Backhoe questions

   / Backhoe questions #1  

froggy

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2001
Messages
1,075
Location
Cooke County, Texas
Tractor
JD4320 with TNT, electric diverter, cruise control and air suspension seat.
I am looking at purchasing a backhoe and new tractor (45-55 pto hp) next year and have a couple of questions regarding several options for a backhoe.

First: What are the merits of adding a thumb? Would it be worth the cost to add a hydraulic thumb over a mechanical one?

Second: Should the backhoe have its own separate hydraulic pump system?

Thanks,

Doyle
 
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   / Backhoe questions #2  
I have a NH TC-40DA with a backhoe, I love it!! I have ran lots of larger hoes and I think thumbs are a "must". I don't have one yet on this hoe, I think I'm going to build a hyd one for mine. I think it really depends what your going with it, as to which one is better! I have not used a Mch. one very much and for me they worked good, but in the way all the time. On the smaller backhoe it seems lots easier "pin things between the boom and the bucket, but if your trying to place rocks on a slope Hyd is the only way to GO:D .

#2 Mine uses the Tractor Hyd system and seems to work great.
 
   / Backhoe questions #3  
froggy said:
I am looking at purchasing a backhoe and new tractor (45-55 pto hp) next year and have a couple of questions regarding several options for a backhoe.

Second: Should the backhoe have its own separate hydraulic pump system?

Modern tractors in that HP have plenty of volume in the hyd system to operate a hoe. The advantages of the PTO pump is that you often can run the tractor engine at a much lower RPM and still have the flow needed for the BH. So if you were going to do LOTS of BH work it might pay for itself. The disadvantages are greater complexity, a little more difficult to hook it up and greater cost. Some of that may depend on whether you already have rear remotes suitable for the BH. If you do not have remotes and do not think that they would be useful for other things for you, then maybe the pump is the way to go. However, for simplicity, cost, and the utility of having remotes for other things--i would prefer to have the hoe run off tractor hyd.

Mike
 
   / Backhoe questions
  • Thread Starter
#4  
The tractor will have three rear remotes and top and tilt. Noticed on the footnotes in Woods price literature that they recommended the separate hydraulic pump system for some Mahindra tractors. This won't be factor in my case as I'm looking at the Kubota GL and M series, JD 4000 series and NH TC2400 series.
 
   / Backhoe questions #5  
A thumb lets you pick up things. Rocks, logs, brush. A fixed one is the least valuable, mechanical (search for 3RRL's post on his thumb) is in the middle and the hydraulic the most valuable, in all meanings. If the $ are there, it gives a whole extra dimension of utility.

PTO pump is more for tractors with lower flow rates. I like a fast hoe (no spitzer jokes!) and like the way a hoe responds with an extra large pump (come on now, no jokes! I mean it).

Some find that too twitchy and until you get the feel for feathering the controls it is. But like all things, as you learn more and get better you can operate more quickly.

jb
jb
 
   / Backhoe questions #6  
I have a Woods BH90x with a mechanical thumb. Although I am not the greatest fan of BH thumbs, I would probably get that set up again. As I recall the hydraulic version, which is nice, cost and extra $1200-1500 as I recall which seemed a lot for the occasional convenience. To be honest I don't use the thumb as much as I thought I would based on TBN discussions. I have a grapple on the FEL so I find myself digging to get a rock or stump free and then I just close up the BH and use the grapple to get the object and move it to where I really want it rather than just a few feet from the hole. I can see that the thumb would be more critical for digging deeper holes or trenches where the grapple wouldn't be able to reach and that is why I would still get a thumb if I replaced my BH. I would need to be doing an awful lot of digging of rocks however to justify a hydraulic version.
 
   / Backhoe questions
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Thanks for all of your inputs. I think the hydraulic thumb would be a worthwhile addtion, but am now leaning toward adding a grapple instead.
 
   / Backhoe questions #8  
froggy said:
Thanks for all of your inputs. I think the hydraulic thumb would be a worthwhile addtion, but am now leaning toward adding a grapple instead.

A grapple is a very helpful tool when digging up stumps. You can reach into the hole to pull it out and can even break it loose after doing some preliminary work with the BH (i.e. digging around the stump so you can push it with the grapple or get underneath it with the grapple). It depends of course on how big the stumps are, I am describing using it on 8-10 inch stumps. With experience you can avoid digging big ugly holes and just free the stump up enough to get the grapple access then just pull it out. Obviously this depends on the strength of the loader too. Even if you need to dig out the whole stump with the BH, it is still a big plus to be able to just grab the thing and move it without getting off the tractor to chain it to the FEL. I haven't got a ripper claw yet for my BH but I think it will make getting these medium size stumps out even more efficient and disturb the ground less especially when combined with a grapple and strong loader to lever the stumps out of the ground after ripping through the side roots.

I would definitely advise spending the extra $1200-1500 that a hydraulic thumb costs on a grapple instead. That should be enough to set you up with a light duty grapple or bucket grapple setup and diverter or rear remotes to control it.
 

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