Backhoe update. I'm making progress (Video included)

[Gale Hawkins]

How does it swing?

 

[chaffe]

Looking good mate, the perserverance always pays off! In my opinion a good welder will help you out vastly from what i can see, but im no expert. The good thing about steel is it grinds and welds easy, so things can always be changed!
I made something similar, but it has no been used for its components in another project!

 

[chad22]

How does it swing?

I made a swing hinge out of 2 different sized pipes. Smaller one slid inside a bigger one. It's not smooth operating but it does work.

And it creaks when swinging it back and forth. Some grease may help that though.

And if the grease doesn't help it much. That's okay as long as it works.

I'm gonna brace it some more and add concrete weights on each side on the front to help keep it from pulling itself up while digging.

Funny thing happened the other day. While I was moving the backhoe around. I barely touched the side of my truck with the hitch and it broke in half.

Must have been a crack in the pipe and it just finally gave away. I was shocked and dumbfounded. Never seen that happen before.

So now I'm gonna have to make another hitch for it. lol

Chad

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Use a lot of grease. It will help the squeaks and make it move smoother.

 

[chad22]

Use a lot of grease. It will help the squeaks and make it move smoother.

I'll definitely add some grease. I got to disassemble the stick, and boom again anyway to fix a cylinder mount that I twisted with the tow truck.

So while it's all disassembled, I'll pack that thing with grease. I don't know why I didn't think to do that in the first place. :confused2: lol

Chad

 

[chaffe]

would you not be better making nice thick bushes on the lathe to fit some pins?

 

[chad22]

would you not be better making nice thick bushes on the lathe to fit some pins?

I would of if I had a lathe. That's something I need to get.

I tore it all back down yesterday and greased that pipe up real good and the grease helped tons. I didn't hear anymore squeaking or creaking after that and it moved a lot smoother. :thumbsup:

I need to find my dads tap and die set so I can add some grease zerks. Because that would help a lot and make it easy to grease.

Also while I had it down I welded the cylinder mounts some more. Originally I just had welds on the sides of the mounts. But this time I welded all for corners for extra strength.

I also removed the bolts that were holding the cylinder mounts because they were getting in the way of my hoses. And actually were trying to tear them up.

One of them the wire is exposed a bit, but so far holding. I'll get another one to have on hand. But use that one for awhile or at least until it bursts.

Because those hoses aren't cheap. lol

Chad

 

[chad22]

Well today, I moved the backhoe over to where some concrete was to put one of the concrete blocks on the front for weight to keep it on the ground.

And the swing pipe I had welded to the frame and the stabilizer pipe broke off. What it did was peeled the metal on the pipe apart, the welds held fine. So I had to use the tow truck to tow it back to the welder.

I'm thinking the pipe might be bad and too week or something. Because it wasn't the welds that broke. It was the pipe. All the welds held. I'm gonna see if I can get it fixed enough to get the new water line and phone line trenched in, in a few months.

But I was thinking, that if I need some new metal to fix it, then the cost is just gonna go up. I already got $1,000.00 into the project, with some new steel "Square tubing", 4 cylinders, hoses, fittings, hydraulic filter/assembly, pump and the valve. So I'm thinking of disassembling the backhoe (Probably next summer), and use the parts for a loader on a better lawn tractor. Plus I really need a better bucket as the metal is too flimsy.

I am probably just gonna buy one of these backhoes on ebay. If I have too, I can always hook it to the lawn tractor to keep it from moving around.

MINI BACKHOE, MINI EXCAVATOR, TRENCH DIGGER, NEW !!!!! | eBay

The loader project will probably start next summer.

Chad

 

[evo803]

I already got $1,000.00 into the project

I am probably just gonna buy one of these backhoes on ebay.
Chad

For alot less than 2500.00 you can buy the proper material,welder and redesign your backhoe. You already have figured out where the weak points are, so fixing them should be easy.With the money you save you could start buying the hydraulics for the loader.

 

[chad22]

For alot less than 2500.00 you can buy the proper material,welder and redesign your backhoe. You already have figured out where the weak points are, so fixing them should be easy.With the money you save you could start buying the hydraulics for the loader.

Your right, the money saved is quite a bit. The hunk of money saved, could be put toward the loader, and still have some money for gasoline to play with my new toys.

I got it fixed today and did a little test digging tonight. After bracing it even more, the pipe seems to be holding. I dug a foot deep hole with it, by dragging the bucket.

Though the pump seems to scream a bit and doesn't really have much force. I wasn't quite sure how many gpms the pump is when I bought it.

But I'll probably buy a different pump with more gpms for the backhoe and use the current pump on the loader.

Once I get the bucket cylinder hoses and am able to curl it, I think I should be digging trenches with it soon.

