Ford 555C backhoe questions

[AlanB]

AGGGHHHHH,,, Dirthog, numbers like that scare me

The spools I am guessing are down there lower right side of the cab, just behind the hyd filter? I have two bolts missing out of that box so I need to take it apart and look anyway, might find some answers at that point.

I wanted a thumb, and found these
loader forks | bucket forks | asphalt cutters | Guest Industries

The one they reccomend for this hoe is over $2K..... Aggghhhhhhhh

Time to look for used or fabrication Or more then likely a combination of the two

 

[tractorsanmore]

Good choice going with the 4x4 , I wish mine was ( 580 super e ) , no cab

 

[AlanB]

Ok, did snap a couple of pictures today.

The joystick definetely "twists" so I assume this will be the control. Got to have something to activate to really know I guess.

I did discover Friday night that my dipperstick can exceed the tensile strength of a 4 X 4 post. I was pulling and working it like a tooth, and it was not budging, finally it seperated, Man sounded like a bomb going off. It was scary. pic 2031

Other Alan scary lesson of Friday was that I wanted to scootch back a bit, and I was in backhoe mode, so I figured I could boom out, claw, then boom in bringing myself backwards. So,, raise the outriggers a bit (mistake) raise bucket so I have less drag,,, hmmmm probably a mistake, boom out, lift up,,, all is well, then get a little off balance................. Anyone got some new drawers handy :O It probably only tilted about 4" but man it felt like 4'

So, questions of the novice backhoe operator.

I cannot curl, when I am in float. Is that normal? (front bucket)

Any idea what it is on the upper right boom knuckle that is broken off, it is a piece of cast? (see picture 2030

I broke or disconnected something on the seat lever that locks in the seat from circling and cannot get it re-engaged. They have welded a plate over top to mount the aftermarket seat on. Anyone played with this? I am figuring I have to take off the plate to work down in there. I am wondering if I can pull the entire assembly off the post in the floor? 2028

Thanks for taking the time and explaining things too the Rookie

 

[Catman1]

Not a 555 but my 535. What a beast it is!

 

[AlanB]

OK figured out that I was moving the wrong lever. :embarresed) and my seat swivel was pre broken for me. It works marginally, another small welding project of many that are yet undone

Now I need a name for my Hoe,,,, Roxanne came to mind (think Eddie Murphy in 48 hours) but Rox might get mad at me

Think I sold Bob the bobcat again yesterday, so if it comes through, I will go pick up the forks for the hoe with a bit of that money. This guy gave me a deposit so at least I am $100 ahead if he changes his mind.

 

[FULLPULL]

That 4x4 wouldn't phase the ford backhoe they have strong hydraulic's i cant believe how they can do the work they do.Did you get ford 4 lever controll's on the backhoe or the wobble stick controll's?

 

[AlanB]

Wobble sticks. I like that a lot better.

 

[schmism]

on a side note, my septic guy was gracious enough to help us out the other day when we were setting the single wide.... he asked if he could leave his NH 555 (extend-a-hoe no less) ... i said "as long as you need man"

so i have had one parked in my front yard for the past 2 weeks.... i have yet to get up the nerve to ask if i could "use it" for an odd job or two if its just sitting there

 

[AlanB]

Picked up a set of Forks today.

$300

Lot cheaper then anything else I was finding, hope I do not need to modify too much to make them work.

 

[AlanB]

OK, so she is now named Lil, in deference to Rox on these forums.

So I am thinking THUMB to do these small tree's and this is the best deal I have found so far.

backhoe excavator thumb model MT1240 9

The gentleman there suggested with what I am describing, removing bunches of small 1" to 1.5" caliper trees that a mechanical would be fine.

Has anyone dealt with these folks? or have one of their products?

Open to suggestions.

 

[jmc]

Alan,

That's a lot of money for 1 to 1.5 inch trees. Can't you just bush hog them?

John

 

[AlanB]

I want them OUT, I hate the stubs that are left from the bushog, and I think these are too "dense" for my hog and tractor, will try and grab a picture.

Plus, I would still not have a thumb

 

[jmc]

I want them OUT, I hate the stubs that are left from the bushog, and I think these are too "dense" for my hog and tractor, will try and grab a picture.

Plus, I would still not have a thumb

Four good reasons, especially the last.

John

 

[AlanB]

Pictures of what I need to clear, about 2 acres like this.

No, I am not in a rush, it is what I wanted to do with a mulching head, but I am finding soooooooooooooooooooooo much metal and other trash (pipes, fence, etc. etc.) out there it would not be worth spinning one up in there. Somebody would be hurt, or equipment damaged at the least.

 

[rexcramer]

You don't need a thumb to clear those little trees. I have spent the last year clearing 2 acres for my new house and pond. The forest is every bit as thick as what you have, but with big hardwoods mixed in that I have had to dig out and push over as well.

