Building a backhoe? Anyone ever done it?

[kylebosch808]

Hello, its been a while since i have been on TBN. Im interested in building a backhoe for the John Deere 2305. For the amount of times i have rented a mini EX i could have built one for the back of the tractor. To buy one in canada is just crazy expensive.

My thought of building one is to use a PTO powerd pump. reason being is that i dont think the on board hydraulics have the power that i want the Hoe to have. So that would mean i would need a resivoir and all that.

If anyone has pictures of their backhoes that they have bought or built for one of these compact tractor would be great to see some more detail on them.

Thanks for now!

 

[JD230511]

I have not built one, but seen one built. My girlfriends grandpa built one for a small tractor he had. If I remember correctly I think he bought it as a kit. He just had to get hydraulic cylinders for it. When he gets back this weekend I will talk to him and see what info I can find out.

 

[kylebosch808]

Ok. Iv seen these little backhoes hook up to the tractor directly not using the 3PTH. If anyone has a backhoe they bought that hooks up that way could you send some pics on how the mounting is set up? thanks

 

[NormL]

Hello, its been a while since i have been on TBN. Im interested in building a backhoe for the John Deere 2305. For the amount of times i have rented a mini EX i could have built one for the back of the tractor. To buy one in canada is just crazy expensive.

My thought of building one is to use a PTO powerd pump. reason being is that i dont think the on board hydraulics have the power that i want the Hoe to have. So that would mean i would need a resivoir and all that.

If anyone has pictures of their backhoes that they have bought or built for one of these compact tractor would be great to see some more detail on them.

Thanks for now!

Over the last couple of years there's been a number of TBN members posting information as they build backhoes. Iplayfarmer, Chad22, rcurrie and I have been working on small versions and are at varying stages of completion. I don't know for sure if this answers your question, but it might be worth your while to look into it.

 

[davo727]

Heres a great link of a guy that built one for his 8N ford. He did it the right way and the backhoe is mounted to a subframe that goes all the way under the tractor rear to front.

He learned some things and reinforced and upgraded after using it a while. He posted plans also.

Ford 8N Backhoe Attachment

 

[GE222]

Davo727, Thanks for posting the 8N back article.

Kylebosch808, I have a friend who did a lot of research wanting to purchase a small tractor loader backhoe. He finally ended up with a Kubota BX24, and has only a few times regretted it. That being only as a larger machine would have been nice for a few projects. I believe it has roughly the same dimensions as your Deere. The backhoe mounts to a sub-frame with 4 pins. I have a lot of hours on much larger machines, suck as a Deere 310 and many of the Case 580 series machines, and for its size, the Kubota really does a lot for its size, and can almost fit anywhere. I realize that BX hoe wont fit your machine, but for a build, might give you some good ideas.

 

[Renze]

I recently bought a Bobcat backhoe, intended to be used with 453 an 553 skid steers. I welded 3pt brackets to it, and use a triangle as a top link, to aid lateral stability.
Biggest problem i have with it is the stupid geometry, i can only draw 2 feet of trench before i have to relocate...
Extending the support feet by 8 inches, as well as the dipper by 10 inches, and using a new, longer stroke dipper cylinder will solve that.
I got it for 300 euro, invested another 200 to replace the missing hoses and pay a few bucks to use the drill press in a tractor dealership workshop.

I run it off the tractors 20l/min pump (5.3 gallon/min) which is already too much for the swing cylinder: the inertia buildup broke the swing chain already. Will tap and drill some M12 thread in the connectors so i can plug them with a piece of M12 bolt, and drill a 1 or 2mm hole through it to really reduce the flow to the swing cylinder.
For the other three functions, i could use the 32 liter pump of the 5245, but its a bit pointless to put an 8k lbs tractor in front of a digger this size

In Europe skidsteer attach backhoes are dirt cheap and unwanted, but in the states i saw them online for 2500 dollar: hanging one of those behind your tractor would save a lot of build time.

 

[GLyford]

Will tap and drill some M12 thread in the connectors so i can plug them with a piece of M12 bolt, and drill a 1 or 2mm hole through it to really reduce the flow to the swing cylinder.

I'm curious to see how well that works.

I had a similar issue with the rate of drop on the arms of my FEL. Found an adjustable needle valve online cheap, and put it in the hose to the lift cylinders. I really like being able to adjust it in to the speed I feel comfortable with without disassembling, machining, cleaning and reassembling for each adjustment. Mine has a bypass checkvalve for full oposite flow so you'd either need one without the reverse checkvalve, or if the reverse checkvalve type is all you can find near you, then one for each direction on different hoses.

Or even back-to-back on the same hose, come to think of it.

 

[BHD]

I would think your tractors hydraulics would most likely be fine, many of the small hoes really do not take a large hydraulic system to work properly, If it was me I would build it to try the tractors hydraulics first, and if was not adequate, then add the PTO pump, but build it with the clearance nessarly for accommodate the pump,

 

[kylebosch808]

I was thinking of trying to avoid buying the PowerBeyond kit for it. The tractor does not have auxiliary remotes on the back. Don't know why John Deere didn't do that as a factory option for rear remotes

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I started a build thread, but it's dormant for a while as I catch up on other projects.

