Attachments enhance the continuing evolution of backhoe loaders.
The rental industry has changed dramatically in the past five years. The larger businesses have expanded by acquisition or organic growth, resulting in greater buying power and better negotiating positions with manufacturers.
If manufacturers are to meet the ever-increasing market demands, their products must be capable of multiple applications rather than simply one - giving the biggest bang for the rental buck.
For that reason, the backhoe loader has become much more versatile. The machine now can be a trencher, a loader, a crane, a demolisher, a compactor and a material handler as well as a source of hydraulic power for external attachments. But too often, a backhoe leaves the rental yard with nothing more than a loader bucket.
Attachment value The backhoe loader now needs to be considered an "application prime mover" onto which attachments can be "hung." The machine is following the skid steer as the ultimate rental and contractor toolbox.
And don't consider attachments just in terms of jobs. Also look at attachments as opportunities for increasing rental profit. As rental rates are squeezed, attachments allow you to:
- Differentiate yourself from the rest of the rental market by offering backhoes with demolition specs, for example.
- Increase your rental rates proactively by offering more than bare machines.
The traditional loader bucket can be supplemented by specialty buckets - 6-in-1, grapple and side-tilt derivatives. However, loader attachments are not limited to loader buckets. Materials now arrive at the job site on pallets, and the backhoe can serve as a material handler.
The introduction of hydraulically powered attachments such as hammers, tampers and augers in the 1960s gave the backhoe opportunities in light demolition and construction.
Lifting hooks have allowed the machine to take on the role of a mobile crane. Heavy-lift backhoes can pick up and place concrete pipes, barriers and sewer tops.
Although the use of attachments has increased, the backhoe has yet to become as versatile as the skid steer because attachments often take too long to swap.
The solution might be the quick coupler for both the loader and the backhoe. These couplers are available as integral (part of the machine) or pin-on (substituting for the direct-mount backhoe bucket or front shovel).
The backhoe's flexibility can be increased further with an auxiliary hydraulic spool that allows attachments to be swapped from the operator's seat.
Bettering the backhoe If attachments are the future, how can the traditional backhoe be improved? By making it a wheel loader backhoe with wheel loader performance on the front and a backhoe on the rear.
A 4 x 4 x 4 wheel loader backhoe is typically more expensive than a traditional four-wheel-drive unit, but it has several advantages:
1) 4 x 4 x 4s have been marketed and sold as 1.5-cubic-yard wheel loaders and have commanded wheel loader rental rates.
2) The machines can operate on poor ground conditions where traditional units might be ineffective.
3) 4 x 4 x 4s have proportionally higher residual value than traditional backhoes at the end of the rental term.
Allmand Bros.
The Allmand Contractor TLB-25 is available with two 25-horsepower engine options - a Kohler air-cooled gasoline engine or a Kubota liquid-cooled diesel engine. The unit features a digging depth of 8 feet, 4 inches, a maximum lift capacity of 2,100 pounds, a breakout force of 3,400 pounds and a standard bucket size of 12 inches, with optional sizes ranging from 10 to 36 inches. The TLB-25 can accept a multitude of skid-steer attachments. www.allmand.com
Bradco
The 611 backhoe buckets, ranging in width from 12 to 36 inches, provide more volume per bucket than other models in its class, according to Bradco, a division of Attachment Technologies. Additional features include 9-12 gallons-per-minute hydraulic systems, cushioned swing to ease stopping at the end of the 180-degree swing arc and a maximum digging depth of 11 feet, 1 inch. www.bradco.com
Rammer
The S 25N hydraulic hammer can accept a wide range of oil flows, allowing for installation on a wide range of carriers. The City model is a sound-suppressed unit suited for working environments requiring low noise levels, according to Rammer. www.rammer.com
Komatsu
The WB140PS-2 (pictured) and WB150PS-2 are new additions to Komatsu's backhoe loader line. Both units feature a power shift transmission with four forward and three reverse gears and can reach a speed of 25 mph. Electronic gear management allows operators to perform all functions from the cab. The 86-horsepower WB140PS-2 has a maximum digging depth of 14 feet, 6 inches, and the 98-horsepower WB150PS-2 can dig to a depth of 15 feet, 6 inches. www.komatsuutility.com
New Holland
