backhoe strong enough?

[gerard]

The stabilizers are integral to the whole unit and are not just a safety feature - you need them to keep the tractor ijnplace while digging. Without them when you curl or crowd the stick you can actually drag the whole tractor towards the hole. Plus on an unlevel surface you can level yourself with the stabilizers. Like everyone else said, I've never seen a 'hoe unit without stabilizers and wouldn't want one if I did.

 

[centex]

I have a 48 BH on a 4700 and I have a lot of problems with the BH just dragging the tractor around when digging up stumps and in rocky areas. Do you have the same problems with the 4300? It almost seems like you need a very heavy tractor to use a BH effectively but I may be doing something very wrong too. I use a 12" bucket and can't imagine being able to effectively use a 36" bucket on this setup. Of course it may all depend on soil conditions where you are using the BH.

 

[gerard]

centex, How do you position your loader bucket when digging? I've found it helps to have it in dump position with the cutting edge on the ground with enough down pressure to almost lift the front wheels. Creates more resistance to being dragged than having it flat on the ground.

 

[centex]

I will try out your suggestion. I keep it about level and lift the weight of the tractor off the front wheels. There was a thread a few months ago that pointed out that the quick attach setup that JD uses for their loaders is very weak and after looking at mine I am supprised that just lifting the weight of the tractor's front end has not broken it. Having the bucket in the full dump position should eliminate the exposure to this kind of problem but then the bucket curl cylinders will be extended and I have already found out that the cylinders that JD uses are also quite weak. I bent the corresponding cylinder on my BH a couple of months ago while digging a stump so I am sensitive how fragile these machines are.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

OK, I'll ask... What is a "thumb" for a backhoe? Any pictures??

 

[JohnMiller3]

Hi Gary...

You finally found your first official welding project for your tractor... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

making a thumb for your super duper hoe bucket... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[gerard]

Sorry, no pics but a thumb is a bracket that attaches to the near side of the dipper stick just above the bucket. It folds flat to the dipper stick when your just digging dirt but folds down and locks in place when you want to pick up logs, brush etc. When you curl the bucket it provides a "backer" for the bucket to push against. (Picture your hand with your four fingers as the "bucket" and your thumb as the "thumb")

 

[gerard]

Here's a site with pics

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.jewellmfg.com/exthumb.htm>http://www.jewellmfg.com/exthumb.htm</A>

 

[cowboydoc]

I wouldn't worry one bit about the loader setup. I have lifted thousands of roundbales that weigh 1600 pounds up and into my hay feeders. I have also carried them out of fields and my loader hasn't had one problem. If bouncing across the field with a 1600 pound bale of hay isn't going to break it then not much will.

 

[RocketJSquirrel]

I have not used a CUT with a backhoe, can the stabilizers lift the tires off the ground? On our Deere construction backhoe, it is more stable with the bucket in dump position as Gerard suggested. And you have to get the weight off the tires and onto the bucket and stabilizers. Not sure if you can do that with the CUTs though.

-Don M