Backhoe Build A Backhoe For PT425... It Could Happen

[MossRoad]

Spent a couple hours playing with a reamer getting the swing pivot to work freely. When I welded up the swing pivot box around that 9" piece of 1" I.D. tubing, the tubing shrank and would not take a 1" bolt/pin. I have a friend that had a very old Craftsman reamer set and it had one that would go from a little less than an inch to a little more than an inch. I had to run it through about a half dozen times to get it to where the pin was free all the way through. It takes about 500 cranks to get it through the 9" tube X 6 trips through the tube = 3000 turns of the wrench! My arms hurt! But man, it swings sweet now. The bolt stays in place and the tube rotates around it like it should. I'll probably end up tack welding a lock nut to the bottom of the brackets and that should do it for that assembly. I'm going to add two grease zerks to the tube, then it is just a matter of grinding everything smooth.

I think the unit is 75% complete now, structurally. All but two cylinder brackets are in place and I am now going to concentrate on wheels and outriggers.

Now, some questions about hydraulic controls arise.... I don't know if I want to buy two dedicated loader joystick valves or go with the modular bank of valves. I have to start pricing things out.

Two joysticks will operate the swing, boom, dipper and bucket. Then I'll still need two valves for the outriggers.

A modular valve bank could be ordered with 6 valves and accomplish the same thing, but I would have to purchase two joystick handle kits. I'm set on having joysticks VS independant sticks for each valve. I had a two handle loader valve on my IH and it was a pain. You could do it with the heal of your hand on the outer valve and your thumb and forefinger on the inner valves, but after a few hours it was tiring. The PT425 joystick is very smooth. For that matter, two valve bodies like that on the PT425 would be perfect. They have three spools with the joystick operating two of them and the third could be for an outrigger.

Lots of choices to price out.

Running totals:
Time = 32 hrs.
Approximate Cost = $380

 

[J_J]

David, You seem to be moving right along on your backhoe project. I just knew that you would need those reamers. My hands and arms hurt for a while . My backhoe is sitting there waiting for me to get some dedicated time to finish things up. On the subject of joysticks, if you get the right valves, Metkit has a double set of joystick adapters to do what I think you want. I might even go electric valves on mine to simplify things, and use toggle switches for the controls. I have even seen a remote hydraulic control that got my attention. Have you decided on red or green or black for the paint job?

 

[MossRoad]

I'm thinking green, to match the PT425.

Prince made some nice joystick valves... they are $250.00 a poke. I think I'll look at Surplus Center a bit harder.

I will be ordering two 16" stroke by 3.5" cylinders soon. Probably from Bailey's. They had a much better price than TSC and that should cover shipping. They also have the ball ends that I need on my swing cylinders. Depending on pricing, I may just go with them for everything and have it all shipped at once. I'll get the hoses made locally.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

What's the record for longest threat on TBN?

 

[MossRoad]

Probably the signatures thread or someone's house building thread.

 

[pajoube]

Probably the signatures thread or someone's house building thread.

Henro's barn building was one of the best threads and very long (over a year?).
PJ

 

[MossRoad]

Picked up a bag of grease zerks, a bit and tap and a few more bolts plus a couple grinding wheels. Spent about 2 more hours working on tapping the swing tube for grease zerks and fabricating the outriggers. I ran out of oxygen in the torch, so have to wait until Monday to continue cutting out the brackets for the outriggers.

Running totals:
Time = 34 hrs.
Approximate Cost = $420

 

[MossRoad]

Put in another hour tonight. Cut out the brackets that will hold the outriggers to the main cross member and drilled two of them for holes. They are 8" squares of 1/2" diamond plate. Otherwise, I've been too busy to work on it. Had a few end of summer parties over the weekends and had to get the kids ready for school, which started Wednesday. Hopefully, I can spend a bit more time on it now that things are back on schedule.

Once I weld on the outriggers, all I need to do is fabricate some sort of wheel arrangement and it will be able to roll in and out of the garage a lot easier. Then, I need to add the floor, locate where I want the hydraulic controls, buy the hydraulics, mount them, add the seat stand and seat and bolt the thing together. Fabricate the outrigger feet, too. Then I have to finish weld everything, grind for a couple days, paint it and that's that! Except for the bucket linkage... I will have to purchase some steel stock to make that.

I estimate that I have about 10 more hours to go, excluding the final grinding and painting and the fabrication of any attachments that I want on the end of it, like different size buckets, thumb, etc... Let's see how good of an estimator I am.

Running totals:
Time = 35 hrs.
Approximate Cost = $420

 

[MossRoad]

We have outriggers! Well, almost. I need to get some more steel stock but these pictures show the idea.

1st picture is of the outriggers in what will be the normal mode of operation. Nice spread, feels sturdy. Looks like it will lift the unit about 14-16" off the ground.

2nd picture shows the bolt/pin configuration. Note the position of the cylinder pin in the top, inboard holes in the brackets. In this position, I get normal swing down and the outriggers will stand up verticle for transportation(see next picture and make note of the empty pin hole on the top, outboard hole).

3rd picture shows the outrigger in the vertical position when the pin is in the inboard hole in the brackets.

4th picture shows the cylinder pin moved to the outboard hole in the brackets. In this position, I can get way below level with the outrigger. I couldn't lift the jackstands high enough to show the final depth that the outriggers can go. I think it will be able to lift the unit about 2' off the ground in this position.

5th picture shows the problem with the cylinder pin in this position... they cannot be lifted high enough to get through tight spaces. There really was no altenative with the way I made it. So, I will just slip the pin out and move it to the outboard holes in the brackets if I need to go way beyond normal horizontal depth. I just couldn't figure out how to make it go vertical for transport AND be able to swing way past horozontal without actually bending the outriggers like the boom is bent. I will try it this way and see how well it does. If it isn't sufficient, I will cut the lst 18" off the outriggers and angle them downward. That would solve it, for sure.

Running totals:
Time = 38 hrs.
Approximate Cost = $420

 

[MossRoad]

By the way... the 1" bi-metal holes saws work really well!