Subframe for ARPS 730 backhoe

[Brad_Blazer]

I bought this backhoe used about 14 months ago and finally finished the subframe for it. Here is a video from right after I bought it trying out the hydraulics with it hooked up to the 3-point. It's pretty easy to see why I want a subframe mount.



Before making the subframe I replaced 1 bad valve section and added hydraulic stabilizers.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

I wanted a quick-attach feature that would not interfere with the 3-point. This is what I came up with. The idea is for the rail part on the left to be permanently attached to the tractor (one on each side) with the adapter on the right attached to the backhoe. Back the tractor up, raise the backhoe to engage the hooks and the pin holes self-align. The pins are 1" OD cat2 top link pins.



Here is the photo sequence of making the quick attach ends:

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Fitting to the tractor. I carved some brackets out of 8x6x1/2" angle iron to attach the rails to the rear axle.


I measured the diameter of the loader tube (5.555" on the "band mic") and cut the front end off the other rail to make the weld-on bracket. I also cut an 8" piece of 3x5x1/2" angle iron for the mating piece on the rail.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

I used the portable band saw and grinder to notch the 2x4 tube to the match the loader tower tube and clamped them in place to get the position figured out. I used a transfer punch to mark the holes. I think two 180,000psi 1/2" shcs should be plenty.




The plan wass to get everything where I wanted it and tack all of the brackets, then take it apart and make the welds in the shop. I even took off the loader tower.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

After welding, I painted the left rail and got it bolted on. Yahoo it fit!

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Think, Saw, Drill, Grind, Weld, Paint Yada-yada-yada...
Here is the adapter. It was too rainy to use real paint so I used the rattle-can black fast-drying Wal-Mart paint.

That strange pocket in the top link support bar is where I cut off the 2x8" tubing you can see. (used steel, what can I say?)




Here it is ready to mount to the backhoe. The lower tabs drew out due to the three-pass welds I made. I used a length of all-thread to pull them together enough to slip them into the capture slots on the BH. All 3 connections are double pinned. Thank goodness this isn't where I am connecting every time.



The Guide Tabs were interfering with the lower link nuts so I had to trim them.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Then I backed up to the hoe. The lower links stuck through under the top link support of the adapter frame so I raised the 3ph and it pulled the connections together and I was able to PUT IN THE PINS!!!



The hydraulic connection is simple - only 7 hoses 4 for the rear remotes to power the stabilizers and 3 to the BH stack (in, power beyond, and return)

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Some assembled pictures:



The rear wheels are just off the ground. The non-pivoting feet dug in and prevented lifting any higher.


As a test I did extend the boom and let it jerk a little with the stabilizers up and the connection seems rock solid. No noise out of the connection. The tractor just bounces a little on it's tires.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

As an added safety, I added a drawbar support. I used a holesaw to make the pin hole in a piece of 1x3 solid bar. The little holes were already there. They did give the shavings a place to go while sawing.


I cut a little off so it could be inserted with the hoe in place and welded on a hook . The angle of the hook is to help retain the chain.

It inserts easily through a pocket I welded to the bottom of the adapter and into the drawbar receiver. It should provide some extra support to the backhoe adapter.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

It got dark on me but I played around with it a little last night. I had a bunch of old plastic mulch that had been dumped in the ditch that I wanted to get rid of so I dug a big hole and buried it. Being wet and dirty it would have been a huge chore if I took it to the "convenience site." It's not in the pics but I was able to easily push the trash and backfill into the hole with the loader with the weight of the hoe as ballast. So far the work flow using the rear remotes on the stabilizers is fine. I can back up to where I want to dig, put the outriggers down, put the loader down, then climb onto the backhoe.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Here's the Talley:
Used ARPS 730 $2200 and bought less than 10 miles from home.
Replace Gresen valve section, add PBY, new o-rings, etc about $200 at Baum Hydraulics.
Stabilizer cylinders and fittings from Surplus Center were another $200. Probably another $250 in other hoses fittings, welding rods, pins, fasteners etc. The steel was nearly free, at most $.06/lb scrap price.

Still well under $3000 for the whole shebang. I didn't keep track of my time. I started on the subframe arount May 1st.

The dig depth is supposed to be 9-1/2 feet. It's about all the backhoe I want on my tractor.

 

[R W]

You have done a great job of mounting your BH to your tractor and have also sent an excellent lot of pictures in regard to it.
Is the swing angle 180 Degrees?

 

[irwin]

Here's the Talley:
Used ARPS 730 $2200 and bought less than 10 miles from home.
Replace Gresen valve section, add PBY, new o-rings, etc about $200 at Baum Hydraulics.
Stabilizer cylinders and fittings from Surplus Center were another $200. Probably another $250 in other hoses fittings, welding rods, pins, fasteners etc. The steel was nearly free, at most $.06/lb scrap price.

