[AT] 3 point hitch backhoe attachments?

[HaliganBar at aol.com]

Carl,

I have a '63 MF202 with a MF200 loader and an MF220 backhoe mounted on it. 
The hoe mounts to the back of the loader frame with 6 pins and 2 quick 
disconnect hyd. lines. I can have the hoe off in 20 minutes so that I can use the 3-pt 
hitch. The hoe weighs 2000 lbs. Between the weight of the hoe and the forces I 
put on it digging in the boney soil here or pulling stumps, I can't imagine 
having it mount to just the 3-pt lift arms. I would certainly tear them off or 
at least twist them up pretty good.

I would recommend fabricating some sort of subframe and mount the hoe to it 
instead. It should be easy enough to build it so the hoe is easily removed and 
the subframe doesn't interfere with the 3-pt. I'm sure there are plenty of 
designs out there that you could "borrow" ideas from. If you want I'll take some 
pics of my mount for starters.

Regardless of your decision...good luck!

Karl


In a message dated 10/6/04 4:15:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
cgogol at twcny.rr.com writes:

<< Anyone on the list have any experience with 3 point hitch attached 
backhoes? 
 There a lot of them advertised and sold, but I had one dealer tell me that 
 they should never be attached that way and to use a special frame attachment 
 bracket instead.  This will avoid the forces generated by the hoe onto the 
 tractor from splitting / folding the tractor in half.  he thought that such 
 a bracket is not available for a D-14.  AC made an industrial TLB on the 
 D-14/15 frame that was an I-400 or something like that so I know that the 
 basic frame can take the pounding of this type of use.  I do not want to tie 
 up a tractor permanently for hoe work, but it would come in handy for 
 several days a year; for about as long as I can imagine on this particular 
 piece of land.
 
 Now, is this concern for folding the tractor the babblings of a misguided 
 salesman, or is there an element of truth to his warnings?  I only called 
 the dealer to get the going price on a new BH attachment so that I might 
 make a somewhat informed offer for a used one.  I have a fairly heavy duty 
 Category 2 threepoint hitch attachment on the D-14 that would use it.  His 
 comments seem off base to me, but maybe it is true for these undersized 36 
 HP compact foreign tractors that weigh about half of my 36 HP old timer.
 
 Any and all comments appreciated, as always.  Even those warning me to 
 operate equipment in a safe manner so as to not fold it in half with me in 
 the middle.
 Carl Gogol
 Manlius, NY
 (2) AC D-14, AC 914H
 Simplicity 3112 & 7116
 Kubota F-2400 >>