What kind of fabrication experience do you have, and what kind of shop equipment do you have?

You at least need a reservoir, a pump, a bunch of cylinders and a matching number of spools.
You want to mount it as close to the rear axle as possible.

I would say, from the way you phrased your questions, this is just something that you came up with, and don't have much in the way of experience with fabricating metal structures. Making a backhoe would not be a good first project.

 

I don’t have a tone of fabrication skills but I do have some. in tools I will have a MIG welder, angle grinder, drill press, torch, and a small Lathe. This will be a future project, and I will have more experience then, the tractor has a 18hp engine I think I can run a pump off of the pto.

 

What make and model of GT are you contemplating for this? I can't find a listing for a turf trac. Back hoes are powerful attachments. Used incorrectly, they can break farm tractors. They also need a loader on the other end for balance.

Budget $1200 for the hydraulics for a loader, and another $2000 for a back hoe.

Still interested?

 

It’s a turf trac 16hp but I got a 18hp in it, it’s essentially a 990.

And yes I’m well away of what this will cost, I have lots of scrap metal behind my barn that I will be using. And yes I’m still interested.

 

Hey Dexta Dude...I have heard of Tuff Trac ..but I don't think I have ever seen one...definitely never did any work on one....but it looks well built and I can't help but notice those hinges for the hood...if they are an indication of the way the rest of the tractor was made it must be really good ...best of luck with the project

 

Yes it is built really welll. And thanks

 

This is a planning project, in that the more time spent up front planning/designing how everything goes, the more likely it is the project will work well.

Learning a CAD program (some are free for home use) can make revising the design and calculating loads/forces at various points much easier, which you will quickly want, as that extra level of articular (compared with a loader) makes it that much more math.
Googling diy backhoe plans, you can find both pre-made plans and youtube videos of people who have made them, to give you design ideas (like outriggers), and you might even consider buying a premade plan.

It's not really a scrap-metal project, in that using too light steel will bend, and using too much really reduces what the backhoe can do, because of the leverage the backhoe puts on the tractor when it's extended.

You might also consider making it a trailer-style backhoe, so you can more easily make a beefy axle/mounting point for the backhoe and outriggers, and still use the tractors engine to power the pump.

 

I am already learning CAD and yes that is what I will be working on, thanks for the ideas though.

 

Also research what hydraulic pumps/cylinders/spools are readily available, so you can design for what you can readily get. You won't know up front, so you knowing what cylinder sizes and stroke lengths are commonly available, as well as their overall physical dimensions (both length and diameter, as well as weight) should help.

And knowing how much your tractor weighs, what kind of weight the front and rear axles can support, and how much weight is on each of them now also will help.

Edit:
And also what you want the backhoe to do (how far a reach you want it to have, big a bucket, how deep a hole).

 

Ok I will check on that, supposedly my tractor has one of the strongest axles that was put on gt’s.
I don’t want a big bucket I just want to be able to grab brush and dig small holes I’m going to probably put a thumb on it. Thanks for a response’s

 

A thumb further reduces the capacity you can have, as it puts more weight at the end of the backhoe (the thumb, a cylinder).

 

I don’t want a moving thumb, I would make a stationary thumb that is detachable.

 

1966 Power King not a bucket but I am rebuilding my bucket arms here what I did... just get and idea the original arms are bent and not made for the wider bucket. I'm eyeballing the angles using 28 degree cuts

 

... How would y’all go about this? ...

First thing I would do is buy a set of plans. I would recommend a tow-behind style of backhoe.

There are many plan sets out there.

CADDiggers

Find designs, tips and order information to build your own backhoes, diggers, and more.

cadplans.com

 

The first step is to design an integrated subframe rhat will support both a FEL and a back hoe while protecting the tractor's frame. Among the design elements is how to stow the 3PH when the hoe is installed without adversely affecting its use when the hoe is dropped off.

Pump sized for maximum flow of 6 gpm at WOT, Cylinders sized to work with the pump flow at 2/3 throttle for a comfortable speed for the operator. Nominal reservoir capacity of 2 gallons is minimum. The loader posts can serve as the reservoir when sized correctly.

Loader arms and back hoe booms can be made with structural tubing with 1/8" walls. Pivot points and cylinder mounts reinforced with 3/16 - 1/4" gussets.

Take a tour of local tractor dealerships with a pad and pencil to see first hand how various design elements are used to accommodate things like the 3PH. on SCUTs. A SCUT is very close in size to your GT. So close that you can take the dimensions directly from the loader to apply to a loader on your tractor. The loader on my MF SCUT has the same dimensions as the Wright Way loader on my MF 1655 GT but is made considerably stronger.

The rear end in your GT is either 1500 lb static load capacity or 1800 lb. Does it have 2 speeds? The one in my SCUT has a 2040 lb static load capacity.

 

Yes I have been looking at other loader and hoe designs, my tractor has two ranges hi and low. Don’t know the static load capacity of mine but it is probably the 1500lb.

 

The Peerless 2500 2-speed final drive has a static load rating of 1500 lb and a maximum axle torque rating of 1200 lb-ft . With a Sundstrand Series 15 hydro supplying the power, it can be in excess of the torque rating in low with enough ballast to maintain traction. A back hoe is usually heavier than the rating for weight mounted behind the rear axle (500 lb) and supplies a lot of traction

 

Just a thought,

When I plan on a new project, I like to add the cost of the project first, balance it with the time I'll be spending on it against the other projects in the waiting for importance, and search for an already produced product that I can evaluate for already built cost.

An example would be the Harbor Freight Towable back hoe. It's cheap, and may need some modification for your needs, but that mouse trap is already built and works.

Of course if the idea is to build it yourself first for that sole purpose, than that's the only way to do it, and of course enjoy the ups and downs of the process with the pride in doing it yourself, I do get that too.

Also, a link to surplus Center for affordable hydraulics.

Hydraulics | www.surpluscenter.com

Hydraulics,Hydraulic Cylinders,Log Splitters and Components,Hydraulic Motors,Hydraulic Pumps,Hydraulic Valves,Hydraulic Power Units,Hydraulic

www.surpluscenter.com

GT

 

I was thinking and my thought was that, would it be better to fix up my fordson dexta and get it running then buy a backhoe attachment for it. So I could do more heavy work. Like digging up big stumps up, and stuff like that? Because a used backhoe that would fit it are cheaper than making one!! And it would support it better right?

 

That Fordson looks like it has massive torq behind those wheels! Just put a choke on the stump and pull it out with force

Stumps are crazy hard on equipment. I have sand and getting a large Oak or Pine out with a mini excavator (6000lbs) is barely enough weight. I take a couple of days by hand, chain saw, bar, my GT bucket and portable 3600lb winch to pull them out.

Those little portable or of size backhoes seem to be best used as trench diggers and such, though it could still be useful in a multi tool approach.

 

Check out PF Engineering. Paul has a set of plans for a GT size back hoe. I bought his plans for the FEL. They were a great help in the design of my build. Don't underestimate the complexity of designing the mount specific to your tractor. That was one of the most complicated parts of my whole project.