Liberty Backhoe

[DrZaius7]

I'm looking for a backhoe for my JD but don't want to spend $7-8K. I found Liberty backhoes on line for $4-5k. Anyone know if they are a legit good product? I believe they also sell chippers.

Thanks

 

[kennyd]

I'm looking for a backhoe for my JD but don't want to spend $7-8K. I found Liberty backhoes on line for $4-5k. Anyone know if they are a legit good product? I believe they also sell chippers.

Thanks

I just replied to your thread in the JD forum...I believe that they are 3PH mounted and NOT subframe mounted. You do NOT want a 3PH mounted hoe on your tractor.

 

[DrZaius7]

Will the backhoe cause that much more wear on the 3PH?

What would I need done to the tractor to be ready for a frame mounted backhoe?

 

[kennyd]

It's not a "wear" thing, it is stress. Some of the castings in the rear are aluminum...and just not designed to handle the loads that a backhoe can impose on it. If you talk you your dealer-I bet they will void the warranty also if you use such a hoe.

The JD subframe mounts under the tractor, and bridges the rear and front halves to distribute the load evenly. It is perfectly matched and easy to mount/dis-mount.

 

[RoyJackson]

It's not a "wear" thing, it is stress. Some of the castings in the rear are aluminum...and just not designed to handle the loads that a backhoe can impose on it. If you talk you your dealer-I bet they will void the warranty also if you use such a hoe.

Not just stress on the 3PH area...read (on TBN mostly) about a number of tractors with 3PH backhoes that broke about midsection (I'm pretty sure most probably used the transmission case as a frame member). These weren't always aluminum castings involved (cast iron).

All that said, there have been a number of guys using 3PH 'hoes for a number of years with no problems. Just make sure you work within the limits of the backhoe and tractor.
But, I'd also want a subframe to distribute the load. The dollars you save buying the 3PH 'hoe would be easily offset by the money required to repair/replace the tractor if it breaks.

 

[oldsmokey]

Very good price on Liberty Backhoes with free shipping,do you think it would be suitable for my 04 Kioti LK3054XS?
Thanks

 

[Fawken]

I have been using one of these for over a year on my little Ford. Works great and puts no more strain on the lift than my 48" tiller. Probably less. The mount is a rigid type which means that the rear lift is not involved in lifting or holding up the backhoe. The unit weighs about 600 lbs.

 

[Grandad4]

I have been using one of these for over a year on my little Ford. Works great and puts no more strain on the lift than my 48" tiller. Probably less. The mount is a rigid type which means that the rear lift is not involved in lifting or holding up the backhoe. The unit weighs about 600 lbs.

Fawken, let's say you're digging a hole and everything is going great until you catch a root or a big rock. No problem, you figure, I'll just give it a few extra tugs with the backhoe and she'll pop right out. So you tug and you tug, but no dice, it's not moving. Well, there's that old Newton's law, how does it go? For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction... something like that? So all those tugs were pulling backward on your 3 point with the same force you put on the object in the ground. And it's going right into the back end of the tractor wherever the top link attaches to the tractor.

Pull hard enough and often enough on immovable objects with a 3 point backhoe and you break the tractor. Tractors aren't designed for that kind of abuse. Take it easy when digging, don't go after immovable objects like a wild man, it will probably do just fine.

 

[Fawken]

I've dug up more big roots and rocks than I can remember. Are you asking me a question? Or trying to make a statement? I have used construction equipment for 40 years and my best advice to you is don't dig without the stabilizers (outriggers) down. Relatively little force is transferred to the linkage. The digging or prying action creates pull between the stabilizers and the bucket. As an example, you could probably mount this thing to a lawn mower and it would be nearly as effective. In fact, Northern Tool has a similar design which is basically the backhoe monted on a small trailer with a motor to run the hydraulics.

 

[Grandad4]

First of all, peace, brother. Not trying to interrogate you or pick an argument. Trying to keep anyone who uses a 3 pt hoe aware of some inherent safety considerations. If I yanked your chain in some way trying to do that, well, my bad.

