Backhoes and loaded tires

[fatjay]

I think it may be related to the stabalizer arms, they can lift the back of the tractor, but perhaps the cylinders aren't as strong to lift up the rear of the tractor with the weighted rear tires?

 

[Smokeydog]

My goodness what a disappointment! As one who just had a used BT1200 delivered, I’m glad that was one time handling project. Heavy, awkward and a difficult lift. That’s a big oversight of the pins not fitting properly. Both sides? Hope the dealer will help you make it right.

 

[Smokeydog]

Maybe the dealer will load your tires for free and check fitment on the next one? My dealer has very reasonable transportation service. Hope your dealer takes care of you particularly off season.

 

[Notforhire]

I was able to connect the backhoe to my tractor by using a couple of pieces of 1 1/2 iron pipe in place of the pins.
The pipe was just a little bit smaller od so it made up for the misalignment.
I won't dig a hole with this jury rig, but it allowed me to load tractor and backhoe as a unit and not have to put it on a pallet.

Off to to the Kubota dealer I go.
No argument from the staff. Everyone agreed that it was a factory screwup, and the clevis was badly misaligned on both sides.
Since it was going to be a major PITA to fix, they gave me a backhoe off another new L47TLB. The mechanics mounted it on my tractor, and home I went.

 

[moship]

Sounds like you got great service from your dealer!

 

[mikester]

Remember GM and the new hydro formed pickup truck frames getting bent by the car haul truckers reefing on the chains too much?

I would be suspicious that a driver might have super secured that load if both wings appear bent inwards the same way. These components are fabricated in jigs designed to maintain alignment during welding.

 

[Grandad4]

This has been coming up periodically for almost 20 years! When I bought my 4560 backhoe back then, the dealer told me the issue with backhoes and loaded tires had nothing to do with tires, axles, hydraulics, or chassis strength... it was a physics issue with rotational moments of force in a rollover. The ROPS can generally prevent a 180 or 360 deg. rollover with a backhoe OR loaded tires + an implement in back but would not do as well with backhoe + loaded tires. So, according to those guys, it's a corporate CYA thing to advise against this practice. That sort of made sense to me at the time, but it probably hasn't held back many owners from loading their tires! I do know that backhoe was one heavy son of a gun and really planted the back end of the tractor to the ground.

 

[Smokeydog]

Remember GM and the new hydro formed pickup truck frames getting bent by the car haul truckers reefing on the chains too much?

I would be suspicious that a driver might have super secured that load if both wings appear bent inwards the same way. These components are fabricated in jigs designed to maintain alignment during welding.

I thought about that too. I bought a used bt1200 attachment that went from an auction in Canada, to Detroit, to Tennessee not on a shipping pallet. The mounting brackets are substantial and transportation damage was minimal limited to some sheetmetal. However the pins were fully engaged. If chain binding could cause that kind of damage, a portapower should be able to straighten.

Glad the dealer resolved with another new attachment. Has been a difficult experience with the OP. Kind of over shadowed his original question on ballast.

 

[Notforhire]

Remember GM and the new hydro formed pickup truck frames getting bent by the car haul truckers reefing on the chains too much?

I would be suspicious that a driver might have super secured that load if both wings appear bent inwards the same way. These components are fabricated in jigs designed to maintain alignment during welding.

I don't think so.

I picked up the backhoe at the dealer. It was partly disassembled and on a pallet from the factory. There was no reason for a shipper to come anyway near the tractor attachment points in order to secure the load.

I think it may have been overheated and it sprung after coming out of the jig. The way this thing is built, you couldn't bend it if you pushed it out at 10,000 ft.

The bottom line is that it was never checked at the factory for proper alignment.

My dealer has been great. I went there again today to get the correct bucket curl pin (the supplied one made it through QC even though it was 3 inches short and 1/8 inch undersize) They gave me a new pin and retaining bolt, no problem.

I asked my salesman about the loaded tire thing. He said that they won't sell anything with a FEL unless the tires are loaded.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Mine says the same thing but I have no idea why. Even if loaded with the heaviest liquid available, the tires still would weigh less than the weight of the tractor setting on them not to mention the added weight of the backhoe when it is attached. And since the liquid is not exerting any force on the axle when the tire is on the ground, there isn't an issue then either.
No idea why they specify that in the owners manual. I haven't taken off my backhoe since I have owned it and haven't had any need to load the tires. However if I do remove the hoe and need some ballast, I have no reason not to load the tires. If I do they will certainly stay loaded from that point on.