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Statistics show that the end of the backhoe/loader combo works 60% of the time for most contractors. By Paul Hull |
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Backhoes could be the tools most frequently used by contractors. They are also popular as rental items for special projects where ground conditions favor their use. Even though (for our general public and customers) tower cranes, giant shovels, and huge excavators might be the most impressive of construction equipment, the backhoe can claim to be the most frequently seen. "It seems like everybody needs a backhoe," is a frequent comment from contractors and public works departments. Sometimes it is an integral part of the machine, as in a backhoe loader or a tractor-loader-backhoe, but it was also one of the first truly popular attachments, mounted on the machine only when required. Still bearing in mind that backhoes are basically attachments, you will see them offered as accessories for machines of all sizes, from skid-steer loaders and small trenchers to large loaders. We have become so used to having the backhoe attachment available that we perceive the backhoe loader as a standard, integrated machine. Case has been making them for more than 40 years, and models from Deere, Kubota, Caterpillar, Kramer, JCB, Komatsu, Allmand, New Holland, and Fermec have been internationally successful. But if you could mount the backhoe to its carrier only when you needed it, how practical would that be? Wouldn’t it save fuel and improve maneuverability? "We have had our Ware backhoe for more than 30 years," notes Richie Favuzzi, whose company Pavers Plus Inc. employs five and works for residential and commercial customers in Long Island, NY. "We think it is 30 years ahead of its time because, just three years ago, another manufacturer introduced a backhoe and said it was state of the art, but our old Ware had all the features already." Pavers Plus uses the backhoe when it is needed and saves wear, tear, and fuel on the four-wheel-drive tractor that carries it by removing the backhoe when it is not needed at a particular site. "It’s great for residential driveways and for those 4-by-8 precast drainage rings," adds Favuzzi. "We use the backhoe on the front too, not on the back. That seems to make it easier to position accurately down holes. We go down as far as 12 feet with this one." Other points Favuzzi mentions are the fact that the dump height is "incredible" and the practical curl on the bucket. He says other contractors would appreciate the latter, apparently minor feature. "When this bucket was built in 1966, that curl was unique," the contractor observes. Prices start at just more than $1,000 for the three models and four bucket sizes available for Lackender Fabrications skidloader backhoes. The buckets are 8 in. for trenching, 12 in. with teeth, 16 in. with teeth, and 20 in. with teeth. They are made to fit any make or model of skid-steer loader and can be operated with or without an auxiliary hydraulic cylinder. "Our nonhydraulic backhoe is made for you to quickly attach in place of the existing bucket on your skid-steer loader," points out Randy Lackender. The company is based in Iowa City, IA. "The backhoe can be operated without auxiliary hydraulics, since 90% of the digging is done by the backhoe in one position." With more than 600 units in the field (and not one ever returned!), the backhoe has been successful in light construction, for parks and landscaping, anywhere that requires a small backhoe. Digging depth is 6-8 ft. Recent interest includes many contractors working with cement, for foundations and other residential work. "You don’t need stabilizers or outriggers, and one of my customers has even carried his around on the ladder on his truck," adds Lackender. There are several Bradco models of backhoe attachments from ATI (Attachment Technologies Inc.), another Iowa manufacturer who markets a broad range of attachments not only to contractors but to other manufacturers such as JCB, Kubota, Caterpillar, Gehl, Mustang, and Ingersoll-Rand. (Remember, the backhoe is an attachment.) Features emphasized on the Bradco 408 backhoe include a swingpost with a high clearance and an optional swing speed control. The cushioned swing brings the backhoe to a gentle stop at the end of each arc. The best performance for this model comes with hydraulic systems in the 5- to 8-gpm range, and it handles buckets from 10 to 24 in. to give heaped capacities of 0.92—3.1 ft.3 The larger 611 backhoe gives its best performance with hydraulic systems in the 9- to 12-gpm range. The manufacturer claims the best bucket digging force for a four-bat linkage backhoe in its class for this model and the longest reach from the swing post, allowing the placement of material farther from the excavation and requiring fewer moves to achieve success. The 611 offers six buckets, varying from 12 to 36 in. and yielding heaped capacities from 1.83 to 6.14 ft.3 "With our backhoes available for three-point-hitch tractors as well as for skid-steers, we feel we are attractive to all contractors," remarks Cindy Kudrna, sales manager for ATI. "The 3375 three-point-hitch backhoe offers a range of six buckets from 10 to 36 inches, with heaped capacities up to more than 3 cubic feet." Contractors in underground construction find the backhoe attachment for a trencher practical. Wild Bore is an underground contracting company in Plainfield, IL, that specializes in directional drilling. "Most jobs require trenching on each end of the bore," notes partner Mick Saudinaitis. "We’re equipped for that too, making it unnecessary to call a subcontractor to the job." A Ditch Witch trencher such as the 3700 does that kind of work. Wayne R. Motts, president of Kelly & Wilmore in Owensboro, KY, echoes those sentiments. Ninety percent of the company’s work is now in underground construction. "Most organizations prefer to work with one contractor instead of dealing with separate contractors for each work function," comments Motts. "We have clients in telecommunications, including cable television and telephone installations, and we serve the electrical, natural gas, and water distribution markets. For our cable work, 15% is trenched or excavated with backhoes." Ditch Witch trenchers (such as the 3610 and 5700) usually have a blade in addition to the backhoe attachment, and that completes the backfilling at many sites.
