Dump Trailer and TLB Conundrum

[JimMorrissey]

Posted same message in Kubota....but probably should have put it here. It's related to the trailer size question from earlier.

I'm thinking about getting a 6x12 "U-Dump" trailer (battery operated hydro pump w/single cylinder) to help move lots of rocks and dirt this coming spring.....My problem is that I can't see how I can relatively easily hitch it to the rear of my tractor (L39) with the backhoe attached. I envision filling the trailer with the loader/backhoe then pulling it about 1000 yards and dumping it. -Has anybody seen a TLB pulling a trailer of some kind with the hoe attached? I don't want to have to put a ball on a quick attach implement on the front, then have to drive in reverse pulling the trailer with the loader

What about the fact that the L39 will have a quick attach hoe bucket.....Maybe I could have something fabricated that attaches to the hoe quick attach (modified old bucket) and pull it by the dipper stick? But, wouldn't the up and down movement of the tractor as it traverses the cut up earth lift and throw around the trailer??? Maybe the fact that the trailer's tongue is so far away from the tractor's rear axel will amplify the movements and cause problems.....

Ideas anybody? All welcome.

 

[Boondox]

Jim -- I'm looking at the same issue up here in Lamoille County and I think what I'll end up with is a dump trailer behind my Chevy pickup driven by my bride...with me manning the backhoe. Is that an option for you, or are you determined to have your tractor do it all?

Pete

 

[JimMorrissey]

Pete,

It's a matter of need frankly. My company vehicle is a 4x4 Ford pickup, but I highly doubt they would like me moving that much material in the mud with their new truck and I can't buy another pickup truck. A guy I work with lives up the road a bit too and he drives by my house along with various other workers on their daily business. Certainly I'd be "caught" if I tried to use the company rig on weekends. I don't want the thing covered in mud inside and out anyway. I have to work out of it.

I'm not getting much feedback on this question....A viable solution here is going to be hard to find with a big hoe hanging off the back. Maybe I can have a plate with a ball welded to the upper part of the hoe bucket , or at the lower point of the boom. When the bucket is curled up there is some room between the bottom of the bucket and the lowest point of the boom (pic). I'd hate to go welding a bunch of scrap on that new hoe, but maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

 

[Jim_Fisher]

Jim,


</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My problem is that I can't see how I can relatively easily hitch it to the rear of my tractor (L39) with the backhoe attached. I envision filling the trailer with the loader/backhoe then pulling it about 1000 yards and dumping it. )</font>

Have you considered buying an older dump truck instead of the trailer? Assuming that you don't have to travel on the road, it could be a truck that is no longer road worthy. We refer to them as "farm trucks" in my neck of the woods.


</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Maybe I could have something fabricated that attaches to the hoe quick attach (modified old bucket) and pull it by the dipper stick? )</font>

I'm don't think that I'd want to pull anything with a dipperstick while the stabilizers are not firmly on the ground. Seems like a good way to grossly over pressure the dipperstick cylinder and hoses.

 

[jim_wilson]

Hey that's my picture! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I posted a message in your other post in the Kubota forum too. I had a similar thought about doing this very same thing with my BX23 because I realized that driving back and forth across my property with buckets full of dirt was eating up too many hours of worktime. I figured if I had a trailer that I could hook up and disconnect easily to the tractor I could fill the trailer - hook up quickly to the tractor - move - dump - and be back at the digging site much quicker than going back and forth with the FEL full of dirt.
Like you I wanted to be able to do this with the backhoe attached to the tractor because removing the backhoe to attach the trailer and then go back and forth doing that would just eat up any potential time savings.
The best idea I could come up with was to make a hitch assembly that would either bolt or weld to the backhoe unit itself that would somehow clear the backhoe arm so you could move the backhoe with it attached. Best way I can describe this in words is to imagine a U shaped piece that goes around the bottom of the backhoe arm with a hitch on it that the trailer attaches to - you would have to drive the tractor with the backhoe extended out to clear the trailer.

I think attaching a trailer to the backhoe arm itself is going to really beat the **** out of the hydraulics and pivot points over time. I remember you saying in previous posts that you had a lot of dirt to move so this will add to the wear and tear on the backhoe unit quite a bit I would think.

I think I can come up with a picture of what I was thinking about - I'll post it if I can.

 

[JimMorrissey]

Jim,

Thanks for the picture...It's the only one in existance to show the hoe. I should have put some kind of photo credit next to it.

I agree on the trailer beating the **** out of the hoe and hydraulics over a prolonged period. So that's no longer an option.

I'm certain with the actual tractor in sight something is possible. Maybe I just need to look into a "farm truck". My buddy who's got a JD110 just bought a descent one for 5K. My situation is that the guy who is selling the U-Dump trailer wants my snowmobile and it'd be pretty much an even trade (+ $200). I'd like to figure out a way to do it that makes sense. I'd also have a way to move the machine and get mulch/sand, haul trash and such. 6wx12lx4h is a pretty big box, you can get a lot of material in there.

 

[jim_wilson]

Maybe this picture will help -

Image you welded two receivers onto the main backhoe frame - one on each side - point '3' in yellow - you could then make a "U" shaped piece that would span around the lower part of the backhoe arm - at the bottom of the U ( point '1')you could have another receiver with a Pintle type trailer hitch. Using a pintle would allow you to easily attach and detach the trailer as you needed to. By making the U shaped piece span around the bottom of the backhoe arm you are making all the forces of towing the trailer go directly to the main backhoe frame and from there into the tractor frame. By using a receiver at each end of the U - point '3' - you can take the frame off relatively quickly to use the backhoe and put it back in quickly to pull the trailer . You might have to drive with the outer part of the bachoe arm extended up but I think this is better than putting the towing forces into the backhoe arm.

The only other way I could think of doing it would be to weld a receiver directly onto the lower part of the backhoe arm - see point '2' - and make sure you have the locking arms down whenever you are towing the trailer. This again puts some towing foces into the backhoe assembly and not directly to the frame however.
I quickly hacked this in Photoshop just to try and put a picture on the idea.

 

[gates]

WELD A FEMALE REESE STYLE RECEIVER ON THE REAR OF THE BACKHOE BUCKET. MAKE SURE THE BUCKET STILL HAS ALL OF ITS ROTATION. PLUG IN A HITCH WHEN YOU NEED IT.

 

[JimMorrissey]

Good work Jim. I understand.....

I may need to spend more money and get a dumptruck /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[justforme]

weld one to the front of the tractor