Bought my first backhoe

[Nick350]

Yesterday I bought a 98 Ford555E, I知 getting it shipped to my farm on Friday.

It is a pretty tight machine, a few cylinder seals leak a little but no major problems. Hour meter died at 1700hrs, it likely has between 4-5k. Was used by a local company to install sewer drains.

Is there anything specific I should watch out for on these machines? I知 going to do a full fluid swap but it痴 my first backhoe.

Thanks

 

[weathda]

Congrats! 4WD? Extenda-hoe? 4-n-1? What you gonna do with it?

 

[ovrszd]

Congrats. I bought a 555A a year ago. A backhoe is very handy to have around.

Post pictures when you can.

 

[Nick350]

2wd open rops regular hoe.

I’m just going to use it to dig up stumps, make my pond a little bigger, and whatever other things come up.

 

[fried1765]

2wd open rops regular hoe.

I知 just going to use it to dig up stumps, make my pond a little bigger, and whatever other things come up.

You will LOVE IT!
I am 78 years old and have had my 3 cyl. 47 HP Ford TLB with 10' hoe, for 30 years. I would have chosen a larger machine, but have lots of trees/shrubs to maneuver around.

When people ask me what I use it for, I tell them ..."anything & everything".
Even now it only has 1850 hours.

I tore it mostly apart 3 years ago, and now it both works, and looks, like new.
I had a nice mechanical thumb made for it.

There is NO piece of machinery quite as handy as a solid capable TLB.
Enjoy !!!

Spent time in Pensacola....57 years ago....learning how to fly.

 

[Industrial Toys]

A friend and neighbor had one he bought as a demo in the late 80?s It was 2wd and his only regret was that it didn't have extend a hoe. Reach is everything! That machine of yours is not a toy and can do a lot of serious work! Main thing is that it's tight.