My favorite all-time thread on TBN is MossRoad's backhoe build...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/power-trac/73883-build-backhoe-pt425-could-happen.html

Chad22's build thread is a must read for anyone contemplating a backhoe build. A lot of lessons were learned through that thread.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/200605-backhoe-update-im-making-progress.html

I have received a lot of good input in two threads I started about building a backhoe. I started with a design ideas thread...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/138284-backhoe-design-ideas.html, and there's also my incomplete build thread...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/161405-finally-building-my-backhoe.html

NormL has very nice build going on his thread...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/209127-its-time-either-get-started.html

Another must for anyone building a backoe is dfkrug's thread about subframes...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/171760-how-build-your-own-custom.html

Another great resource for anyone considering their own backhoe is this set of Youtube videos... Backhoe Project, 1st video 1 - YouTube
The link is to the first video in the series. This guy has hours of video about his backhoe build. It's VERY helpful.

Can you tell I've thought alot about this?

 

[Renze]

I'm curious to see how well that works.

At work we put a 10mm lasercut washer with a 0.8mm hole in a return line of the orbitrol of an articulated steered payloader to make the steering less nervous... Built and sold yet maybe 100 machines that way

 

[kylebosch808]

I started a build thread, but it's dormant for a while as I catch up on other projects.

My favorite all-time thread on TBN is MossRoad's backhoe build...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/power-trac/73883-build-backhoe-pt425-could-happen.html

Chad22's build thread is a must read for anyone contemplating a backhoe build. A lot of lessons were learned through that thread.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/200605-backhoe-update-im-making-progress.html

I have received a lot of good input in two threads I started about building a backhoe. I started with a design ideas thread...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/138284-backhoe-design-ideas.html, and there's also my incomplete build thread...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/161405-finally-building-my-backhoe.html

NormL has very nice build going on his thread...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/209127-its-time-either-get-started.html

Another must for anyone building a backoe is dfkrug's thread about subframes...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/171760-how-build-your-own-custom.html

Another great resource for anyone considering their own backhoe is this set of Youtube videos... Backhoe Project, 1st video 1 - YouTube
The link is to the first video in the series. This guy has hours of video about his backhoe build. It's VERY helpful.

Can you tell I've thought alot about this?

Yes i can see you have thought alot about it! Ive been planning and looking at the jd trying to figure out how im going to go about this in a easy way. dont know if i wanna use the 3PTH or use the 3PTH arms and conect it directly to the mount for the top link so its solid.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Yes i can see you have thought alot about it! Ive been planning and looking at the jd trying to figure out how im going to go about this in a easy way. dont know if i wanna use the 3PTH or use the 3PTH arms and conect it directly to the mount for the top link so its solid.

You may not know it yet, but you want a subframe. You can either do it now or do it later.

 

[BHD]

I was thinking of trying to avoid buying the PowerBeyond kit for it. The tractor does not have auxiliary remotes on the back. Don't know why John Deere didn't do that as a factory option for rear remotes

because they can charge you a few extra hundred for a feature that should be standard,

 

[ray66v]

If you build a good, viable backhoe, which would include purchasing pretty much everything you need to do so, you can easily spend more money, and a lot more time, than if you just worked somewhere, and used the money to buy one. :thumbsup:

 

[NormL]

If you build a good, viable backhoe, which would include purchasing pretty much everything you need to do so, you can easily spend more money, and a lot more time, than if you just worked somewhere, and used the money to buy one. :thumbsup:

And miss out on all the fun:laughing::confused2: of building your own and the feeling of accomplishment upon completion of the project!!:thumbsup:

 

[Dennis Mickle]

And miss out on all the fun:laughing::confused2: of building your own and the feeling of accomplishment upon completion of the project!!:thumbsup:

I have found that everything starts with good blueprints. I have built 2 well drilling rigs myself. I am working on the third one right now still in the design stage the first 2 were capable of going 2000' the new one will only do 1000'. I sold the first two with the business ( I retired). But what I'm trying to say is get a good set of plans first. you will save money in the long run, or get a cadd program ( that's what I use)

 

[ray66v]

And miss out on all the fun:laughing::confused2: of building your own and the feeling of accomplishment upon completion of the project!!:thumbsup:

I understand some people need/desire that kind of gratification.


Thankfully, at this stage in my life, I have accomplished everything I need to, and have nothing left to prove.

To those who will press on with this kind of exercise in futility:

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I just sold two long backhoe attatchments that laid around here for a while. My dad has a bush hog backhoe and his tractor has the quick attatch arms. Well, one came loose, and snapped off the top link from the rear center section of the tractor. We are now going to weld it back on again for the third time. Neighbor bought one with a new tractor, no sub frame, and tractor snapped in two at the bell housing.
The top link only broke once with the back hoe, but that has been trouble for the tractor ever since, kinda ruined it. It broke again because somebody else welded it. Then this time it was parked with a large goosenect trailer on it and a big truck ran into the trailer.....guess it is destined to stay broke.