I am a design student working on a backhoe redesign for one of my senior project. The basic idea of a backhoe has not changed since it was first implemented into the construction market. My objective is to find a way to redesign the backhoe so it is more efficient, more capable, less cumbersome, and easier to operate while still maintaining the same purpose it is intended for. I have arranged a few short questions in regards to current backhoe designs. Please answer the following questions: 1) What discomforts do you experience while driving a backhoe on public roads? 2) Have you ever experienced stability issues while operating on rough or uneven terrain? (Please Explain) 3) While sitting in the pilot's seat, do you experience any blind spots or control discomforts? (Please Explain) 4) In your experience, which end of the backhoe do you use the most? 5) In your own words, what makes the backhoe the best muli tool for the job? 6) What advancements would you like to see for the backhoe in the future? Thanks for your help!
Welcome amm8565! I'm not an operator, but Case have given it some thought already. These are concept models from some time ago. Sure pics have been posted before, may not have been seen by some. Cab & hoe rotate as an excavator, rest is obvious.
1) Road speed could be higher, a discomfort would be a sore neck from all the bouncing. JD has helped this with Ride Control but it could be better. 2) Yes, backhoes are inherently top heavy 3) Not really visibility can be a problem using the loader bucket but manufacturers have came a long way with that. 4) John Deere 410G 5) I can unload palletized materials off my truck with quick attach forks. Backblade with the bucket and get to the next hole quicker then with a excavator. Sometimes my next hole is a mile down the road. 6) More durable electronics
I've explored making the cab rotate but it seamed like an obvious choice. I guess case agrees. Thanks for the pics, I haven't seen these models before.
The main problem that I have deals with the exterior on an open cab machine. I want a roof section that does not hold water which always sloshes out and splatters you when you start to move a machine after a rain. It never fails, start to move and then stop and what feels like a few gallons of cold water comes pouring down... I also would love a hood design that allows one to raise the side panels and check all fluid levels, belts, etc. without having the front bucket raised up.
From my point of view backhoe is the earth moving sector fossil.......In Europe is losing market year by year!!! May I suggest you to digit on web "GALLMAC" and you'll see the future of mini/midi earth moving machines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StCQikDv7z4 you may like this video
Nice but long wheel base, not suitable for narrow job site! Isn't it? The real multipurpose machines are Gallmac and Mecalac, no way of comparison...They should kill the backhoes! Are you agree?
In America backhoe's are still a good all around machine. I understand Europe has been settled for thousands of years and you consistantly build on top of each other but, we still have a lot of room for growth. I am constantly on sites tht will have a few hundred acres to develop. We can and do have larger machines because we are still developing virgin ground. Small and compact is the way to go when you can only get one tractor on site. I may have 50 on one site and most operate in road gear 60 percent of the day. We are comparing apples to oranges here. We are entirely two seperate markets. To that point, the Case proto type has some really nice fetures ie; rear blade insted of crappy stabilizer, four wheel steer, zero turn cab and boom. Very nice machine. Looks a lot better than the old farm tractor with a loader and boom added to it. We do need an update on a 100 year old tractor base. Terex has the good hood opening. The whole thing hood/grill/sides comes up as one piece with the loader down.
It seems the gallmac is still a wheeled excavator. it is nice the ease of changing buckets but i would be a little nervous digging with a loader bucket on a excavator arm. i could imagine there would be a bit of a bounce pushing iinto a pile. i'll stick to a tlb.
Couldn't agree more, its the same down here. We use nothing fancier than what comes standard on the standard machines; dozer, grader, ex, loader, and of course, backhoes (and skidsteers). Still get the job done well enough. If you want to plant a garden and do landscaping, a couple of fellows with wheel barrows and spades work just fine.
:IMO everyone saying true things, but everyone never drove one machine like Gallmac...theory and practice should be mixed ever or left free ever!! I mean you are right when you are arguing about your machines but you cannot reject the machine of the other if you never touched....Believe me, sooner or later in the mini/midi earth moving machine sector all specific (one task) models will disappear, and the question will be between multipurpose machines and backhoes, but backhoe will lose.....
You are very right but I hope it does not happen during the rest of my carreer. Nothing like trying to fix one machine on site when you are in everyone's way. I have to have my sweet heart with me every where I go. My service truck of cource! The closer the better.
I agree alrman. Case has a pretty good concept that solves one of the biggest issues I have with a BHL, not being able to slew your material more than 180 degrees. The reason Case has probably not brought this to market is the cost to produce such a tractor, I imagine the machine would be pricey and not be able to compete price wise with mini-ex's - in the US market anyway.
I liked what I saw but I would think the price is going to cost a lot more than the 180 loader like the JCB 3cx. If I was an owner operator the new style 360 wheeled loader/excavator would guarantee me no lay off time but I am retired now so it's up to the young guys now