A thumb may help a little, but I have had no problem uprooting and carrying large numbers of saplings. You just set the backhoe in position and start clearing and then swing the hoe all the way to one side and stack the brush. All it takes is a shallow scrape with the backhoe bucket and they pop right out. Grabbing them without a thumb is not a problem. Once you get a system going the only thing that will slow you down is how fast you can burn the brush piles.

The only times I have wanted a thumb is when I have tried to grab big logs on frozen ground or when I wanted to grab logs without getting a bucketful of dirt along with the log. When you are trying to harvest nice logs its important to keep them clean.

 

[AlanB]

Are you pinching them against the boom? Or I guess could you explain how you are moving them out.

I have been digging them up, and am getting better at my depth control (little experience, and little practice time) but it still is taking someone on the ground (usually me) to pick up the trees and move them out of the way.

I am wanting to get out of the get out the cab and move stuff around end of things.

 

[EddieWalker]

Alan,

My land is very similar in places and I've spent many hours taking out little trees just like that with my backhoe. The dozer will do it to, but not as cleanly. It also has a way of cutting them off and leaving little stumps behind if I get going too fast.

I like to just back up to them and use the hoe to take them out one at a time. My technique is to first push them away from the tractor and get them flat, then using the teeth of the bucket, curl it in and off to the side. They will pop right out nice and clean. Then I make a pile of them and clear the area behind me so that I'm not parked on any when I work my way backwards.

Two acres is quite a bit, but once you get going, it moves along at a nice relaxing pace. Be sure to have lots of bug repellent on you and a can of Wasp Spray handy. Sooner or later you will hit a nest of some kind and they will come after you. I've been lucky and only been stung a few times, but I have had a bee hive come at me and I sprayed the entire can of wasp killer around me, on me and all over as I made my escape.

Burning the piles can be more work then taking out the trees. The thumb on the hoestick is only good for moving stuff around, not for moving stuff to the burn pile. Having a grapple, or thumb on your front bucket is what you realy want!!! Until then, you can scoot the piles to your burn area with some degree of effort and frustration. You will get better over time and the slower you go, the easier it is. Just don't be suprised when you have to do some by hand, and others with a chain. I've drug thousands of threes with a chain and expect to do allot more before I'm done with my place.

Eddie

 

[AlanB]

Next question of the day,,

I have those pallet forks that hook onto the bucket, bar across the top of the forks, they hang down and rest against the lip of the bucket.

Never thought of it before, but I cannot "press" the forks down, to say dig under a RR tie and lift it up. when you curl down, the forks reach a point where they just stay hanging vertical and the bucket moves away from them.

Does anyone put a tieback or something on them so that they are locked on the bottom too the bucket?

makes it a Pain to lift something sitting "on" the ground directly.

 

[rexcramer]

Yeah Alan I just hold the saplings against the boom.

I have also found that many medium sized brush piles are a lot easier to burn than one huge pile. Once the pile gets so big it is a pain to light in the center and it takes days to burn, hard for a guy with a 50 hour a week job to keep an eye on. Also you wont spend all day dragging brush from one side of your lot to another.

I dont have the type of forks that you do, but that seems like a real crappy way to put forks on it to just hang them from the loader. I would get a 3" ratchet strap and use it to keep the forks from flopping around. I would hate to pick something up and have the forks not sitting securely on the bucket.

 

[AlanB]

So,,,,, Saturday, Lil would not start, jumped her off and everything was fine, Let her run at a high idle for a while. Was a concern, because that is one of the original reasons that the previous owner had her in the shop... and they FIXED it...

So Hanna went to run Lil yesterday to load mulch. One of the basic functions Lil is supposed to do.... You guessed it, Lil will not run.... So, Hanna jumps Lil and all is good. Hanna comes back for the next load.... Tries to jump Lil... Melts the clamp tooth on the jumper cable which allows the hot (Positive) jumper cable to fall down across the battery box, melting off the insulation which my wife then reaches down and grabs this red hot, shorting out, clamp..... and burns her hand......................

Needless to say, My wife cussed my Hoe a blue streak......... (think it hurt Lil's feelings as a matter of fact ) cause she would not run, so when Hanna could get no more satisfaction cussing my Hoe, she called me on the cell phone and picked up where she had left off............

You ever heard the saying, You can always tell a German, You just can't tell them much

So, my evening was spent trying to coax Lil back into cooperating, and had to re-learn some basic rules again, such as START WITH THE BASICs

Seems that in all the work the shop did on her, they never cleaned and straightened out the battery connections.

Dufus me figured I grabbed and they felt tight, they were ok, but as I was not getting consistent meter readings it had me wondering....

I think Hanna was still a little miffed after we sat out there an hour or so fooling around with Lil, when I realized I just needed to pull and clean the cables and she fired right up, charging system was all working fine..................

Just thought I would share