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equipment matters

How To

BY LAUREN HEARTSILL DOWDLE

W hether digging a hole for a pond, install-ing an irrigation system or excavating a site, you only need one piece of equip-

ment for all of these tasks: a backhoe.“Versatility is the name of the game with back-

hoes,” says Louann Hausner, backhoe loaders and tractor loaders product marketing manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry.

To make sure you are getting the most from this machine, here’s how to become a more effi cient backhoe operator.

Less is moreA rookie mistake many operators make is push-ing the equipment to its max to fi nish faster. But in reality, they could be adding more time to the

tasks and costing the owners more in the long run. Instead, you should know the optimum speeds and when to use certain functions when operating and traveling on the jobsite.

Turn off ride control before setting the machine for operation, says Katie Pullen, marketing manager, Case Construction Equipment. “You’re going to want to use the loader bucket for stability, and if that loader bucket senses a load on it, as it would while supporting the rest of the machine, the arms are going to fl oat up and down and complicate opera-tion,” she says.

And for traveling across the site or lifting and lowering, Jamie Wright, product manager, Terex Construction Americas, recommends selecting the single hydraulic pump mode.

Crank up operator efficiency with two-in-one machine

equipment matters

How To

BY LAUREN HEARTSILL DOWDLE

How ToHow ToHow ToHow ToMaster the BACKHOEMaster theMaster theMaster theBACKHOE

Turn off ride control before setting the machine for backhoe operation.

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equipment matters

Kawasaki 2-cycle engines are tough, use 87-octane gas, and have machined crankshafts, ball bearings, two-ring pistons, chrome-lined cylinders, and the maximum durability rating. Kawasaki 4-cycle engines are the #1 choice of the pros*,

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THIS IS WHERE LESSER ENG INES GO TO DIE.

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INES GO TO DIE.

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Text INFO to 205-289-3796 or visit TLCrequest.com

Another mistake many new operators make is immediately setting the backhoe to full throttle. “This is an unnecessary waste of fuel and energy with the introduction of variable-volume piston pumps that help provide power as needed,” Pul-len says. You can set it below full throttle and still tackle the job.

“We suggest that operators always operate their backhoe loader at the lowest engine speed that completes a task, generally between 1,500 to 1,800 rpm,” Wright says.

Work smarter, not harderCycle times can add up. So, instead of swinging a scoop of dirt out 90 degrees, only move the back-hoe arm about 20 degrees and dump it.

“It may not seem like a big difference, but all of that extra work adds up over time and requires unnecessary fuel and time, while also putting extra wear on the machine,” Pullen says.

Cutting down on your digging distance can also

equipment matters

When scooping dirt, swinging the arm out only 20 degrees and dumping it cuts down on unnecessary fuel and time usage.

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equipment matters

Kawasaki 2-cycle engines are tough, use 87-octane gas, and have machined crankshafts, ball bearings, two-ring pistons, chrome-lined cylinders, and the maximum durability rating. Kawasaki 4-cycle engines are the #1 choice of the pros*,

deliver SAE certified horsepower, and drive the industry’s best machines. Thrive where others die. Go Kawasaki.

www.kawpower.com 800-433-5640www.kawpower.com 800-433-5640

THIS IS WHERE LESSER ENG INES GO TO DIE.

*According to survey of lawn care professionals conducted June 2012 by Isometric Solutions, an independent research firm commissioned by Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. You knew it, research proves it.

INES GO TO DIE.

Untitled-60 1 3/21/13 9:01 AM

help you be more effi cient. Keeping the arm closer to the machine when digging gives the backhoe more digging strength.

“It’s much easier to start a hole close to the ma-chine and then dig away from cab, versus starting a hole further out and trying to dig back toward the machine where you have less strength and more earth working against the bucket,” Pullen says.

Steady groundTo prevent turnovers and increase productivity, properly utilize support systems.

When putting down stabilizers, make sure they go far enough to hold the weight of the machine and lift the tires.

“Some operators think they need to have the machine as high up as they can get it, but you sacrifi ce some operating performance at that point,” Pullen says. “The machine is at its strongest when the wheels are just off of the ground, the machine is supported by the stabilizers and the loader bucket

Put stabilizers down just far enough that they support the machine’s weight with the tires off of the ground.

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20 TotalLandscapeCare.com S E PTEMB E R 2013

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is curled forward and engaged with the ground.”

Stabilizers provide better surface contact with the ground, compared to the wheels, and they also don’t bounce and react to pres-sure being applied.

Other machine components can also help keep you steady. On new construction sites, curling the loader bucket forward and digging the edges into the ground provide support. But for mature, fi nished lawns or surfaces, lay the bucket fl at and apply pressure to it, which will help prevent damage.

“Make long and deliberate movements and work to avoid rapid turns of the wheel, such as tweaking the wheels when you’re set in the digging position,” she says about working on fi nished surfaces. “The benefi t of a wheeled machine is reduced impact to the existing landscape – don’t eliminate that benefi t through reckless driving.”

Put the machine in neutral with the parking brake on for optimal safety.

On new construction sites, curl the loader bucket forward and dig the edges into the ground for better support.

Put the machine in neutral with the parking brake on for optimal safety.

Put the machine in neutral with the parking brake on

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DON’T FORGET SAFETY

After you are comfortable operating a machine, you can sometimes forget the basics, which can cause accidents. But, “productivity and safety can come in the same package,” says Louann Hausner, John Deere Construction & For-estry. Once you’ve read the operator’s manual, here are more safety practices to follow on every jobsite.

• When transporting or lifting a load, make sure to secure it correctly, travel at a safe speed and avoid traversing side slopes when possible. “Operators should also make a point of carrying the load as low as possible when trav- eling to reduce balance issues,” says Jamie Wright, Terex Construction Americas. “And, if using the excava- tor side of the machine to place heavy loads, operators need to deploy the stabilizer legs.”• Stop operating if someone enters the machine’s work area, and maintain contact with other employees.• Be aware of obstacles or existing infrastructure in and around the ma- chine’s working area, Wright says. Know your swing area, and don’t allow others to enter this space.• Turn off the machine before exiting the cab.• Locate all of the utilities, including gas lines, water pipes and cables.• “Make sure the machine is in neutral with the parking brake on for optimal safety – backhoe functions should not be performed while the machine is in gear,” says Katie Pullen, Case Construction Equipment.

equipment matters

others to enter this space.• Turn off the machine before exiting the cab.• Locate all of the utilities, including gas lines, water pipes and cables. lines, water pipes and cables.• “Make sure the machine is in neutral with the parking brake on for optimal

deploy the stabilizer legs.”• Stop operating if someone enters the machine’s work area, and maintain contact with other employees.• Be aware of obstacles or existing infrastructure in and around the ma-

• When transporting or lifting a load, make sure to secure it correctly, travel

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