Backhoe Small Backhoe...Feet per Hour???

srs · Oct 19, 2004

( I have to tie into a new sewer )

Why? What's wrong with the old sewer connections?

Henro · Oct 19, 2004

Why? What's wrong with the old sewer connections? 

The new sewer is something the township put in last fall and is about ready for us to be told to hook in to. No option.

The old line went to the septic tank...it will be history soon. I will cut off the old pipe and swing it over to the new pipe going about 250' down the slope to the point where I tie into the public sewer...

Nothing was wrong with the old line until I poked a hole in it with the backhoe... (or maybe a rock I did not see did it...) Yea, that's it! A rock did it! It wasn't me at all... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bczoom · Oct 19, 2004

( Nothing was wrong with the old line until I poked a hole in it with the backhoe... (or maybe a rock I did not see did it...) Yea, that's it! A rock did it! It wasn't me at all... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

You're right!! It's the rocks. I had the same problem a couple times in the past. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
You're much neater than I am. I re-checked the pic of the trench and particularly, the fix. It appears you've removed EVERY rock. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SCB · Oct 19, 2004

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but when I am trenching with the backhoe, I use the hoe to move the tractor along the dig line. Do any of you others use this method? And Henro, you are right. It is the rocks!! Had one poke through my septic line this summer /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

DK35vince · Oct 19, 2004

( Maybe I'm in the minority here, but when I am trenching with the backhoe, I use the hoe to move the tractor along the dig line. Do any of you others use this method? )

Do it all the time.
The only time I get on the tractor seat to move ahead is if going up to much of a hill or to deep of mud for the backhoe to move it.

BigAl · Oct 20, 2004

I move my tractor by using the hoe also . I just dug 200' of water line trench 4.5 to 5 foot deep in about 2 1/2 hours . It was good dirt and clay with no rock . I used a 16 inch bucket on my DK45 Kioti with a #2385 Kioti hoe . It just chews up anything in it's path. The type of soil makes a hugh difference in dig time .
Big Al

BigEddy · Oct 20, 2004

I use a trick that I forgot the other week. I was having trouble moving using the hoe, then I remembered I usually switch into 2wd. That way I jack the rear up and push myself forward without being held back by the brakes or the transmission. I could switch to neutral I suppose, but then if it wasn't flat I'd be afraid I'd roll away before I could drop the stabilizers again.
I've got 150' of 3' trench to dig - I'll try to remember to time it.

MMM · Oct 20, 2004

I take it you guys aren't using your loader bucket for stability and braking. My hoe tends to drag the stabilizers around and cause a lot of stress there, unless I get my front end weight on the loader bucket. I solved that by adding an aluminum pipe over loader ontrol handle. I can raise bucket and stabilizers, drag forward with hoe and set it back down from hoe seat.

SCB · Oct 20, 2004

MMM,
Yep, I do use the loader for stability. But on my BX23, it is a short reach to the loader control.

DK35vince · Oct 20, 2004

( I take it you guys aren't using your loader bucket for stability and braking. My hoe tends to drag the stabilizers around and cause a lot of stress there, unless I get my front end weight on the loader bucket. )

I usually keep the loader bucket up and the brakes off so I can move ahead with the backhoe.
I bolted 2 1/2" angle iron on my stabalizer pads to grab the dirt for traction to keep the tractor from being drug around so much.
I'm sure it does add stress to the stabalizer arms doing it this way, but it still beats moving from seat to seat moving the tractor after a few buckets full of dirt.
Adding an extension on the loader control handle sounds like a good idea, I may give that a try.

thcri · Oct 20, 2004

Henro,

Moving your rig to a new spot is one area where you slow down. Another area is my trac-hoe moves the hole body instead of just the boom and that is a bit faster. Also remember, I am in sand for the most part (but I do end up moving it twice as the hole fills in a lot of the time) and I also have pivot controls which allow you to do two things at once and even three things if your really good at it. So yes, it should be faster and yes your still a heck of a lot faster than a shovel.

The picture atached is pretty small but this is a picture of the unit we have.

murph

MMM · Oct 21, 2004

And I like the angle iron idea. Might would give this overweight hussie extra flotaion on soft ground if angle iron protrudes past pads by 3 or 4".

dbelisle · Oct 21, 2004

I dug a trench for a friend the other day that was 60 feet long and two feet deep. It took me 1 1/2 hours . I also have a 16 inch bucket. It sounds like we are moving the same amount of material in the same amount of time. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Dave in NH

Mahindra 2810 HST

MMM · Oct 21, 2004

I'm sure I couldn't do what some claim here. Mine is no slouch with 2500dipper/3700bucket force. It is just tedious to dig deep trenches with 9 and 10' class hoes.

sherpa · Oct 22, 2004

I dont understand, I love using my B20 TLB digging so much that when I get to the end of the trench I start getting DEPRESSED! I love this stuff. I have only been using my TLB for a little over a year and I am still learning. I read all your post here and learn some stuff. I would love to go watch someone work on a small machine like mine for awhile but this is almost inpossible which is why I am on here, are there videos available that show you how to use a small backhoe and are they worth buying. I live in the mountains and I want to get on this hill behind my cabin and build some roads so I can have better access to my hilly property. I dont want to turn my little narrow tractor over doing it. Also, would I be better off with a mini trackhoe on this hill?
Sherpa

BigEddy · Oct 22, 2004

I do use the loader for stabiltiy, but I can reach it from the backhoe seat to lift and move - then lower it again.

Digging Times
For reference - in 4 hours last night I dug a 12' x 4' x 7'deep hole to access some footings. The first 6' deep went fast, but with my 7' hoe the last foot took a lot longer - especially given that I was digging up against a wall, and could not access the hole from either end due to a heat pump and deck so ended up moving around a lot and had to keep moving the spoils pile out of the way. I estimate 50 cu ft / hour including positioning and moving spoils, when figuring how long to plan or when estimating a job. I usually beat it but not always.

canuk · Oct 22, 2004

Here is an example of how NOT to move a backhoe. The operator was fine but mad at himself. Apparently this was the first incident in 30+ years of operation.
Back to the subject... it took two days of digging to trench from the house up this 23 degree slope to just behind the photo position. Lots of clay and shale boulders.

canuk · Oct 22, 2004

And in case you're wondering, this is what it took to upright the backhoe. Naturally during the uprighting process the back tire under the backhoe popped off the rim.
The bulldozer couldn't do it alone so Kubota to the rescue!