Keeping the backhoe mounted

[jimpen]

Ok, I finally did it after thirteen years of owning my home. :dance1: I went out and bought my most expensive thing I have ever bought, short of my home. It's a Mahindra Max 25HST with FEL, backhoe and mid-Mount 5FT deck.

I had previously owned various MTD pieces of crap but just wasn't getting anywhere on getting what I want and needed to get done. I still have piles of crap from the previous owner that I need to get rid of. Let alone the piles of crap I've created, like three dead MTD mowers. :laughing:

So on my six acres I have about two acres that a neighbor has under corn, and used to be hayed. I can deal with that so I don't have to mow it. About another 1.5 used to be fenced pasture that another neighbor would keep his horse in during the summer, but now I have to mow. Various buildings (house, barn, shops) knock off about .25 acres. So that is about 3.75 acres I have to mow. The dealer lent me a bush hog over the Memorial Day weekend to knock down the grass to a reasonable level. Then I mounted up the backhoe to start moving stuff.

Re-mounting the backhoe took about an hour and a half and was pain in the posterior. Now when the dealer delivered the tractor the guy was sort of saying that you can't operate the MMM with the backhoe mounted.

The question that I have is if I put in the pins that hold the backhoe up and centered, disconnect the hydraulic lines and put the bypass line back in, is there any reason why I can't have it hanging there like dead weight while I mow?

I really don't want to constantly have to swap it off for no reason, i.e. mow on weeknights and do some digging on the weekends until I get my property cleaned up.

 

[Willl]

Could be wrong, but I think they use the 3pt arms to lift/lower the MMM via linkages and rods..

 

[jimpen]

Crud. I wasn't sure if I had to remount the three point stuff either.

 

[rmorey]

Is your hoe mounted on a frame or 3 pt hitch?

 

[jimpen]

Is your hoe mounted on a frame or 3 pt hitch?

It's on it's own frame. You have to pull the 3 pt turnbuckles to the bottom bars, and top 3pt arm. The bottom two arms and the turnbuckles attach to the hoe. If you have the long tow bar, you're supposed to pull that too.

 

[rmorey]

It's on it's own frame. You have to pull the 3 pt turnbuckles to the bottom bars, and top 3pt arm. The bottom two arms and the turnbuckles attach to the hoe. If you have the long tow bar, you're supposed to pull that too.

So the hoe uses the 3 pt hitch as part of its structural integrity?

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

With a little practice you should be able to cut that time down to about 15 minutes.

 

[jimpen]

Granted it was later in the day on dirt the first time. This time it will be in the barn on cement. But if I have to, I'm definitely going to be painting line up marks on the cement floor to give me guidance on where I am to it.

 

[linuxman51]

taking the hoe off and putting it back on is something you'll get down to a 3-5 minute deal, it's realllly easy. I'm not sure on the MMM (if you have to take it off at all to use the hoe, or just have the hoe off to use the mmm).

 

[jimpen]

taking the hoe off and putting it back on is something you'll get down to a 3-5 minute deal, it's realllly easy. I'm not sure on the MMM (if you have to take it off at all to use the hoe, or just have the hoe off to use the mmm).

If you have someone to guide you it probably is easy. Doing it alone you have to figure alignments and distances. I know you can leave the MMM hanging and use the hoe, but I'm wondering about the other way.

 

[LBrown59]

I've never had the hoe off my BX23 since I got it in 2004
I mow with it .
Never have to mess with conecting /disconecting hoses etc!

 

[linuxman51]

If you have someone to guide you it probably is easy. Doing it alone you have to figure alignments and distances. I know you can leave the MMM hanging and use the hoe, but I'm wondering about the other way.

nah it's not a big deal by yourself. the first time or two you may be a little slow, but after that it's really easy to drop the hoe off with no help at

 

[DavesTractor]

So the hoe uses the 3 pt hitch as part of its structural integrity?

They just store there, they are not part of the structure for the backhoe. They just pin up to keep them handy so they do not have to be removed from the tractor and stored.

 

[jimpen]

They just store there, they are not part of the structure for the backhoe. They just pin up to keep them handy so they do not have to be removed from the tractor and stored.

So then I don't have to drop the hoe? I think I would have to swap out the hydraulics because doesn't it control lifting the deck?

 

[DavesTractor]

So then I don't have to drop the hoe? I think I would have to swap out the hydraulics because doesn't it control lifting the deck?

I believe you do need to drop the hoe. When the three-point arms are just in "storage" position, the mower will not raise and lower. 5 minutes to drop the backhoe, tops, once you get the hang of it. Most guys prefer to have less weight when finish mowing anyway.

 

[jimpen]

I believe you do need to drop the hoe. When the three-point arms are just in "storage" position, the mower will not raise and lower. 5 minutes to drop the backhoe, tops, once you get the hang of it. Most guys prefer to have less weight when finish mowing anyway.

I dropped it today.

The deck is raised and lowered in concert with the 3pt upper loader frame.

But I have nice flouresecent yellow paint marks on my barn floor to guide me now. :yuck:

 

[rmorey]

Jimpen, Do you have any pics of your hoe. I'm trying to understand why it's so tricky. :confused3:

My hoe drops in 30 seconds. Pull 2 pins set the stabilizers and bucket on the ground, disconnect the hydraulics and drive away. :thumbsup:

 

[jimpen]

My hoe drops in 30 seconds. Pull 2 pins set the stabilizers and bucket on the ground, disconnect the hydraulics and drive away. :thumbsup:

The drop isn't really the problem. The re-attach is the problem.

It's about two inches either way, backing up to put it back on.

 

[rmorey]

My tractor has a frame mounted connection at the front under the loader bolts and another at the hitch. I just back over the frame until I'm close enough to connect the hoe to the remotes.

Then I can adjust the height and tilt of the frame with the stabilizers and bucket to allow it to align, then back up into place and insert pins. Takes about 3 minutes.

 

[DavesTractor]

I dropped it today.

The deck is raised and lowered in concert with the 3pt upper loader frame.

But I have nice flouresecent yellow paint marks on my barn floor to guide me now. :yuck:

There is a guy here on TBN that sets his backhoe down on a metal frame with casters. If you are doing this on a concrete floor, that makes it really simple for sure. Great idea, and it allows a guy to roll the backhoe attachment back to a corner or something if need be to get it out of the way.