Hey everyone. I bought an old 4500 Backhoe/Loader that hasn't run in years. Head removed, sitting in a field. The Loader and Hoe are down. Not sure how to get it on my trailer! How can I winch this old beast up? Somehow, I need to raise the hoe and secure it. Any suggestions would be appreciated. What I have: A truck, A flatbed trailer with a winch, a dead backhoe. LOL.
Pics of truck? You might build an "A" frame for your truck and use it to pick up the hoe and chain it up.
It is a no frills 1993 chevy 1 ton.
I'd use a bottle jack under the bucket. You'll need to dig a hole for it, stick a couple of 2x6's under the jack. Lift it enough to get some more 2x6 under the bucket. Collapse the jack, add some more wood under it, and lift it some more. Keep on doing it till you get it high enough to clear the trailer. Chain it up to keep it there.
to move the hydraulics you can crank the engine over with the starter and at the same time move the hoe lever.
Put a roller on the tail of your trailer,back trailer to bucket,blocks under the tail of trailer,hook winch line to bucket. If it's a little weenie winch you may have to rig a multi-part line, but if it won't lift the buckets, it won't move the tractor on a single-part either. Chain loader bucket to loader arms before lifting arms and the front shell on a 4500 is heavy enough to support the arms with a chain. The hoe's travel lock from the factory is chains. You'll see a keyhole slot in the end of each outrigger and 2 slot brackets on the back of the boom. One of the 4500's most aggravating features is that the hoe is only a couple of feet off the ground and way back behind the tires when stowed; they take long ramps. Don't forget to release hydraulic oil as you try to move attachments, they will not move if you don't. You could also lift them with a heavy duty come-a-long like you would chain them up but your leverage wouldn't be as good. However you do it block them as you go so if something slips you don't lose what you've gained. Make sure you find someplace safe to stand so nothing falls on you when something slips. Either way you are looking at a days work for 2 men and a pickup load of chains, blocks, etc. I would consider borrowing another loader tractor or even a big farm tractor with a 3 ph boom; You're best bet may be hiring a pickup size boom wrecker for an hour.
Iam with Mitch get a Ratchett hoist and jack the hoe up by hooking to the main boom .Then on the bucket see if the hood would hold laying a chain down the center then hooking the ratchett to the end of the chain then around the center of the bucket,just enough to pick it up off the ground
The loader part is easy, just run a chain under the bucket and hook to the tractor, when pulling the winch will raise the bucket. A little shovel work will get a chain under there. I'm with the others on the boom, ratchet hoist or small tow truck hoist.
Geez of course ointhead
How about a Hi-lift jack? I blew the high pressure line off the hydraulic pump of my JD 350 Track loader pushing back snowbanks in the winter. Couldnt get the grille out without raising loader, the Hi-lift did it and worked good. Of course, your now obligated to take some pics of the machine so all of us can see:drinkup Is the motor locked up?
get that dead ford onto the trailer! Guys, thank you for all of the great advice, I am going to print this thread, load chains, blocks, jacks and anything else I can think of (gotta find a ratchet hoist) and get out there next weekend. The loader looks like a slam dunk, but it will be a treat getting the hoe up. I'm going to work this on Saturday July 31st. Will be posting pics afterward. Some items asked: The winch on my trailer is a Ramsey 9000lb. Not industrial, but not bad either. The engine on the 4500 is very very stuck. Someone pulled the head years ago and left the block exposed for mother nature. I'll get pics of that up. I'll let you guys know how I make out. 31 July will be my first shot. Thanks again!!
Lots of pics! what year 4500? whats wrong with it besides the engine?
Not sure of the year. The story on it that it was running when parked, and the owner started working to give it a ring job. Then, it sat. It looks pretty straight other than the motor being a giant mudpuddle of rust. I don't want to look too far ahead as I haven't even gotten it on the trailer yet, but my plan is to clean it up, unstick it, see whats what, then rebuild if it isn't too far gone. Parts are all over the place, so odds are that it isn't complete. Anyway, it will be a big job. First things first though. If you guys have any more suggestions on the hoe, put it on here as I will printing this thread out on Friday before I head over there. Thanks again!
There's chain reliefs in the boom of the hoe by the main lift cyl hook it there then around the frame 3 point area then come along it up or chain fall. stabilizers will have the same
Bottom Pic...
So you have just got yourself a basket case 4500 eh? I hope your Prozac prescription is still current. I have a 1968 4500 that was running when I bought it in March and I am still fixing major stuff on it and it’s August. As far as lifting the attachments, I welded 2 loops to the top of my 4500-radiator shield in order to lift it off when I had to rebuild the entire steering system on mine. The shield weldment is VERY top heavy so a high lift point is mandatory. I borrowed a friend’s forklift for that adventure. The shield is also the main hydraulic tank so don’t do anything to damage it. If you own an oxyacetylene gas ax take it with you on your adventure. There are times when it will be indispensable. But always try and figure another way before you burn something off you’ll wish that you had left on later. For cutting attachment points in plate and heating to straighten stuff out, it is very handy. Take an assortment of bolts that will fit through the links of your chain. You’ll need washers and nuts as well for making loops in your chains, which are never the right length. As someone stated before, a chain and come-along across the radiator shield will do no harm to the shield except for scratched paint, if there is any left. First chain the loader bucket to the lift frame. If you don’t want to weld loops onto the top of the shield, take a short chain and a boomer run between the oil filter lid and the dipstick and hook over the top into the access panel holes in the sides. Then you can hook onto that hard point over the front without worrying about it slipping forward. Drop your come-along over the front of the shield to pull up on the square crosstube of the frame behind the bucket. Once you have it raised up a ways, have some 2 foot pieces of 4 inch tube or pipe cut in half lengthways to slide over the main lift cylinders as backup for the chain over the front. Better safe than sorry. You can run a tag line back from your hard point on top of the radiator shield to the top of the backhoe boom to pull it up as well. If someone holds the stabilizer valves open you ought to be able to hoist them by hand. With several good come-alongs, boomers and lots a chain it should be a snap. Be sure to double bind everything before you get on the road. For OEM parts I have found Messick’s Ford/New Holland in PA to be a very user-friendly bunch to deal with. Their website is very helpful. I find that quite often it is cheaper to pay freight than local sales tax. For downloadable parts lists and pricing use Mozzila to copy the price lists into Word. They can still get a lot of rubber gaskets and boots which are not available from any other source. The parts diagrams will copy straight over as “gif”s after you zoom full screen. They have access to a discontinued OEM Ford parts warehouse up there although they are very proud of the stuff you get from it. I have sent out requests for used parts on the Tractorhouse homepage. Have gotten several good responses from various salvage yards and a retired Ford Tractor Dealer in Kansas. I found aftermarket steering parts from Alexander Tractor in Winnsboro TX. They import steering shaft units from Turkey. They also have a number of rebuilt steering units in stock. The pictures in order of appearance are: 1) as delivered 2) mostly fixed and repainted 3) reinstalling shield/tank with forklift. notice loops welded to top Can’t wait to see pictures of the endeavor. Good luck John
I cannot start a post and have gone back 20 odd pages for a fix. I have a 416 cat 1989 with the tranny out and need to move it, boom, bucket, and outriggers are down, how to get them up? I have a bobcat and fork lift in the shop, are thier locks on the outriggers? Are their bleeders near them I have to open to lift? Or should I add a pump with quick connects?
Make sure you disconect the Drive line. The latch is near the differential lever on the right hand side of the tractor. You could damage the transmission if you do not.