Backhoe backhoe

   / backhoe #1  

toy

Platinum Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2003
Messages
961
Does anyone know anything about a small backhoe that you pull behind a vehicle to the job site. It doesn't have a tractor , it's just a backhoe. When you get it to the job site it uses the bucket to move it from place to place.. It has a small motor on it , a valve chest, two wheeles . That is the best description that I can think of right now. I would like to know the name of it.
 
   / backhoe #2  
here is the site:CadPlans Corp ....very expensive ... if you do a search under pt on this site you will find out why we went with pt

good luck
 
   / backhoe #3  
Northern Hydraulics LINK carries this.
 
   / backhoe
  • Thread Starter
#4  
bubenburg and bob999 thank you for your response. They are expensive, I know where one has been sitting for years. weeds has overgrown it. My thoughts was that maybe it could be used with the Pt to push it around , or addapted to the pt in some way . It would extend out pretty far from the pt , allowing you to put it in areas you might not want to put the pt. Has anyone used their pt to dredge out a creek, or used it in water. Would there be any concerns in doing this? I wouldn"t even consider using the hydrolics on the pt to run this because of fear of contaminating the hydrolics in the pt, it wouldn't be worth that.
 
   / backhoe #5  
I considered the Cad Plans backhoe. It is a very strong, well engineered unit, as far as I can tell. If you have metal working skills, you can assemble them from steel purchased locally. If you do not have the skills to cut your own metal, you can purchase a kit and weld it together yourself. If you can't do that, you can get someone to build it for you. Each of those options seems to double the price /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

The unit that I would consider is the model 821.. It can be towed behind a car so it could be towed by the PT425 with ease. It uses a 6GPM pump, so the PT425 could also power it with ease. It only requires 400 pounds of counter weight, so I would not be concerned about it putting too much stress on the quick hitch, tilt mechanism or lift arms of the PT425 either.

The plans are less than $200.00. It says you can build it in 100-150 hours. Or you can cut that time in half by ordering a pre cut kit.

The kit from one of their recommended suppliers, Met Kit, is about $3600.00 for the everything kit. The prices aren't listed for jsut the metal kit for this unit, for some odd reason, but I'm guessing around $1300.00. Hydraulic kit, I don't know what's included, but other units are less than $1500.00. So you're looking at $2800.00 for a unit that will have to be moved with the PT AND you will have to assemble(weld) it yourself.

I imagine you could buy the raw steel for quite a bit less, but you'd have to have a metal cutting band saw and a welder as well as some type of drill press. It is still tempting, though.

Really, what's in it?

Tubing for the arms and outriggers.
Plate steel for the brackets and pivot.
Tubing, pins and bushings for the joints.
5 hydraulic cylinders.
Two joystick valves for arm, bucket and pivot control.
One or two valves for the outriggers.
A bunch of hoses and fittings.
A bucket and a thumb.
Many pounds of welding rod.
Many hours of your time.
And some stuff I've left out.

There are some links on TBN to a few units that people have built. They all look very nice and were well done.

I'll still consider it if I ever get the justification for a backhoe. I'd like to see and test the unit that Power Trac makes for the 2400 series to see if it is sturdy enough for my needs.

<font color="blue"> I know where one has been sitting for years. weeds has overgrown it. My thoughts was that maybe it could be used with the Pt to push it around , or addapted to the pt in some way . </font>

I would see if you can find out what model it is. If it still works and you can get it for a few hundred bucks, it might be worth it.
 
   / backhoe #6  
I thought that the thread showing Ed's 2425 backhoe rigged up to work with the 425 was slick.
54-215576-Picture008s.JPG


I'd be curious if this works as well as it looks - Ed?

-Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / backhoe #7  
Hey guys actually it works quite well - the 2425 backhoe has plenty of power - now I am using it on the 1845

There are only two things I would improve if I were to use it again on the 425 - first - just having it locked on the quick attach is not enough for heavy digging / prying - don't get me wrong - it worked well but if you look at how a skid steer backhoe mounts, you lock it on and then you roll it back and it locks into the frame with a special mount - this now removes your "roll" hydraulic function as it is locked to the frame - (untill you unlock it to remove the backhoe)

Now if I were to keep it on the 425 you don't need such an elaborate setup as the skid steer - I would weld two bars to the backhoe on each side and after you lock it on the quick attach - I would roll it back and pin these two bars directly to the hydraulic arms of the PT or the PT frame (drill two holes in the arm) this would be a simple improvement and would really brace it against flex in the roll top bar /link - which I noticed on the 425 when I really pryed hard to remove a rock - to remove - take out the pins - release the quick attach and roll out.

I didn't notice it much on the 1845 because the roll cylinder / bar is much heavier.

The second thing that I would do is add a really aggressive stabilizing cleat / cleats to the end of the stabilizers - better than the ones PT offers - this again is a simple fix but I just had the flat feet (not the PT cleats) - and I noticed that it really dragged the 425 around a lot because the 425 is light - and the backhoe is pretty strong - I was able tp pry out a three ft rock - I think that feet that really dig in would help - Again it was not a problem with the 1845 because it weighs 3450lbs vs 1350 for the 425

Which brings up a point - I really can't see how these trailer type units would work well because to run a backhoe you need weight - and as I said even the 425 is kind of light

Now all that said - it worked great for digging tree holes - digging a 5ft deep trench I made (40ft long) and I also used it to dig 4ft deep holes for builder tubes I put in - Again it worked great and I like the full backhoe vs a mini hoe

I may even consider trading up to a 2445 since I don't mow with the 1845 and I would now like to have a machine with a backhoe mounted all the time - I was considering trading in the - 425 ready backhoe - but if someone on the forum wants it - If I go to the 2445 I would probably sell it. - I made no mods to the hoe - the seat / quick attach plate mounts to the backhoe in the slots made for the 2425 so no bolts or welds
 
   / backhoe #8  
The design of the CAD Diggers use the "pinch" method instead of relying on tractor weight. The out riggers point more forward than outward and have deep cleats that sink into the ground. The bucket then "pinches" between the out riggers. It works quite well, I've made the smaller 508 Cat-0 model and it works great.
 
   / backhoe #9  
<font color="blue"> The design of the CAD Diggers use the "pinch" method instead of relying on tractor weight. </font>

That's what I noticed about the outriggers on the PT unit. They hold it up and down and side to side, but have little grip for forward and back. I like the idea of adding cleats to the bottom of the outrigger feet. Better yet, make them removable so that you could swap out the cleats for oversized rubberized feet for working on asphalt, concrete, patios, etc...
 

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