Backhoe

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

I found an advert on Facebook marketplace a few months ago for a free backhoe in exchange for taking away some rubbish from a small farm.

 

It came off an iseki compact, but was a bit big for the wheelhorses. I sold it for around $2000 USD to a guy that wanted it for his Kubota. Mixed emotions at the time!!

 

Anyway it did get me  thinking that I should just build one, and a FEL to go with it. My metalwork has come along in leaps and bounds so it shouldn't be impossible.

 

Buying something like that in the UK is nearly impossible so going to purchase plans from PF Engineering. The plan is to stick it all on the upcoming diesel conversion for the C161.  I have permission  from my better half, which is the hardest part of any expensive project.

 

Once the house move is out of the way I can see where we are at for workshops etc but hopefully can get my sh** together quickly.

[WHX?? 48,815]

I've got some PF plans for a FEL if you need some Dan. 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

11 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

I've got some PF plans for a FEL if you need some Dan. 

Did you build it?

 

How much etc cheers

[lynnmor 7,305]

I have a B size Kubota with a backhoe, I wouldn’t want a smaller one.  A Wheel Horse size would struggle on most jobs.

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

10 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

I have a B size Kubota with a backhoe, I wouldn’t want a smaller one.  A Wheel Horse size would struggle on most jobs.

More for the fun of it than anything. I found the 3 ton digger we had here was a bit small.

 

Our 35hp kubota with the FEL is a handy little machine. So much more nimble than the big Valtra with its FEL.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Dan.gerous

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

The backhoe also came with this muck fork.

 

Tried to sell it but limited interest as everyone wanted the bucket fittings for their particular loader. No matter how often I explained that's its easy to chop them off and move, they didn't buy.

 

 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

Even painted it and still nobody has brought it!

 

Anyway, will just cut it down and use it for the wheelhorse when it gets its FEL. It's about 140cm wide at the moment, easily sorted!

[Pullstart 62,861]

Cool scooper, but it’s painted the wrong color 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

50 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Cool scooper, but it’s painted the wrong color 

I only had green left over from painting some pig huts. I actually want it black, but honestly thought it would have sold so wasn't concerned.

[WHX?? 48,815]

23 hours ago, Dan.gerous said:

Did you build it?

 

How much etc cheers

No I did not @cschannuth here did. I got no where near the welding skills.  I have some of his build pics if it helps ya when the time comes. 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

3 hours ago, WHX?? said:

No I did not @cschannuth here did. I got no where near the welding skills.  I have some of his build pics if it helps ya when the time comes. 

That's an awesome looking machine.

[wallfish 16,999]

I built the PF Engineering hoe. It's a perfect size for a garden tractor. Not really much good for doing daily commercial work but it does what I needed to do. It was built to dig 4-5 ft deep by about 100ft long trench for doing the power to the house underground. It did a pretty good job and it's not simple easy digging sand here in New England. Luckily no big boulders were in the path.

The main thing I'd do different is to angle the stabilizer arms back 45 degrees. Straight off the sides took a pretty good beating from the leverage and I had to redo them. Something else would be joystick controls.

[WHX?? 48,815]

2 hours ago, Dan.gerous said:

That's an awesome looking machine.

Thanks...Gets the Pullstart nod of approval. 

Sure is handy to have around the ranch. No idea how my back got along without it. 

[Pullstart 62,861]

3 hours ago, Dan.gerous said:

That's an awesome looking machine.

 

Aww, thanks Dan!  The FEL tractor isn’t bad either!  

[Pullstart 62,861]

16 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Sure is handy to have around the ranch. No idea how CIIIINNNNDDDDAAAAAAY’S back got along without it. 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

@wallfishI have heard good reviews on the backhoe, and even a baby one has to be better than a shovel.

 

I see what you mean about angling the legs back. Probably get slightly better purchase on the ground as well.

 

100% with joystick controls, don't want too many levers as it ruins the "flow".

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

19 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Thanks...Gets the Pullstart nod of approval. 

Sure is handy to have around the ranch. No idea how my back got along without it. 

We find that with the Kubota and it's FEL. One for using around the house and lifting things in the workshop will be awesome.

 

I'm over digging holes by hand! 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

19 hours ago, Pullstart said:

 

Aww, thanks Dan!  The FEL tractor isn’t bad either!  

No problem, I am always envious of such skills 👌 

 

Will do my best to emulate them

[PWL216 889]

On 5/2/2022 at 12:55 PM, Dan.gerous said:

Did you build it?

 

How much etc cheers

I recently bought the PF plans, which are very good, and went line by line pricing all the parts at today’s costs (the plans have outdated/obsolete part numbers and cost) and concluded there’s no way to build this for under $2k. I found a Johnson loader on an old unusable 1277 for $1k. I took off the loader and am in the process of putting it on a C-121. I’ll end up giving away whatever usable parts there are on the 1277 and scraping the rest. I have to say that if I had it to do over, I’d put a new engine in the 1277 and leave the loader on there. The loader, even apart, is really heavy and hard to manhandle in my little workshop.

