Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,661  
If you get a 3 point backhoe, a subframe is only $1000 more.

.

OK. Just a few questions.
First of all, which backhoe?
Are the subframes of which you speak specific to certain backhoes or is that a universal fit type of thing?
And lastly...how does that work? Does the subframe mimic the 3 point lower arms and if so how exactly does it attach.

I have been considering adding a backhoe but I do not want to damage my tractor in any way.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,663  
I recently bought the HF 20-ton shop press mainly to straighten bent things or bend straight things. Assembly was straight forward and the manual provide is clear and easy to follow. One person can assemble it but it would be easier with two. All the parts were there - nothing missing.

This thing weighs 190 lbs so it is best to have two people to load and unload the boxes from store to shop.

Having it has all ready saved me money because the first use was to straighten a bent backhoe thumb pin that is 1" round and about 9" long. It worked like a champ! Will be using it to straighten the teeth on a BXpanded trencher bucket soon. A great tool for any shop!

I made a video of the assembly and testing:


Watch for a sale on the HF 20 ton air over hydraulic jack. You'll like your new HF 20 ton press even more.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,664  
No videos yet. I started a YouTube account awhile back, just haven't had any time to make videos.

Here is a link to some of the funk stuff on Soundcloud. All me on guitar, bass, and keyboards, and I programmed the drums on a Roland synthesizer.
Chickenhead Soundcloud

I like your sound. :thumbsup:
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,665  
I recently bought the HF 20-ton shop press mainly to straighten bent things or bend straight things. Assembly was straight forward and the manual provide is clear and easy to follow. One person can assemble it but it would be easier with two. All the parts were there - nothing missing.

This thing weighs 190 lbs so it is best to have two people to load and unload the boxes from store to shop.

Having it has all ready saved me money because the first use was to straighten a bent backhoe thumb pin that is 1" round and about 9" long. It worked like a champ! Will be using it to straighten the teeth on a BXpanded trencher bucket soon. A great tool for any shop!

I made a video of the assembly and testing:
I have the smaller orange one with the triangle. It can in the mail with a hole in the box and a bunch of pieces missing. HF promptly sent me the missing parts, twice seeing I didn't realize all the was missing until I assembled it. There was a fitment issue with one of the brackets being drilled incorrectly.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,666  
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,668  
OK. Just a few questions.
First of all, which backhoe?
Are the subframes of which you speak specific to certain backhoes or is that a universal fit type of thing?
And lastly...how does that work? Does the subframe mimic the 3 point lower arms and if so how exactly does it attach.

I have been considering adding a backhoe but I do not want to damage my tractor in any way.
Might be minimal help, but my dad's.... Take off the 3pt arms and put the pins back in. The subframe hooks on those pins. Then on the front, there's some "hooks" that flip up and hook on some cross member somehow. It's a bushhog brand on a Kubota grand L3710.
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,669  
If you get a 3 point backhoe, a subframe is only $1000 more.

OK. Just a few questions.
First of all, which backhoe?
Are the subframes of which you speak specific to certain backhoes or is that a universal fit type of thing?
And lastly...how does that work? Does the subframe mimic the 3 point lower arms and if so how exactly does it attach.

I have been considering adding a backhoe but I do not want to damage my tractor in any way.

I bought a used Woods 7500 backhoe that was set up for 3 Pt hitch mount. Used it on my NH TC33D a few times - I was aware of possible issues with using a 3 Pt backhoe on most compact tractors, so was really babying it. I finally decided that it was ridiculous to own a backhoe and not be able to operate it properly. Woods had just released their 4 point quick-attach backhoe subframe. They sell slightly different models to fit different tractors. I ordered one of those. The subframe permanently mounts to the tractor, but does not seem to cause much loss of ground clearance. It has 4 mount points on the back of the tractor, two high, and two low. The backhoe was modified by simply unbolting the part designed to mate with the 3 Pt hitch, and bolting on the assembly designed to mate with the subframe.

With a bit of practice, I can mount it in a little over 5 minutes (if I haven't done it in a while, it takes me a bit longer). You back up close to the backhoe, connect the hydraulics (in my case, a PTO hydraulic pump, since I wanted to keep the tractor hydraulics separate from the backhoe's system). Use the backhoe hydraulics to lift it into position, back the tractor in until things engage properly, jockey the backhoe hydraulics a bit to get the holes to line up, place two bolts to lock it in, and you are done. (The box wrench to tighten the bolts rides in a little holster on the backhoe, so you always have it handy.) I do have to remove the upper 3 PT hitch link, but the lower arms stay on the tractor (and are unused). I just have to disconnect the lower arm stabilizers to allow the lower arms to swing out of the way of the backhoe.

If I recall correctly, it did run me about $1000 for the subframe. As an added bonus, the subframe made an excellent place to mount the belly pan I added to protect the underside of the tractor during forestry operations (I'm almost never using the backhoe in my woods, but since the subframe stays with the tractor, this worked out well.)
 
   / Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck #11,670  
I bought a used Woods 7500 backhoe that was set up for 3 Pt hitch mount. Used it on my NH TC33D a few times - I was aware of possible issues with using a 3 Pt backhoe on most compact tractors, so was really babying it. I finally decided that it was ridiculous to own a backhoe and not be able to operate it properly. Woods had just released their 4 point quick-attach backhoe subframe. They sell slightly different models to fit different tractors. I ordered one of those. The subframe permanently mounts to the tractor, but does not seem to cause much loss of ground clearance. It has 4 mount points on the back of the tractor, two high, and two low. The backhoe was modified by simply unbolting the part designed to mate with the 3 Pt hitch, and bolting on the assembly designed to mate with the subframe.

With a bit of practice, I can mount it in a little over 5 minutes (if I haven't done it in a while, it takes me a bit longer). You back up close to the backhoe, connect the hydraulics (in my case, a PTO hydraulic pump, since I wanted to keep the tractor hydraulics separate from the backhoe's system). Use the backhoe hydraulics to lift it into position, back the tractor in until things engage properly, jockey the backhoe hydraulics a bit to get the holes to line up, place two bolts to lock it in, and you are done. (The box wrench to tighten the bolts rides in a little holster on the backhoe, so you always have it handy.) I do have to remove the upper 3 PT hitch link, but the lower arms stay on the tractor (and are unused). I just have to disconnect the lower arm stabilizers to allow the lower arms to swing out of the way of the backhoe.

If I recall correctly, it did run me about $1000 for the subframe. As an added bonus, the subframe made an excellent place to mount the belly pan I added to protect the underside of the tractor during forestry operations (I'm almost never using the backhoe in my woods, but since the subframe stays with the tractor, this worked out well.)

Very good review. Do you recall the retail price or what you paid for the 7500 backhoe itself?
 

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