Backhoe operation

H8Monday · May 3, 2018

So, we are doing quite a bit of trenching now.
How do you guys move the tractor without the hassle of turning the seat etc? A stick on the forward pedal?
Any shortcuts I'm missing?

flingwing1969 · May 3, 2018

If someone has a clever idea, I'm all ears too. I trench by digging as far out as I can reach, then hop off and drive forward and dig another stretch. Don't have a better plan actually. Even with my Kubota B21 TLB (now long gone) I had to turn the seat to do it and that was no easier than swapping seats.

Captain Dirty · May 4, 2018

H8Monday said:
So, we are doing quite a bit of trenching now.
How do you guys move the tractor without the hassle of turning the seat etc? A stick on the forward pedal?
Any shortcuts I'm missing?

Raise the bucket and the outriggers slightly so they clear the ground.

Old School: Set the bucket teeth in the ground, and use the backhoe controls to move the machine along the trench path.

New School: Buy a tractor with a "Crawl Control" (A lever that engages the tractor's transmission from the BH operator's seat.)

sadams4431 · May 4, 2018

I use a 4ft pipe if im trenching , assuming i need to move around while digging a footer or something i have my seat safety switch bypassed so i just hop off and work the steering and pedals walking beside the machine.

check · May 4, 2018

The last time I dug at trench for a neighbor he was right there with me, so each time I had to move I just raised the stabilizers and the FEL and he pushed to go pedal down to move the tractor a bit. Stayed in the backhoe seat position the whole time. That way the neighbor feels that he has made a contribution, too!

mikester · May 4, 2018

H8Monday said:
So, we are doing quite a bit of trenching now.
How do you guys move the tractor without the hassle of turning the seat etc? A stick on the forward pedal?
Any shortcuts I'm missing?

You are missing the “inching” lever which lets you drive forward or backwards. Comes standard on the M59 and M62.

A lot of operators simply raise the loader bucket and jacks then use the stick and boom to move.

LS Tractor Owner · May 4, 2018

I have an my 125 and used it it dig two trenches, 100' long, 2+ feet wide, and 5' deep. Set the tractor up for digging (like you have it in your pics in the other post) when you have dug as close as you can coming towards the tractor, lift your stabilizers just to clear the ground a couple of inches, lift the loader up just a bit, put the range selector into neutral. Then set the dipper stick and the bucket teeth pointing straight down, lower the boom so the bucket digs in the bottom of the trench, then move the dipper stick away from the tractor. It will push the tractor straight ahead. Repeat as necessary.
I also used the boom/dipper to shift the tractor side to side so that I could dig the trench wider. I hope I explained the procedure well enough for you to try. You will get better moving like this as you get used to doing it. Good luck! Great little workhorse.

LS Tractor Owner · May 4, 2018

"You are missing the “inching” lever which lets you drive forward or backwards. Comes standard on the M59 and M62."----quote--mikester

Maybe you can take your tractor down, dig the trenches and show how the lever works.... Some of us can't afford such a well equipped tractor.

ThirdMan · May 5, 2018

I have done some of what LS mt125 owner describes here. Just be careful not to try that if you are working on any sort of slope. The last place you want to be is at the backhoe controls when the tractor is rolling away.