Backhoe Feet

[3RRL]

The general idea is to have enough tube inside the DOPCV on each end so it fits in between the 90° elbows. So when I screw in the NPT thread, there is still tube inside the collar where the compression ring can seal off.

Here are the cylinders, one with the unfinished tube (bottom) and one with the finished tube (top).



So this is the basic idea to hard plumb the CPOCV onto the cylinders.



I am still waiting for the fittings I ordered from Discount hydraulics. These 90° elbows are just to show you the basic idea.

 

[3RRL]

Guess what?
I dropped one of those tiny metric compression rings and can't find it now. What a bummer. I'll have to make one of those too! Just what I needed.

 

[tommu56]

Rob
Get down on your belly and look across the floor
its amazing if you look across how tall those missing parts look
looking down they just disapear.

tom

 

[JerryG]

Guess what?
I dropped one of those tiny metric compression rings and can't find it now. What a bummer. I'll have to make one of those too! Just what I needed.

I have gotten to where I take a magnet with me when I work on anything small. One of those that telescopes. I don't know if it would work on those compression rings or not.

 

[schmism]

so i got really lost.....

in a perfect world what would all the fittings/threads be?

Flare?
SAE? (sholder/o-ring)
NPT?
compression?
bango?


i suppose the easyest for your situation would have been to get some 12mm tubeing from CCM when you ordered your check valves, and then just brazed that tubeing on to the 13mm bajo fittings you cut off your existing rubber hoses.

 

[john_bud]

John,
Lengthening the stabilizer legs themselves would have increased the distance between the hydraulic cylinder pivots. I'm planning on using the same cylinders. But you are right about gaining more width that way. Plus I got everything cut and milled already.

Actually, it looks easy to have made an extension out the end of the tube. Leave the cylinder where it is and make a new support for the foot. Then again, I'm in my cosy den and everything "looks" easy from here!



Your lock project seems to have run into some non-standard fitting snags! Dealing with that would drive me batty! Then again, I'm pretty good at bumping the stabilizer cylinders every 1/2 hour or so.

jb

 

[dullpain]

Pimp my Tractor - now that's rich. I enjoy RRL's projects too, Go ahead and put those gussets in now on those feet, you'll thank me later.

By the way , the shoes look like Red Prada's to me. Have a girlfriend that has a pair just like em!!!

 

[hill]

By the way , the shoes look like Red Prada's to me. Have a girlfriend that has a pair just like em!!!

Was it the color or the proportions that reminded you of her?

 

[3RRL]

Hahaha, you guys kill me. I guess that's why I keep posting for the free abuse.

Hey,
I found that compression bushing while sweeping up, under my lathe! Now I am jazzed. I was able to put the hard plumbing for the double pilot operated check valve addition together finally. I must say it came out excellent! Even if I say so myself.



I measured the distance between the elbows on each cylinder (they were different by .100") so I could cut the 303SS tubes to length. They need to slip between the elbows while set deeply into the DPOCV's. Then I bought some pipe seal hex nuts and put them over the NPT threads of the SS tube. I did this as a safety measure so I can get a positive seal, but mostly because I did not want to screw them into the elbows too far. Otherwise the compression end might come out of the DPOCV. I measured how much I could slip them out and still have enough to make a good compression seal. Then screwed them into the elbows while measuring to maintain that safety margin. Fortunately, there was enough travel to screw them in almost completely tight anyway. Then tightened up the elbow ends with the seal nuts.

Last, I had to center the DPOCV on each cylinder so that the compression ends were of equal engagement and tightened that end up. Now the hard lines with DPOCV are complete. Aren't they beautiful now? I think it is a super clean bridge.

 

[3RRL]

Now I can take them up to the property to install. But before hooking the hydraulics up, I am still waiting for a fitting from Discount Hydraulics. That is the reducer sleeve which goes into the 3/8 port of the DPOCV's. I bought 2 kinds. 3/8 NPT male to 1/4 BSS (British parallel pipe), and also 3/8 BSP male (taper) to 1/4 BSS (straight).



Obviously, I found out that the banjo bolt is British 1/4 parallel pipe thread, but I'm not sure what the 3/8 pipe is on the DPOCV's other than I know it is tapered. Both British 1/4 and 3/8 pipe have 19 threads per inch and American has 18 tpi. When I get them, I will install them at camp and reconnect the hydraulics, along with the feet and try her out again.

I will tell you what difference the DPOCV's make on the stabilizers after trying them out. I'm hoping they will work a lot better than the fast bleed down I had before. In other words, I'm hoping the bleed down is because of the valve and not through the cylinders themselves. This modification will tell me for sure.

 

[BTDT]

As always, nice job. Others suggested putting gussets on the feet, I think some thin walled flat plate welded to the supports to box it in completely (to keep out dirt, mud, etc) would be a better option, and would add stability (maybe more so than gussets).

 

[3RRL]

As always, nice job. Others suggested putting gussets on the feet, I think some thin walled flat plate welded to the supports to box it in completely (to keep out dirt, mud, etc) would be a better option, and would add stability (maybe more so than gussets).

