Backhoe BX23 backhoe - Platform flexing?

[Bill_BX23]

Over the last 3 days, I've put in about 12 hours digging out a 24" pine stump. I know the roots on this thing are pretty stubborn, but I've begun to fell a little flexing of the deck(floor) of the backhoe during certain operations?

Has anyone else noticed this? I double checked to make sure everything was attached correctly.

Bill

 

[jim_wilson]

I have felt some flexing here and there when I was really working the backhoe. When I was working on a big pine stump last year I was actually lifting the whole front end of the tractor off the ground when I was grabbing roots and trying to pull them out of the ground.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Nice looking dig !!!
Everything flexes. Everything's supposed to. You may have loosened up the paint and factory "set" to your machine. Keep an eye on it, especially when you put it on and take it off. Keep paying attention to all you sences. Recently mine has a new groan when I level it with the outriggers in a cattywampus situation. If something's loose or needs attention, I'll find it or it will find me. Baby has a lot of parts ... I have trouble keeping track of all my own parts /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Dunno ...
Cheers!

 

[David_G]

With 200 hours up I seem to have loosened just about every bolt in the chassis of my bx23.
Keep a regular check on all bolts.
Every thing does flex to a small degree.

 

[spectre520]

One thing I have noticed (both here on the board and even with me personally) is that we have a marked tendancy to ask our little tractors to perform maybe a bit beyond their design limits and capabilities. From the looks of that stump both here on this particular topic and the earlier one that the author posted regarding the difficulties he was having digging that monster out. I
would have guessed that a stump grinder would have been more in line with the job at hand rather than a subcut, no matter how durable or well built it was.
In my opinion a stump that size (or some of the rocks that have been displayed on here before) would make a large HD backhoe groan, let alone one that barely weighs a ton total soaking wet!
I think as responsible owners we should keep safety in mind (our own and perhaps even spectators) and not be quite so quick to dig out that rooted in monolith out by the back garage wall. Maybe, just maybe we may live (and our handy little tractors too) a little longer because of it.
My two cents. Kevin

 

[edski]

Bill,
I took a look at your pic, and while the angles may be decieving, it appears as though your operating the BH w/out enough pressure on the front bucket and outriggers.

If this is not the case, please disregard the following.

I suggest you lower your FEL first then roll the bucket forward (as if to dump), this will lift the front tires slightly and give a stable base. Then lower your out rigggers til they just take some of the weight off the rear tires and you're nice and level. This should be your most stable digging stance, and may eliminate some of the flex you're experiencing.

Try digging w/o the outriggers...now there's some flex.
Just my $.02

 

[Junkman]

I agree with you 100% that many BX22/23 owners push there tractor to the limit and beyond. I believe that the reason is that they don't have any previous experience with backhoes and think that just because they have one, that even though it is smaller, that it will just take longer. This is a common misconception. I have seen many pictures posted here that challenge the imagination of a reasonable person as to why. I have used my backhoe for almost 200 hours now, I have no problems with loose bolts or other anomalies. I believe that is because I realize the limitations of the tractor, and work within those limitations. I dug out one large stump when it was new. After that experience, never again. Some of the pictures that I have seen of what people do with there BX TLB, remind me of the pictures of people leaving the home store with there car or pick up loaded way beyond its capacity. Hopefully no one here will get injured by pushing the tractor beyond its design limits, but it is only a matter of time before someones luck runs out, if the present trend is to continue. I can see someone flipping a machine over because they pulled the wrong lever at the wrong time, and over it goes. Some may disagree with this analysis, but this is my opinion based on real life experiences. Just because you can, doesn't mean that you should.......

 

[spectre520]

At the risk of being called a fawning sycophant, "well said Junkman". I like my BX 23 as much as anyone could but to be honest with you I like me better and I really don't want to become a damp spot under it if I zig when I should have zagged.
Besides, I have so much to do with that little beauty that I can do safely, that I have no desire to do something that could be even marginally suicidal. After all, if something happens to me or the BX who's going to mow the darned lawn and with what?
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Garrabo]

I roll my bucket down, get the front tires off the ground, I barely raise the rear tires off the ground they slightly touch. I can pop some good size roots with out feeling the flex, I use mainly the bucket and just curl it under, tractor stays put. root goes pop.
when the proper tecnique is applied things respond better.

 

[TroyR57]

"I took a look at your pic, and while the angles may be decieving, it appears as though your operating the BH w/out enough pressure on the front bucket and outriggers. " by Edski

I think that is part of your problem also. Just my two cents worth.

 

[tjkadar]

Digging out stumps is a tough job. You can tear up a full sized backhoe tackling stumps. Generally speaking, we don't like to use backhoes (big or little) on stumps at all. We prefer to grind them up or use a trackhoe.

If you are forced to use a backhoe, a little patience will go a long way to keeping you and your machine safe.

I've seen some impressive work done by folks on this board. I hope to see a lot more too. Be kind to your tractor and she will be kind to you. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bill_BX23]

You're right, in the picture the stabilizing arm is off the ground. But when I'm operating, I try to keep the arms on the ground and decent pressure on the bucket. However, in the looser dirt, I sometimes drag the backhoe a little bit when I get hung up on a root.

Since I saw this commet, I've tried to put more pressure on the stabilizers and the bucket, but end up lifting the tires off the ground. Didn't I read that you really weren't supposed to do this? Of course my know it all neighbor came over to watch and told me I had to lift the wheels completely off the ground for it to work right.

Bill.

 

[SCB]

<font color="red"> Of course my know it all neighbor came over to watch and told me I had to lift the wheels completely off the ground for it to work right </font>
I have to disagree with your neighbor. I lift until most of the weight is off the rears. This way you still have the rear tires helping you hold in your position. I don't think you gain anything by lifting them all the way. The weight is already on the stabilizers. Just my take on it. I have about 400 hours on mine and at least 250 of that is on my backhoe.

 

[theboman]

I ain't got a BH, I see many used daily here in Ashland and many are completely off the ground (front and rear) when digging up the sideways here in town.... Some are WAY off the ground too, however these are industrial machines..

 

[Berniep]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( . I have seen many pictures posted here that challenge the imagination of a reasonable person as to why. )</font>

While I agree with you for the most part I have to point out that a whole lot of very large stumps have been removed with a ONE horsepower biopowered machine and a root axe. My grandfather once told me about a stump that took almost and entire season to get out. He said if he wasn't doing something else he was on that stump digging and cutting. Of course noone has the time to spend on that kind of project anymore. I just wanted to point out that big things can get done with relatively little resources.
Bernie

 

[Kiohio]

As others have stated there is always flexing....
As others have also stated we tend to overwork our tractors, I am more guilty of it than most I would say. I had a 7ft hoe on an 18hp Tractor with no front end loader, 3pt hitch mount at that.

We are a Kioti dealer and I am not here to bad mouth another brand but the kind of things people have told me they want to do with the tractors scares me. The BX series gets more abuse than probably any other model I imagine it is on of the most often broken tractors out there at least in our area....but like I said this is not a cut at all to the brand or the tractor itself.
WHY, because it is the least expensive of the Kubota line.
Absolutely nothing that is the tractors fault at all. Alot of people will buy it because it is all they can afford/want to spend.
Sort of like bush-hogging with a push mower....
It can be done at it will work but something has gotta give sooner or later.

Just keep an eye on your flex and give the tractor a little breathing room to work I'm sure it'll be fine.

KO