Second day experiences

[Cliff_Johns]

Well, I learned a few things today. It rained quite a bit the last few days, and I knew the ground would still be pretty wet, but I decided to go ahead and drive the 4110 (FEL/BH) across the yard anyway. Surprisingly, the R4s did no damage and there weren't even indentations. OK, that was the good part.

I tried using the BH. I've never used one before, and I've never used a FEL before. In fact, I've never used hydraulics before except for the brakes on my car.

-

"Whomp!" is what a backhoe says. Even at lower RPM, the backhoe is a testy critter, kind of skitish. The least touch and the whole tractor bounces and the BH goes "Whomp."

My chosen first test was some buckthorn bushes, not large, but they would be a real pain with a shovel. The first one came out of the ground, roots and all so smoothly I thought this backhoe thing was going to be a breeze. Then the next one which looked the same, was actually a buckthorn tree in disguise. We must have sawed it off last year and all the little branches came out of the stump and it looked like a little bush. When the bucket got under the main root ball, the tree started pulling the tractor down into the ground -- it was mad. I fought it for 45 minutes while it dragged me around the yard. Finally I landed it. Then I beat it to death with a club so it wouldn't bite me.

Actually the stump was pathetically small, but it was much larger thatn I expected. I'd wanted to stick to the small stuff at first until I got used to the controls and to proper angle of attack etc.

It started raining again, so I thought I wouldn't test my luck with the soggyness of the ground and brought the tractor back in. Now the sun's back out, but I don't trust it.

And that's the way it was Sunday May 02, 2004.

Cliff

PS Before you move the tractor after using the BH, lift the FEL back off the ground.

 

[Richard]

Not sure if I can explain this...but when it comes to "little things", I learned here on TBN, that you can take the fingers of your backhoe bucket, intertwine the sappling between the fingers and then pull the thing out, without having to dig a "hole" per se.

I've had little 1 inch (or various sized) sapplings in my way and will just pluck them out using this method. for my neighbor who watches me... he thinks I'm some backhoe gu-ru and I ASSURE you that is definatley NOT the case. Just a nice trick that was mentioned here once.

Try it, you will figure it out. I've since learned, that if the sapling is flexible enough where I can get the fingers intertwined with it, then I can yank it. If it is NOT flexible enough to intertwine with the fingers, I'll sort of wrap it around the dipper stick & clamp it with the bucket to pull... if it's to big for that, then I'll just push it over, or dig a hole.

Clear as mud?

Test for you soon...so you have plenty of reason now, to tell the wife you have to go outside to "study"

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Moon]

Congrats Cliff_Johns on your new tractor. Glad you got some seat time today. Just take er slow and you'll get used to the hydrolics (BH /FEL). .....man, wish I had a BH!
Moon of Ohio

 

[frank_f15]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( .....man, wish I had a BH!
)</font>
SAME for me, but i can't justify it. sure wuld be nice tho /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> The least touch and the whole tractor bounces and the BH goes "Whomp." </font>

I know you are probably doing this, but just in case...

You have the backhoe stabilizers down and the loader bucket down on the ground too, right?

I have felt what you seem to be describing, but I think that was when I either forgot to put the stabilizers back down after a move, or maybe left the loader bucket up in the air, or maybe even both, can't remember now... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You have the backhoe stabilizers down and the loader bucket down on the ground too, right?

I have felt what you seem to be describing, but I think that was when I either forgot to put the stabilizers back down after a move, or maybe left the loader bucket up in the air, or maybe even both, can't remember now... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )</font>

Yes, I am careful about that. The Whoomp is when I bring it up against the stops. It probably wouldn't be noticeable to a experienced user, but it is jarring for me who is not used to these things.

Cliff

PS I will post some pictures. The sun came out again and I went back outside and dug some more so I took some photos.

 

[SteveH_CT]

Great post - I'm glad to hear you got out and gave it a run. I'm amazed you didn't leave tire marks - With mine I swear if there is rain forecast for next week it leaves marks.

The BH thing will come to you. Keep the RPM's down and the movement will be slower - I did the advanced learning curve thing to. The day I got it I had to bust up some ice... I had that thing rockin and rolling. Few more things I've learned, don't crank down the stabilizers so far that you totally lift your rear tires off the ground, set the parking brake, same thing on the front end - I drop the bucket as flat as possible to make a lot of ground contact but not so hard that I lift my front end. If your controls work like mine then they are pressure sensitive... small movements work best - and most of all take your time.

Good Luck with it - just remember how powerful these "little" tractors are and respect it. You'll get a lot done with it and have fun while you're doing it.

Take Care,

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Hey, I vaguely remember that "Whomp"... I goes away real soon. I guess the backhoe gets smarter... Yeah, something like that... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[AndyMA]

Cliff

When geting used to the backhoe controls, on the right lever think of it as just an extension of your arm. Pull it in and out with your elbow to dig with the dipper and go sideways with your wrist as if you're digging with your hand. On the left lever, just think of that hand going in and out to keep the dig level even. And use your sdeways wrist motion to swing. Pretty soon you won't even have to think of the controls and that's when you're really make some progress. Also remember that on these small backhoe hydraulic systems, you can't really operate 2 controls at once so what you really end up doing is keep repeating a little of one control and a little of another and it appears to be smooth. Also start out setting your tractor rpm's low. Even though I've got many years on backhoes, on my TN I don't run over 300 pto rpms.

Have fun, as I've said befoe the backhoe is my favorite tool. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Andy

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(
Have fun, as I've said befoe the backhoe is my favorite tool. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Andy )</font>

You know, I worried the price of the BH for some time. Now, I'm so glad I decided to get it. It's the first thing I needed to use, and I think for the first 5 months it will be the primary use. I will spread some mulch with the fel, but mostly I will be clearing out the enormous quantity of buckthorn and mulberry stumps that have turned into bushes with all the resprouts (stump grinding just creates even more sprouts.). Then I will be planting things more to our liking and still using the BH.

Cliff