Backhoe first time using a backhoe

[digger2]

Wherever you decide to dig,make SURE of one thing......that theres nothing
buried there that you dont want to dig up.Seriously......
Example,.....running right through the middle of my yard to the one side of my house is guess what,a PHONE LINE.Yes a phone line.There are no markers of any kind anywhere around to indicate there is anything there at all.The reason i know its there is because about 20 years ago a hired guy was here (before i was here) digging postholes for a horsefence.Hit it three times,put half the neighborhood out of service.You would'nt think there would be a reason to bury one through my yard when theres phone poles right out along the road,but they do it sometimes.
Not telling you what to do but before you do any digging,better make a phone call to the outfit who comes to your property to show you where
"something" might be buried.Then make a map of it for future referance.

digger2

 

[Localmotion]

Small back hoes in general move real Quick. Set your hydraulic to as slow as it will go. Run your engine at a modest RPM, for most work 1,100 -1,200 is plenty. Even with a load on the hoe, if its moving, just let it work and don't get in a hurry. It will take a little while to get the "Touch", hang in there and be patient.

Other than that Have Fun & Enjoy.:thumbsup:

Beware of setting the RPM to anything other than that recomended in the user manual - if you don't have auser manual set it to the correct RPM for PTO speed. While Crash is right that it will slow the machine down, it will also put extra stess onto the hydraulic pump - most hydraulic systems ares designed to work at a set RPM only and altering this can cause real damage. Likwise don't up the revs to try and make it go quicker!

Best advice (as has already been said) is to find a spot where you can't hit anything (or dig anything up like cables / pipes etc) and just practice, preactice, practice :thumbsup: You will quickly learn the best techniques to do what you want to achieve.

 

[Stonehaller]

Actually, that is incorrect on an open-center system. Max pump pressure IS RPM-dependent.

Sorry JayC, RPM does not significantly affect pressure. The flow rate increases with RPM which will increase the speed of the hoe movements. Everyone correctly says to reduce the RPM for learning the hoe as it will reduce the flow rate and slow the hoe down. Pressure is controlled by the relief valve.

 

[MikeD74T]

Actually, that is incorrect on an open-center system. Max pump pressure IS RPM-dependent.
Running at 1200 RPMs is good advice for learning, but I know I tired quickly of a slow-moving 'hoe. I have a 9' Woods on my L4200. I usually run at 2000-2100 RPMs (~90% 540 PTO speed), and occasionally will kick it up to full blast (~2300) if I'm in a rush.
To the OP - just go do it. Start with low RPMs, and increase speed as you get better. You'll never believe when you dig your first hole, but it'll become second nature - you'll be doing 4-way feathering and running like a pro in no time.
JayC

Sorry JayC, RPM does not significantly affect pressure. The flow rate increases with RPM which will increase the speed of the hoe movements. Everyone correctly says to reduce the RPM for learning the hoe as it will reduce the flow rate and slow the hoe down. Pressure is controlled by the relief valve.

In practice the truth lies somewhere between. Relief valve only controls maximum pressure. Hydraulic pumps are never 100% efficient therefore one must overcome leakage to make operating pressure which requires a certain minimum pump speed. Runnning a pump continuously at below relief valve pressure AND low flow condition (i.e. stalled piston) can cause fluid overheating. One would almost have to do this intentionally.

To the OP: Because the piston sizes vary with function use enough RPM to be able to support simultaneous multiple piston movement which is what's needed to dig effectively. Initially excessive RPMs will only result in jerking the machine around & your frustration. Over time you'll develop muscle memory, your movements will smooth out, & you'll be able to use more speed.
ABSOLUTELY keep bystanders well out of reach of the machine & potential flying spoils. Have fun!! MikeD74T

 

[boggen]

you will initially have a pain in rear of getting use to the controls. meaning you will only move one of the 3 cylinders, to move things. but eventually you will get use to using 2 cylinders together. so you can maintain a even cutting depth and flat bottom channel. and then get into kinda of a 3 cylinder notation of digging.

myself, if i have not used the backhoe in some time. i will start out at approx 1/2 rev speed. then work my way up to 3/4 rev speed, i rarely ever do full throttle. everything moves just to fast and causes to much bouncing and jerking. ((slop in pins and holes of backhoe, main reason for me, but even still. i would most likely not keep it at full speed for long more so if i am digging, rather take time making sure i can keep flat bottom.))

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in the manual i have. it notes. i should not use bucket to move loose soil back into the trench by just swinging the bucket back and forth by just using the side of the bucket like a bull dozer to push dirt back in. due to possibly causing damage to the swing cylinders. ((granted i do, do this, but if i am not paying attention i can quickly hear the relief valves kick in. and i generally try to do this at lower revs, and moving slower. so if something does happen i might catch it before it is to late, also i tend to slowly move pile and not whake piles of loose dirt. but genitally push the dirt in.))

