Backhoe Operating JD 448 Backhoe

brandon1 · Sep 15, 2005

Question? I have a 448 Backhoe on a 3320 JD tractor. I was told from someone that I should lift my front and rear tires off the ground when operating the Hoe. Is this the right thing to do, because my manual does not mention it at all. Does anyone have any input on this. Thanks

brandon1

rockyridgefarm · Sep 15, 2005

I still haven't tracked down the 448 manual online.

Here is the blurb from the 48 manual:

Digging Position

CAUTION: Avoid serious injury or death: Check for buried electric cables or gas pipes before you dig.

AVOID SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH: CHECK FOR BURIED ELECTRIC CABLES OR GAS PIPES BEFORE YOU DIG.

IMPORTANT: To help prevent damage to backhoe:

Raise tractor only with stabilizers.

Do not let backhoe bucket contact stabilizers.

1. Lower backhoe stabilizers (A), and loader bucket (B) to ground.
2. Adjust throttle. (See Operating Tractor, in this chapter.)

brandon1 · Sep 15, 2005

Yea, thats what it basically states in the 448 manual also. So I don't interpret that as lifting the wheels off the ground, unless they mean lower the stabilizers and bucket as far down as the controls will make them go, which would then make the wheels go off the ground. I guess its a little unclear. I guess I can call my dealer and get his input as well. Thanks for your answer!

brandon1

tillboy2001 · Sep 15, 2005

Hmmm....so in that blurb it says to lower them to the ground, but nothing about raising the tractor off the ground. It would seem to me, the common sense solution would be to have the tires on the ground, but to also have the rear stabilzers and the front bucket contacting the ground. Lower center of gravity, etc. I would vote for tires on ground and stabilizers firmly contacting the ground as well.

brandon1 · Sep 15, 2005

If someone did not tell me about lifting the wheels off the ground, I probably would never have questioned it at all. Thanks
brandon1

tillboy2001 · Sep 15, 2005

I've seen it done before (lift off ground)...construction folks with backhoes mainly. But I still think the best option is as the book describes.

Hmmm... Notice wheels on ground...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/im/110tlb_550.jpg

Dutch445 · Sep 15, 2005

That's just a beautiful machine....

and what a Digger!

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

cowboydoc · Sep 15, 2005

I like to lift the front wheels just barely off the ground and the same with the rear wheels. Alot of the time the most important thing is to be level. In alot of the digging I've done that means you've got the tractor leveled with the stabilizers. You get alot more rock back and forth when you leave the wheels all the way on the ground in the front and back. Having the bucket down and the stabilizers helps to eliminate that side to side sway.

brandon1 · Sep 15, 2005

Thanks for the tip, I'll give that a try!

dicker · Sep 15, 2005

I agree with cowboydoc. I always have both set of wheels off the ground when the tractor is level. If the ground is not level, I use the outriggers and the bucket to level the tractor accordingly.

Richard

rockyridgefarm · Sep 15, 2005

I have been wondering...

IMPORTANT: To help prevent damage to backhoe:

Raise tractor only with stabilizers.

Does that mean NOT to use the loader or NOT to use the backhoe to raise the tractor. It certainly means NOT To use one or the other...

My friend has a stinkin; Cub Cadet backhoe. The manual is easily 10 times better than mine! I will look at it to see if there are any clues (I doubt it!)

dicker · Sep 16, 2005

Hi

I believe that when the manual says to only use the stabilizers to raise the tractor, my interpertation is that it is referring to the back end of the tractor only. It is frowning on using the hoe itself, i.e. bucket and dipperstick to do the job of the stabilizers.

I have been using the stabilizers to raise the back and the loader to raise the front for about 300 hours of backhoe work and have had no problems.

Richard

brandon1 · Sep 16, 2005

One thing that I think is clear, the manual is NOT very clear. They could have been more specific. Just my opinion.

brandon1

rockyridgefarm · Sep 16, 2005

One thing that I think is clear, the manual is NOT very clear 

What do you mean?!!!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

cowboydoc · Sep 16, 2005

I've got almost 3000 hours on my 4600 and I've been abusing the loader from day one. I have not, knock on wood, had one problem with it.

tillboy2001 · Sep 16, 2005

( Having the bucket down and the stabilizers helps to eliminate that side to side sway. )

That's what I was thinking...having them down at least FIRMLY against the ground. Otherwise, like you said...rocking back and forth.

I figured this one be one of those controversial subject where everyone has a correct way to do it, and everyone's correct way is different /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

fastpat · Sep 21, 2005

( I still haven't tracked down the 448 manual online.

Here is the blurb from the 48 manual:

Digging Position

CAUTION: Avoid serious injury or death: Check for buried electric cables or gas pipes before you dig.

AVOID SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH: CHECK FOR BURIED ELECTRIC CABLES OR GAS PIPES BEFORE YOU DIG.

IMPORTANT: To help prevent damage to backhoe:

Raise tractor only with stabilizers.

Do not let backhoe bucket contact stabilizers.

1. Lower backhoe stabilizers (A), and loader bucket (B) to ground.
2. Adjust throttle. (See Operating Tractor, in this chapter.)
)

I don't have the operator's manual, but I do have a copy of the dealer's manual to show the complete specs for the 448, it almost reads like a manual.

It's too large to post here, but I'll be happy to email the pdf file to you, it's 248kb and 12 pages.

Pat