Hey guys. I am thinking about picking up an inexpensive backhoe to do some work on our property. I found a Case 580 C advertised that looks really nice, but one of the swing cylinders is blown. He says oil just pours out of it. Says he has the seal kit but hasn't had time to install it. The rest of the machine looks decent from the pictures, and he says the rest of it is in great shape. I wonder why he hasn't installed the seal kit or had it done, because it seems like it would make it much more saleable. How hard a job is this? I am mechanically inclined, and have done a bit of work on cars, but have never worked on diesel or hydraulics. How hard is it to remove the swing cylinders if I were to send them out to get rebuilt? If oil pours out of the leaking cylinder, will that happen all the time the machine is running, or only when that cylinder is operating? I want to know if I can test the rest of the machine. Thanks for any guidance. David
It's been my experience - and many others - that when it comes to these old machines you will spend just about as much time working on them as working with them. It shows some spunk for someone with no experience in diesel or hydraulics to consider an old diesel powered machine with so much hydraulics. I'm not sure if that is commendable or naive - that's for you to decide. What kind of work are you looking to do at your place and have you ever operated a piece of equipment before?
I'm one step beyond you in the journey. I have an old backhoe. One difference between cars and construction machinery is scale. The tools and pieces are much bigger and heavier. The swing cylinder rebuild has a nut and gland beyond automotive tools. You would be well served to take it off and let a hydraulic shop do it. The other consideration is the fun you can have learning to operate it and fixing it.
simple just poping the nut with a breaker bar and pipe a bitch
It took me a second to figure the picture out.. and I see the gland nut wrench in the pic too.. NICE WORK.. Where theres a will.. theres a way..
I think it was a C I had at the time when this problem happened a couple times.
I'm in the middle of making repairs to a 580C I bought a few months ago. You need to look it over with a fine tooth comb or hire a mechanic to do it. I've been around heavy equipment most of my life and I'm embarrassed about how many items I missed/ overlooked that needed attention. If I didn't have almost free access to a machine/welding shop(my friend owns it) I would have had to abandon my project due to high costs. Even doing all the welding and machining myself I have spent thousands in Case parts, supplies, materials, oils, etc. Not to mention hundreds of hours for my labor to take things apart, fix them, and put it back together.
In case you missed the case rebuild threads going on.. It looks like EVERYONE is getting parts and advice from DALE at tractor stuff.. I've had the pleasure of dealing w/ him myself.. and can tell you, he's a stand-up guy..
Hi David, Well a picture would help others' see what you are seeing too. As an aside, having purchased three CASE machines in the last few decades, I can say they are solid and good value. One other really nice feature is that they are easy to repair from the aspect of access and of a simple basic design that doesn't require too many specialised tools. My risk reduction idea though is not to cut cost with a wrecker, but look for a machine with obvious quality and less age, you will benefit from the freedom of the current owners' problems in the machine he is keen to offload. Case in point, my Wife and I went to a local dealer 200Km away and passed up this machine here at $23,000 AUD inc' tax (but that was early 2010 - 6½ years ago). For this one at $40,000 AUD inc' tax. A lot later machine, complete cab, tidier, more attachments, no loud "knock" in the Cummins and less rust. Even so I found areas that had been tampered with to cover up minor problems and somewhere in its very recent Railway Department life the transmission had been rebuilt by "CASE-CARE" Australia. After a few thousand dollars of imported and local parts, it doesn't leak or burn any oil and is a strong performer - the AC *still doesn't work though* - and I should have made the dealer demonstrate it to work or fix it but didn't have that on my mind as I wrote the cheque . Good luck.
Thanks for the replies, everyone. This scares me: I'm probably a bit naive. I've worked on old cars and farm tractors, and assumed owning an older backhoe would be similar. Well, except for the hydraulic and diesel stuff! I was hoping that if I found one in decent condition, with good care and fluids, it would last forever with minor hose and seal repairs here and there. This is the one I am interested in: DANG! I just went to look for it on Craigslist where I saw it, and it's gone! Probably a blessing in disguise. I am really hoping to find something in the $4-6K range. I know that's peanuts, but it's all I can justify for just fooling around with on my land. As far as hiring a qualified mechanic to go over one I might be considering, is that a straightforward thing to arrange? Do you just go to the local Case dealer and ask if one of their guys can make a house call? Or do you find a guy to do it off the clock? And how do you find such a guy? I'm probably off this scheme for a while, anyway. David
For that price range, I think renting for a week here and there would better serve you.
For that price range your gonna have to get up pretty early in the morning to find that listing before someone else.. Its the same w/ boats.. As far as going to a dealer and asking about, after hours work.. don't get caught.. and if you walk in the front door, your gonna pay dealer labor rates, for inspections.. I've found most of my after hrs people on their lunch hr or watering hole, after work.. and are MORE LIKELY to talk shop AWAY from work. If you know what I mean..?? They usually have a uniform on.. Good luck w/ your search..
Jumping in again ... Besides the usual engine and electrical repairs. Backhoes wear cylinder seals and pins/bushings. Check out the thread "580se gland nut won't budge" for a taste of repairs and capabilities needed.
