Anybody put a winch on their backhoe, so they don’t get stuck in mud

[jimmynoshow]

Aren’t many winches out there that’s gonna help a backhoe get unstuck.
Best thing you can do is get more stone where you are working.
What you can do is, practice.
Get the machine up in the air and figure out how to move using the hoe.
You have to move it side to side, lifting the back of the machine off the stabilizers and sliding it to the sides and even forward and backward.
You can use the loader bucket also, figure out how to tilt the bucket back a little so it won’t dig in when pulling or pushing the machine with the hoe.
You will be amazed how much you can move the machine, with just the hoe.
Practice putting it in gear, in low with the tires off the ground, lift the machine, slowly lift the stabilizers, so when you put it down, it will drive itself as you lower it with the hoe.
When I lived in Tennessee, the clay, when wet, would stick any wheeled machine, even with 4x4.
I ended up bolting a used rim that I made, that I bolted to one of the rear wheels that stuck out as far as the stabilizer. That made it a drum and I cut a hole in the middle for a chain hook.
When I got stuck, I would run a chain to a tree and wrap it around that rim, as the rear wheels spun, it created its own winch, with the chain.

Sounds doable ? Any pictures?
Thanks

 

[HarleyHappy]

Nope, moved back to NH 12 years ago and everything is gone.
Just picture a 18“ rim bolted to rear axle inside the rear tire sticking out, about 6”, utilizing the rear tires lug bolts.

 

[HarleyHappy]

That’s kinda where I got the idea.
I cut a small 2” rectangular hole that you could slip a grab hook on one end of a chain and run a bunch of chain to a tree and using the offside stabilizer or curled backhoe bucket, you could actually steer.
Lol, worked pretty good.
Ended up getting a strap for the tree as it would rip it up pretty good with the chain.
Now you can buy Kevlar winch ropes that have a huge towing rate that I would bet works for a backhoe.
They are pricey, like 100 bucks at harbor freight.

 

[cfherrman]

I thought this thread was going to be a joke.

Backhoes can't get stuck as you use the hoe and bucket to walk out of just about anything.

 

[colson04]

I thought this thread was going to be a joke.

Backhoes can't get stuck as you use the hoe and bucket to walk out of just about anything.

Which is what they tried to tell Jimmy in his other thread.

Go watch some stuck backhoe YouTube videos, see how the operator uses the machine to push/pull themselves out, then practice those techniques on dry ground. I learned a lot watching Diggin OK on YouTube. Watching him dig square foundation holes and just using the hoe to manipulate himself around to get good square corners really showed me what an operator can do. I'm a pretty novice operator with a backhoe, but I've certainly picked up on what the machine is capable of by watching more experienced operators and practicing some of it. I've had mine stuck twice, but both time were ice and steep side slopes. Places I shouldn't have been, even with 4wd.

 

[CM1995]

Whats a rattail ?

Not a mohawk and less than a mullet.

 

[Deere500a]

You don't have good rubber always get tire chains for the rear & 4th gear fun

 

[HarleyHappy]

I thought this thread was going to be a joke.

Backhoes can't get stuck as you use the hoe and bucket to walk out of just about anything.

I gave that a like but unless you want to wait for the red clay to dry out and you have sslliiiidd down a 80’ ravine. You are not getting out clawing your way to the top.
It would take you 3 days to get that far Lol.
I‘m fully aware of what a backhoe can do and know how to operate one quite well but respect HAS to be given for southern red clay, I thought wet snow was bad, jeesh.
First day building down there, buried a 4x4 dump truck on level ground.
Never mind trying to pressure wash it out of the truck frame.
Personally, Georgia clay is even worse.
Lol

 

[cfherrman]

If you can't hoe yourself out, a winch ain't going to do it either.

 

[PeterG]

Well I would agree with you all, that a stuck operator can usually get himself out no problem.
But my experience also adds that once in awhile there are two issues where a winch or pull chain or strap is going to be of help.

1. There is a mechanical issue that needs fixing, and you prefer to move the machine out of the stuck position/location to make it easier to repair the machine or to get it back onto a trailer to go in for service.

2. You're stuck on a hill and every time you use the arm or bucket to move back up the hill, you slide back down when you need to reset the bucket.

In these cases it helps to have chain grabs and D-rings on the machine and chains and straps or maybe even a winch to hold you in place or assist in movement.

We also have a large winch on a hitch receiver plate. It can be moved from truck to truck as well as on the trailers and loader attachment plates . The winch is so big and heavy, it takes two people to lift it and slide it into the receiver hitch. I think it's a 20,000 lb Superwinch. Of course, I can't remember when I last used! But it's one of those things it's good to have just in case.
For a backhoe set up with a removeable front bucket for other attachments, you can set up a receiver hitch to help move around trailers, and even use the backhoe with winch to help do delicate winch work and in this case, "assist with getting unstuck".
Image is my TL130 with quick hitch adapter.

 

[skyking1]

If you can't hoe yourself out, a winch ain't going to do it either.

Not true at all.
Go back to that 80' slide down the clay. You are not sunk in but even the outriggers and brake locked won't hold you while you get another bite.
I had that happen on the Dam job.
It was a steep rock face I rolled down, but when I tried to pull my way back out, I could not get the edge of the front bucket to bite, or the outriggers to hold me. I had a 2wd extendahoe, and I would claw my way up there with a seam in the rock until I had sucked it all in and tucked the bucket up tight.
I'd lock the brake, set the pads down, set the bucket edge.
As soon as I tried to reach for another grab, WHEEEEEEEE!
Right back where I started.
After the 3rd slide I asked the drillers to give me an assist with the Ingersoll Rand drill with the little winch. It was a piece of cake to drive it out with this.

 

[aighead]

My last time stuck, which I think I mentioned in Jimmy's original stuck thread, was right next to my creek, where when it gets wet it stays wet. Like skyking mentions but not nearly as scary, I couldn't get a bite with the hoe bucket, I just pulled mud towards me. I was quite nervous that I'd be there forever. With a couple hours of wiggling I was out, but I could see the desire for a winch. If it's soggy feet down it gets pretty tricky. I like the idea of a winch that is attached to something else to pull the backhoe out but I'd suggest being real serious about chains/straps/winch capacity. I tried chains around a big tree tied off to the backhoe bucket and it snapped the chains like they were nothing. I'm sure they were less than 5000 lb. capacity chains but I'd expected to budge a little, at least, I did not.

 

[colson04]

The first time I got my backhoe stuck, I was plowing snow and slid off the side of my driveway into the ditch. I could pull sideways or backwards with the hoe, but would just slide back down. I didn't own tire chains yet, nor could I get the front bucket to bite in. We used a 30,000 pound tractor with a heavy grade snatch strap to pull it out. It came out, but I couldn't drive backhoe up the driveway due to ice. I ended up parking at neighbors and ordering snow chains. Now the chains live on the hoe.

The second time I drove off into a slushy drift on a side hill. I didn't realize it was a drift and it just sucked right down and hung up. That time I let it sit for the day and drove it out the next morning when everything froze up again.

 

[Catsparky1]

We did a creek rehab job repairing banks placing riprap . It was about a quarter mile long with knee deep mud . You could not drive in you had to walk it in and once I got in it wasn't coming out till we were done . I don't think I put it drive for a month till I got to the end . All of our hoes came home at night .Not mine. Told my boss they couldn't steal if they wanted to . When we were done I had to wash it and that sucked . Learned a lot about how to work when you can't use the wheels .