Backhoe 10 days till backhoe!

Boondox · May 3, 2002

Al -- Unfortunately, poor Ed's hoe sprang a leak the day I showed up! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Every time he lowered the stabilizers a shot of hydraulic fluid arced thru the air...so we never got to play with it other than to get it mounted (which was a huge help; figured if it was that easy even I could do it!)

I've got a five foot rake I won't need for a couple more months if you need to borrow it.

Pete

edt · May 3, 2002

Re: Stabilizers..?

Hi I have a 6500 also. In the directions it say's not too lift the wheels off the ground when in use in fact with out a sub frame unless i'm in a low area with tractor and stabilizers are on higher area I can't lift tires with out blocking up stabilizers

AndyR · May 3, 2002

Re: Stabilizers..?

I usually end up with the rear wheels an inch or two off the ground. Ditto for the front - I end up with a 3 point contact - the stabilizers and the bucket. Have yet to move the tractor with the 'hoe this way.

kevinro · May 3, 2002

Re: Stabilizers..?

I always fully extend the stabilizers. I might let one down a couple of inches to level out the tractor. I find that with the legs down, the digging is much more stable. I did try just barely lifting the tires a couple of times, but quickly found the pads would sink after a few passes with the bucket, and I was back on tires. Digging with just tires on the ground is a bad thing. The tractor is very unstable, plus the load is transferred onto the tractor frame instead of through the legs into the ground.

Now that I think about it a little more, it makes sense to extend the legs all the way from a physics standpoint. When fully extended down, the angle between the ground and the stabilizer is at a minimum. That would cause less torque on the frame.

Kevin