The appeal of making excavation equipment bigger and more powerful is great for contractors whose projects usually involve many thousands (or millions) of cubic yards. Yet those general contractors nationwide whose biggest jobs might be at local hospitals, shopping malls, or schools have expressed delight that developments for backhoes considered "entry level" have not been ignored. Many sites demand compact machinery. "This backhoe will appeal to both individual owners and rental fleet owners," stated Nelson Ilgen, a backhoe product manager for New Holland just after the introduction of the Model LB75. Why is it an entry-level model? It is similar to the company’s 555E with a few of the bells and whistles removed. "The major difference is the engine, just 5 horsepower less than the 555E," states Ilgen. "Don’t expect this means less performance, because refinements in the hydraulic systems keep performance at peak levels." The digging depth for each of New Holland’s E Series backhoes is around 4.5 m. The 214Se Series 4 backhoe loader from JCB is also described as entry level, but it offers four-wheel drive, four-wheel steer and four equal-size tires. JCB sees this model as most suitable for the rental industry, builders, landscapers, and cemeteries. It has 86 net hp and digs to about 4.5 m. The Allmand Contractor TLB-20 is compact by any standards, but it digs to about 7 ft., 6 in. and has a dual cylinder, 180º cushioned swing that allows precise work in some very confined spaces. It has a hydraulic PTO and can directly power a four-in-one bucket and several attachments. The larger TLB-35 is in the 5,000-lb. class and offers a 2-ft. flat-bottom digging depth of 9 ft., 8 in. The loader bucket’s capacity is 0.5 yd., and the breakout force of the backhoe bucket is almost 5,500 lb. Its hydraulic PTO can manage breakers, tampers, drills, and saws. For digging ground and laying new pipeline where there are already utility lines that must not be damaged, contractor Daniel Hawkins in Charlotte, NC, found the Allmand backhoe most practical. "We needed a machine that could give precise control as well as power," notes Hawkins. "The safety of our workers was a major consideration. After we had calculated the best position for each piece of sewer line we laid, we had to work carefully around existing gas and utility lines. The compact backhoe was ideal."
An alternative to the use of a backhoe loader is the combination of a skid-steer loader and a compact excavator. This produces good results, especially in the most confined areas, but the most common objection to this concept is that it takes two operators if the owner is to take full advantage of both machines. Manufacturers of backhoe loaders responded to the challenge of the compact excavator plus skid-steer loader by engineering more speed and efficiency into their products. Case, for example, made powershift transmissions available on backhoe loaders. When pushing the bucket into a pile, the operator presses the downshift button, and the transmission shifts from second gear to first gear. It returns back to second gear when reversing out of the pile, allowing faster speeds to the truck or stockpile. The powershift transmission also offers upshift and automatic four-wheel-drive braking when in two-wheel drive. On those integrated backhoe loaders (loader backhoes or TLBs or whatever you wish to call them) it is the backhoe end that often has the quick coupler and takes the other attachments, such as hammers and compactors. The statistics usually given for the relative use of the backhoe or the loader end of these machines is 60% backhoe and 40% loader, but that might depend on the ground. Several, including Caterpillar’s, have extendable sticks available to replace the standard stick and give the user an extra 4 ft. of reach and dig depth. A word of caution from learned from experienced contractors: There are many options and combinations available for today’s backhoes, so it is difficult to define a basic price. Users should do their homework before purchasing or renting. Among the most popular options are auxiliary hydraulics to run attachments and auxiliary circuits for such powering hand tools as saws and wrenches. It is less expensive to buy the power option for the backhoe than to buy separate power units, but don’t buy them unless you need them. A power unit for hand tools could cost more than $7,000, whereas an option with equal ability on a backhoe might be only a fifth as much. Similarly, a powershift transmission can increase the loader productivity by some 20%. Do you need that? You don’t if your backhoe loader spends most of its time making trenches for pipe laying or utility installation. You can be sure that the backhoe loader ideal for your kind of work exists, with all the appropriate options and attachments. Time spent investigating the packages offered by manufacturers (and comparing the cost of buying the capability with a separate machine and operator) should pay handsome dividends on your day of decision.