[WHX?? 48,815]

6 hours ago, PWL216 said:

 there’s no way to build this for under $2k. I found a Johnson loader on an old unusable 1277 for $1k. 

Real stuff to build one for under 2k these days what with the price of things now. If I was to have another I would look for a junkyard dog and rehab it.

'Course over the pond they might be harder to find. 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

15 hours ago, PWL216 said:

I recently bought the PF plans, which are very good, and went line by line pricing all the parts at today’s costs (the plans have outdated/obsolete part numbers and cost) and concluded there’s no way to build this for under $2k. I found a Johnson loader on an old unusable 1277 for $1k. I took off the loader and am in the process of putting it on a C-121. I’ll end up giving away whatever usable parts there are on the 1277 and scraping the rest. I have to say that if I had it to do over, I’d put a new engine in the 1277 and leave the loader on there. The loader, even apart, is really heavy and hard to manhandle in my little workshop.

 

8 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Real stuff to build one for under 2k these days what with the price of things now. If I was to have another I would look for a junkyard dog and rehab it.

'Course over the pond they might be harder to find. 

 

I pretty much have no option other than to build my own, have never seen any for sale here and doubt there would be very many ARK loaders or similar in the country.

 

I'm pretty resourceful so should be able to keep costs sensible, but certainly not expecting it to be a cheap project. I was very reluctant to sell the backhoe for that reason, but it would have been far too big for the Wheelhorses - better to pocket the money and use it buying components. Will build the FEL first then tackle the backhoe depending on finances at the time!

[WHX?? 48,815]

Yeah it would add up fast at todays steel prices. Then there's the hydraulics. Now like you said Dan if I a guy could do some scavenging repurpose some stuff??? 

[davem1111 2,030]

2 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Yeah it would add up fast at todays steel prices. Then there's the hydraulics. Now like you said Dan if I a guy could do some scavenging repurpose some stuff??? 

 

I happened to be curious and was reading this thread, and it reminded me that I picked up these hydraulic cylinders a few days ago from the guy I was getting 2 WH tractors from.  I'd need to find hoses and fittings, and fabricate whatever I'm using them for, but thought they were a steal at $5 each:

 

 

 

A quick Google lookup says these are "clamping cylinders".   I don't know much about hydraulics, so I'm not sure what application these would be good for.  Probably not for something like building a FEL or a 3-point hitch, no?  

 

EDIT TO ADD:   Reading a bit more about these, apparently they are supposed to be pneumatic, not hydraulic.  Anyone know if pneumatic cylinders can be used with hydraulics? 

 

Edited May 5, 2022 by davem1111

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

10 hours ago, davem1111 said:

 

I happened to be curious and was reading this thread, and it reminded me that I picked up these hydraulic cylinders a few days ago from the guy I was getting 2 WH tractors from.  I'd need to find hoses and fittings, and fabricate whatever I'm using them for, but thought they were a steal at $5 each:

 

 

 

A quick Google lookup says these are "clamping cylinders".   I don't know much about hydraulics, so I'm not sure what application these would be good for.  Probably not for something like building a FEL or a 3-point hitch, no?  

 

EDIT TO ADD:   Reading a bit more about these, apparently they are supposed to be pneumatic, not hydraulic.  Anyone know if pneumatic cylinders can be used with hydraulics? 

 

I guess they would be like a tyre machines rim holding clamps or similar. Never thought about what they were called.

 

I would have thought they are lighter built than a hydraulic cylinder, but that's only a guess.

[Handy Don 12,217]

On 5/5/2022 at 9:45 AM, davem1111 said:

 

I happened to be curious and was reading this thread, and it reminded me that I picked up these hydraulic cylinders a few days ago from the guy I was getting 2 WH tractors from.  I'd need to find hoses and fittings, and fabricate whatever I'm using them for, but thought they were a steal at $5 each:

 

 

 

A quick Google lookup says these are "clamping cylinders".   I don't know much about hydraulics, so I'm not sure what application these would be good for.  Probably not for something like building a FEL or a 3-point hitch, no?  

 

EDIT TO ADD:   Reading a bit more about these, apparently they are supposed to be pneumatic, not hydraulic.  Anyone know if pneumatic cylinders can be used with hydraulics? 

 

First, no, you cannot convert pneumatic to hydraulic. Entirely different seals and, usually, pneumatics "power" in only one direction and rely on springs or gravity for the opposite movement. Plus the tubing is much smaller in diameter (air moves lots easier than fluid).

 

These look to me like they are from a car/truck hoist. The pivoting end forms a sort of ratchet tooth dropping into slots or crossbars on the hoist's uprights as the hoist is raised (that's the clanking sound!) This mechanical interlock safely prevents the hoist from falling due to a leak or other failure of the hydraulics. To lower the hoist, the operator first applies air to the cylinders so they retract the lock pins and then operates the hydraulic "down" valve.

Edited May 7, 2022 by Handy Don