Digging in wet clay

[woodlandfarms]

I have a backhoe similar to a backhoe on a skid steer. I am still figuring it out so need some advice. I am diggin in hard wet clay and it feels like I am just scratching down, not getting big scoops.

Just want to make sure this is sort of normal or if there is a cure for my bad technique.

 

[MasseyWV]

It's normal, especially for hard-packed clay.

 

[Combustix]

Wet clay will gum up your bucket as well so you will want to try and get everything out when you dump, otherwise you will be digging it out of the bucket

 

[Renze]

Just want to make sure this is sort of normal or if there is a cure for my bad technique.

I use a Bobcat skid steer backhoe behind my 3011. because it is 3pt mounted i have no downpressure to penetrate the ground:
But what i do notice it that it best works from out the hole upwards, instead of horizontally. Perhaps it goes better once you've got a good hole to dig in upwards motion, to use the full power of your hydraulics instead of being limited by the weight of the machine. In frozen ground i dig best with just the bucket curl, because it is the strongest function of this particular backhoe.