Question for all backhoe owners

[newbury]

You can buy a clamp on hitch at Titan attachments and elsewhere. Works on the FEL, might be able to use it on the hoe bucket. $71

 

[mguitas]

You can buy a clamp on hitch at Titan attachments and elsewhere. Works on the FEL, might be able to use it on the hoe bucket. $71

maybe the fel , but I wouldn't use the backhoe for towing. Not a good ideal.

 

[jenkinsph]

Either putting the dirt into something like you said, a trailer, or in my case, I have a small 6 yard dump truck. If I'm putting the dirt back where it came from and I want to protect the grass, I use sheets of plywood. Why can't you hook up a trailer to a pickup truck?

For a small backhoe with limited reach the plywood gets my vote. Moving heavy trailers around on the grass will tear up the lawn worse than using the loader to refill the hole or ditch. If you put the plywood down in the right place you will be able to refill the hole with limited machinery travel which equates to less disturbance.

 

[sw18x]

Thanks for the ideas. My Excursion will pull the trailer, but can't maneuver in tighter places, including some of the places I will probably dump. Also, there's currently no jack on the trailer I use so no way to drop the trailer with a full load. The hitch on the bucket is what I'm leaning towards but don't want to weld anything on at this point, a clamp on would work nicely. The fuel tanks are an awesome idea, similar to the bedliner thing. I've also heard conflicting opinions on using the BH to tow, I'll stay away from that it I can.

 

[jenkinsph]

Thanks for the ideas. My Excursion will pull the trailer, but can't maneuver in tighter places, including some of the places I will probably dump. Also, there's currently no jack on the trailer I use so no way to drop the trailer with a full load. The hitch on the bucket is what I'm leaning towards but don't want to weld anything on at this point, a clamp on would work nicely. The fuel tanks are an awesome idea, similar to the bedliner thing. I've also heard conflicting opinions on using the BH to tow, I'll stay away from that it I can.

Have you tried loading a trailer with your backhoe yet? With only one machine keeping up with the trailer and hauling then returning to dig is highly inefficient. Using the plywood is much easier, if you need to move the dirt to another place in the yard then use the fel to scoop up the dirt off the plywood and transport it.


Once you have enough seat time you should be able to scoop up the dirt off the grass without damage then rake the remaining dirt into the hole. That is what I do 90% of the time and it is easier than jockeying a trailer around. I have a 7 ton dump trailer and heavy truck to pull it with and have a tractor I could pull it with along with the separate backhoe. Even with this combination it is far easier to use the fel for transport if on site. If you need to transport off site then the trailer or dump truck is needed.

 

[Foxl3830]

Yes I agree with last post a sheet or two of ply wood and eventually you'll be able to use front end loader and be able to move dirt or what ever right off grass with not much damage I have a level indicator on my FEL really helps I don't even really look at bucket I watch the indicator and the bucket I also use the float on my Loader not gouge the ground. I was helping my father set up his seasonal spot at a camp ground and there was a load of gravel there and the maintenance guy was trying to use a L3400 Kubota and was really inexperienced I help him an eventually he let me finish moving the gravel for him (yes seat time ) the Tractor they had no indicator on the FEL took me a couple tries at the pile and gotter done with out tearing up the grass it just takes some seat time (practice) like I told the young man up there find a spot where you don't have a audience and practice with the machine they have stock piles of top soil just move them and put back to get the feel for it its all good have fun if you do tear the yard up guess what you can fix it more seat time !! Hope this helped

 

[Apsterbobed]

A few years ago we did some work at a school shortly before graduation. They needed power and network connections at the graduation podium witch was located in front of a monument in the lawn. The earthworkers cut and rolled the sod, then rolled out heavy plastic sheeting down each side of the trench. Next they laid plywood down both sides of the trench 8' wide path down one side and 4' down the other. At this point they told us that if they could drive on the grass they would just put the spoils on the plywood, but the school said no equipment on the grass. So the spoils went into powered wheelbarrow and was hauled off. After they back filled and removed the plywood and plastic the grass was replaced and watered. The next day they ran a mower over the area and it looked like we had never been there.

 

[rswyan]

$130 to $150 at Tractor Supply will get you a small dump cart/wagon with around a 1400 - 1500 capacity.

Since it doesn't sound like you are doing extensive excavating, that might fit the bill for your needs.

You just need a way to pull it.

A (smaller, old) lawn tractor which could be had for fairly cheap would fit the bill.

If your wife is into doing gardening/landscaping type things, this combo will likely become "hers" ... which ain't necessarily a bad thing ...

 

[nikerret]

I plan on getting some heavy duty tarps to put down. Pile on those. After I use the tractor to get most of it off the tarp, I should be able to lift the tarp to dump the rest in. Theory. I haven't tried it, yet.

 

[bindian]

I mucked out a huge Koi pond years ago. I dumped the spoils on the lawn. Owner was okay with it. When I was through, I picked most of it up with the bucket. What I could get into the bucket, I put the bucket slightly above level with the ground and pushed the remains over to his mulch pile. What was left in the grass disappeared at the next rain. But you gotta know your tractor to do this without ripping up Mama's lawn!

As to the plywood, your rip into it if you are not paying attention. The sand bag idea sounds good. Then, if your loader is tough enough, you can carry it away. You can get Sodium Bentonite Clay in bags of 3,000 pounds with a bottom chute for spreading.
hugs, Brandi