It dug faster and easier than I could with a shovel. I'm gonna wait a bit longer and see if it holds up.

But I'm pretty sure it's now a keeper. I would have took a video of it digging, but it was getting too dark out.

I'll try to get a video of it digging tomorrow. :thumbsup:

Chad

 

[bcp]

I am probably just gonna buy one of these backhoes on ebay. If I have too, I can always hook it to the lawn tractor to keep it from moving around.

MINI BACKHOE, MINI EXCAVATOR, TRENCH DIGGER, NEW !!!!! | eBay

Chad

$2999.99 from harbor Freight, before using your 20% discount coupon.

Towable Ride-On Ditch Trencher

Bruce

 

[chad22]

Hey guys. Here's a video of it digging a hole by dragging the bucket.
YouTube - My home made towable backhoe in action digging

Funny thing. It didn't start really digging until the batteries died in my camera.

And once I'm able to curl the bucket I should be able to dig better.

I had my dads battery charger hooked to the battery to charge it up, because I haven't got the engine charging system hooked up yet. And I almost backed over and smashed the charger. lol

Luckily I didn't. lol

Anyway enjoy the video. Should have the last hoses soon and should be digging that water line trench.

Chad

 

[chad22]

I wish I would have remembered about the old barbell bar we had in our salvage yard. It was the right size to make pins for the cylinders with.

And here I was using my too short pins. :laughing: I cut me some pins last night.

But I do regret to say that the material I am gonna need to redo it and get it built right is gonna cost too much.

It's gonna come out to at least another $1,000.00 so that right there's gonna be $2,000.00 already.

I need another engine, $300.00 pump at $200.00, a new bucket at $300.00 a pump mount, $75.00, jaw couplers, the thicker steel plate for the stick too boom attachment. "Yeah I kinda bent that too" didn't notice one side of my pin fell out.

And for the pieces I need that would be the correct size. That would be $64.00 for 2 pieces of 1ft by 1ft square 1/2" thick steel plate. OMG

Then I have to drill out the holes for the pins. And even if I bought a larger sheet I'd still have to cut it. And I really don't have a good way to cut 1/2" thick steel.

So if it's gonna cost an extra $1,000.00 to build it right. Then I think I'll use it like it is right now to get the water line and telephone line in.

And then splurge on a prebuilt backhoe. But I won't tear it down until I actually have the other backhoe delivered.

Because by the time I do. Then not to long after I'll be having to dig by hand. I just know it.

I had a hydrant leak outside that was 3 feet down. It worked fine when I had the backhoe digging. But not long after the backhoe went out of service.

The leak started and I had to get the shovel out. That was not fun. lol

After digging all that way down. It turns out the frost free hydrant was leaking out the weep hole. The plunger inside wasn't seating and all it needed was an adjustment at the top.

No digging was even needed.

Chad

 

[NormL]

Then I think I'll use it like it is right now to get the water line and telephone line in.

And then splurge on a prebuilt backhoe. But I won't tear it down until I actually have the other backhoe delivered.

Because by the time I do. Then not to long after I'll be having to dig by hand. I just know it.
Chad

It's called "Murphy's Law"!:laughing::laughing:

Wow, you have had a string of tough luck with your project. I don't plan to use 1/2" plate on my dipper like you are suggesting you would need to use on yours to prevent bending. I will use whatever I can conveniently lay my hands on at the welding shop where I'm shopping the steel and reinforce where the connections look or prove to be weak. But as I stated on my thread yesterday, my project has ground to a sudden halt with the demise of my old welder. I know you can identify! I just hope it won't take too long to either fix it if that's possible, or replace it. Just the other day I allowed as to how I would like a welder with more settings choices.:licking: Well, that perverse little machine must have had an "imp" listening in!:laughing::laughing:

Well, good luck! I hope you can get your digging done with not too much more grief with it!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[chad22]

It's called "Murphy's Law"!:laughing::laughing:

Wow, you have had a string of tough luck with your project. I don't plan to use 1/2" plate on my dipper like you are suggesting you would need to use on yours to prevent bending. I will use whatever I can conveniently lay my hands on at the welding shop where I'm shopping the steel and reinforce where the connections look or prove to be weak. But as I stated on my thread yesterday, my project has ground to a sudden halt with the demise of my old welder. I know you can identify! I just hope it won't take too long to either fix it if that's possible, or replace it. Just the other day I allowed as to how I would like a welder with more settings choices.:licking: Well, that perverse little machine must have had an "imp" listening in!:laughing::laughing:

Well, good luck! I hope you can get your digging done with not too much more grief with it!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

That I have. I sure had some tough luck. Yesterday when I was putting the dirt back in the hole after I burned some brush in it. The swing arm welds broke. And I was too far from my welder.

