straddling a ditch with backhoe

   / straddling a ditch with backhoe #1  

swick1

Platinum Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
871
Location
WV
Tractor
John Deere 1026R
I own a JD 1026r with the 260 backhoe and sometimes I need to go back over part of a ditch I dig out to enlarge the hole, clean up, etc. The stabilizers on the hoe aren't long enough to cross the trench when I park the tractor at a 45 degree angle to it. I have filled the trench with 6x6's before to drive on top of, but the hoe is still not stable. What do the big boys do in this situation, where you want the boom pivot lined up with the trench but don't want to fall in or completely cross it? I thought about building some steel plates to drive over, like you would find closing off a mechanic's pit. I am also considering some slip on stabilizer extensions. Any ideas?
 
   / straddling a ditch with backhoe #2  
I own a JD 1026r with the 260 backhoe and sometimes I need to go back over part of a ditch I dig out to enlarge the hole, clean up, etc. The stabilizers on the hoe aren't long enough to cross the trench when I park the tractor at a 45 degree angle to it. I have filled the trench with 6x6's before to drive on top of, but the hoe is still not stable. What do the big boys do in this situation, where you want the boom pivot lined up with the trench but don't want to fall in or completely cross it? I thought about building some steel plates to drive over, like you would find closing off a mechanic's pit. I am also considering some slip on stabilizer extensions. Any ideas?

when i operate a larger how or excavator i simply drive the front wheels right over the trench, keeping the loader bucket flat , and using the loader to keep the wheels out of the trench. Once i have 1 wheel on each side of the trench, i use the backhow to lift and swing the rear wheels over and straddle the open trench.
i can simply drive right over the trench and run parallel to the trench. I keep the right front and right rear on one side of the trench and the left front and left rear on the other side of the open trench and clean the entire thing where the trenches connect.

then i simply drive the front wheels out using the bucket and the rear wheels out using the backhoe.

takes some experience and skill but i rarely use a shovel.

I dont know how this would work for a smaller tractor, but the larger ones i used to lease (case 580, cat 426) and nearly every excavator ive used, i have done this way. straddleing a trench with an excavator is REALLY easy... i just LOVE those toys..er tools.
 
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   / straddling a ditch with backhoe #3  
when i operate a larger how or excavator i simply drive the front wheels right over the trench, keeping the loader bucket flat , and using the loader to keep the wheels out of the trench. Once i have 1 wheel on each side of the trench, i use the backhow to lift and swing the rear wheels over and straddle the open trench.
i can simply drive right over the trench and run parallel to the trench. I keep the right front and right rear on one side of the trench and the left front and left rear on the other side of the open trench and clean the entire thing where the trenches connect.

then i simply drive the front wheels out using the bucket and the rear wheels out using the backhoe.

takes some experience and skill but i rarely use a shovel.

I dont know how this would work for a smaller tractor, but the larger ones i used to lease (case 580) and nearly every excavator ive used, i have done this way. straddleing a trench with an excavator is REALLY easy... i just LOVE those toys..er tools.

The SCUT and CUT are marginal lifting rear of the tractor with the backhoe.
 
   / straddling a ditch with backhoe #4  
The SCUT and CUT are marginal lifting rear of the tractor with the backhoe.

good to know. as i said ive never run a small backhoe. If you cant lift the back end, that would make finishing up a trench real hard if you have to meet in the middle.
 
   / straddling a ditch with backhoe
  • Thread Starter
#5  
My backhoe will lift the rear end, but only at certain angles. I can scoot it around, but like bethesda said, it takes some planning :( Why oh why couldn't they give me an extra 200lbs of force!?
 
   / straddling a ditch with backhoe #6  
good to know. as i said ive never run a small backhoe. If you cant lift the back end, that would make finishing up a trench real hard if you have to meet in the middle.

That is accomplished by digging a larger area, like a box, at the intersection of the two trenches.
 
   / straddling a ditch with backhoe #7  
Depending on the soil conditions, I'd be worried about the trench collaping and dropping one side of the unit in the collapsed trench.
 
   / straddling a ditch with backhoe #8  
Depending on the soil conditions, I'd be worried about the trench collaping and dropping one side of the unit in the collapsed trench.

well ive been doing this for about 25 years on 12 & 18" wide trenches. Mind you one real wide trenches id be worried also.

id only be worried on all sand sites. Then again, if it fills in no big deal. I would drop backhoe and swing rear end out of trench.
 
   / straddling a ditch with backhoe #9  
if lift is a problem why not just use a 2x8 and drive over
 
   / straddling a ditch with backhoe #10  
Why oh why couldn't they give me an extra 200lbs of force!?

That could probabally easily be gained by upping your pressure a mear 100psi or so:thumbsup:
 
 
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