With Ingersoll Equipment’s loader backhoe, the backhoe couples to the tractor via mounting arms connected to a counterweight for the best digging performance. It has a 92-in. digging depth with joystick controls and offers buckets from 8 to 24 in. (with capacities from just under 1 ft.3 to almost 3 ft.3). The standard engine has 18 hp, and there’s hydraulic drive through a two-speed transaxle controlled by a foot pedal. Power steering? Yes. "This Ingersoll is an operator-friendly piece of iron," states Robert Burk, who works in Clifton Park, NY. "The backhoe can be towed on a trailer behind a pickup, and its low weight will not tear up turf at your job site. That is an important benefit for those of us who do residential work." You can also obtain pallet forks and hydraulic tools. The cylinders for this backhoe have a bore of 2.5 in. for the boom, dipperstick, stabilizer, and swing and 2 in. for the bucket. If you look at Deere’s Web site, www.deere.com, you’ll find pages of specs for its backhoe loaders, and other manufacturers do the same. What does Deere mention as important specs? There is the digging force, bucket cylinder (11,106 lb. on the smallest 310G), the swing arc (180º), operator’s mode of control (two levers), the bucket rotation (190º), leveling angle (14º), and stabilizer angle (18º). The digging forces would be slightly less with an extendable dipperstick. Deere also offers videos on backhoe safety, maintenance, and operation and a video that shows a user how attachments can increase business and machine utilization. Four-wheel drive seems to be one of those options that, once you have it, you wonder how you ever managed without it. Ask about it from your favorite manufacturer, distributor, or rental yard. It gives better traction in wet conditions or in those places described as "poor underfoot" or "slippery when wet." That improved tractive force also helps the loading operations that often accompany backhoe excavations. Along with four-wheel drive comes four-wheel steering; it could save even more time. With four-wheel steering (Kramer backhoes have been pioneers in this technology), the operator drives the machine on a single path–including bends and curves, if necessary–rather than having to go in, reverse, come out, reverse, and go in a different direction. Kramer’s 316 Extenderhoe offers four-wheel steering in a complete wheel loader with a removable rear excavator and telescopic arm. The telescopic arm (controlled by the foot pedal) allows greater reaches and digging depths and, to minimize the danger of soiling at the front, the outer pipe is pushed out during telescopic operations. Digging depth is 3.8 m, and the 316 offers a loading height of 3.5 m and a ground reach of 5 m. The Kramer 316 Extenderhoe has infinitely variable lateral displacement. What does that achieve? You can position the wheel loader against any house wall with inch precision. Last year JCB introduced what it called the world’s smallest backhoe loader, the 1CX. It can turn within its own length. This tracked backhoe can go anywhere from muddy construction sites to residential and grounds maintenance locations. "The main benefit of this concept is an all-terrain, go-anywhere vehicle," states a JCB spokesperson. "The high traction will pull it through the most difficult ground conditions. The low ground bearing pressure will be useful for many applications where minimal impact on the surface is essential." When Fermec introduced its 900 Series, some design features specifically enhanced the comfort of the operator. Visibility is better with the rounded glass, and the noise level inside the cab is lower. A better seat, a new ventilation and heating system, and more storage space for the operator’s personal effects make the cab of Fermec’s 900 Series backhoe loaders a friendlier place. It is, after all, where the operator spends most of his working hours. Technical advances include increasing the beam breakout force by 22%, the dipperstick force by 20%, and the lift capacity of the loader by 20%. For precise control, there are three steering modes: two-wheel steer, four-wheel steer, and crab steer. All four wheels have disc brakes.
How deep is your water table? How much weight can the ground hold firmly? The Yellowstone River flows through one of the driest parts of the country: eastern Montana. When cities were built close to the river, some of the streets followed the courses of the creeks and streams that fed the river. "We can’t use heavy equipment on this street," notes Jack Rice, foreman for the City of Glendive. The street in question needs repaving because of the number of oversize potholes created last winter, and they are using a backhoe loader to do the required excavation. Anything heavier (such as a big-wheeled loader) might sink in. After a few days at the site, Rice can stand on the ground, only a foot down from the sidewalk level, and it’s like a sponge, moving with his feet. Even the skid-steer loader used forced the moisture up near the surface. "The backhoe breaks up the old pavement and loads the truck, but you’ll notice that it is not standing on the excavated material, even though we have mats below it, but on the damaged pavement behind the work spot. This is where the extendable stick on our Case has been so valuable." Many older communities all over the United States began near rivers for historical reasons such as trade and security, and the oldest streets often rest on forgotten (but not necessarily inactive) creeks. When this situation brings the water table close to the surface, your backhoe is a practical alternative to heavier tracked machinery. Florida is not the only state with a high water table! Some of the popularity of the backhoe as a rental item is the result of this local ground condition in states where the earthmovers did not expect that problem. "How can we have that problem here?" asks one novice construction worker. "We’re 2,000 feet above sea level." Ground conditions are not the only aspects of a job that vary from state to state, community to community. Noise and emission levels are subject to regulations that may vary considerably, with differences between metropolitan and rural requirements. These are all subjects to discuss before any investment. Caterpillar says it designs backhoes with particular specs to match local requirements anywhere in the world. For its D Series, features it mentions as performance enhancers are the 205º high-rotation bucket linkage, the excavator-style boom, and of course the range of other attachments available. The backhoe can have a mechanical quick-coupler. You can find the backhoe you need for your everyday jobs. It might take a little research to find the most suitable one. Data on backhoes (as attachments or integrated machines) are readily accessible, both electronically and at your local distributorships. If there is one observation that surprised me in my conversations with users of backhoes, it is that some operators specifically said that their machines were more than they needed. That means they cost more than necessary too.
Frequent contributor Paul Hull writes on construction and environmental topics for several international magazines.
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