$2,200 later, i got my bobcat back from the dealer.

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I took my 643 I recently bought to the dealer and had them go through it. they fixed tons of things, seals, o rings, they adjusted the pedals, new alternator, replaced the tilt piston (bent) and gave it a good steam cleaning. they also replaced all of the bucket pins and bushings and fixed the safety bar so it makes contact. it's spotless inside now. It was worth it, it feels like a new machine. i can't believe how responsive the hydraulics are. the pedals werent right before, and the safety bar didnt push the contacts down all the way, i think that had something to do with it. it only has 1000 hours on it, so i hope now i have a good dependable machine. Also, i used my backhoe attachment for the first time the other day. all i can say is yikes haha. it got the job done but it was a rough ride. is there any way to stop it from dragging my machine so much? i mean id back up 5 feet it and would drag me 3. should i put something on the under side of the stabilizers to dig into the earth more? thanks.

 

[SkidRoe]

Sounds like the dealer was pretty good to you. It should be good for a while now.
With respect to your BH dillema, sounds like you need to work on your finesse a bit. Try not to use your bucket like an ice cream scoop, instead try to scrape the bucket full with longer sweeping motions of the dipper/boom. Curl the bucket at the end of the sweep to finish filling it.
Practice makes perfect!

 

[TriHonu]

Sounds like the dealer was pretty good to you. It should be good for a while now.
With respect to your BH dillema, sounds like you need to work on your finesse a bit. Try not to use your bucket like an ice cream scoop, instead try to scrape the bucket full with longer sweeping motions of the dipper/boom. Curl the bucket at the end of the sweep to finish filling it.
Practice makes perfect!

Take a look at Most effective way to dig with a hoe attachment.
As SkidRoe pointed out long shallow cuts is one technique.
In the referenced thread above, Skidsteer.ca wrote "I always try to establish my depth and then do most of my digging pulling in and up on both booms and adjusting the bucket angle. I have pulled granite boulders out of the ground that the skidsteer could not lift. If I can get the bucket under it it just about always comes up and out.”
In either case you must be aware of the bucket angle of attack and insure that you are not dragging the heel of the bucket in the cut. You will quickly stop digging and start dragging the machine toward the bucket.

 

[SkidRoe]

Take a look at Most effective way to dig with a hoe attachment.
As SkidRoe pointed out long shallow cuts is one technique.
In the referenced thread above, Skidsteer.ca wrote "I always try to establish my depth and then do most of my digging pulling in and up on both booms and adjusting the bucket angle. I have pulled granite boulders out of the ground that the skidsteer could not lift. If I can get the bucket under it it just about always comes up and out.”
In either case you must be aware of the bucket angle of attack and insure that you are not dragging the heel of the bucket in the cut. You will quickly stop digging and start dragging the machine toward the bucket.

Excellent write up. I haven't spent much seat any time in our TLB for the last 15 years, so my skills are definitely a bit rusty. Good review!!

 

[mahans7]

Excellent write up. I haven't spent much seat any time in our TLB for the last 15 years, so my skills are definitely a bit rusty. Good review!!

Boy if I would have seen this post before. I dug up about 14 tree stumps, many concrete pilings and buried rocks in my neighbors back yard about a month ago. I was using the 909 back hoe for the first time and had no idea about angle of tooth attack, crowd, dragging the bucket heel, etc. The above referenced Tazza post was very helpful and I should be able to dig a lot better next time. Thanks.

 

[Mikefromcny]

Boy if I would have seen this post before. I dug up about 14 tree stumps, many concrete pilings and buried rocks in my neighbors back yard about a month ago. I was using the 909 back hoe for the first time and had no idea about angle of tooth attack, crowd, dragging the bucket heel, etc. The above referenced Tazza post was very helpful and I should be able to dig a lot better next time. Thanks.

You guys may want to look at some youtube videos of experienced guys with excavators digging. No offense to anyone, I've got almost 200 hours in the seat of my Ford 555 backhoe, and it took a looonnnggg time to get good at running it. I remember the first time I got to dig a hole, I thought it would be the easiest thing ever, and I started doing the ice cream scoop thing..lol. I also dug a lot of holes and filled them back in for practice.

 

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You guys may want to look at some youtube videos of experienced guys with excavators digging. No offense to anyone, I've got almost 200 hours in the seat of my Ford 555 backhoe, and it took a looonnnggg time to get good at running it. I remember the first time I got to dig a hole, I thought it would be the easiest thing ever, and I started doing the ice cream scoop thing..lol. I also dug a lot of holes and filled them back in for practice.

i know how to run a machine fairly well, a lot of the problem was that i was only digging a 12" deep trench, so rather than pulling upwards, i was pulling towards the machine, thus dragging me. i'll tell you what, that backhoe has some serious power. completely disproportionate to the weight of the machine though haha.

 

[mahans7]

i know how to run a machine fairly well, a lot of the problem was that i was only digging a 12" deep trench, so rather than pulling upwards, i was pulling towards the machine, thus dragging me. i'll tell you what, that backhoe has some serious power. completely disproportionate to the weight of the machine though haha.

I've watched some of those youtube videos and they were very helpful. My wife and I were in Gatlinburg, Tenn earlier this month and there were excavators working alongside the road. I couldn't get her interested in watching them work. Go figure.

 

[Jimbob]

I've watched some of those youtube videos and they were very helpful. My wife and I were in Gatlinburg, Tenn earlier this month and there were excavators working alongside the road. I couldn't get her interested in watching them work. Go figure.

You could probably find an old set of rear stabilizers for your machine which attach behind the rear tyres.That should help with the dragging a fair amount also.

 

[[email protected]]

You could probably find an old set of rear stabilizers for your machine which attach behind the rear tyres.That should help with the dragging a fair amount also.

I thought about that but my machine doesn't have the 4th valve. someone has a brand new set for 600. if I could make the hydraulic s work would they fit? my machine is older.

 

[Jimbob]

I thought about that but my machine doesn't have the 4th valve. someone has a brand new set for 600. if I could make the hydraulic s work would they fit? my machine is older.

You should be able to plumb them in somewhere,i think they operated on the left stick and were self levelling.If you have auxiliary flow for the backhoe i dont think it would be difficult to add another line to feed the stabilizers.When you lift the cab is there a bolt which you can remove to allow the left steering lever to move inward and out?

 

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You should be able to plumb them in somewhere,i think they operated on the left stick and were self levelling.If you have auxiliary flow for the backhoe i dont think it would be difficult to add another line to feed the stabilizers.When you lift the cab is there a bolt which you can remove to allow the left steering lever to move inward and out?

i will take a better look. on my main valve there are 3 spools coming out the front end of the valve. could there be a 4th coming out towards the rear of the machine? i just had it steam cleaned so maybe i can see more now.