When the swing arm welds broke. I was like oh "Insert cuss words here" I forgot I hadn't redone those welds with my better lincoln welder.

The old welds held all this time and fixing the old welds had slipped my mind.

I'm sure you'll be able to get by with smaller than 1/2" thick steel plate. I think the reason my thinner steel is bending is because I'm using some bigger than necessary cylinders.

I can't remember but I think my cylinders are 2 inch diameter rod.

Then again the steel didn't bend until the pin slipped and was only pulling on one piece of the metal. I'm really tired of tearing my backhoe down and reassembling it. I think I've done 20 or so tear downs and rebuilds.

I didn't really waste any money building it though. I will already have the materials to build the loader

I'll use the square tube for the loader arms and I already have access to a loader bucket for free. It just needs some rust cleaned off it and repainted.

I too hope it will let me get the needed digging done. At least the water line as that line really needs replaced.

It's old steel pipe and is starting to crumble. At least where I put the temporary hose over it last summer. And I'm sure if it's that bad under the old house then it's gotta be that close to failure out to the meter.

Heck the cities side is even rusting, and I really don't know how the meter is holding on to the old rusted pipe.

And the city doesn't even want to fix there side.

Funny thing is, the city wants to raise water rates because they can't afford to pay off a loan for a new $60,000.00 well they put in a year ago. But they can afford to have a town dumpster at $200.00 a week. :confused2:

I think the well should be a priority instead of having the dumpster.

Chad

 

[chad22]

Well good news. I was able to get the last hoses needed for the bucket curl cylinder.

Now I am able to curl the bucket. And it works great. At the bucket linkage I added some thicker steel that I had laying around. :thumbsup:

I still need to fix the old welds on the swing arm. But look for an actual digging video of it either Monday or Tuesday.

I plan to dig a trench to put in the new phone line. I would do it Tomorrow but I need to clear the path of some Junk. :laughing:

And I also need to change the brake pads out on my dads truck. He's gonna be making a trip to Arkansas Monday.

I'm still not sure yet. But if it holds up after a bit more fixing and tweaking. I may keep it and not tear it apart.

I mean I'd really hate to tear it apart after doing all that work.

"To the backhoe" Now listen up backhoe? If you stay together this time. You'll get to live. But if not you'll die and your parts will get transplanted?

You understand?

Backhoe: Yes I understand. :laughing:


Sorry I had to threaten the backhoe. Seems threats work on vehicles too. Especially if you tell them it's gonna go to the scrap yard if it don't start.

I did that to my dads tow truck once. It wouldn't start so as I was cranking it. As soon as I made the threat that I was gonna send it to the scrap yard to get crushed. "The truck started". :laughing: :thumbsup:

Anybody else have the same luck threatening a vehicle or anything with a motor a new home at the junk yard?

Chad

 

[NormL]

Anybody else have the same luck threatening a vehicle or anything with a motor a new home at the junk yard?

Chad

Can't say I have, although it may have worked the other way.:laughing::laughing:. Remember what I told you about my welder and the imp?

 

[evo803]

I can't believe you would even consider parting the backhoe out. It has been the ultimate learning project. Keep on fixing it and using it and before long nothing else will break and then and only then should you tackle the FEL. With the engineering ,welding and design knowledge you have learned the FEL will be quite easy and I bet you won't have to go back and fix anything!!!!

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I can't believe you would even consider parting the backhoe out. It has been the ultimate learning project. Keep on fixing it and using it and before long nothing else will break and then and only then should you tackle the FEL. With the engineering ,welding and design knowledge you have learned the FEL will be quite easy and I bet you won't have to go back and fix anything!!!!

I have to agree, Chad, that you should perfect your design skills and technique before you tackle the loader.

 

[chad22]

I have to agree, Chad, that you should perfect your design skills and technique before you tackle the loader.

I agree with you. I'm gonna keep the backhoe after all and continue to work on it and perfect it.

Over time I'm sure I'll get it right. Who knows I might come across some thicker material one day in a junk pile that we get given to us. "Peoples always giving us junk".

I can't believe you would even consider parting the backhoe out. It has been the ultimate learning project. Keep on fixing it and using it and before long nothing else will break and then and only then should you tackle the FEL. With the engineering ,welding and design knowledge you have learned the FEL will be quite easy and I bet you won't have to go back and fix anything!!!!

I thought about it some more. And I had to say to myself that I myself couldn't believe I would consider tearing it apart. That's some crazy thinking there.

I agree this project has been an ultimate learning project and I love building things.

And I'll keep on fixing the backhoe and once I get it right then I'll work on the loader.

Chad