FORD 555A BACK HOE USING IT ON A SLOPE OR SEMI STEEP GRA

[rockwind1]

i am putting some culverts in a road i have going up a hill to my house, i would say at least a 6% grade, probably a bit more. any safety tips, i don't want to tip this thing over,, was also going to be ripping some big bushes out with the hoe part. i am mostly worried about it rolling. you can sort of see the road going up the hill on the left,, it is steeper than it looks in some places,, it also comes back down the hill on the right.

This post was edited by rockwind1 on 12/09/2021 at 04:22 pm.

 

[Jim.ME]

Are you looking at slopes the outriggers won't level it on? Don't set up parallel to the slope, get nearer 90 degrees to it, tractor downhill, if you can. Using the loader, always keep the bucket as low as possible to keep the center of gravity as low as you can.

This post was edited by Jim.ME on 12/08/2021 at 02:38 pm.

 

[showcrop]

In order to ditch across your road you will of course need to be fairly close to 90 degrees to the road. Provided your stabilizers will level your tractor you have nothing to worry about.

 

[Jim.ME]

(quoted from post at 19:22:12 12/08/21)

In order to ditch across your road you will of course need to be fairly close to 90 degrees to the road. Provided your stabilizers will level your tractor you have nothing to worry about.

Agreed it is easier if you can set in line with the ditch, but it can be done at 90 degrees to the trench. Ever seen a culvert replaced, on a two-lane road, while keeping a lane open to traffic?

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 17:05:21 12/08/21)

(quoted from post at 19:22:12 12/08/21)

In order to ditch across your road you will of course need to be fairly close to 90 degrees to the road. Provided your stabilizers will level your tractor you have nothing to worry about.

Agreed it is easier if you can set in line with the ditch, but it can be done at 90 degrees to the trench. Ever seen a culvert replaced, on a two-lane road, while keeping a lane open to traffic?

I have worked on plenty of culverts but never with traffic in the next lane. I know that it takes a lot longer when working across the ditch. especially with a LBH instead of an excavator.

 

[rrman61]

I always either face up or downhill ,the front and back buckets will stop the machine from flipping
forward or back.level the engine as much as possible with the front bucket before digging

 

[Check Break]

The first thing to worry about is your brakes and getting it stopped. You don't want a run away. The second tip is, lower your stabilizer on the down hill side if you're a "little" afraid of tipping over. The third tip is, if you're "worried" you might tip over, move your hoe boom and dipper over to the uphill side. This shifts your weight as long as the road bed is sound. I often lower the boom and extend the stick so the bucket is at 10 o'clock more than ten feet from the tractor. As mentioned, keep your loader bucket low. This lowers your center of gravity and comes in handy if your brakes don't hold. Wear your seat belt and make sure your seat post is secured to the cab floor. If you get thrown out of the seat, you risk getting crushed when the tractor rolls over. If you are secured to the seat and the seat doesn't come loose, you will likely avoid crush injuries. I have a friend who went over on his side. The tip over was so slow he just stepped out of the ROPS on the high side as it went over.

 

[redforlife]

Keep rear axle level side to side. In
other words, tractor should be headed
straight up the hill, or down the
hill. Preferably tractor on down hill
side of the dig, headed downhill, with
bucket lowered to the ground so blade
will cut into ground if there is any
downhill movement.

 

[VicS]

They are hard to roll. You can counter
with the hoe even locked up. The more you
run it the braver you'll become. I was a
Road.Commissioner in another life. Got in
some rather bad places. But always
survived. Never wore my seat belt. Always
remember the limbs coming thru the
windows. Thought I might need to bale out.
Put a lot of culverts in. Everyone is a
little bit different. Just go with the
flow you'll be ok.

 

[Nat]

A 555 is a pretty stable TLB. with stabilizers out an bucket down someone would have to work pretty dadgum hard tp turn one
over

 

[JF in MI]

The one thing I learned, the hard way (don't ask), is when even using the hoe on level ground, keep the hoe bucket as close to the ground at all times during operation. That
way if (like swinging it way to the side) it starts to tip (say the load is too heavy) the bucket will contact the ground and stop everything before it gets out of hand.

 

[showcrop]

A culvert is not usually very deep, but keep proper spoil management in mind. The spoil, on level ground, is, I believe, supposed to be at least one foot from the excavation. On a hillside of course it should all go to the downhill side. If you are more than five feet deep you are supposed to have a trench box. I have been caved in on a few times in sandy ground and lost a friend to it.

 

[rockwind1]

(quoted from post at 09:07:55 12/09/21)

A culvert is not usually very deep, but keep proper spoil management in mind. The spoil, on level ground, is, I believe, supposed to be at least one foot from the excavation. On a hillside of course it should all go to the downhill side. If you are more than five feet deep you are supposed to have a trench box. I have been caved in on a few times in sandy ground and lost a friend to it.

thanks, fortunately, i will not be going that deep, nowhere near, just some 6" culverts.

 

[rockwind1]

thanks!

