Backhoe attachment, on a trailer. Making it a towable!

[tcreeley]

I took off the original 5hp Briggs 1.2 gpm single stage oil pump and swapped in an 8 hp tecumseh and a 11.5 2 stage oil pump. I've had the frame rewelded once when it started too split across the frame between the out riggers. The wheels can switch with the out riggers for towing behind a vehicle.

I used Northern tool to match oil pump and motor and cylinders. Very handy tool. I'm glad it is not always hanging off the tractor- hate to tie a tractor up like that.

It is the outriggers that allow a backhoe to dig. The bucket pulls one way and the outriggers resist that pull. It is not the weight or ballast of a backhoe that provides the digging power - but the out rigger resistance (unlike an excavator).
I think that depending on the hitch mount of a pick up or tractor for that resistance is asking for trouble. Those cylinders combined with the mechanical advantage can generate a lot of torque (in many directions) - more than a hitch is designed for. (That is why you don't see backhoes mounted to lift arms on tractors. They have their own sub frame.)

 

[TMGT]

Yes, it can be "safe", it can also be DANGEROUS.
The difference between safety and danger is likely more a function of operator judgement than any (perceived) mismatch between machine mass and attachment forces.

It is a common situation, i.e. many/most back hoes have enough force to pull the whole rig toward whatever you hook into if that doesn't move - an example being ledge.
The machine's mass is usually the limiting factor, not the hydraulics.
Even the BIG excavators have their limits and if you watch skilled operators you quickly realize that they do a lot of work very quickly by working WELL WITHIN the capacity of the machine - not taking the biggest bites possible.

There are rocks my hoe can't lift - OK the usual and acceptable solution is to dig a big enough and deep enough hole beside them and roll them in, i.e. just bury them deeper.
I don't do construction, so it isn't as if they HAVE TO come out.
Clearly SOME rocks do have to come out and that is why you will see VERY BIG machines on some construction sites.
Drilling, cutting or blasting are other possibilities <grin>

BTW, digging stumps (to me) is usually a bigger challenge than digging rocks.
I know I'm close when I can spin it around a bit, but root balls can be incredibly heavy and I have had to PULL out more than I have been able to LIFT out.

At 25 HP I doubt your whole rig adds up to much more than 3,000 lbs, maybe not even that - in which case saplings may be a reasonable challenge, not "Tree" stumps.

His L2501 weighs about 5k+ as he has it equipped so not terrible, my B2620 is probably not even 4k and I'm able to get a decent amount of work done.
No it won't be ripping large roots out but I'm more then happy with its performance.

 

[Fallon]

His L2501 weighs about 5k+ as he has it equipped so not terrible, my B2620 is probably not even 4k and I'm able to get a decent amount of work done.
No it won't be ripping large roots out but I'm more then happy with its performance.

A L2501 (same as my old L3200) tops out at 3k lbs with a loader & loaded R4 tires.

 

[TMGT]

A L2501 (same as my old L3200) tops out at 3k lbs with a loader & loaded R4 tires.

I'm going by the listed weights I found.

Base tractor: 2623lbs for the hydro

Loader: 845 lbs with all mounting hardware + approx 140-160 lbs for bucket (depends on which one you get).

Loaded R4 tires: 310 lbs per tire if using rim guard, a little less for some other fills.

Backhoe: listed weight for the BH77 is 850 lbs, not sure if the included the bucket and subframe.

That puts it about 5000 lbs operating weight.

However, I haven't actually weighed one, so this is just based on published weights from Kubota.