Backhoe How do you dig a trench with a CUT backhoe?
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Egon
Epic Contributor
Lift the rear of the tractor over the trench with the hoe
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
i have always straddled open trenches with backhoes and excavators. only issue you will have is a bit of fill falling in holes. sometimes you cant just dig from both ends and meet in the middle, especially on my real long runs of wire . we install the wire in the pipe as we lay the pipe, so we dont have to pull it in later. hard to meet in the middle that way without damaging wire.
i have dug miles of trenches over the years. i start at one end and dig all the way to the other end while moving rig foreward. when i get to the end i drive over the open trench going in the opposite direction and complete the trench. at this time i either drive off the trench and hand dig the collapse area ( i swing rear tires off trench , and can use loader to keep front tires out of trench....or if on excavator i just drive out). the other option is leave trencher straddling the trench, install pipe and wire by pushing it under machine while standing clear of underside, then simply filling trench.
i have dug miles of trenches over the years. i start at one end and dig all the way to the other end while moving rig foreward. when i get to the end i drive over the open trench going in the opposite direction and complete the trench. at this time i either drive off the trench and hand dig the collapse area ( i swing rear tires off trench , and can use loader to keep front tires out of trench....or if on excavator i just drive out). the other option is leave trencher straddling the trench, install pipe and wire by pushing it under machine while standing clear of underside, then simply filling trench.
I definitely want to be able to swing my rear tires over the trench. Basically put my loser bucket down, push the rear up w the boom, and swing sideways.
I guess I’m just worried if the machine can handle it w loaded rear tires. But quite honesty of i can’t do that then i feel the machine would be disappointing to me.
I guess I’m just worried if the machine can handle it w loaded rear tires. But quite honesty of i can’t do that then i feel the machine would be disappointing to me.
pjbci
Platinum Member
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Try it on flat ground first. Maybe mark out a “trench” with paint and get good at it beforehand. The tractor should do it easy.
ning
Elite Member
Try it out. Draw your "ditch" on the ground and see if you can straddle it and swing the tractor out & over the pretend ditch before you actually start digging.
My backhoe doesn't like to lift the rear of the tractor up - not sure if it's a low relief setting on the BH valve or not yet (need to test that) but it's a heavy unit and the tires are filled with beet. Depending on the soil type, sometimes I have to push down on the dipper to get my rear up in the air (eg to eliminate sideways tilt), but I've still managed to scootch over a ditch like what you need.
dodge man
Super Star Member
Ive never done it but have seen it done all the time. Using the FEL bucket low get the nose over the trench, the FEL bucket will keep the tire from falling in. Then use the backhoe to pick up the back end, keep the stabilizers low, and straddle the trench. Sounds easy but I bet it takes some technique.
I’m defiantly going to try it on flat ground. When i got stuck i was doing it but i didn’t fully raise my tires off the ground bc i was nervous.
im trying like mad to research specs to see if doing this is “within the limits” of the tractor.
the best I’ve been able to find so far is “boom lift capacity” but no idea how that translates into pushing the rear of a tractor in the air.
i was also trying to thing about the area that gets stressed in this situation and i believe the pivot pin at the base of the boom is where all that stress goes?
Im new to hydraulics and heavy machinery but not new to machinery. I sleep a lot better when i know whatever i do is within spec, this one just seems hard to find clear info on.
im trying like mad to research specs to see if doing this is “within the limits” of the tractor.
the best I’ve been able to find so far is “boom lift capacity” but no idea how that translates into pushing the rear of a tractor in the air.
i was also trying to thing about the area that gets stressed in this situation and i believe the pivot pin at the base of the boom is where all that stress goes?
Im new to hydraulics and heavy machinery but not new to machinery. I sleep a lot better when i know whatever i do is within spec, this one just seems hard to find clear info on.
rScotty
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- Kubota M59, JD530, JD310SG. Restoring Yanmar YM165D
I must have missed it when you said which machine that you have. Anyway, here are my thoughts after many hours on a hoe.
It depends on the machine. What you are describing is a common move with commercial and semi-commercial TLBs. There are a ton of U-TUBE videos that are fun to watch showing how to cross a ditch that way.
We have a JD310 and a Kubota M59 and either will easily lift the rear of the tractor with the hoe for re-positioning. We do it.... all backhoe operators do it all the time without thinking much about it. I do it sometime just to clear a shrub so that the outriggers or tires don't destroy the landscaping It's worth noting that the backhoe mount on both thes TLBs is heavily overbuilt, and TLBs don't typically run fluid in the tires.
When you are learning, go very slow with the swing movement & keep it low. Lift the outriggers just clear of the ground. Keep the BH bucket curled in a little with the flat side down so it can slide as it needs to.
A couple of things to remember: for that move you either put the FEL bucket flat on the ground so it works as a sliding pivot or raise it so the front bucket is off the ground allowing you to pivot around the front wheels. DO NOT try to make that move with the cutting edge of the FEL bucket down digging into the ground. You can warp the FEL that way.
I certainly wouldn't make that move a 3pt mount type backhoe and would think twice and study things well before doing that move on any Ag tractor - even those with a subframe. I also personally wouldn't do it with loaded tires, but I know some who do.
YMMV,
rScotty
I have a Branson 3620h w a bh250 backhoe. Based off my estimate the machine weighs 7800lbs.
bh is subframe mounted.
im looking at the manual right now and the boom pin is 32x206mm and the swing frame pins are 45x107mm. I am just guessing that is where most of
The stress would be applied.
so far i managed to find a case backhoe boom pin and that is 2” in diameter and if that machine weighs 15000lbs they reverse math means potentially a 1” pin would be the equivalent for my weight.
doing my best trying to problem solve but i would hope my machine is also overbuilt as that’s what i like and usually buy.
it’s just the lack of material out there on this topic is tough.
bh is subframe mounted.
im looking at the manual right now and the boom pin is 32x206mm and the swing frame pins are 45x107mm. I am just guessing that is where most of
The stress would be applied.
so far i managed to find a case backhoe boom pin and that is 2” in diameter and if that machine weighs 15000lbs they reverse math means potentially a 1” pin would be the equivalent for my weight.
doing my best trying to problem solve but i would hope my machine is also overbuilt as that’s what i like and usually buy.
it’s just the lack of material out there on this topic is tough.
