Tractor Vs. Backhoe

Tom · November 30, 2009, 10:01:46 PM

Sometimes I think that it's the stubborn bolts that make the mechanic.

I get so frustrated, so quickly, that I begin to think sledgehammer and cold chisel instead of lubricants and open end wrenches.

My son is a diesel mechanic who works on gasoline engine delivery vans and Diesel Semi trucks. I've seen him lie on his back, here at the house, with one arm contortioned into one hole beside an engine and the other contortioned through another as he patiently loosens and unscrews a nut from a bolt that he can't see. He'll work at it for hours and say, "It's just a thing". I would be ready to start world war III after about 5 minutes of that. :D

Ironwood · November 30, 2009, 10:11:26 PM

Reminds me I ran into a gal from church today at the Ford Dealership. She is actually the eldest daughter of a family from church. She is 19 or so, tall, attractive (model attractive), and I had talked to her a while ago about her interest in diesel mechanics (I thought how cool is that). Turns out she is now in a program at the local community college and works half time at our local Ford shop fixing diesels. Neat stuff, great story ,and will likely be a great mechanic. She said "yeah I love it" showing me the o-ring "souveniers" on her ring finger. Good for her.

Ironwood

treecyclers · December 01, 2009, 08:12:56 AM

Quote from: Ironwood on November 30, 2009, 10:11:26 PM
Reminds me I ran into a gal from church today at the Ford Dealership. She is actually the eldest daughter of a family from church. She is 19 or so, tall, attractive (model attractive), and I had talked to her a while ago about her interest in diesel mechanics (I thought how cool is that). Turns out she is now in a program at the local community college and works half time at our local Ford shop fixing diesels. Neat stuff, great story ,and will likely be a great mechanic. She said "yeah I love it" showing me the o-ring "souveniers" on her ring finger. Good for her.

Ironwood

Now that's my kind of woman!
SD

Qweaver · December 01, 2009, 10:11:47 AM

In my 65 years, I've worked on, rebuild and jury-rigged many different types of vehicles and machines but my CASE 450 dozer has to set right near the top for "tough to work on". It seems like some engineer spent hours figuring out how to place everything so that it makes something else impossible to get at. I love how that little dozer works but the thought of repairing it just turns my stomach. I'm at that age where I really think that I can fix anything...but I just don't want to anymore.

pineywoods · December 01, 2009, 10:30:39 AM

Qweaver, I'm with you 100%. But it ain't just case dozers. I have one of them chinese dozers that's a knock-off of an ancient john deere. The chinese improved it somewhat. Anything you need to get to is behind 2 other parts that have to be removed. One good feature, it's real easy to put a track back on--good thing, because they jump off frequently..

scsmith42 · December 01, 2009, 05:44:44 PM

Quote from: Qweaver on December 01, 2009, 10:11:47 AM
In my 65 years, I've worked on, rebuild and jury-rigged many different types of vehicles and machines but my CASE 450 dozer has to set right near the top for "tough to work on". It seems like some engineer spent hours figuring out how to place everything so that it makes something else impossible to get at. I love how that little dozer works but the thought of repairing it just turns my stomach. I'm at that age where I really think that I can fix anything...but I just don't want to anymore.

Quinton - wait until you work on a skid steer... you'll think that Dozers are easy! :D

DanG · December 01, 2009, 06:11:00 PM

Well, the Yeller Cat is back in action! 8) 8) It took us about 3 hours to get'r done. This repair would have been a piece of cake if we could have gotten the loader up. Here are pics from each side showing what we were dealing with:

And here's what we would have had if the bucket was up. :-\

You can see the shiny new part dead center in that last pic, just below and to the right of the shiny new alternator the seller had just installed.

The main thing is that all is well now, save a slight ding in my wallet. I even enjoyed doing the work, as it gave an old friend and I a chance to spend some time together twisting wrenches like we used to do.

beenthere · December 01, 2009, 06:44:55 PM

Good on ya. That was a quick repair job.

How about a hand now. ;D ;D

smiley_clapping smiley_clapping smiley_clapping

Or a clap ;D

chevytaHOE5674 · December 01, 2009, 06:49:36 PM

Quote from: DanG on December 01, 2009, 06:11:00 PMThis repair would have been a piece of cake if we could have gotten the loader up.

