Nortrac towable backhoe: my best dumb transport mode idea yet!

I put the bucket into the tractor bucket and drove backwards today. That worked well, too!
Edited by YouCut:youcutapp.page...

[@Idahoprepper71]

I built an attachment that slips in my trailer hitch and I just take the bucket set it down on there and it hooks it in and I tow all over the place. works with my side by side too

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

Nice!

[@dodgeme1986truck]

Some of these towables can exceed hitch manufacturer carrying ratings at the bucket so you will want to remember that hitch capacity is also halved when off the paved road since the ground can cause bouncing... I've personally seen a 7500 lb draw 500lb tongue weight rated receiver ripped from a vehicle frame just by going from pavement to relatively flat field and it was only at 4000lbs trailer draw, 400lb tongue weight...and both receiver and truck were shiny new yet everything freshly torqued... The cause was found to be the shock loading from driving across the field.

[@shane3878]

If they only made something you could put in the hitch to do this. I think I'd call it a bed extender. :)

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

I have one! Why didn't I think of that?!..and I could use a chain to suspend the bucket slightly below for slack. Goodness. Well...next time 🤣

[@shane3878]

@@Mr.Handy-ish They are dang handy to have laying around.

[@williamcunningham1448]

Wouldnt it be easier to put a hitch that goes onto a trailer on the back side of the bucket and hook onto your trailer ball????

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

Could be a cool mod. It might affect the digging, though...or the curl of the bucket far enough. I like the way you're thinking. This was an on-the-fly idea fairy moment. Thanks for watching and dropping a comment!

[@kerrystrunk3194]

the nor-trac unit is a much better unit than the Harbor Freight unit but the HF machine has taller more streetable wheels and tires on it if you want to tow this any distance I'd opt for swapping out those little wheels for something bigger, probably cheaper in the long run than what it's gonna cost to fix your truck, tailgates ain't cheap !!!

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

This was to avoid putting in transport mode...only moved a short distance on property. The little tires work fine in tow mode running down road to neighbors. It's not street legal, and I don't go fast at all. Bigger tires sound like good advice for true road transport...with a hazard sign. Or just trailer it??

[@dodgeme1986truck]

Here's a trick make a bucket dolly that way you can maneuver it to where you need it without actually converting into transport mode with a ball hitch or pin hitch.

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

Like a little three wheel tow-behind? 🤔. Cool idea.

[@dodgeme1986truck]

@@Mr.Handy-ish kinda like a semi converter dolly except where the fifth wheel would be would be either a basket the bucket could go into or a trailer ball and a bucket clamping coupler

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

Something to toss around my noggin. The semi dolly style is a nice approach. Basically a mini trailer for the bucket to sit in....trick is to secure it. I'm not exactly on flat ground 😲.

[@dodgeme1986truck]

@@Mr.Handy-ish neither am I... believe I gave 2ideas the other would be a trailer coupler you slide on the edge and maybe have a pin boss welded or bolted to the back of the bucket... The dolly trailer is just to handle the weight since the bucket has alot of mechanical leverage downforce... I have the harbor freight version with 3bucket teeth and a small chunk of 2inch 1/4wall fits over my bucket teeth and since I run 2inch couplers on all my road trailers I used a 2inch coupler for a 2inch tongue and 3pieces of 5/8 id 1inch od round tubing to create a pin mount for the back of the bucket just haven't gotten to the converter dolly... I also changed my tires since mine is used almost solely off road to some 22x11-10 4ply high load atv tires on 10x10 4on4 pattern rims since mine is used in blue clay (usually saturated wet) I had issues with the skinny trailer tires sinking to the towables frame these being over twice as wide really are helpful... Another mod for muddy conditions is to bolt some 4in x4in x2ft long wood blocks to the outrigger feet just in front of the dirt spikes this reduces sinking in mud and prevent dragging. If working from a paved surface 2chunks of railroad tie prevent the dirt spikes from contacting the pavement surface (either concrete or asphalt).

