TC26 and Woods 6000 BH

[nworcest]

Greetings all. I'm enjoying a new TC26 DA and the Woods BH6000 B'hoe.

I went to change the hydro system and HST filters, and immediately stopped in my tracks.

Woods hase come out with a very nice sub-frame 4-point hitch for the back-hoe...which nicely protects the filters from anyone touching them ever again.

The subframe will not allow the filters to be removed without removing the the hoe, removing the tire, removing the 2 pieces of the subframe.

AAAuuuggghhh.

I called Woods, and they are very nice on the phone, but said that was the only way to make it strong enough. Too bad they didn't tell the customer (me) or the dealer beforehand.

My dealer will put in 2 remote filter kits, and the local Woods rep has offered to warranty at least one of them.

The hydraulic lines are also too short to lower the back-hoe all the way to the ground to release. I've needed to re-plumb.

AAuuugghh again.

But the BH and TC26 do work well together under normal conditions.

Ned - Kent WA

 

[Compact1]

nworcest,

Sure would like to see a picture of your tractor and hoe

 

[OffBalance]

Hi Ned -
I have a TC24DA (nearly the same tractor as yours) with a Woods 6000 BH. The BH is very capable and easy to use. When I went to the dealer (in Issaquah) to get my 50 hour parts, he said that he is working on getting the remote filter kits on warranty. However, he also said that some people with our setup are completely unable to remove the filters, even after removing the subframe mount!

Well, I got home, and lo and behold, after removing the BH, the rear tire, and one of the subframe mounts, I was able to get the filters out. But I had to gently tug on the metal hydraulic line routed past the longer filter to get it in and out. I can't wait for the remote kit, but I hope the filters mount in a well protected place!

On a related note, there were some zerks I could not get to because of the BH mount as well. According to the subframe mount instructions, these were supposed to be changed to 90 degree fittings by the installer.

I have the same trouble as you with the hoses being too short to drop the BH to the ground when dismounting it. The dealer gave me a used hose he had lying around that may work. I'll move the longer hose to where the shorter one is now, and then put this "new" hose where the longer one is. That should give enough slack to make mounting easier.

One other beef I have about the subframe mount is how difficult it is to attach and detach the 3PH anti-sway turnbuckles. I have the tires in the narrowest setting, to fit through the garden gate, so that may contribute in making it difficult, but I am constantly swapping the BH for the mower or chipper. I finally figured out that the kids can do it easier than I can - smaller hands!

At least the dealer seems supportive in this. I can't blame him for not telling me ahead of time about any issues, since I was his first customer using this subframe on this tractor. But I can't help but wonder how much less trouble the NH brand BH would have been (for $1000 more).

- Ken

 

[nworcest]

You must be the other customer that Nathan mentioned on Fri.

I haven't had any problems with zerks yet, but maybe I'm missing some. I didn't get a copy of the subframe instructions. I'll have to bug him.

For me, I thing right under the floorboards would be a good place for a bypass filter, mounted horizontally from the frame.

In the case of the too short hose to be BH, I made up a 12" extension.

The anti-sway turnbuckles were indeed a problem. I wound up using pliers accompanied by much swearing. I did reverse my tires, so it's a bit easier. Where the forgerd ring-bolt goes through the lower arm, it's permanently attached to the eye at one end of the turnbuckle. I'm considering cutting the ring-bolt, releasing the eye, and putting a new ring-bolt in and using a shackle to connect them, like the shackle that attached to the axle/subframe. That way I can disconnect it entirely, or let it hang from the axle rather than the lower arm.

The woods BH is really nice, but I'm less than impressed by their desing or response to this problem. Whe I talked to them on the phone, they made a comment that some loader frames block the radiator pre-screen. Sorry, being unable to remove the pre-screen to clean it is a far-sight from being unable to remove a filter to change it.

How much land are you on?

I've got the last 3 acres from a farm on the Kent East Hill. mostly clearing blackberries, and 10 years of neglect.

 

[JSUnlimited]

Congrats on your new equipment.

I also have a TC24DA, but went with the New Holland 756C backhoe. Although the Woods was less expensive, I was not happy with the "looks" of the BH6000. I am a big fan of Woods products however and have a RD60 RFM and a RB60 BB.

When shopping I agree that there was some lack of design thoughts when compared to the NH756C. I had the luxury of seeing both BH's side by side and can say I don't have any of the problems with maint. or hooking/unhooking with this hoe that you guys have mentioned.

Here's some pics of the mounting set-up.

This one shows the front part of subframe mounted to the frame under the loader brackets.

 

[JSUnlimited]

Here's one of the rear. I don't have to remove anything other than the top-link of the 3pt. The lower-lift arms tuck inside the sub-frame of the BH.

 

[JSUnlimited]

Last one. This shows how the whole subframe comes off with the BH. I have no problems with changing filters, etc.

Good luck with your BH, hopefully it's worth changing filter locations, etc.

Can they trade you?

 

[nworcest]

The hoe actually hooks up very nicely. The old subframe is like yours; where you remove a good deal more of the sub-frame to remove the hoe.

The newer subframe totally remains on the tractor. The hoe uses 4 mounting points to the subframe behind the rear wheels. To remove it, pull 2 locking safety pins, undo 2 really beefy bolts (wrench stores on the frame) and lower the hoe. The lower 2 pins slide out of slots in the tractor subframe.

This newer frame is really nice and clean. The only problems to work through are the too short hose from the tractor to the hoe, should be easy plumbing change in future production; and the **** frame blocking the 2 hydraulic filters. This will be solved by remoting the filters.

I'll try to post some picture in a day or 2.