Backhoe attachment, on a trailer. Making it a towable!

Biohazarus · Apr 24, 2018

Hi there, I do not have a tractor but need a digger. (Don't ask why, I just need, OK):laughing:
Was looking at towable one and thinking I can "easily-ish" build one.
Then started to look at used backhoe attachment on kijiji.

Looks like I could get one for cheaper then the hydraulic and control. Not taking about material and design issues.
So wondering if anyone have the similar idea about building a trailer mounted with hydraulic pump/motor, around a "off the shelf" backhoe attachment.
This could be extended to be a 3 point trailer on which I could eventually mount any 3 point attachment, but I don't have any, and read that 3 point might not be the best for backhoe as weaker...

Since I don't have a tractor, I am free to find any backhoe attachment "size", but can someone shine some light:
1) am I stupid / pioneer (hard to differentiate sometime)
2) What size motor pump should I get? When attachment is meant for, let say a 30hp tractor, should I get a 30hp motor or power at pump is not as much as tractor rating?

fried1765 · Apr 24, 2018

Biohazarus said:
Hi there, I do not have a tractor but need a digger. (Don't ask why, I just need, OK):laughing:
Was looking at towable one and thinking I can "easily-ish" build one.
Then started to look at used backhoe attachment on kijiji.

Looks like I could get one for cheaper then the hydraulic and control. Not taking about material and design issues.
So wondering if anyone have the similar idea about building a trailer mounted with hydraulic pump/motor, around a "off the shelf" backhoe attachment.
This could be extended to be a 3 point trailer on which I could eventually mount any 3 point attachment, but I don't have any, and read that 3 point might not be the best for backhoe as weaker...

Since I don't have a tractor, I am free to find any backhoe attachment "size", but can someone shine some light:
1) am I stupid / pioneer (hard to differentiate sometime)
2) What size motor pump should I get? When attachment is meant for, let say a 30hp tractor, should I get a 30hp motor or power at pump is not as much as tractor rating?

My experience with attempts at reinventing the wheel, have never worked out.
Do you really want to spend your time and money on a prototype that will have zero resale value?

GLyford · Apr 24, 2018

You could start with one of these...wouldn't take much AT ALL to get it to be what you want:

9 HP Towable Backhoe

14.5 FPT Towable Backhoe | DR Power Equipment

Or you could use established and tested plans (CADplans is also on TBN, btw):

CADDiggers
You can get all the metal pieces and parts together as a kit from MetKit Corp - Home Page

frugalangler · Apr 24, 2018

Sometimes when resources such as $$ are limited, create your own is a valid approach! Necessity is the mother of invention, or in this case cloning, if one patterns a build after something that exists already (there are already some successful tow-able diggers) and can source the components used cheaply, and has the fabrication capability (backyard shade-tree shop and skills) then I'd say go for it, but ---------- be very conscious of safety factors, since you're likely not going to have engineering software to compute stress points, etc, over build to a considerable level.

Sometimes I actually do this type of thing just to prove to my self I CAN DO IT! Satisfaction factor!

If you go about it, please document and seek advise, hopefully someone will provide some decent suggestive guidance, \

Good luck in you adventure.

aczlan · Apr 24, 2018

Biohazarus said:
2) What size motor pump should I get? When attachment is meant for, let say a 30hp tractor, should I get a 30hp motor or power at pump is not as much as tractor rating?

You need to know how many gallons per minute of hydraulic flow the attachment is rated for and at what pressure.
Then you can use one of the many hydraulic calculators out there to see what size motor and pump you will need.

Aaron Z

davedj1 · Apr 24, 2018

Find an old Jeep and mount one on the back, run the pump off the pto on the transmission. Growing up here in farm country every other place you looked there was a truck or Jeep of some sort with a backhoe attachment on the back of it. This was long before mini excavators.

countrybumpkin · Apr 24, 2018

Here is a video of one built by a guy.

Homemade backhoe / toe behind - YouTube

BrokenTrack · Apr 26, 2018

Biohazarus said:
Hi there, I do not have a tractor but need a digger. (Don't ask why, I just need, OK):laughing:
Was looking at towable one and thinking I can "easily-ish" build one.
Then started to look at used backhoe attachment on kijiji.

Looks like I could get one for cheaper then the hydraulic and control. Not taking about material and design issues.
So wondering if anyone have the similar idea about building a trailer mounted with hydraulic pump/motor, around a "off the shelf" backhoe attachment.
This could be extended to be a 3 point trailer on which I could eventually mount any 3 point attachment, but I don't have any, and read that 3 point might not be the best for backhoe as weaker...

Since I don't have a tractor, I am free to find any backhoe attachment "size", but can someone shine some light:
1) am I stupid / pioneer (hard to differentiate sometime)
2) What size motor pump should I get? When attachment is meant for, let say a 30hp tractor, should I get a 30hp motor or power at pump is not as much as tractor rating?

Holy smolies man, you do not need anywhere near a 30 hp motor. I kind of have what you want to build, but mine is an off the shelf log trailer that can mount a backhoe upon it. In my case a 6.5 HP with small hydraulic pump gets the job done. It can dig anything, it just does not move fast doing it.

As for being on a trailer...it has some real limitations because while I can swing my boom around 270 degrees, I cannot dig where my trailer is. So to dig a water line lets say, I have to carefully put my trailer perpendicular with where I want to dig, then dig 180 degrees to my trailer...yes on each side. By leap frogging along the intended trench I need I can get the job done, but it is a lot of maneuvering. Sometimes I have to put down planks and back my trailer over a dug trench to get where I need to. Sometimes it is a bear to get the trailer at the right spot I need to dig!

It is nice to have kicking around though, and beats a shovel, but I am not going to dig a house foundation with it that is for sure.

If you build one, make sure you can dig 270 degrees around the back of your towable unit, and just have a tongue on it. Also only put one axle on it and not two, that way it can be self movable. Just use your backhoes to lift the dead end off the ground and then by curling in your bucket, drag the machine ahead on the wheels that are in the back. When you go to dig, the frame sticks down into the dirt and holds itself there for digging. In this way you do not need to tow yourself into position everywhere. (Mine cannot do any of this).

Kernopelli · Apr 26, 2018

If you want some good ideas look at Dig IT towable backhoes Lots of towable designs to look at for your design. The first pic is of a DigIt towable like mine.