Back hoe

[Ivan49]

Has anyone ever used a backhoe mounted on a trailer. I have a small JD backhoe and I don't use it much. I am thinking about putting it on a trailer and using it behind the tractor

 

[stingray1]

Why? just remove it from the tractor,put it in the shed. If you need it put it back on and use it.

 

[ovrszd]

Although it might be a bit expensive to convert, I understand the desire. Much easier than hitching/unhitching the hoe for a 5 minute task.

Friend of mine in Finland uses a purchased trailer mounted hoe. He tackles some incredible jobs with it. Here's a link to his Utube videos.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPmKUdp2xX8LNOaRZbLxTYg

 

[hosspuller]

Depending on the size of the backhoe obviously...The trailer (unless it's weighted ) will not have enough weight to be the fulcrum for the backhoe's lever. The trailer will be swung and lifted each time you engage the ground with the bucket. You could anchor the trailer with driven ground ties but that negates easy transport. Three point backhoes have the same drawback. The backhoe places a great deal of force on the 3 point arms.... usually bending or breaking them... Hence the requirement for a subframe mount to use the tractors weight. The trailered backhoe will be what's known as a towable...Better than a shovel, but not by much. :laughing:

 

[ovrszd]

I agree they have limits. Spend a few minutes watching MetsaMan's videos. The design of the anchor pads offsets a lot of the problems you mentioned.

 

[Shaneard]

When I envision a backhoe on a trailer a mechanical bull comes to mind with you operating the controls instead of someone else.

 

[stingray1]

When I envision a backhoe on a trailer a mechanical bull comes to mind with you operating the controls instead of someone else.

Same here,seems like a lot of trouble/dangerous for something that's not used much.

 

[ovrszd]

Did you guys peruse MetsaMan's videos?

 

[DK35vince]

I agree they have limits. Spend a few minutes watching MetsaMan's videos. The design of the anchor pads offsets a lot of the problems you mentioned.

I built a CAD plans towable backhoe years ago that worked surprisingly well.
It didn't have a lot of weight for digging, but the anchor pads were made to dig 6" into the ground to keep it in place and it worked well.

 

[ovrszd]

I built a CAD plans towable backhoe years ago that worked surprisingly well.
It didn't have a lot of weight for digging, but the anchor pads were made to dig 6" into the ground to keep it in place and it worked well.

Yep.

My concerns about converting a 3pt hoe to towable would be a power source?? My last concern would be designing it to be stable. After all, a small 3pt backhoe is anything but stable.

 

[Qapla]

Has anyone ever used a backhoe mounted on a trailer. I have a small JD backhoe and I don't use it much. I am thinking about putting it on a trailer and using it behind the tractor

Is your backhoe 3pt or sub-frame?

I can understand why, when seldom used, you may not want to mount/un-mount a sub-frame hoe, since it entails removing and re-installing the 3pt system.

Are you planning on powering the trailer hoe with the tractor or it's own motor. If not with the tractor - and, if you have a FEL on the tractor, you could park the front bucket on the tongue/front of the trailer for ballast.

 

[fried1765]

Although it might be a bit expensive to convert, I understand the desire. Much easier than hitching/unhitching the hoe for a 5 minute task.

Friend of mine in Finland uses a purchased trailer mounted hoe. He tackles some incredible jobs with it. Here's a link to his Utube videos.

Metsa Man
- YouTube

Certainly a unique/handy little machine.
I think it would be very suitable for small jobs.
The machine necessary for THAT job should probably be ten times larger.

 

[ovrszd]

Certainly a unique/handy little machine.
I think it would be very suitable for small jobs.
The machine necessary for THAT job should probably be ten times larger.

MetsaMan might tend to overwork his equipment. But he gets the job done.

I understood from the OP's original post that his backhoe is rather small. Would be a good candidate for converting to towable.

 

[countrybumpkin]

MetsaMan might tend to overwork his equipment. But he gets the job done. I understood from the OP's original post that his backhoe is rather small. Would be a good candidate for converting to towable.

I seriously considered making mine into a towable unit, no more than I use mine and what it is used for is why. I ended up getting a steal on a factory subframe for my tractor, which I can hook and unhook with out removing the three point so ended up going that route. Do a google search for 3 pt or subframe to towable backhoe, there are some interesting home built designs. Weight and out rigger geometry REALLY play into how well a towable performs.

 

[countrybumpkin]

Here is a kubota unit converted to a towable.

 

[tcreeley]

I have an old Northern Hydraulic Trencherman (Northern Tool). 8hp 11gpm two stage pump replacing the original 5hp 1.3gpm pump

It does a great job.

The tires can be switched with the solid outriggers (support) for towing. Otherwise it moves itself around using the bucket.

If you mounted your backhoe on a trailer, you'd need some outriggers for support while using the bucket. It can throw you around. I used to think of always leaving the tires on in the outrigger position and leaving it hitched to my tractor. But the tires and rubber torsion axles would not hold up to the stress of digging.

Good luck.

 

[MossRoad]

When I was a kid, I remember seeing several truck mounted backhoes... they were almost always in cemeteries. Similar to this...

 

[bspeedy]

Here is a kubota unit converted to a towable.

Nice job on the conversion, but I question the economics of this. Probably could've bought a small TLB for the investment and had something of value that is maneuverable.

 

[Ivan49]

Mine is a mid mount but the way I remodeled it for my White tractor I did not have to remove the arms when it was on the tractor. I could do the same on my Kubota with a little of work But I am 67 years old now and my limbs don't move like they did 30 years ago. My hydraulics run off the rear remote on the tractor and the new tractor has a bigger pump than the old one did. On the old trac I had to put flow control valves in all the lines because the backhoe did not work smooth and was to fast. On the trail idea it would be hooked to the tractor while being used. I realize it would not be as handy for getting into tight places but I am just thinking what I want to do. I may take the old brackets for the under carage and remodel them again to fit the new tractor. Keep the ideas coming and thanks for all so far

 

[mogwild]

When I was a kid, I remember seeing several truck mounted backhoes... they were almost always in cemeteries. Similar to this...

View attachment 498245

I like mine

Though it's arguably "tractor" mounted, truck in appearance.

Get's to and from the neighbors at up to 84km/h though, pretty fast for a backhoe: 1977 Unimog 46 "Bagger" drive-by - YouTube



Mount/dismount in about 10min if you've done it once or twice, to mount, just backup to the backhoe, plug in the hydraulic hoses, use the stabilizer legs to adjust height, the bucket arm to adjust depth and fine tune into the Unimogs rear implement mount brackets, install the upper pins (or upper and lower if you want to use it right away), and fold it into the box. Get to the job site, unhook the two stablizer bars (for high speed transport), fold down, put in rear pins, and get digging.

Also makes a great anchor to hold the Unimog in place if you use the front winch to recovery a very large truck out of the ditch