You aren't totally green. Greenhorns, like news reporters describe everything painted yellow as a bulldozer. You may be young, at the beginning of a life where you will one day give advice to the rest of us. The act of you calling it a 580 says a lot about where your knowledge is now. These tractors are different. Letter suffixes separate very different levels of technology. Put a never run one before operator in an N series, he'll do OK, in a 580CK the learning curve is a lot rounder. Nice used tractors need a lot of work. Beaters can be overwhelming to a newcomer. Early on purchase price was everything to me. Later in life my credit is a bit better, and I realize I have no more hours than anyone else. If you want to refurbish tractors, that's one thing. If you want to save money, hire someone. If you want a nice machine because you want to use it, buy a nice machine. The one you speak of is not a nice machine. If it were in perfect condition, it'd be a make do machine. Willie
Instead of just jumping in with both feet and buying a machine, I'd consider renting a few different machines - not at the same time - to see which one serves you best for what you need to do. I've rented equipment many times over the years and still would if I needed something I don't have. It's a good way to get experience and make a more educated decision about buying one.
I bought the first backhoe I looked at, 580c, it was close to home, never owned, run, or worked on one before. I thought it would save me time and money building my house. I should have looked around but not too many in my price range with out driving all over. So far I have spent a lot of time and money fixing it, mostly stuff someone even more in-experienced than me had tried to fix before. For what I have invested I could have easily paid someone else to do the work but I like doing things myself. My machine is in better shape now than when I bought it and if I did decide to sell it I think I could recoup most of my investment not including what I have put in it if I can keep it in good working order. After owning and working with this machine for about a year I can't see myself selling it anytime soon unless I can find a deal on an upgrade, it is very useful. If I can complete most of the work on my house I may try to restore all of the functions that currently don't work like gauges, lights, brakes, and clutch cut out, and oil leaks. When I bought it I was only concerned about digging you should look at what features the model you are looking at should have, if anything isn't working 100% it will cost you a lot of dough to fix. A $2 o-ring could cost you $500 in labor.
DB, I am in much the same boat as you. We bought 20 acres a few years back and I started looking for a backhoe to dig stumps. move dirt, etc. I didn't (and still don't) have much money and certainly couldn't justify spending 25K on a machine to work around the house. It took me over a year to find a 555 Ford that I paid 8K for. Most people said that for that price it would be scrap. Well that was over 10 years ago and the backhoe is still in service. I've had to split it twice, replace numerous hoses, repack cylinders, etc. to keep it going but it still works. Granted, I wouldn't have someone in the ditch while I was digging it but that's not what I bought it for. It's a very simple machine, no electronics, just an oil pressure and temperature gauge which makes it simpler to work on. I'm a computer programmer by trade (not a mechanic) and don't have a fancy shop or every tool in the world but I get by. Certainly, a 40 thousand dollar machine is better that a 8k machine but you have to decide what works for you. The 8k 555 I have has worked great for me and if I ever sell I don't think I'd loose any money plus the work I do on it is kind of therapeutic for me. Good Luck!
I picked my 2004 John Deere 210LE up at an out of town Ritchie Auction for $12k. I had a "supposed" qualified "character" check it out and his reply was "well it runs, shifts and the hydraulics work, but I think it has an exhaust leak"...so I placed my internet bid and was ecstatic when I won. A BEAUTIFUL machine with very little wear and evidently contract maintained VERY well. When it arrived... it had a frigg'n bad rod! Well, $10K later and with some project overruns I have a machine that will last my lifetime on my ranch. I'm not sorry in the least but I DID learn some very important lessons... 1.) You get what you pay for... 2.) Good tractors 'aint cheap... 3.) Broken tractors are expensive to fix (and a LOT of work) Renting is a GREAT option, but it's nicer to have your own tractor! After my experience I wouldn't touch some of the projects here on the forum with a ten foot pole. Here's "Johnny" Paul
go to your local town road/highway dept inquire on a mechanic for on the side work they do work during the slow days or winter paid 10 for mine and put in 5k but for all the stumps and logs i pulled dug a pond leveled the property it was worth the expense and bet i can get at least 10k for it back
Plongson, Maybe you didn't steal it but that's a nice looking tractor - even at 22. I'll bet Johnny earns his keep and it looks like he has a good life there - esp. if he gets to sleep inside on that nice clean floor. Looks cleaner than my house.
I jumped in with both feet, bought a CK580 20+ years ago, it paid for itself in the first week and has needed some love and care but it gets an hour or two of repair every year, all new teeth and shanks this year and new steering lines. Its easy enough to work on.
Ha! Ya, Johnny has it made in his new life. It was going to reside in a tall boy connex but so far has ended up in the shop. When not work'n the dirt we're drinking beer and play'n the stereo...lol What a great second life Huh?? I guess we're BOTH retired!
I thought he was doing good with his nice digs - I didn't know he got to drink beer and listen to music, too. I hope my machines don't find out or they'll probably go on strike.