Still well under $3000 for the whole shebang. I didn't keep track of my time. I started on the subframe arount May 1st.

The dig depth is supposed to be 9-1/2 feet. It's about all the backhoe I want on my tractor.

Hey Brad what are you going to do with your time now that you've finished with the backhoe frame building project?

I built a subframe for a much smaller hoe a couple years ago..it took all my spare time and then some.. I didn't do as good a job as you did either.

Congratulations you've got a good tool and the satisfaction of a job well done.

 

[Taylortractornut]

I have a large ARPS hoe. I t came off a 100 HP tractor I was told it was a 730 it looks like yours. How big is your tractor you mounted it to? I bought mine to trade on I need to replace 2 cylinders and do some maintenance on it. Ithought of truck mounting mine to an old Mobile home toter. Great job on the Subframe

 

[Brad_Blazer]

RW - Thanks for the kind words. Yes ,the swing is 180 degrees. It uses a pair of single acting cylinders to pull a pair of large chains that drive the swing. This design was common to several of the ARPS models.


irwin - Thanks - Yeah, it's good to have this one knocked out. Who would've thunk just mounting the thing would be such a project? I really have to applaud the guys on here who build the whole thing from scratch.

TTN -You have the same one? Mine has a name tag visible in the left picture on the horizontal plate just to the right of the swing bumper.

I think it's a pretty neat design, especially considering the vintage. It has the bent boom and I don't think I've seen any other units with the seat that swings with the boom. (I did learn that riding with the boom provides extra incentive for smooth operation.)

Mine has signs of age but not wear. I'm guessing that with the manual stabilizers it wasn't originally bought by someone who dug for a living. Let me know where (if) your's is showing wear and tear so I can keep an eye on mine. My tractor is a Kama KM554 (55hp Chinese). 3RRL has the same model. To use the 3-point mount I think a bigger tractor would be better.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Mine looks the same as yours but it had hydrauilc outriggers and it lloks bigger.. This one came off a 100 hp tractor in rice country fore digging out channels. We had a 970 JD with an Ameriquip/ARPS backhoe attachment factory and the sing cylinders and chains are like the big one. This old hoe loks to have a 17 or 18 foot reach on it. Ill take some measurements of mine. The Farmer I bought thos one from had 2 workers pick it up by the crowd cylinder and the bucket cylinder and made U's out of them. I found some replacement cylinders for mine that are a bit larger.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Taylor,
Did you do anything with your ARPS backhoe since June? Too bad about that cylinder damage. Hopefully you got it for a bargain price because of it.

I measured mine. Pin to pin lengths are 89" for the boom, 59" for the dipper. The boom pivot is 6" forward of the swing pivot. Counting the 24" bucket length the reach adds up to 14' 10" from the swing pivot.

I had the hoe off the tractor over the winter. I have some tasks lined up and the weather's getting better... I should be putting it back on pretty soon.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Hey Brad havent done anything on my backhoe yet. I had sold it 2 times but the folks that bought it both times said its too heavy for their tractors. What it is it has a Deere type quick hitch some one put on it and the 10 or so inches it runs out puts it too far back for alot of tractors. I was looking at it after I read this thread again and found a faded logo with 740 as the number. I havew thought of building a pontoon for it and sell it to a dock building company for light dredging in ponds. This is a straight old machine otherthan the 2 cylinders and the last person that had it bent the seat mount unloading it here after I bought it back.

I saw one when I was 18 mounted on fron of an old IHC cotton picker that was stripped down wit ha 3 point added to the stripper lift to run a fork lift, blade bucket and then they had this big backhoe While I worked down there i saw them use this machine alot and it was handy. I already have an old TLB and a small excavator but a man cant have too many diggers lol. Id like to built a picker based machine to work in swampy areas.

 

[dfkrug]

It has the bent boom and I don't think I've seen any other units with the seat that swings with the boom. (I did learn that riding with the boom provides extra incentive for smooth operation.)

Interesting hoe, BRAD, and good job with the subframe. I missed your
earlier posts and I try to read all hoe threads if I can.

I have not seen any hoe that takes the operator for a ride like yours does.

From your pix, I also see that there seems to be a shock absorber spring
to limit the shock at the end of the boom swing. I have not seen that
type of link chain in that size for swing action, either.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Theres a few of these out there like that, Arps, Long, Agraquip and a few others. Massey Ferguson had some on the first industial tractors like the 203, and early 30's When my 65 year old dad was a teenager he ran a MF backhoe set up with a swinging seat. He said it was very handy putting in septic tanks. Later when he started running excavators he said it came in handy being used to swinging with the boom. THe man I bought my hoe from also had the straigh boom Long and another one I didnt see the name on and both had a swinging seat. One was mounted on a Same rice tractors with giant bicycle looking tires.