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the manual i have also notes. the out riggers (legs that go down to stablize rear end of tractor) to just take a little bit of weight off rear tires. and not to take the rear tires completely off the ground. this allows more stable tractor. and if you have emergency break set on tractor, like you should have, it can help keep the tractor from moving on you. while you are digging.

granted, i do not always do above. and i will use out riggers to level rear end of tractor out when digging a trench if i need to. to help keep a flat bottom trench. ((level rear end of tractor = level bottom edge of bucket))

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majority of the time. the FEL with general duty bucket on it. i will have the bottom of the bucket flat on the ground. and just taking just a little bit of weight off of the front tires. (granted front tires pivot) but i tend to get a much stable tractor.

the few times i do not have the FEL general duty bucket not flat on the ground. is when i need to back down a hill and use the backhoe. and do not want to slide down the hill. i might curl the front bucket so cutting edge will dig into the ground if tractor attempts to slide down hill.

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take extra care on slopes. the backhoe raises center of gravity. and can cause quicker roll overs.

when i get on slopes i will lower the backhoe. and swing it to up hill side. to give better center of gravity.

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for me, the out riggers and bucket = a BIG NO NO. it is possible for me. to get the bucket up under an out rigger leg and rip the out rigger off the tractor. well maybe not rip it off, but bend it. i have caught myself twice, tapping the out rigger leg. thankfully was paying attention.

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gas lines, water lines, electrical lines, etc... you will not know you hit them. it will be like cutting air with a knife. just no resistance, no noise, no vibrations. and you will most likely won't know you hit them till a couple buckets later of dirt removing from a trench.

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i am ****, in making sure other folks stay away from me. way to easy to down right kill someone and not even know it, till it was to late. ((see gas, water, electrical, etc.. lines above))

i have gotten to a point of making folks feel down right crying, and never wanting to come back or near me again. while i am on a tractor.

if there are other folks helping on a project, then they stay, were i can see them, and are not allowed to move from that spot ((kiddies grounded to single spot, and i will treat them to that effect))

to that effect, yelling at me to tell me to stop = NO, they are told to wave there hands. 70% of the time i can not hear anyone let alone make out what they said. and folks helping on project need to be in a spot were i can see min 1/2 there upper body.

folks think they can walk in front of the tractor, or rest up against them. and that is just no good. when running a BH the entire tractor can quickly move. a few feet in any direction. ((heck i use that abilty to get my self unstuck ))

at times i will rock the TLB back and forth, front and backwords, without much thought to it. as i am operating a BH. i will whip the bucket left and right and bounce things around. and at times do it, and not want to do it.

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if anyone is around me. they are told to wait for ""hands off"" and i am looking at them, for them to approach me and the tractor. ""hands off"" being my hands are off the controls. up in the air above my head. and for me to acknowledge them by waving them to come on in. that or wait till i get off of the BH.

 

[fredhargis]

I turned my garden over the first time I used it. It does take practice...something I'm still working on.

 

[Qapla]

Wherever you decide to dig,make SURE of one thing......that theres nothing buried there that you don't want to dig up.Seriously......

If you are in the middle of your own field and "KNOW" there is nothing there, dig away. However, in many places it is REQUIRED that you have utilities located before you dig (in Florida you just cal 811 - it is free)

So, check and make sure of locates before you dig something up you shouldn't and/or get fined for not having a "locate permit". :thumbsup:

 

[CurlyDave]

1. Buy and read the book by Gary Ober. Just skim it and then when you need to do a specific task come back & look that one up.

2. Before you even get on the machine, plan out what you are going to do and the order in which the different stages take place.

3. Think--how are you going to start the dig, and how are you going to end it? A lot of times it is much easier to dig/trench in one direction than the other because of the way the trench either starts or ends. Once you have dug 90% of it and it becomes clear you should have started from the other end, it is too late.

4. Think ahead, where are you going to put the spoils and how are you going to move them back when you are done. The best way to dig is where you can put the spoils uphill of the trench. This is because picking up a load of dirt and moving it downhill can make the backhoe tippy. When you have to pile spoils downhill be aware the machine can tip over and set up to prevent that.

Fill the FEL bucket with almost a full scoop of dirt, gravel or rock before beginning to dig. Adds a lot of stability.

5. If you have to set the FEL bucket, or the outriggers on asphalt, use a piece of 5/8 or thicker plywood to prevent scarring the asphalt.

 

[zmjc]

Another use for that beer is to drink it while reading a BOOK about the TLB- I'm surprised no one has mentioned that.
I have a copy of "Operating Techniques for the Tractor-Loader-Backhoe", by Gary J. Ober, pub 1982.

Thanks, that's a useful book to know about. I'm ordering a copy...

 

[bironacad]

Thanks for all the replies, as it turned out, I did not get to use the backhoe this weekend.

I intend to play in the field first as recommended, lol, the siding on the house is too new. I put most of the piping in the ground over the years remembering where is the challenge. My property is rural no gas lines to worry about where I am at. Actually I will be doing a lot of practice before I start my foundation later in June. The information in the operators manual (RTFM) I read when they delivered the tractor but will need looking at again. Just checked the availability of "Operating Techniques for the Tractor-Loader-Backhoe", by Gary J. Ober, pub 1982. and was surprised at the price difference between the States and here on Amazon.com/ca we seem to still get the shaft on pricing even with the buck above par, lol.

Thanks again and I will check in later to see if there are any more tid bits, your help and experience is quite an asset to have available.:thumbsup: