Skid Steer backhoe converted to rear tractor?

[LD1]

Kicking around a crazy idea here and havent found anyone who has done similar.

Been looking for a nice ~9'-10' hoe attachment for the back of the MX. Been browsing and seeing lots of 3PH and 4-point mounted ones, that look nice and prices are good.....but.....they are all a farther drive than I want to make.

So, as I have been searching and looking at attachments, I saw a Bradco 611 for a skidloader. Then I got to thinking....Which can be dangerous:laughing:

It seems it would be pretty easy, to make a SSQA receiver plate, (the male portion of the SSQA for lack of better terms)......and be able to solidly affix that to the tractor.

Then one could back up to a SSQA hoe, hook up hydraulics, use boom and outriggers to lift the hoe and "sit" it on the SSQA.....latch the pins.....and go to work.

Removal would be reversed. Once the hoe is off.....I would have designed a "quick" way to remove the SSQA plate from the tractor.

Havent though too much about design yet, but I think I could make something work. Just thinking that I can expand my horizons when looking for an "attachment" as I think I can take any of the 3 types of mounts (3pt, 4pt, or SSQA) and make something work. The purpose of this thread is to ask if anyone has ever put a SSQA on the back of a tractor that was NOT converted to a 3ph mount? And feel free to share pics of any custom 4-point mounts that you have done, weather it be making your own subframe, or converting a 3pt to a 4pt design.

 

[1stDeuce]

Funny you should mention this... I just bought a Bradco 609 to mount to my MF1455. The 509/609/511/611 backhoes all use the same mount pattern, and the SSQA mount just bolts to the backhoe frame. Actually, the skid mounts attach to more than just the "SSQA" plate... They have arms going to the skid steer in at least two other places.

The great news is that Bradco makes mounting kits to put these backhoes on many popular tractors. I bet they make one for your MX5100. Given the weaknesses of the SSQA setup when pulled on, and the extra attachment points that the skid steer mount uses to overcome this, I think you'd be better off unbolting the skid steer attachment system and making (or buying) a proper subframe mount for your tractor. Bradco's mount kits are 4pt, and do not require removal of the 3pt hitch, at least for the applications I've looked at. The 4pt system looks like it would be fairly easy to hook up.

Unfortunately, I'll have to build my own mounting kit, as they don't offer one for my older tractor. I'm not scared... I have pictures of several now for similar tractors, and I can figure out the rest. Bradco's customer service is excellent, btw.

I got my Backhoe from Florida for $2500 shipped to NM. The place I got it from bought several from a municipality, and they all need some TLC... I got the "best" one, which has pitting on only one cylinder. But it needs a seat, some hoses, lots of WD40, and eventually paint. It also has a 24" bucket, which I'll probably cut down to 16" to work better in hard ground.
As you've seen, if you have some time to watch, you should be able to get a nice backhoe for less than $3500.

I just received the hydraulic hoses I need to plumb the tractor for Power Beyond, and I'll be starting the subframe project as soon as my trailer is done. Should be just after Thanksgiving.

And because everyone loves pictures...

 

[1stDeuce]

Hmm. I found this app guide from 2013, but none of the MX series tractors are listed, only M-series. (~ Page 43) But I'm sure by now they have mounts for the MX tractors. Call their customer service and ask.

 

[Xfaxman]

Bought this at an auction many years ago. It had been converted from sub-frame mount to 3 point.

It had a PTO pump and reservoir on it. The top link frame was 3/4 inch thick

 

[dfkrug]

Given the weaknesses of the SSQA setup when pulled on, and the extra
attachment points that the skid steer mount uses to overcome this, I think you'd be better off unbolting
the skid steer attachment system and making (or buying) a proper subframe mount for your tractor.

That is what I would do, too. You may have to cut parts of the SSQA off, as well as unbolt.

My area is littered with cheap Bradcos for skidsteers.

The biggest problem I see with retaining the SSQA system is the added amount of distance that
the hoe would be mounted to the rear of the tractor. Getting it mounted as close-in as possible
is very important. I find that the subframes made for many tractors stick the hoe to far
out back, too.

 

[1stDeuce]

From what I can see on mine, it all unbolts. Four bolts per side and the SSQA junk falls off and you're left with the backhoe, which will accept any of Bradco's tractor mounts, or 3pt hitch conversion kit. I don't think you can go wrong... BTW, the prices in that link I posted seem to be in the ballpark. I was quoted the backhoe side of one of the MF mounts at almost exactly the price listed...

dfkrug, I was planning to put the backhoe just far enough back to fit the seat... Seems like the closer to the tractor I can mount the BH, the better for many reasons...

 

[Rustyiron]

One thought is that most SS's have a lot more gpm's and pressure over a tractors system. I think that even the smaller/older ss's have about 18 gpm on the boom aux. Just something to check out LD1. If that get's "worked out" I think you would end up with a nice hoe and save some bucks. I may be wrong, but imo the ss hoe's are a bit beefier than one's built for a tractor.

 

[1stDeuce]

No worries on hydraulic flow... according to Bradco, the backhoes are intended to work best with 9-12 GPM. (See page 30 of the above link...) So on a skidsteer, you run them at about half rated speed, or a little less.
My MF is rated at 11GPM on the main pump, which is on the high end of even large CUT's, but it should work pretty well with the 609 at a reasonable engine speed. I think a 509/511 would be a little faster, as it's cylinders are a little smaller. Bucket and dig forces for the 5-seris are a little less than the 6, but still blow a normal BH attachment away...

The 500 and 600 series bradco BH's are definitely more "beefy" than most OE or even aftermarket BH's. Bradco does make some lighter duty BH's that compare to the OE CUT offerings, but they're tough to find used, unlike the HD skidsteer hoes.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I've been using a case dx100 back hoe on a subframe for several years now, works really well. The hoe has had its own hydraulic tank and a pto pump to run it. It was originally used on my kubota L3410 , but am fixing to install it on a kioti subframe for my new tractor. Also I am going to remove the pto pump and run it off a rear remote this time.

 

[LD1]

Thanks for the feedback. NEver seen a SSQA hoe so didnt know removing the SSQA plate was so simple. I just figured it would be a good setup, since they are used without issue on a SS.

Not looking at just bradco. That was just an example of one I seen.

I will end up with whatever brand happens to show up that I feel is a decent price, and reasonable drive. That may be a woods, long, bradco, unbranded old stuff, kubota, etc. And it may be a year from now. Im not in any hurry to move on anything