Backhoe- Build or Buy?

[wmgeorge]

Looks good, Bill!

I went to MBN to view your thread. Is the "Super Boom" a Cadplans option
for a bent main boom? First I heard of it.

I found Mikulas' design for the swing cyl pivot to be woefully weak and I
had to buttress it after breaking the welds there. As for his thumb plans,
I emailed about that a couple of years ago before doing my own design and
I could never get a picture from them.

RE your own thumb design: a bent or curved boom may allow you to build
a longer thumb as the clearance betw the dipper end and the boom at full
retraction is a limiting factor.

No problems with welds breaking, even after heavy use , I agree his plans are just a starting point. I used unfinished. bronze bearings for all and used my metal lathe to pre-bore as needed. I then reamed slightly to fit.

On his Super Boom, he will not sell the plans for it, nor will he sell just the side plates so you can do your own as I already had the metal and rest purchased. He makes you buy from him the entire Super Boom kit, plates, tubing and all! Screw that, I just found some photos, got out my AutoCAD program and did some trial and design work, and had templates to cut out my own side plates. It is a 30 degree angle and you need to cut the square tubing longer to make up for that angle. BG

 

[wmgeorge]

If you dont build a subframe for your backhoe, i would at least use a semi-4pt mount:
I mean, having 4 point mount on the backhoe frame, and using a triangle to connect the upper 2 points to the top link bracket of the tractor.
This will prevent a lot of rotation of the backhoe when digging besides the tractor. (it gets lateral support on the top link bracket, so it doesnt put as much torsion on the lower link arms)
It will also prevent that the shaft connecting both lift arms inside the 3pt hitch cover to shear off.

If you want it even nicer, you could add a single stabiliser cylinder under aforementioned toplink A-frame to push the tractor off the ground to place the backhoe even firmer on its feet. Then you dont need hydraulic outriggers but just some solid support feet, because you can pick it up with the 3pt lift when the stabiliser cylinder under the triangle toplink, is in float.

this would be the best quick&cheap substitute for a backhoe subframe.

I have no intentions of building a sub frame, or adding hyd outriggers, it works fine as is. I've adjusted the 3 point spreader chains to limit the side to side movement. The outriggers function as they should. I did weld a ring eye behind the seat post, down about 1/2 way or so, to limit the lift, IF needed to prevent operator injury. It was to use with a chain under the tractor draw bar, but as you can see in the photos, the operator is far away from the roll bar. It could also be used to limit the side sway... IF needed, so far not needed.

I am in the process now of building a thumb, manual adjust one, nothing fancy.

 

[plowking]

If you are lucky,sometimes you can find deals. My friend told me today he is going to buy a Woods backhoe for his kubota, very little use and he can buy it for three grand.....I'm not good at finding deals. I actually had a trencherman 1 before I bought my first TLB. plowking

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Very nice work on the backhoe. Are those homemade joystick adapters?

 

[Renze]

WMgeorge, i was mostly just thinking out loud, how i would build if i ever find time to build a super duty backhoe... Maybe in your situation it will work fine just the way it is, but when I build a backhoe my own style it would be strong enough to lift the whole tractor off the ground. Then it would need some additional reinforcements and technical safety measures. I built the subframe for my frontloader by myself, and its heavier than any factory made subframe. I just want it thorough so i can use all its got without breaking something.

I would like to build a backhoe, that can compete in breakout force with the average 8 ton excavator (not in cycle times off course, but its only a hobby ) but i have too many other projects that take my time...

I have no experience with the size of equipment (backhoe and tractor) you are speaking off, but there must be other folks who can tell you from first hand, how well these tractors do with backhoes .

 

[wmgeorge]

Very nice work on the backhoe. Are those homemade joystick adapters?

Yes homemade joystick handles, there are plans on here>
Machine Builders Network and some photos. You will need to do a search. They are for a different valve, I used the Husco valve I found on sale. Details on MBN link in the other post. So I had to re-design, not perfect but it works. I plan on using the BH as is, but building a Thumb so I can move landscape timbers and RR ties. This was never intended to replace a full scale commercial grade back hoe.

 

[wmgeorge]

WMgeorge, i was mostly just thinking out loud, how i would build if i ever find time to build a super duty backhoe... Maybe in your situation it will work fine just the way it is, but when I build a backhoe my own style it would be strong enough to lift the whole tractor off the ground.

Renze, This little 3 point attachment does what I need it to do, never intend to compete with the big guys. This is a John Deere 650 tractor, diesel about 16 - 18 HP. I had to trace out and design / install my own power beyond circuit as the John Deere dealer here was no help.

 

[Renze]

never intend to compete with the big guys.

beyond that, is my goal when building machinery myself

I had to trace out and design / install my own power beyond circuit as the John Deere dealer here was no help.

I am not surprised, assumably the dealer never had to look into it because its an unusual question.... But that's exactly the challenge

 

[wmgeorge]

My thoughts on the Caddigger design for the 608 or perhaps in general for all Caddiggers. It would seem to me that the 2.5 inch cylinder for the boom is undersized. With my system valve set at 1850 psi I can't lift a 200 lb RR tie all the way to the highest point the boom should lift. Needs a bit more guts. If the cylinder was mounted underneath (pushing instead of pulling) like I see a lot of BH designs do, it would be fine.

Granted it seems to dig ok, but I'm considering going to a 3 inch cylinder which would give me about 49% more lift power, using the calculators on the Surplus Center website.

I think I can post a picture of my Thumb I made, and lifting the biggest RR tie they had at Menards!

 

[Renze]

If the cylinder was mounted underneath (pushing instead of pulling) like I see a lot of BH designs do, it would be fine.

Granted it seems to dig ok, but I'm considering going to a 3 inch cylinder which would give me about 49% more lift power, using the calculators on the Surplus Center website. [\quote]

If it gives 49% more pull, how much more push would it give ? would it bend the boom when trying to dig into hard soil ?
also, this will increase the required oil flow to lower the boom and decrease your cycle time.

If its possible to change the cylinder mount, that would be my first choice... just to be safe with the downforce, and to keep a quicker machine...