How to Hoist With a Backhoe Bucket

Combined movements of the left and right joysticks hoist a backhoe bucket.

Farmers and individuals performing small-scale construction projects prefer backhoes, the smaller, less formidable offspring of the bulldozer, for their versatility and operating ease. The lesser size of the equipment in no way compromises ability; the backhoe can do everything from excavating and trench digging to breaking asphalt and paving roads. A large variety of different backhoe makes and models have popped up on the market, but no matter the variation, even new operators with limited experience can learn backhoe basics. It will just take some practice to perfect movements like hoisting a backhoe bucket. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Backhoe loader

Instructions

1. Inspect the backhoe loader before operation. Walk around the entirety of the machine and look for any damage or loose parts. Take care to check for leaks, cracks or any excessive wear that could inhibit function in the future.

2. Climb into the cab, or the driver's seat, and buckle your safety belt. Make sure the arm of the backhoe loader is at rest before turning on the engine. In certain models, during cold weather, it may be necessary to wait for the glow plugs to warm up before turning the key the full way. Put down the parking break to get the hydraulics going.

3. Lower and raise the backhoe arm as necessary. The backhoe arm is made up of three parts: the boom, the dipper stick and the bucket. Most backhoes have a left and a right joystick that control the backhoe arm. The left control operates the boom and the right control operates the dipper stick and the bucket. Moving the left joystick away from you and toward you lowers the boom and raises the boom, respectively. Moving the right joystick toward you and away from you moves the dipper stick toward you and away from you, respectively. Moving the right joystick left and right curls the bucket and extends the bucket, respectively. Using the controls in the correct combination allows you to lower the backhoe bucket to retrieve a load, and hoist the backhoe bucket to pick up the load.

4. Move the backhoe arm back to rest and put the parking break up upon completion of the job and before shutting down the machine. Always remove the ignition key before exiting the backhoe cab.

Tips & Warnings

• Backhoe loaders are best operated with their load straight in front of them. Position the backhoe accordingly before lowering and hoisting the backhoe bucket.

• Hoist less weight in the backhoe bucket if working with rough terrain; this type of surface can affect the tipping capacity of the machine.

References

• Operating -- Backhoe
• Backhoe Guide: How a Compact Tractor Backhoe is Operated
• http://www.backhoeguide.com/compact-tractor-backhoe.html Civil Engineering Portal: Bulldozer - Construction Equipment