Backhoe BX24 Backhoe Operation

[DiezNutz]

It doesn't have one that I know of. Although sometimes I think it floats on its own. For example, if I have the bucket curled so the smooth edge is on teh ground and I bring the dipperstick in without touching the boom stick at all, the bucket will follow the contour of the ground instead of staying firm in place. It's not often that I do something like this, but I find it out that it seems to float freely. Should it do this? I don't know.

I don't think you're going to hurt anything. If I tried that on mine, I would end up picking up the rear end of the tractor as I brought the dipper in. My boom float is engaged by pushing past the detent in the "boom lower" position. Perhaps yours has an inherent "float up" with the boom stick at rest, or it's just that the boom cylinder can be overcome more easily.

 

[dfkrug]

My boom float is engaged by pushing past the detent in the "boom lower" position.

Your BH80-X has a float position in the boom valve? How interesting!
That is the first CUT hoe I have hear of with that function.

With my Prairie Dog (Woods 7500 clone), I float the boom when "raking"
along the bottom of a trench by activation of the 'boom up' at the same
time as I retract the dipper. Some feathering necessary here.

TEDLARUE: Good description of simultaneous valve operation. I do
that, too. I also do it as I remove dirt from a trench: I operate
'swing left' at the same time as 'boom up' with a full bkt. The bkt
then follows the left side of the trench until grade level, then goes
left, pushing any spoils next to the ditch left. Etc.

 

[DiezNutz]

Your BH80-X has a float position in the boom valve? How interesting!
That is the first CUT hoe I have hear of with that function.

Both the BH70-X and BH80-X have it. I didn't think it was unique to them, but maybe I'll have to add that to the list of Woods' benefits.

Says the manual: "To maintain a level trench bottom, set bucket at proper approach angle and while crowding dipper-stick in, continually move bucket curl lever to maintain correct cutting angle. At the same time, place boom control in the full forward (float) position and keep the bucket in the same plane. When handle is placed in the float position, pressure on both sides of boom cylinder is released."

 

[dfkrug]

Both the BH70-X and BH80-X have it. I didn't think it was unique to them, but maybe I'll have to add that to the list of Woods' benefits.

That's a good feature. I imagine you use your adjustable boom swing
speed knob, too.

I suppose it is possible some hoes have a float detent in the boom
valve but the owner does not know it. I have met numerous tractor
owners (not just newbies) who did not know their FEL valves had
a float position in the boom circuit.

 

[DiezNutz]

That's a good feature. I imagine you use your adjustable boom swing speed knob, too.

Not so much... it's nice at first when getting a feel for the hoe, but now mine's wide open. As others have also said, the boom cylinder is the one you'd really like to be able to regulate down compared to everything else.

 

[dfkrug]

Not so much... it's nice at first when getting a feel for the hoe, but now mine's wide open. As others have also said, the boom cylinder is the one you'd really like to be able to regulate down compared to everything else.

In my own use, I don't have any problem or jerkiness with the main
boom control. The swing, on the other hand, can be jerky, cuz it is
so fast. It seems to me the swing circuit would be the one to regulate,
but I have adapted. I run off tractor hydraulics at 1700 RPM engine
speed usually and my pump is rated at 8.3 GPM when I am at 2100RPM.

 

[MOPAULY]

After some experience using the backhoe, you'll learn to take advantage of that property. For instance, suppose you're digging a ditch the same width as your bucket.

Old way: You dump a load of dirt on the spoils pile, then quickly swing back over the ditch. Stop swinging. Then you quickly drop the bucket down into the ditch. Except that the bucket wasn't directly over the ditch because you were swinging fast and stopping quickly. So you've knocked a bunch of clods back down into the ditch and they roll back into that nice clean section just out of reach of the hoe.

New way: You dump a load of dirt on the spoils pile, then swing back quickly, but as you get close to the ditch you start lowering the boom. That draws fluid away from the swing, so the swing slows down smoothly and when you're directly over the ditch you give all the fluid to lowering the boom. Nice and smooth.

It takes some practice to learn to do this, but it's less wear and tear on your backhoe and it's faster digging, too.

That is exactly what I do. It works to your benefit if you are smooth with the controls.

 

[DiezNutz]

It works to your benefit if you are smooth with the controls.

That statement is profoundly true, whether we're talking backhoes, planes, trains, automobiles, computers, circular saws, the TV remote, or the ladies.