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

@@dodgeme1986truck Thanks for the ideas! I may end up attempting them...or something like them. 👍

[@davidstage522]

I put the cutting edge of the bucket behind the ball of the receiver on my 4 wheeler and left the trencher up and it moves it just fine.

[@michaelott1551]

Wheel bearings are not greased.

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

Ya know, I saw or heard somewhere that you need to grease or keep an eye on those, but didn't think for a second that they wouldn't come greased. Will give it a look before next use. Thanks!

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqPHp2Nnesylh9U

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

Thank you!

[@crosscounty54]

Super ideal . I'm gonna try it with palette

[@3rdcoastpesca]

looking at the bucket at 1:36 i see daylight in between i see you busted a weld

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

Good eye! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHKbgZqippebf7c I had a neighbor fix it in exchange for some trenching. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYGqpJ6ojK9_Y6s

[@bpwoltz]

Yes he did. Apparently he does alot of stupid things with it including still using it after the weld on the side of the bucket broke. Like this idea. It has a hitch for a reason. Use it.

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

I don't hide my stupid or claim to know best practices. 😬...I have the video posted where I pull that weld. If you want to watch an expert, definitely don't watch me 😂. Have a great day.

[@REGINALD-rq4hk]

I bought the nortrac backhoe in late October, being winter was on its way .I wasn't going to assemble till this coming spring. I'm 72 like a kid i could resist not assembly it. Using my big tractor stap it lift out crate no problem .The took my bx 1800 kubota strap the arm swung it around went ito place like a puzzle. I really enjoy your vidio you talk and act like my son in law.give me number chuckles. A bit advice use tie wraps ,to hold hoses in plcace.start from bottom give enough slack strap to were hoses connect to cylinder.follow along strap to another tie wrap to hos on cylinder give slack follow along top off bomb bend anstrp to hydraulic hose on use for bucket. If I knew how I wold send you a pic of how I ran my hoses to look good and prevent damaged to hoses. Its winter here up state ny. Looking forward to using mind. Hope to find more video of you site ,of use of the nortrac. I like the design of the boom and some other features. Which sold me. Strap your hoses make a old man,feel happier bless to all.

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

I think I'm seeing it...your description. Thanks.

[@REGINALD-rq4hk]

@@Mr.Handy-ish may and your family have a blessed good Friday. I hope I didn't offend you in any way about the hoses. I deeply apogize if I did. Meant a lot to me in you replying back to me. You make a elderly man happy on you nortrac video s. I just used mind a bit recently. I have a drott 50 excavator made it 70s. International 3514 industrial backhoe also in 70s. Oliver 550 has a parson industrial loader backhoe attached also 70s. Three OC -3 Oliver dozer, three HG series Oliver dozer tracavayors all made in mid 40s,finally something older than me. In all my life I never had anything new. The nortrac is the only thing new. I feel I owe it a good wax job ,not get it dirty. If you ever run across OC-3 or 4 Oliver dozer buy it you'll never regrett. They are small and so versatile easy to work on and it go good with your Nortrac. Look it up you be surprised. Wish you lived close by like you first time I saw your nortrac video. Sorry for length of text. Bless you and your family 👪 Reg

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

Thanks for the Good Friday hello! No offense taken at all...in fact I ordered a cheap solution that MIGHT work for those hoses. We'll try it out this spring break! Old equipment can be so much fun. Challenging, but fun. So many folks nowadays don't know how...and won't try working on their stuff. So it either goes to a mechanic $$$...or gets neglected.

[@Fourandaquarter]

I wonder if some kind of hitch arrangement that clamps to the bucket might work. Clamp the device to the bucket, then use the machine to lay that down on the ball, and tow it away.

[@Mr.Handy-ish]

That'd be cool. Another commenter mentioned fabricating something like that. I especially like the idea of it clamping on rather than being permanent or drilled on.

[@dodgeme1986truck]

Why not use a dolly trailer under the bucket something you could hook to a truck, atv/utv, lawn/garden/ subcompact/fullsize tractor... There is quite some weight at the bucket even with it fully curled this would allow towing with smaller equipment without needing to switch modes, as the for lack of better description converter dolly would take most of the weight