Dig-It towable Backhoe partial restoration

[Wa11banger]

Thanks!
I got pins/bushings from power king(Power King Tractor Replacement Parts and Accessories). You have to have part numbers to order. The big pin ran me $50 some bucks, short one $45-ish. Bushings ranged from $4-15/pc. Im picking up a lathe this winter to make my own.

With your wheels. It dosnt have enough power to pull over bigger obstacles? I adjusted the relief valve and it helped but it still dosnt have the power I would like. I know its not the motor as I had to replace one. Had a busted fin thing inside of it. Both have even pulling power

Thanks for the info.. I called them today and they are much cheaper per item than where I had been going for parts.. I will use them for everything now.

Yah I can climb some even small obstacles.. But I have been able to work it some, fiddling with the sticks and it figures it out and gets going again. I was also thinking along the lines of rebuilding the wheel drive motors but it sounds like you don't think it is that. I was thinking the valve block might be part of it.

 

[Krookz]

Thanks for the info.. I called them today and they are much cheaper per item than where I had been going for parts.. I will use them for everything now.

Yah I can climb some even small obstacles.. But I have been able to work it some, fiddling with the sticks and it figures it out and gets going again. I was also thinking along the lines of rebuilding the wheel drive motors but it sounds like you don't think it is that. I was thinking the valve block might be part of it.

Definitely not the motor. I have a brand new motor thats as wimpy as the old one. Do you think the valves are too small? If anyone out there has any ideas we're all ears.

 

[Wa11banger]

Definitely not the motor. I have a brand new motor thats as wimpy as the old one. Do you think the valves are too small? If anyone out there has any ideas we're all ears.

No I think they are failing or cruddy.. my reasoning for that thought is with some fiddling I can get them to comply and operate with what I consider adequate power sometimes..

Alternate thought is this is the lowest point in the whole system.. water entrapment maybe??

Alternate, alternate thought, maybe poor pump performance? But the rest of the unit is operating nominally. So hiw could it be pump related.

 

[Krookz]

No I think they are failing or cruddy.. my reasoning for that thought is with some fiddling I can get them to comply and operate with what I consider adequate power sometimes..

Alternate thought is this is the lowest point in the whole system.. water entrapment maybe??

Alternate, alternate thought, maybe poor pump performance? But the rest of the unit is operating nominally. So hiw could it be pump related.

Ive got all fresh fluids so I doubt its water. Gotta be either too low of flow... either pump too small(my original question) or the hoses/ports arnt allowing the full amount of fluid to the motor. Maybe its by design.

Im making myself a new pressure gauge this week so ill double check my psi

 

[Wa11banger]

Interesting theory on the pump being too small. It is obviously sufficient for the backhoe portion but maybe not big driving.. The biggest customers for these units of that time were utility companies like the phone etc, and landscape companies.. Not a lot of driving required just lots of straight lines. Could be why there was less emphasis on driving force than there is on digging force. For their weight they dig exceptionally well. Although my not so experienced hand gets me in a bit of a fix from time to time.. Just nickname me Teeter lol

 

[Krookz]

Interesting theory on the pump being too small. It is obviously sufficient for the backhoe portion but maybe not big driving.. The biggest customers for these units of that time were utility companies like the phone etc, and landscape companies.. Not a lot of driving required just lots of straight lines. Could be why there was less emphasis on driving force than there is on digging force. For their weight they dig exceptionally well. Although my not so experienced hand gets me in a bit of a fix from time to time.. Just nickname me Teeter lol

Very very possible. I think it was 10* max slope that I read in the manual. Ill see if I can find that bit again.

Made up my new gauge and im running mine at 3700psi. So the pressure is there. Hoses on mine were all changed to 5000psi.

 

[Wa11banger]

Thanks to Krookz's excellent information I was able to finally afford new swivel pin and bushings.. Man what a difference a tight machine makes.. I felt almost like an expert without all that wobbling around while trying to dig. The machine is much easier to manage and a whole lot less herky and jerky now that the big pin is tight. I am going to go ahead and replace all the pins and bushings over the next few months and the machine should be tight as I can get it soon.

Thanks Krookz

Rick

 

[Krookz]

Thanks to Krookz's excellent information I was able to finally afford new swivel pin and bushings.. Man what a difference a tight machine makes.. I felt almost like an expert without all that wobbling around while trying to dig. The machine is much easier to manage and a whole lot less herky and jerky now that the big pin is tight. I am going to go ahead and replace all the pins and bushings over the next few months and the machine should be tight as I can get it soon.

Thanks Krookz

Rick

No problem! I still have to replace the 2 bigger bushings on the big pin down bottom. Nice and wobbley!

 

[tcreeley]

Very nice restoration. These towable backhoes are well worth the money - easier to use and put away than tractor mounted units!

 

[Wa11banger]

Krookz im sorry man but this a serious no fun job. Mine was rusty to all **** in the middle since I was missing the lower bushing.. here is how I did it to make it easy it took about 2 hours total. Take off locking bar assembly, put the dipper out about 2.5 feet and set it on the ground. Support the boom and dipper joint with something.. I used my loader and a chain from my tractor. Just snug enough to keep it from falling over. Because I had so much slop there was no way to pull the pin sitting there so I started it up and used the boom hydraulics to gently nudge the swivel weldment into a neutral position. The pin slid straight up and out lucky. I then disconnected the pivot cylinder, put some bricks on the hose side of the machine and just pushed the swivel weldment over but not quite all the way off. the hoses have plenty os slack to allow this. Inside bearing puller kit to pull the upper bushing and I didnt have a lower but I would of just beat it out with a drift pinch or pipe. To replace I greased the bushing and the inside of the carrier and tapped the upper in. because they are so low to the ground i used a piece of 3/4" of all thread and some oversized washers. This allows you to feed the tread from the top then nut the bottom and never run out of thread. I greased up the lower bushing as well and sinched it to get it started.. my lower carrier was a little rough because there wasnt a bushing in it before.. there should of been but someone practiced poor maintenance. Because it was pretty chewed up in there it was hard to get going so I would tighten it pretty good and gently tap it left and right.. eventually I got it in about a 1/2 inch in and it went like butter after that. The spacer and grease plate were a little tricky but not bad I put the spacer in then reassembled the unit and jacked it up to put the grease plate in from the side. Used the hydraulics to realign everything and dropped the pin in, greased it up and went to work hope that can be of some help