Sounds like you need another loader tractor, then you can always lift the others bucket up. :D

isawlogs · December 01, 2009, 09:30:12 PM

Nice job , but dont you own a jack'all .... ;)

ScottAR · December 02, 2009, 03:58:49 AM

I don't see the safety catcher on the lift cylinder but it was
just the camera angle right? It was there right?

To paraphrase Tom the wise, Loader buckets don't
bounce, they smash you dead.

I'll get down from the safety soapbox now.

fishpharmer · December 02, 2009, 05:41:42 AM

ScottAR, I think I see a safety catch on (what appears to be) the right side of DanG's yeller cat. Glad to hear DanG's Cat is back in action.

MrMoo · December 02, 2009, 12:31:18 PM

I have both and for what you are doing the backhoe is the way to go. The only thing it won't handle well is skidding logs.

ScottAR · December 06, 2009, 03:06:03 AM

I see the safety catch there, I don't see it used when it was
raised up. BUT, if it's like mine, you can raise it higher than the
catch is setting on the cylinder. It would still do the job just
make some noise in the process. So, it was really used and
we just couldn't see it right?

Not trying to be a pain, Just trying to keep you on the green
side of the grass DanG.

fishpharmer · December 06, 2009, 10:52:13 AM

DanG, correct me if I am wrong, but I think the hydraulics problems started while the front end loader was still at its lowest position. Therefore no safety latch was required. The raised bucket shot was probably for DanG to take a photo from a safe distance. Don't worry about DanG, he's got more common sense than most ;)

Goes to show if you gonna buy old stuff you really want to work with, buy name brand so you can get parts. I don't think that applies to sawmills ;)

DanG · December 06, 2009, 02:42:15 PM

I appreciate your concern Scott, but as Fish said, the bucket was sitting flat on the ground when we were working on it. I only ran it up to take that pic after the repair was complete, as stated in my post, to show how easy it would have been had the bucket been up. Had it been, it would definitely have been secured. ;)

ScottAR · December 06, 2009, 11:56:44 PM

Good deal...

"and the hands never left my arms." ;)

stonebroke · December 07, 2009, 07:04:37 PM

Quote from: DanG on December 06, 2009, 02:42:15 PM
I appreciate your concern Scott, but as Fish said, the bucket was sitting flat on the ground when we were working on it. I only ran it up to take that pic after the repair was complete, as stated in my post, to show how easy it would have been had the bucket been up. Had it been, it would definitely have been secured. ;)

see DanG is a lot smarter than most of us.

Stonebroke

ScottAR · December 08, 2009, 12:52:07 AM

Wouldn't take much in my case... :

wampum · December 11, 2009, 04:01:30 PM

I have a 35 HP landtrac 330 HSt tractor with FEL. Its a good little tractor,I am looking to trade it,because landtrac went out of business. I would really like to get a kubota L4400HST,but the price and they will not take a trade is limiting. I have found a Montana R4944 HST with loader. After rebates and a trade in allowance of $9000.00 for my 330 the price is in my budget. I use my tractor everyday,for hauling,round bails,taking out logs. It probably is better for my then a back hoe. I can put a back hoe on,just never bought one. The Montana is 47 HP,and would be a better fit for a back hoe. Does anyone have a Montana? Just wondering what you think of them.

DanG · December 11, 2009, 06:16:35 PM

That Montana sure is a pretty little tractor, but I'd have to think long and hard before buying something that doesn't have a good dealer network again. I found what I thought was a great deal on a IMT some years ago, having heard that MF parts would fit it. NOT!! My advice is to visit the dealers in your area, determine which one you like best, and buy whatever his major brand is; JD, MF, NH, Case or whatever. Just get a brand that is going to still be around when you and the tractor are old. ;)

Larry · December 12, 2009, 06:43:21 PM

Quote from: wampum on December 11, 2009, 04:01:30 PM
The Montana is 47 HP,and would be a better fit for a back hoe. Does anyone have a Montana? Just wondering what you think of them.

The headquarters for Montana was right down the road a bit in Springdale Arkansas. They had hundreds...maybe a thousand or more tractors of all different sizes on the lot. Last year they bought failed Farmtrac and all of a sudden moved to the right coast somewhere.

I think there main focus is making money...I suppose that's the American way. They sure are pretty tractor. From what I read in the paper they are a well organized company and making money.