Anyone with an 8620 Hoe?

   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe? #1  

heron

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Looking for some help on this hoe I'm wanting to buy. Trying to figure out what else I need. Local Branson dealer is worthless. TY
 
   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe? #2  
I've got the 8620 hoe. It seems rugged (at least I haven't broken it yet!). It takes a while to remove and re-install, but not unreasonable. It has dug some impressive holes through rocky soil, and even creekbed rock.

Additional needs? Extra hydraulic fluid, and a driver to move the tractor while you operate the backhoe; otherwise it's a wearying repetitive climb-off/climb-on process - but that's the case with most TLBs.
 
   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
How does the 4720 handle it? My local Branson dealer said he'd never put over a 7' hoe on my 4220...?
He said it's too heavy but I've seen people with the 9' hoe on a 35hp tractor...? Not sure who to believe. And yes I figured the on off on off the seat would be a pain but thought I could pursuade my wife to be driver if I'm trenching a lot with it. I've thrown around the idea of just renting mini ex's like I've done in the past but since I'll be working on this new house for probably the next year or so the mini ex rental requires precise planning and "all out" for the weekend type of thing and I think with the amount of landscaping, irrigation etc...I'd rather do it little by little..a couple hours here and there instead of all at once.
Have you had any issues with leaky cylinders? My dilemma is I'm looking at this BH that is 12 hours away and is brand new but has been sitting in a lot for 2 years outside. Never used, rusty fittings where the hoses connect, paint faded, pistons NOT pitted or rusted. Seller says it should work fine but then again I could truck it all the way back, hook it up and it may leak like crazy...? Gamble, although I realize equipment is made to be out in the elements.
Do you happen to remember if I have to buy the "kit" that hooks the hydraulics up to the tractor or can I acquire the needed fittings and hoses at the local hydraulic shop? Apparently it's the only thing missing with the attachment..frame is there.
Where are you in VT...? My parents had a farm in Cabot and I went to UVM. Live in Chattanooga TN these days but miss my time up there.
 
   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe? #4  
The 4720 handles the hoe just fine - the 20 series tractors weigh over 2 tons without any attachments. It has a full subframe mount that is shared with the loader, which spans the length of the tractor underneath. The hoe (the boom, not just the stabilizers) can lift the entire rear end of the tractor off the ground and move it from side to side, which was handy to lift it off stumps I got high-centered on a couple of times. I've pulled stumps, dug holes/trenches, used the thumb to hold logs for cutting firewood, and built road with the hoe.

12 hours away? That's a long distance haul!

My hoe has sat out in the elements or in an unheated shed since 2006, so 2 years isn't a long time to be outside. No leaks from the hoe cylinders, but get an occasional drip from hoses underneath. Just have to remember to check fluid level after taking the hoe off.

The rear hydraulics on the tractor hook directly up to the backhoe inlet hoses; there was no kit as far as I can tell. If it has the full backhoe subframe and mounting bolts, that should be all you need.

Our place is outside of Richmond, VT. I think it gets too hot here in the summer (rarely getting above the 80s), so am wondering how you can stand Chattanooga?
 
   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Did your BH come with your tractor? It may be that the "kit" was installed at the factory. The kit Branson lists is an addl. $400 supposedly to plumb the BH to the tractor. If I could avoid that it would be great. You can really move the tractor around? I always did on a heavy TLBs or excavator but I have read so much that on these your not even supposed to pull the tires off the ground with the outriggers..? Lots of posts about bent outriggers.
Yes, it is a long haul. Not to mention I was planning on going to get it Thursday morning and now the Hurricane will be dumping 6-10" of rain right thru where I need to drive so that may ruin my weekend plans.
As far as Chattanooga I lived in Atlanta 5 years before this so it was unreal compared to what I was accustomed to. It took about 3 years but honestly it's a much easier life than dealing with the elements up there. My dad still lives in CT and when I visit I cannot wait to get back down here. I've also lived in CO and to me this area of the country is kind of the perfect compromise. I miss skiing, snowmobiling etc...but it's nice to go out the door in the morning and not worry about my car starting b/c it was below zero that night. I really don't miss mud season!
 
   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe? #6  
What? Mud and cold are what makes life worth living! Come on, don't you miss sliding around during mud season just a little?

The backhoe was already on the tractor when I got it, but I sure don't see any evidence of $400 worth of parts to hook the hydraulic hoses up between tractor and hoe!
 
   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Okay, you got me, I do miss the sliding into the ditch every so often and the black ice on the way to Burlington..kinda funny watching all the low landers in their mighty 4wd SUV's go off the road into the snow banks while I drove by them(usually sideways on the crown of the road) in my 78 Olds Omega with studded snow tires on the rear and my trunk full up with sand.

Okay, more than likely there are fittings that go on the pump that went with the tractor they took this BH off. Apparently back in 2010, this customer wanted the tractor but not the BH so they removed the BH and the frame with intentions to put it on another, sold the tractor and with it went the things I need. They never got around to putting it on another tractor, decided to drop Branson and there the BH has sat since that time. Well, he is getting me the kit and I'll be hopefully picking up the tractor, Branson Aerator and 7' Branson Box blade all for below his cost. He also has a Branson 9" post hole digger for $450...not sure if it's worth it but I've got some fencing to do so I'll have to mull that.

Couple of Questions:

1. Should I flush the lines on the BH with something even though the lines have been connected(pressure
and return were hooked together after removal)
2. Once I remove the BH how hard is it to hook up a box blade or other 3 pt things? Do I need to pull
BH frame off to use the 3 pt hitch.
3. Does the BH boom creep a whole lot when sitting b/c I'm storing it in a tight place where if it creeps too
much I'll take out a camper.
 
   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe? #8  
And some people wait all week to go muddin' on the weekends. Here you can do it every day on the way to work!

Dipper and bucket will creep some, but there are 2 locking pins that should keep the boom from dropping or moving sideways.

I have not flushed the lines on mine, and don't really know how to, short of removing them and flushing manually. There really should not be anything in there, since the fluid runs through a filter. If you have a live hydraulic line in the back of the tractor you shouldn't need another pump, correct?

The backhoe is not hard to re-install if you remove both of the rod/brackets (between which the "hooks" of the BH subframe fit) under the front and fit them back on after installing the hooks/bolts. Trying to leave one of the rod brackets on to "save time" merely made it impossible to line up the mount. Here's a link: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/zetor-century-branson/141715-back-hoe-attachment.html
 
   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Sorry, hard to picture without observing it in person; if I take the hoe off the frame is it difficult to put on a box blade or other implement? About how much time do you think it would take?
Reading that thread you sent me makes me wonder if I get this BH will all the valving be setup properly from the factory as far as relief valve settings...? Not sure if I should plumb something else in line to better protect the setup...? Guess I'll just have to see it and hopefully not learn the hard way.
 
   / Anyone with an 8620 Hoe? #10  
Shouldn't take long at all to hook up attachments to the 3pt. You'll have to install the arms, but i put on a post hole digger in just a few minutes. Bushhog takes longer because of the weight.
 
 
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