Backhoe New backhoe owner with ditch questions

[mikerose]

I just took delivery of a brand new Kubota BX-23S, complete with a hydraulic plow and backhoe. So far it sure seems like an excellent machine! When they delivered it, after cutting the lawn, I went down back and tried my hand at experimenting with the backhoe. It's fairly easy to operate, but I can see it's going to take some doing to actually get good at it.

My question is about digging a trench. I need to dig one between two buildings for a footing. I can see how you'd start the trench from each building toward the center, but at some point, you'd be straddling the trench with no way to get out of there, right? Is there some technique for this that I might be missing? What's the right way to do this? Thanks!

 

[JK22]

For starters, you shouldn't be mowing during the 50 hr. break-in period. Mowing is done at around 3200rpm, which is close to wide open throttle, which should be avoided during the break in period...

As to your trench question, difficult to picture what you're trying to do, but building a little bridge by tossing some logs into the trench and placing a piece of plywood on top might be one of many possible solutions. Trenching is a skill that takes practice. Get familiar using the BH before attempting. Best practice for trenching is to act like you're digging without actually touching the ground. Fluid motions with your bucket, keeping it 6" off the ground.

 

[4570Man]

I can drag the machine across the trench with the backhoe, but it's not something I'd recommend to a rookie operator. I'd recommend practicing just getting the feel for the machine first.

 

[dragoneggs]

Congrats! You will learn to love your BH. To me now it is like being a big kid in a huge sandbox! I have found that settling in on an RPM (not too high) will allow you to control the boom, swing, and curl much easier. You'll learn to 'feather' your controls with practice. I think the best 'practice' for me was digging out a big stump on an incline. I had to learn positioning, bracing, and control while not worrying about being precise and damaging something.

I have only cut a few true long trenches... but it seems to be about patience and methodically moving, scooping, and dumping. With a BX you will probably find yourself getting a bit annoyed about swiveling your chair repeatedly to move the machine and then dig. There are a few tricks to reduce the steps for short digs and moving... such as digging on your knees (safety police alert).

A couple pieces of plywood will allow you to traverse a ditch no issue with your little BX! Enjoy!!!

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Most BXs are bought for mowing. Most people that buy BXs start mowing from day one and never worry about it and :2cents: shouldn't. Just keep the throttle back a small hair from full till 50 hours or so. Diesels are made to run full out which has been a bit hard for me to acclimate to for the past 14 years and over 20 Kubotas but that's the way it is. They are not gas engines and have very little in common with gas engines in operating.
Operating the BH proficient comes mostly from hours of hands on experience, just got to do your time. Dig holes somewhere out of the way and fill them back in and the more you use it the better you'll get and the more comfortable with it.
I also have done lots of turning in my seat and knee work with the BH. A stump removal will usually require turning the seat or it will break your back. When digging and backing up you can "cross" your ditch by raising legs, putting BH bucket over to one side, lift real of tractor with bucket and then swing the BH arm till your rear end is on the other side, with practice/experience. If the ditch is only a foot wide you can probably just drive over it.
Congratulations, have fun and BE CAREFUL, especially on slopes, THE BH MAKES IT TOP HEAVY!

 

[BigBoyToys]

I had to eventually join sections when digging a rectangular foundation for a new building. I also had to contend with an existing 12x12 shed that was coming down after the new building was complete. My BH bucket is 18" which is too wide to drive over so I used 2x10 and 2x12 pressure treated planks to cover a section of the trench. As I moved along digging, I'd take planks from the front and move them to the rear of the tractor.

 

[dougtrr2]

Congratulations on the new BX. Check the fluid level in the front axle. It can come from the factory on the low side. Several methods for getting across the trench. I am a fan of the plywood method.

On the backhoe, the reduced RPM does make it easier when learning. I live on a small forested acreage. One rite of passage for the grandkids was learning to run the backhoe. But, they had to be five years old! I now have a crew of 6 backhoe operators. At Thanksgiving we all went down in the woods to dig a hole. With very little intervention by grandpa they dug a hole 4' square and 3' deep. They had almost as much fun filling it back in.

Doug in SW IA

 

[rScotty]

I had to eventually join sections when digging a rectangular foundation for a new building. I also had to contend with an existing 12x12 shed that was coming down after the new building was complete. My BH bucket is 18" which is too wide to drive over so I used 2x10 and 2x12 pressure treated planks to cover a section of the trench. As I moved along digging, I'd take planks from the front and move them to the rear of the tractor.

View attachment 513097

I like that combo machine and especially the wide turf tires. The plank method is good for straddling the ditch to keep the sides of the trench from falling in - especially when the backhoe bucket is wide in relation to the tire spacing. But I'd be a little bit leary of driving directly across those planks with the full weight of the tractor over the ditch. Especially with a larger machine. Even covered with 3/4" plywood I wouldn't feel confident that any kind of normal building plank would take the weight of a larger tractor for crossing the ditch.

The original poster also needed to know how to cross a ditch he had been straddling to dig. He saw that at some point he was going to end up with one wheel on each side of the ditch. And although the planks work for straddling, maybe they don't for crossing. I've been in the exact same position many times and still haven't worked out a method that I like best. What I usually do is to dig from each end of the ditch towards the middle, and then when I get to the middle I'll cross to the side I'll want to be on when done and back the machine up close to the ditch but set at about 45 degrees to the trench instead of being perpendicular or parallel to it. With that angle I can dig with the backhoe for a ways and then I set up at 45 degrees the other way and finish the ditch. This is safe, but not a perfect solution because sometimes I will end up with a wider trench in the middle than at the ends. No problem; ditches are easier to fill than to dig.
Luck,
rScotty

 

[Egon]

That'll work. Quicker than mucking about moving the tractor sideways with the hoe.

For Experienced operators with the right size hoe this moving off a ditch is no big deal but their hoe has the reach and wide enough bucket and long enough footprint to do this.

 

[katoomed00]

I've crossed 24" wide trenches with no problem on a BX24, Just put the FEL flat on the ground (you can actually lift the front tires off the ground if you want), place the BH bucket fairly close to the tractor on the side you are wanting to get out from, push down on the hoe lifting the back tires off the outriggers a little, then just shift the back of the tractor using the BH. once the back tire cross the trench put them back on the ground just drive backwards letting the FEL slide over the trench. May take a little practice, do it first over flat ground till you get the hang of it. When you dig the trench, put the dirt on the opposite of where you want to cross.