The LB75 loader backhoe has a one-piece steel main frame for maximum strength and minimal noise and vibration, New Holland says. The unit is equipped with a 75-horsepower New Holland/Iveco engine and an open-center hydraulic system. The standard model features a maximum digging depth of 14 feet, 4 inches, a heaped bucket capacity of 1.15 cubic yards and a lift capacity of 7,198 pounds. www.newholland.com/na
Kubota
The L48 tractor, the newest addition to Kubota's loader/landscaper utility series, features a Category I three-point hitch and rear 540-rpm power takeoff to drive a wide range of attachments, the company says. Powered by a 48-horsepower engine, the unit includes a self-leveling loader and a quick-attach backhoe featuring an 11.2-foot digging depth (2-foot flat bottom). www.kubota.com
General Equipment
The 471 Dig-R-Tach is a hydraulically powered earth-drilling attachment system for loader backhoes, mini-excavators and small tractors. The system's universal mounting bracket conforms to a variety of bucket configurations, according to General Equipment. www.generalequip.com
Deere
Worksite Pro backhoes from John Deere come in three models - the Pro850, Pro900 and Pro911 (pictured). All units have a connect-under-pressure male coupler, 180-degree swing and a low-profile console. The Pro911 features pivot pins that John Deere says are nearly twice the size of competitors', 3.5-inch-diameter hydraulic cylinders and an extender pedal to extend and retract the dipper stick. www.deere.com
M-B-W
The EXA vibratory roller attachment combines vibratory and static pressures for consistent compaction of all soil types, according to M-B-W. The design produces a variable down pressure of up to 25,000 pounds. Available in widths of 18 (pictured), 24 and 30 inches, it is suitable for backhoes and excavators weighing up to 60,000 pounds. www.mbw.com
Dig-It
The compact towable backhoe from Dig-It, a division of Pug Power, delivers 4,100 pounds of digging force to depths up to 8 feet, 6 inches. The unit features self-propelled zero-turn maneuverability, flotation tires, 18-horsepower V-twin engines, internal hydraulic hoses and a standard bucket width of 12 inches. www.pugpower.com
JCB
JCB's 214Se backhoe loader features four-wheel drive, four-wheel steer and four equal-size tires. Powered by an 86-horsepower diesel engine, the unit has a loader breakout force of 11,750 pounds and a backhoe breakout force of 11,470. Other loader features include a bucket capacity of 1.4 cubic yards, a reach of 28 inches and a lift capacity of 6,800 pounds. The backhoe has a maximum digging depth of 14 feet, 4 inches. www.jcbna.com
Ditch Witch
The A322 backhoe attachment increases the productivity of Ditch Witch's 3610 and 3700 midsize trenchers, according to the company. The unit features a center-positioned operator seat, a dual-lever control, remote engine throttle control and a bypass valve to allow repositioning of the trencher from the backhoe operator seat. Specifications include a digging depth up to 72 inches, a maximum reach of 102 inches, bucket cylinder digging force of 5,340 pounds, and dipper-stick digging force of 4,050 pounds. The A322 can be equipped with a 12- or 18-inch bucket. www.ditchwitch.com
Vermeer
Featuring the B500 backhoe, the ermeer walk-along LM-42 plow/trencher is designed for irrigation and service-line installations such as cable television, electric, phone, gas and water. The B500 has a reach of 106 inches with a 150-degree arc, a 12-inch bucket and a digging depth up to 74 inches. The LM-42 features a 43.5-horsepower Deutz engine and a trenching depth of 42 inches with widths of 4 and 6 inches.
Case
The 100-horsepower 590 Super L, one of four loader/backhoes in Case's L Series, has a backhoe digging depth of 16 feet, 4 inches, a loader lift capacity of 7,327 pounds, a loader bucket breakout force of 10,980 pounds and a backhoe bucket breakout force of 14,718 pounds. The optional Extendahoe dipper stick increases the backhoe digging depth to 20 feet, 4 inches, and more than 25 attachments are available. www.casece.com
Kenco
Available for different brands and sizes of backhoe loaders, Kenco's backhoe sideboom tilts in and out hydraulically and facilitates pipe installation in narrow trenches, the company says. The boom also extends for various other applications. 724/238-3387
Tramac
Tramac's 140 hydraulic breaker is designed for loader backhoes and large mini-excavators from 4.5 to 13 tons. Applications include road repair, in-plant demolition, interior gut-out and other demolition jobs. The unit weighs 815 pounds and has a tool diameter of 3 inches with a recommended flow range of 19 to 32 gallons per minute. The operating pressure is 1,800 pounds per square inch, and the striking rate is 845 to 1,160 blows per minute. www.tramac.com
Terramite
Terramite's T7 tractor loader backhoe comes standard with a 20.3-horsepower Perkins diesel engine, center-mount steering, Super Terra Grip front and rear tires for increased traction, dual front curl cylinders and extended-reach arms for an 8-foot dump height. 800/428-3772