Here are some examples of accidents that resulted from either breakage or the failure to properly secure the linkages on a 3 pt. hoe:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/safety/40074-3ph-backhoe-limiter-safety-bar.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/safety/26166-death-back-hoe-canopy.html

mounted back hoe

Beyond that, everything in my experience has pointed to that toplink being under additional stress with a 3 pt hoe. In fact, some of the tractor manufacturers actually offer reinforcing kits for the toplink attachment points on their equipment for use with 3 pt hoes.

Here's a question for you: If there's very little force going to your toplink and the stabs are carrying the load, you could probably operate the backhoe without it, right? Do you think you could lift the boom off the ground if the toplink wasn't attached? What about with a full bucket? Could you easily remove a good sized rock? I'm willing to learn here, but the way I see it, your lifting and curling power requires both the stabs and the toplink to get any leverage.

I've looked at some of the Youtube vids of that Northern Tool unit and a few others like that. What I saw mostly confirms my point... any time the operator tried to lift a seriously heavy scoop vertically, the road wheels came up off the ground because there was no leverage.

The world won't end if we disagree about that toplink, but I'm sure we can agree that any equipment - backhoe or what have you - needs to be operated safely. Cheers.

 

[Fawken]

No problem. The top link is under strain when the machine is in transit and I did build a support bracket to reinforce the top link when I am driving on rough terrain. If you had seen the kind of stuff that linkage has lifted and/or jerked out of the ground these past 30 years you might understand why it doesn't concern me. A neighbor once moved his 60x12 mobile home with it (albeit less than 10'- and without my permission) to get clear of his lateral lines. As far as operating the backhoe without that top link pin, no for obvious reasons. The 500lb tiller seems to put a lot more strain on it, but time will tell I suppose. If you don't need a backhoe everyday but like me can use one a couple of times a month, I recommend this five foot Liberty. I went out of my way to find fault with it, but it is solidly built and has worked well in our notorious black clay soil. If you need to dig more than 4' deep or dig everyday then of course a machine more suitable should be considered. I would never spend $9000- $12,000 on a small tractor backhoe when you can pick up a used Bobcat or Teikuchi for the same money and save your tractor for other work.

 

[Grandad4]

Glad your setup is sturdy and holds up well. Unfortunately, a lot of other folks have not had such good luck:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/new-holland-owning-operating/254853-tc24da-broke-half.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/new-holland-owning-operating/9888-boomer-problems.html (sixth post down)

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/new-holland-owning-operating/184151-tc24d-broke-bell-housing.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/new-holland-owning-operating/167907-tc30-breaking-half.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ng/86498-tc-45-transmission-split-open-3.html (See msg #24)

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/105425-l2800-cracked-rear-end.html

I'll give you that if you are doing trenching or other work where you use the crowd extensively, a lot of the force of the backhoe's operation is horizontal, not vertical. But that's not always the case.

We use a much heavier tractor with a full 4 point subframe type backhoe that has done extensive stump removal over the last ten years. When the bucket curl snags on something, it is capable of lifting the front end of an almost 8,000 lb tractor/loader/backhoe rig off the ground. Obviously that lifting force goes through the entire tractor, not just to the stabilizers. I try to avoid extreme actions like that of course, but grubbing stumps is not easy on equipment.

By the way, welcome to TBN! Lots of good people here... your contributions are welcomed and appreciated.

 

[WWHQ]

Very good price on Liberty Backhoes with free shipping,do you think it would be suitable for my 04 Kioti LK3054XS?
Thanks

I broke my usual rule and went with price on this Liberty back-hoe...

Took a long time to get it, hard to get a commitment from them on time and delivery company and tacking shipment. Have been waiting for almost two years for them to ship the back ordered claw that was part of the deal / order.

I have been passed around from person to person. Each person has new excuses, from suppliers at fault to management not doing their job.

They have stopped responding to my polite e-mails every 4 months and are ignoring me now. No product or money back possible now???

They broker a Chinese product and can only serve client if what comes in their containers is what they have sold... they seem to be money processing jobbers with no real manufacturing or equipment experience. Very poor business in my opinion.

That said with some adjustment and modification I have got it working to a usable state.