Overall weight limit of a B6000

[69Rebel]

Newbie here, second post.
Anywho, I have a B6000 that I've had for a couple of years, love it. Occasionally it is a little light in weight for the task at hand, but the size is great. I recently got a smokin' deal on a backhoe attachment that I was hoping would fit, but was a little put off when it weighed out at 960lbs.
I don't have any problem with fabbing up some brackets and stting up a PTO-driven pump.
My concern is that with the weight of the backhoe, brackets, pump and tank, FEL, and ballast, this puppy is going easily weigh 3000lbs. Is that just too much for the axles/bearings?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

#1 thing to consider, do you have a reverse drive unit for your PTO, if your going to run a pump off of it you'll need that.
#2 Your going to be putting on a backhoe that weighs more than the entire tractor, not a good Idea in my opinion.

 

[85Hokie]

Newbie here, second post.
Anywho, I have a B6000 that I've had for a couple of years, love it. Occasionally it is a little light in weight for the task at hand, but the size is great. I recently got a smokin' deal on a backhoe attachment that I was hoping would fit, but was a little put off when it weighed out at 960lbs.
I don't have any problem with fabbing up some brackets and stting up a PTO-driven pump.
My concern is that with the weight of the backhoe, brackets, pump and tank, FEL, and ballast, this puppy is going easily weigh 3000lbs. Is that just too much for the axles/bearings?

Your tractor when full of fuel and you on it, might weigh 1100 lbs, and you are going to stick a device that weighs 960 off the rear end? First thing , go get some cheap term life ins! Seriously - you will need a A LOT of counter weight on the front end, like 400+ lbs.

that series has the PTO that spin backwards - that will be another cost to figure into the thought.

Might ought to look into a different tractor!

 

[69Rebel]

It does have the 350-400lb FEL on it, so there is that. But, yeah, I was kind of figgering as much. I just really liked the thought of a small machine with a heavy duty backhoe. The one I have is only about as long as one you might see on a BX-series tractor, but considerably more stout.
With regard to the pump, those are available in right, left, or bi-directional, so the reverser isn't necessary. Heck, one could just build a mount with a jackshaft that will run a pump in parallel with the PTO for cheaper than getting a reverser..

Looks like I'll have a B-6000 up for sale.

 

[ShaunRH]

You could always fab up a tow mount for the backhoe and buy a separate engine/pump unit for it.

Towable backhoes are just as useful as tractor mounted ones for most things and sometimes they can get into spots a tractor can't. For a small backhoe unit, it's not a bad option.

 

[69Rebel]

I decided that I'm probably going to build a subframe and mount the thing to my tractor. From researching, the backhoe that was originally available was over 600lbs. 300lbs additional I don't think in gonna make or break the deal.
B6000 4X4 = 1050lbs.
Kubota FEL= ~400lbs
My backhoe= 960lbs
Front wheel weights plus additional front end ballast 200-300lbs.
Total 2600-2710 lbs.

My primary concern was with tearing up the tractor, not flipping it over. I think if I build the subframe solidly and tie it in with the FEL subframe, it will be OK until I can get a little bit larger tractor.
PTO direction is completely inconsequential.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Worse case scenario, you'll turn your little tractor in to a horse shoe.

 

[69Rebel]

Worse case scenario, you'll turn your little tractor in to a horse shoe.

I sure hope not. I am still a little concerned about all of that weight on the bearings. But, they sure look more heavy duty that what's on my Nissan pickup and it carries more weight than this every day and has for nearly 30 years.

 

[gpreuss]

Unless you are digging sand, I believe your big problem is going to be that the backhoe will toss around your 1100 lb tractor like it was a toy!
I have an old Kubota K650 backhoe - about 600 lbs - originally from my L185 that weighed in at 1800 lbs, plus dualies, plus 200 lbs/side wheel weights, plus cacl fluid, plus the L1200 loader, and it was tossed about. I sometimes had to have a front bucket full of dirt to keep the front end down...
Now I'm using the same backhoe on my L3200 - the tractor weighs another 700 lbs, and the loader another 400+ lbs, and the backhoe will still pick it up and drag it!
On the other hand, the BX series somehow manage to handle a backhoe just fine...

 

[koja]

Unless you are digging sand, I believe your big problem is going to be that the backhoe will toss around your 1100 lb tractor like it was a toy!
I have an old Kubota K650 backhoe - about 600 lbs - originally from my L185 that weighed in at 1800 lbs, plus dualies, plus 200 lbs/side wheel weights, plus cacl fluid, plus the L1200 loader, and it was tossed about. I sometimes had to have a front bucket full of dirt to keep the front end down...
Now I'm using the same backhoe on my L3200 - the tractor weighs another 700 lbs, and the loader another 400+ lbs, and the backhoe will still pick it up and drag it!
On the other hand, the BX series somehow manage to handle a backhoe just fine...

I agree , I have a 2014 BX25D and the back hoe will move you around . Even with*the fel full of dirt you can pull yourself into the hole if you're not careful. That's with rear tires filled , stabilizers down , and my butt on the seat . Even mine is too light at times.

 

[ShaunRH]

I was told by the salesman at the dealer that the BX series had a frame as strong as the L3200 I was purchasing to handle the backhoe, but no matter how I looked at it, any hoe larger than what came on a BX25D was going to do damage to the machine.

I would be wary of anything larger than what comes on the BX from the factory, no matter how much you brace it or work it. It's a tough tractor from all accounts but the thing is smaller than a compact car!