Posted by JDEM on June 29, 2017 at 07:13:38 from (70.194.18.242):
I have been trying to figure out a way to do some road-building in some forest and wetlands I have in a remote area of the Michigan upper peninsula. I built a mile-long road last year with my little Oliver HG dozer and a chainsaw. I can drive it now (just barely) with a 4-wheeler. I need a way now to get some fill in for some of the spots that are under a foot of water.
Note - this place is 120 miles from where I live full-time and requires crossing the Mackinac Bridge. I first tried to hire some locals up there to bring some fill in but no good. I have not been able to find anyone to do anything.
So I now figure I need a backhoe there, whenever I need it. I have two backhoes here in the lower peninsula (one at each of two houses I live in). I need them here too, so cannot just leave one up there. If I had a way to truck one back and forth myself, I might consider it. I have an IH 3414 hoe/loader and a Deere 300B hoe/loader. Either one likely weighs 12,000 lbs. and a decent trailer able to carry them likely weighs 3500 lbs. empty. So that comes to over 15,000 lbs. to tow. I am not sure I want to try that with my 3/4 ton Ford F250 diesel, although it does have a gooseneck hitch.
So, now I have been in a search to buy another backhoe and leave it on site. Again, no good. I am amazed the prices people are asking. I looked at two backhoes priced around $6000 with all sorts of problems. Last night I looked at a Deere 310 and the guy started out asking $14,000 and then gave me a bottom-dollar price of $9000. Tires have lots of cracks, pump leaks, injection pump likely due for a repair soon, leaking hoses all over. water-pump on the engine is loose, etc. I think $9000 is crazy. I bought my Deere 300B for $3500 in better shape and all new tires maybe 10 years ago. I was thinking I am so desperate I'd pay maybe $5500 for the 310, but did not even bother to offer it. The seller thinks I'd be "stealing" it at $9000.
So now I am on to the idea of three-point backhoes. I have a Ford 641 that runs perfect, has a front-end loader, and has all new tires. I hate the tractor due to the lack of a live PTO and a 1st gear that is too fast. But with a hoe on the back - it might finally become useful? So yesterday I found a three-point hoe made in Italy for sale near me. 10-15 year old maybe and weighs 1100 lbs. Has its own PTO pump. The seller told me it was like new and only had 10 hours of use. He wanted $4200. So I went over and looked at it. Has two leaking cylinders and many pins from the hydraulic cylinders are missing and have grade 5 bolts jammed in. That tells me this thing has a lot more then 10 hours of use. It has an 8 foot digging depth. He finally gave me a bottom-dollar price of $2900, but I passed on it.
I now found a guy in Indiana who sells three-point hoes brand new cheaper then what locals have for sale beat up and used.
I am now considering buying one. I can get an 8 foot (depth) hoe that weighs 950 lbs. for $3800 (no tax). Or a 9 foot model that weighs 1150 lbs. for $4400.
Note - I will be digging in some pretty soft sandy soil. No shale or hard-pan. Mostly to dig from the sides of a new road and dump fill into the middle of it. I am hoping this idea might be the best way to go.
One concern is lift capacity on the Ford 641. Does it really matter? It is supposed to have a 1250 lb. lift capability. Can't say I ever tested it but it lifts a 5 foot brush-cutter easily. I am kind of wondering - once the hoe is mounted - I never have to lift it anyway, do I?
I have never used a three-point hoe and thus the questions.
The other thing I wonder about is the PTO pump. I have used the big Prince PTO pumps that are simply three times the size needed so they can run at 1/3 speed and make good flow. This new PTO pump is smaller with a step-up gear box that makes the pump spin three times as fast as the PTO. I am wondering if these pumps are reliable?
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Today's Featured Article - Hydraulics - Cylinder Anatomy - by Curtis von Fange. Let’s make one more addition to our series on hydraulics. I’ve noticed a few questions in the comment section that could pertain to hydraulic cylinders so I thought we could take a short look at this real workhorse of the circuit. Cylinders are the reason for the hydraulic circuit. They take the fluid power delivered from the pump and magically change it into mechanical power. There are many types of cylinders that one might run across on a farm scenario. Each one could take a chapter in
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