Thank you.
Now that is a good idea to keep the dirt out and get support. I wish I would have thought of that before I put them on. I'll try them out as they are but if they fail, I'll box them in like that. Thanks for the good idea.

 

[3RRL]

I finally got the fittings I've been waiting for. It only took Discount Hydraulics two weeks to send them next day air.



The one on the left is a 3/8 BSPT British Pipe Taper (male) to 3/8 BSPP British Pipe parallel (female).
The one on the right is 3/8 NPT (male) to 3/8 BSPP (female).
Which ones do you like better? Which one would win in a fight do you think?

The difference between the BSPT and NPT is not just a few thousands in diameter, but more so one thread per inch. Now that I got them, they will go up to camp with me this weekend to see which fits. Then I can start working the backhoe again and check out the new red shoes too. Not only will they be taller and offer more stability for Huge Kama, but the backhoe legs should not leak down anymore.
I'm hoping to use the backhoe and company to dig the footings for the foundation of the water storage tank this weekend. I will report if the shoes bust a heel or not, and if the legs leak down or not. But neither of them will fail, I'm positive....especially after bragging about them so much.

In any case, I should have fun because it's supposed to be only 109°F up there.

 

[john_bud]

I finally got the fittings I've been waiting for. It only took Discount Hydraulics two weeks to send them next day air.

And in 2 weeks a man with your skills and a lathe couldn't make them?

In any case, I should have fun because it's supposed to be only 109°F up there.

Yowch! I was whining due to the high 80's we had today.


Which way did you attach the standoffs? Going parallel to the stab leg or orthogonal? When using my hoe, it wants to drag the tractor backwards if I'm not real careful. That type of action with your stout tractor, may test those welds.

 

[3RRL]

I mounted them the way they are in the photos above, parallel to the leg so they don't flip over when the hoe wants to drag the tractor. But that is putting more stress on the welds in that direction. I hope they hold up and I think they will.

Only 80°F at your place John?
Heck, even my buddy in Montana said it's going to be 100°F at his place in Stevensville today. I was in Edgewood, NM this past week and it got up to 93° and in Albuquerque it was 100°. You are lucky with the 80° man.

 

[charlz]

I mounted them the way they are in the photos above, parallel to the leg so they don't flip over when the hoe wants to drag the tractor. But that is putting more stress on the welds in that direction. I hope they hold up and I think they will.

Nice job! My backhoe shoes throw dirt all over me too, I usually spend a few minutes 'jiggling' them up and down to try and clear the dirt off. Worst part is they throw crap all over the hyd cylinder shaft right before it makes it all the way into the cylinder, mine have scratches on them from crap sticking to them.

Only 80°F at your place John?
Heck, even my buddy in Montana said it's going to be 100°F at his place in Stevensville today. I was in Edgewood, NM this past week and it got up to 93° and in Albuquerque it was 100°. You are lucky with the 80° man.

Stevensville, MT!? I grew up there! 100 is definitely hot for that area of the country. At least it cools off at night like it does here in Idaho. Fire season is going to be a ******* this year though. I lived in Vegas before here and it just never cools off. Weather says Vegas is going to be 115 with a LOW of 84!! Nothing like busting a sweat just getting into your car first thing in the morning

Charles

 

[3RRL]

Hi charlz,
Yeah, that's why I want to try no support first. I'm sure I'll still get dirt thrown up at me, lol ... just not a small bucket full.

Small world. When I visited my buddy in Montana he took me all over there. I didn't think it ever got that hot there either. My place in Three Rivers has 100°+ temps during July and August. Just have to deal with it though.

 

[3RRL]

It was a lot cooler than the weatherman predicted ... good thing for us.
I got the fittings installed and re-connected the hydraulic lines. Then mounted the hoe to the tractor for a tryout.

Here are some photos of how the DPOCV mounting worked out.



The hoses fit perfectly and did not get squished.



I zip tied them together to keep them in position, but when screwed in and fastened, the hoses didn't move anyway.



The fittings turned out to be 3/8 BSPT that go into the check valves, not 3/8 NPT. They sealed perfectly and so did the BSPP (parallel) threads for the banjo bolts. They did not leak a drop.

 

[3RRL]

In testing them out and also the new feet, I found them plenty wide enough and they grabbed the ground solidly. A couple photos after getting the hoe on.



This shows how neatly the hydraulic hoses are routed with the check valves on the cylinders.



I know now those check valves work good. I dug a 4' x 4' x 4' hole as a test with no leak down at all. Took about 30 minutes to do that in my hard ground. The feet held up with no hint of buckling at all. Then I dug a 10' diameter about 4" deep for my water tank, but that was on all decomposed granite and it was as hard as rock. It was baked and I spent at least an hour and a half screwing around with that. So I settled for 4 " and put a steel ring up tp form the concrete base. No problems there either.

I think the feet and the DPOCV's modifications are a definite plus, making it worthwhile to get a more stable and safe operating backhoe.
Thanks for looking.

 

[dullpain]

Looks like your usual "impeccable" job. Glad you did not need the gussets.
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