 

[rockwind1]

thanks,, I am very talented when doing the wrong thing. what is TLB

 

[rockwind1]

thanks,, the road itself is somewhat level, just a bit steeper than normal

 

[Pete in MD]

TLB = tractor, loader, backhoe.

 

[rockwind1]

(quoted from post at 15:35:30 12/08/21) Are you looking at slopes the outriggers won't level it on? Don't set up parallel to the slope, get nearer 90 degrees to it, tractor downhill, if you can. Using the loader, always keep the bucket as low as possible to keep the center of gravity as low as you can.

This post was edited by Jim.ME on 12/08/2021 at 02:38 pm.

thanks

 

[rockwind1]

that will not be possible in this case,, the road cuts along the side of a fairly steep hill as it angles up, i wish i could post a picture, there is no way to get the back hoe off the road,, i guess i am more worried about the brakes not holding, it seems that as the outriggers push up the rear wheel,, only the outriggers and maybe the front brakes will be holding it from heading downhill,, maybe the front bucket if i push it down

 

[Check Break]

(quoted from post at 17:20:46 12/09/21)
that will not be possible in this case,, the road cuts along the side of a fairly steep hill as it angles up, i wish i could post a picture, there is no way to get the back hoe off the road,, i guess i am more worried about the brakes not holding, it seems that as the outriggers push up the rear wheel,, only the outriggers and maybe the front brakes will be holding it from heading downhill,, maybe the front bucket if i push it down

This is why I mentioned the danger of a run away. If you had thousands of hours on a hoe, you'd be able to stop it with the backhoe bucket but you don't so you'll likely hesitate and find yourself in trouble. No offense intended. You're going to have to dig on the road, nose down, front loader bucket into the bank. Probably need to keep the rear wheels an inch or two above the ground, brakes set and stabilizers down. There are no front brakes. You'll have to dig a wider ditch than you need but it will all compact back. If you have a neighbor with a crawler, have him park in front of you. We used to hold a hoe on a steep hill with a crawler when there was no other way. Better than being winched over the edge.

 

[rockwind1]

(quoted from post at 18:14:01 12/09/21)

(quoted from post at 17:20:46 12/09/21)
that will not be possible in this case,, the road cuts along the side of a fairly steep hill as it angles up, i wish i could post a picture, there is no way to get the back hoe off the road,, i guess i am more worried about the brakes not holding, it seems that as the outriggers push up the rear wheel,, only the outriggers and maybe the front brakes will be holding it from heading downhill,, maybe the front bucket if i push it down

This is why I mentioned the danger of a run away. If you had thousands of hours on a hoe, you'd be able to stop it with the backhoe bucket but you don't so you'll likely hesitate and find yourself in trouble. No offense intended. You're going to have to dig on the road, nose down, front loader bucket into the bank. Probably need to keep the rear wheels an inch or two above the ground, brakes set and stabilizers down. There are no front brakes. You'll have to dig a wider ditch than you need but it will all compact back. If you have a neighbor with a crawler, have him park in front of you. We used to hold a hoe on a steep hill with a crawler when there was no other way. Better than being winched over the edge.

no front brakes! i learned something already, geez. when you say "nose down" i assume you mean the front of the hoe will be pointed downhill, and angled a little bit off the road so the loader bucket digs into the bank so that it doesn't roll away? this makes good sense. basically, it now seems that the only thing keeping the hoe from going downhill is the friction from the outrigger pads and the friction of the front loader bucket in the dirt. ?? thanks

 

[Jim.ME]

That's right, no front brakes. During operation all 4 wheels are off the ground for maximum counterweight against the hoe action. So yes, the friction of the outrigger pads and bucket on the ground is what holds it in place. The loader bucket is often in at least a partially dumped position when placed on the ground to provide more friction than setting on the flat bottom of the bucket. I suggest you practice with it, somewhere on flat ground, a good bit before attempting to put your culverts in on slopes or hills. If you don't have one, please get an operator's manual and study it.

 

[Check Break]

no front brakes! i learned something already, geez. when you say "nose down" i assume you mean the front of the hoe will be pointed downhill, and angled a little bit off the road so the loader bucket digs into the bank so that it doesn't roll away? this makes good sense. basically, it now seems that the only thing keeping the hoe from going downhill is the friction from the outrigger pads and the friction of the front loader bucket in the dirt. ?? thanks

Yes, nose into the bank. If your loader bucket hoses are good, then as Jim said, bucket angled down so the cutting edge wants to dig in. If your hoses are iffy, then bucket curled all the way back so if a hose lets go you don't get a wild ride for a couple of feet until it curls and the hoe pushes further into the bank. I should have said "scratch" a ditch for your culvert. You may not want to put maximum down pressure on the backhoe bucket and may end up scratching the road bed as you dig it out for your culvert. Also forgot to ask if you have street pads or offroad pads. Street pads have a block of rubber belting on edge on the bottom of the pad. Offroad has 1/2" steel strap on edge that bites in.