Backhoe Broke My 448 Backhoe today!

[RRacing]

Well I went to a friends house today to remove a few small and medium Tulip popular stumps. I have owned a JD 790 with a 7 backhoe for 5 years and used it to remove many stumps over the years. With the 7 you had to exercise patience and dig all around the roots , But eventually they would come out.My first stump was about 9-10 inches across. I was hoping to just rip it out of the ground with this bigger 448. Well no luck. So I started doing the #7 way digging up the roots well after digging a few buckets It did ok but it wasn't impressing me either. Then it made a squeal noise and it happened. The hydraulic cylinder to the bucket was bent 2 ways and locked up. I was so upset /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif .I had used the # 7 for years digging out stumps and never ever had a problem. And this big beefy thing bent like a pretzel.I was hoping for more digging force then what I had seen in the few minutes I was using it , It was like the #7 with a bigger bucket. I have to take it to the dealer tomorrow so they may finnaly fix the smoking and down on power problem I have had with it, ( Its been there 3 times now) and now this. I have had deere tractors all of my life and have had very few problems with them but with this tractor its been 1 thing after another. I'm sorry for sounding so negative, I'm sure the dealer will get it straight but I'm a bit flustered right now.

 

[michiglenn]

I can't imagine the dealer even gave you the tractor back if it still isn't running perfect. You have the same setup as I do, and I am in awe of the power my 448 has. I yank stumps and raise boulders all the time, and seldom run out of power. There must be something that was set up incorrectly for you to have bent anything on that backhoe. They are a stout apparatus. I have about 70 hours just on my 448, and never had any type of malfunction. I think the dealer needs to keep it till it is fixed or replace it. With so few hours I would imagine John Deere should be very interested in making sure you are satisfied.

 

[JerryG]

If you will do a search you will find several that have this problem with not only JD, but also other colors.

 

[454shooter]

I too think that my 448 should have more power. Can they be 'adjusted' for more power or does JD set them low to reduce the chance of damage? I am certainly not in awe of the power of mine but maybe I am expecting too much as a novice.

Shooter

 

[RRacing]

Well the dealer has the tractor for now, I finally talk to the owner of the dealership ( I have known there family for sometime) and he assured me they would look into the matters and make thinks right. I hope to have some answers by the end of the week . I was wondering if anyone also noticed if the stabilizers would go soft after a minute and had to be lifted again , Over and over? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif The owner also said that he thought that the tractor should just jerk a stump of that size right out of the ground, I'm not ready to give up on JD yet but I just bought a Kubota ZD25 and its a really nice machine and I wonder how there tractors are /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Thank you
Jim

 

[michiglenn]

By stabilizers going "soft", I assume they are lifting while on tripod stance? I have never noticed any pressure release at all, even while leaving it set on stance while I do lunch for an hour or so. If you mean will they fall from their raised position, yes, mine will come down a few inches overnight, and after a week they will be close to halfway down to the ground. But nothing should happen within minutes. That may be a real good clue as to your hoe's lack of power. I am sorry for you to have problems with your Deere, and although I don't know if any tractor line will be faultless, Kubota has an excellent reputation, also. I have used many Kubota machines over the years, and have a lot of respect for them. My last decision was to buy the 4320 over a 4630 Grand L with a 90 hoe. I probably would have been satisfied with either. Please give your dealer a fair chance at making things right. They usually come through, their is too much at stake for them not to...

 

[CAndrews]

I have had three similar incidents with an 8b they replaced three (two bucket one dipper) cylnders. it turns out the relief valves were set improperly they screwed around with mine for weeks and then asked if i would accept it with the controls reversed.
I ended up with dented dipper arm and related damage never addressed by the dealer or the Rep. I bought new as a package 990, 430FEL & 8b.
Moral of this story. Pick your dealer with great care, make sure they know what they are doing before you buy.

 

[RRacing]

Hi When I'm in the tripod mode and the back of the tractor is in the air ,As I'm digging you can fell and watch the tractor lowering itself. It gets to the point in about 2 minutes that the stabilizers are not touching the ground /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gifThe dealer was supposed to get in a new cylinder in for it today . They say they can't run the PTO dyno on it to the replace the cylinder because they can't remove the backhoe /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. This poor tractor has spent more time at the dealers than at my place /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. They have assured me they would get to the bottom of all of this mess. I will keep you posted.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

That's not right that those stabizers would drift up while in use. Dropping down when parked is a different story.

Hang in there. Great service really shows when things are wrong. They'll get it right! If not at first, there are next steps that will get you going.