Connecting pto powered backhoe to tractor hydraulic s

Viccrc

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Kubota L235. Kubota BF400 loader. Ares pto backhoe
Sep 12, 2022
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Any advice or suggestions on how to connect pto backhoe to tractor hydraulics? L235 tractor, BF400 loader, and Arps 80 backhoe. Thank you
 

Roadworthy

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If the PTO powers the backhoe that implies a PTO driven hydraulic pump and no connection to the tractor's hydraulics. Is that what you mean or do you just attach the backhoe to the tractor's three point and tie into the tractor hydraulics?
 
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Viccrc

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Kubota L235. Kubota BF400 loader. Ares pto backhoe
Sep 12, 2022
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If the PTO powers the backhoe that implies a PTO driven hydraulic pump and to connection to the tractor's hydraulics. Is that what you mean or do you just attach the backhoe to the tractor's three point and tie into the tractor hydraulics?
Yes sir that is correct
 

Vigo

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If you're trying to convert from a PTO-driven pump, to using the onboard hydraulics (which you may do if you NEVER intend to take that backhoe off again, or want to repurpose the pto pump for something else), then generally you could do that as long as you understand the variables.

For example, the onboard pump runs the loader feeding two cyls at a time. If you hook it to the backhoe feeding (usually) one cyl at a time, that backhoe is gonna be too fast at high engine rpm, so you're going to have to reduce engine rpm a bunch. That's MOSTLY an upside, in my opinion. My pto-pump backhoe is too damn slow and i don't want to listen to the engine running 2000+ rpm to speed it up.

Other thing is, you will basically bypass the onboard reservoir and use the tractor's trans 'sump' as the hydraulic supply. Reason being your backhoe's reservoir is probably at a different enough height from the trans sump fluid level that even if you tied the two together you'd either be overfilling and spilling over the backhoe reservoir, or it would be nearly empty. It would be a coincidence if the actual height of the fluid levels in both tanks lined up well enough to connect them together. So you'll probably bypass that and have a tank and a filter doing nothing. Other side effect of that is if you pop a hose and manage to dump a bunch of fluid on the ground, if that fluid is your trans fluid you probably just stranded the tractor until you get more fluid, whereas if backhoe is on its own fluid you can say 'huh, dang' and just turn off the pto and drive home. :ROFLMAO:

Your tractor may have a loader valve with a power beyond port that just needs an adapter sleeve, or you may have a pressure port that lets your 3pt hydraulics feed an external attachment. Either of those will get you your pressure feed, but you still have to DIY the 'return to sump' plumbing which will probably mean drilling and tapping some kind of fitting if you use the 3pt hydraulics, or T'ing into the 'tank' port hose coming from the loader valve.

But yeah it's possible, if you want to do it go for it.
 
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Viccrc

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Kubota L235. Kubota BF400 loader. Ares pto backhoe
Sep 12, 2022
5
1
3
18447
If you're trying to convert from a PTO-driven pump, to using the onboard hydraulics (which you may do if you NEVER intend to take that backhoe off again, or want to repurpose the pto pump for something else), then generally you could do that as long as you understand the variables.

For example, the onboard pump runs the loader feeding two cyls at a time. If you hook it to the backhoe feeding (usually) one cyl at a time, that backhoe is gonna be too fast at high engine rpm, so you're going to have to reduce engine rpm a bunch. That's MOSTLY an upside, in my opinion. My pto-pump backhoe is too damn slow and i don't want to listen to the engine running 2000+ rpm to speed it up.

Other thing is, you will basically bypass the onboard reservoir and use the tractor's trans 'sump' as the hydraulic supply. Reason being your backhoe's reservoir is probably at a different enough height from the trans sump fluid level that even if you tied the two together you'd either be overfilling and spilling over the backhoe reservoir, or it would be nearly empty. It would be a coincidence if the actual height of the fluid levels in both tanks lined up well enough to connect them together. So you'll probably bypass that and have a tank and a filter doing nothing. Other side effect of that is if you pop a hose and manage to dump a bunch of fluid on the ground, if that fluid is your trans fluid you probably just stranded the tractor until you get more fluid, whereas if backhoe is on its own fluid you can say 'huh, dang' and just turn off the pto and drive home. :ROFLMAO:

Your tractor may have a loader valve with a power beyond port that just needs an adapter sleeve, or you may have a pressure port that lets your 3pt hydraulics feed an external attachment. Either of those will get you your pressure feed, but you still have to DIY the 'return to sump' plumbing which will probably mean drilling and tapping some kind of fitting if you use the 3pt hydraulics, or T'ing into the 'tank' port hose coming from the loader valve.

But yeah it's possible, if you want to do it go for it.
Yes l would like to use the onboard hydraulics. I’m having difficulty finding what port is what. I have three lines going to the loader valve. One is goes to the top of the tranny. Other too come from the pto. I’m not sure what line is the beyond line. I understand and work on hydraulics in manufacturing, just want to be sure I have a good understanding as to what port is what. Thank you
 
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Viccrc

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Kubota L235. Kubota BF400 loader. Ares pto backhoe
Sep 12, 2022
5
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3
18447
Yes l would like to use the onboard hydraulics. I’m having difficulty finding what port is what. I have three lines going to the loader valve. One is goes to the top of the tranny. Other too come from the pto. I’m not sure what line is the beyond line. I understand and work on hydraulics in manufacturing, just want to be sure I have a good understanding as to what port is what. Thank you
Is it ok to tee off one of the lines coming from the pto?
 

TheOldHokie

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Any advice or suggestions on how to connect pto backhoe to tractor hydraulics? L235 tractor, BF400 loader, and Arps 80 backhoe. Thank you
Its a trivial change to the plumbing - you will need a couple quick couplers and two new hoses. If the pump on the tractor is smaller than the PTO pump your backhoe will run a bit slower. If the tractorv pump is larger it will run a bit faster. Easy to make the change and you don't like the result easy to switch back.

Dan
 
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TheOldHokie

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Yes l would like to use the onboard hydraulics. I’m having difficulty finding what port is what. I have three lines going to the loader valve. One is goes to the top of the tranny. Other too come from the pto. I’m not sure what line is the beyond line. I understand and work on hydraulics in manufacturing, just want to be sure I have a good understanding as to what port is what. Thank you
The two steel lines going to the hydraulic outlet block are pressure out to loader and power beyond return from loader. See diagram below. To add the backhoe to the power beyond loop:

  1. Disconnect the loader pressure return line from the hydraulic block and connect a hose with a female quick coupler on it to the end of that line That feeds the backhoe.
  2. Connect a hose with a male quick coupler on it to the open port on the outlet block. That is return from the backhoe
  3. Using a male quick coupler connect the hose in (1) above to the pressure supply hose on the backhoe valve
  4. Using a female quick coupler connect the hose in (2) above to the tank return hose on the backhoe valve.
That's it. When the backhoe is removed you must loop hoses (1) and (2) together. The tractor has to be shut off anytime you connect or disconnect those hoses.

Dan

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