to reposition the links that connect the lift arms to the lower arms, not sure what to call them. But once I got them mounted a bit farther back it had more power to lift. Leverage is everything!!

Here is a pic of what I am talking about. The pic shows the "links" attached at the forward position that would not lift it.