Anyone Remove the Backhoe From an RK24 Yet?

[RK Tractor Guy]

I'm thinking of removing the backhoe from my RK24 to use some of my 3pt attachments. Anyone done it yet. Wondering what's involved to take off and put back on. Time involved? 15 minutes 1 hour 2 hour? How stable the hoe is while removed. I just heard the new RK24s will have a quick attach front bucket starting approx. January 2019.

We are just finishing up editing a series of "how-to" videos on how to remove loaders, backhoes and mid-mount mowers, and put them back on. In the meantime, this is covered in the operator manual, but perhaps the best way to see how it is done is to search for "tractor backhoe" removal on YouTube. Just make sure you do it where the backhoe will be on a flat, hard surface. You'll see that the backhoe does all the work. As for skid steer quick attach loaders, as of this month, all RK Tractor loaders from our RK19 and RK24 sub-compacts to our RK74 utility tractors now come standard with the QA system. The price of the loaders for RK19 and RK24 increased by $300, and we have discontinued the pin-on versions. We will offer an upgrade kit in 2019 for those customers that want to convert from pin on to QA.

 

[OhioCowboy]

Great. Waiting for Rural King's vids on YouTube. Watched the competitors YouTube on removing the backhoe and looks simple enough. Glad to hear the different and better news about the FEL bucket upgrade kit coming for the RK24 and RK19 in 2019. Found the instructions in the manual. Sounds just like the Mahindra YouTube video instructions. Thanks

 

[coastie15078]

I removed mine, and I made a power point to give step by step instructions for removing backhoe and installing back blade....going to make you tube video shortly...pm me if you want me to send you a copy

 

[JC79]

I’ve taken mine off (rk24) and put it back on now based on the manual and a YouTube video I was sent. It came off surprisingly easy and I did block it. Getting it back on took a while, primarily because I couldn’t get the hydraulic lines reconnected. I’m thinking I must have missed a step when taking it off because the backhoe lines were pressurized and it was a real bugger to vent them.

 

[coastie15078]

JC, It's always good to shut tractor off, cycle the joystick for FEL and rear lever before disconnecting...that should bleed system down to get lines on and off...also, good idea to block under the BH when it's off.....I did not and learned the hard way, I had to jack it up and block under because of the hydro bleed down

 

[coastie15078]

When you do remove the BH, that's the best time to check your hydraulic fluid window.. for me, it's kind of hard to see when backhoe is on.....

 

[JC79]

JC, It's always good to shut tractor off, cycle the joystick for FEL and rear lever before disconnecting...that should bleed system down to get lines on and off...also, good idea to block under the BH when it's off.....I did not and learned the hard way, I had to jack it up and block under because of the hydro bleed down

First time with the backhoe question...
I noticed that my dipper stick floats and I can lift it by hand. It doesn't matter if the engine is running or off. Is this normal?
The reason I ask is that it can bounce around, especially while trailering, which doesn't seem right.

A neighbor says just lower the bucket onto the trailer, but the RK store had it on the trailer with the travel pins in and the bucket raised. I was too new then to even see if it floated then.

The topic came up yesterday when I was moving logs with the backhoe and thumb. I was driving back towards the garage and hit a little bump and that's when I noticed the dipper stick floating around like a broken chicken wing.

If it's not supposed to be that way, then it may have something to do with me mounting the backhoe and reconnecting the hydraulic lines. Although, I think they are keyed and only go on one way.
Thanks in advance.

 

[coastie15078]

#274 Mechanical Thumb on Subcompact Tractor, Useful or Pointless? - YouTube


#172 Tractor Newbie? Watch This! RK 24 Subcompact Basic Features and Functions - YouTube

JC, watch the "Basics Feature" Video, when he comes to the part about "Rear Remotes" he will show you the lever that I am speaking about.....I think the lever should be in the middle position....so, lift lever, lower lever and find the middle..that may be your problem....I had a RK Tech tell me about this a while back and it never left my mind.....I don't ever plan on using the rear remotes, because I don't have a log splitter nor a dump trailer, so I will never use that lever, so I am actually thinking about taking mine off, so I never hit it by mistake......I hope this helps you out.....

 

[coastie15078]

JC, it sounds like you have a hydro problem, check the valve under the right side of your tractor in the area where you forward and reverse hydro pedals are located. And check to make sure your hydro lines are connected on the backhoe..... one last thing to look at.....on the right side of the tractor, close to the rops system, there is a lever....that lever controls the hydraulics for the aux hyrdo system where you can hook up a log splitter, make sure that lever is not in the up position....that can be your problem....move that lever around first is what I am thinking

 

[JC79]

Thx Coastie. It doesn’t make sense that it would float like that. I did try moving all the hydraulic levers, including the rear remote, but that didn’t help.

I wonder if it’s possible to hook up the hydraulic lines the wrong way. I thought they only went on one way