Using my SEE for real work

[lurkMcGurk]

I'm not including pictures in here as even in a self deprecating manner its almost TOO ridiculous. BUT I have since used the "DEADLY" method/maneuver to get out of two other mud hole messes completely of my own doing and since FLU farm didn't beat me to it I'm making an acronym!!!

D-driving
E-extraction
A-and
D-dangerous
L-loader
Y-yank

I do want to share some observations though as others here may not have my level of Cat Like agility I can wholeheartedly assure you before attempting this you should think it through as each situation will be different. Caveat Emptor

Some general considerations with the SEE for me once stuck and attempting extraction are the following.

1. who is watching me doing this? Important as people love to give advice that don't know $%#^ all, and its distracting!!
2. how stuck are you and on what. I'm not to worried about mud but rocks can scrape and tear so just look around a bit.
3. are there big trees around to tie off to? WELL ROOTED trees (ask me how I know) ROPS are our friends
4. tie off to the rear of the bucket and since your only using one (rope, set of jumper cables, vines) tied to the Dipper lever keep the boom high and set the tension so you can get the most travel in the dippers most powerful sweet spot.
5. be aware of the angle you are pulling out and where it will pull the rest of the machine because once you get moving you want to get all the way out not hung up. part of this is where are your stabilizers traveling, I left one of mine out as the lean was a bit much during one extraction and I did not want to tip. also if the bucket drags or the pintle hits a rock you stop moving!
6. Sounds dumb but if you have the door feature that just opens sometimes don't lean against it or use the belt. your hands will be busy

JUST prior to doing the MANUEVER
When you are set up in the drivers seat with door closed string the dipper connected rope through the window, set 4x4, clutch in, pto on, lift loader low as possible choose gears and get up a decent rev but nothing crazy, let clutch out and pull dipper. I encountered a stall on two occasions here and wonder if that was because the power gets robbed quickly by the hoe and drivetrain acting in tandem so I used intermittent pulls on the dipper.

It seems a bit crazy, oddly enough its not mentioned in the TMs or PM's but it has worked for me like I said. I will not be venturing into this particular muddy area till July ever again but the "DEADLY" method does work and maybe should be noted somewhere in this forum (for strictly academic reasons). A lot going on at once but if you are working alone and dislike most "sources" of advice available to you and have a keen interest in not wasting more time than necessary AND it seems to rain every day since you got stuck etc etc etc.. Maybe reference the above and certainly be as safe as possible or will me your estates and crazy machinery Beforehand

I recently got two 25' double ply 4 inch 40K lbs rated straps and two very large U bolts, they are great. Cheers

 

[LZahariev]

Started on some spring projects grading with the FLU. It was a bit hard at first but got the hang of it after a while. It's a delicate balance between down pressure and tilt angle. It's definitely not a track dozer but still vary effective.

 

[Migginsbros]

 

[The FLU farm]

To counteract lurkMcGurk's more interesting adventures, today I ended up using the pavement breaker for the first time, due to hard clay that needed some holes dug into it. It worked!
Since the Summer SEE was now running anyway, I took the opportunity to compress some stuff in a dumpster, to create more space.

Okay, lame, but at least I finally got to drive a SEE again. It's been a while.

Oh, there was one interesting moment. With the seat painfully dirty, I stood up while running the backhoe. That meant leaning over and operating the swing pedals by hand while the bucket was inside the dumpster. Do I really need to elaborate?

 

[LZahariev]

One good thing about the 5 ton, its perfect loading height for the FLU.

 

[peakbagger]

To counteract lurkMcGurk's more interesting adventures, today I ended up using the pavement breaker for the first time, due to hard clay that needed some holes dug into it. It worked!
Since the Summer SEE was now running anyway, I took the opportunity to compress some stuff in a dumpster, to create more space.

Okay, lame, but at least I finally got to drive a SEE again. It's been a while.View attachment 729966View attachment 729967

Oh, there was one interesting moment. With the seat painfully dirty, I stood up while running the backhoe. That meant leaning over and operating the swing pedals by hand while the bucket was inside the dumpster. Do I really need to elaborate?

The only cylinder leak I have lines up roughly with the seat with the backhoe stowed. Make for a greasy seat so I can emphasize. I use the pig style oil absorbent blankets to wipe it off and then sit on one.

 

[The FLU farm]

The only cylinder leak I have lines up roughly with the seat with the backhoe stowed. Make for a greasy seat so I can emphasize.

Well, that's good. Then your seat won't rust.

Only the outrigger cylinders on the Summer SEE leak (at the moment) and that's after the battle with mud last fall. But after sitting for some six months, the seat was a bit grungy, and all the paper towels I had handy were...you guessed it, full of AW 32.

 

[lurkMcGurk]

Went to the mulch pile today

then drove about 30 MPH home

View attachment mulching drive.MOV

 

[Pinsandpitons]

A little septic work. You know its hot when the hydro cooling fans come on with the ignition. I’ll take this opportunity to complain about the person who installed the system originally. I don’t think a shovel blade is quite deep enough.

 

[lurkMcGurk]

Nothing crazy to report with SEE work but put a new seat on to do some more work soon. Old seat rusted and as I was repositioning with bucket it caved in on itself and clearly I needded a new seat. About $59.90 free shipping with back and forth adjustment. I will fold the backhoe tomorrow to make sure the boom latches!! Cheers!

 

[Pinsandpitons]

Very nice. Where did you find that one? I think mine (original) has some front to back adjustment.

 

[lurkMcGurk]

I messed up the price its 59.50 I think free shipping too. I had to drill some hole but still a good fit. I need to check tomorrow that everything still folds down but don't anticipate a problem. Although I got that titan 32'' weld on thumb and am hesitatnt to put it on after some of the reviews on the main thread about the boom not locking! I will update the folding capability in a day or two!! Anyways go to ebay type "

Universal Tractor Seat Backrest Base&Slide Track Steel/PVC Compact Mower Seating"
​

 

[The FLU farm]

Surplus Center has (had?) nice seats for about $25. I bought a pair but have yet to install them.

 

[lurkMcGurk]

I should have know!! Thought the seat was riding a bit high. Just as the boom almost latches,


the controls hit and the bucket starts to extend and then the stabilizer!! Sooooo close but not functional for closing with the seat . The up side is the seat does slide off its track and I can just let it sit there and put it on when needed. So its more comfortable than the regular seats but not functional to close ,, I can live with that for now I think


the new stored position!!

 

[The FLU farm]

Couldn't you bend the levers a bit, so they clear?

 

[lurkMcGurk]

Oh man I gotta think about that...….that's potentially a dangerous route for me. I've gone a bit too far tweaking things before. Although if any machine deserves to be more out of the ordinary than a regular backhoe its the FLU. Perhaps thread some pool balls to replace the lever handles? A completely unique FLU! or maybe a slight bend, like I said I gotta think about that, maybe see how annoying putting the seat on and off gets first.


You know what? I wonder if I bend that tab off the seats base plate, so its lower, if I wont have the problem at all????? IE the tab that runs along the floorboard when stowing the backhoe. I'll check and edit this post in a while!


YES it will work if you bend that tab the base plate uses to slide along the runner board!

 

[The FLU farm]

Finally got to use the Summer SEE again, but to dig yet another 14'x4'x10' hole (aka a grave). Getting better at it as this was number five.

One outrigger didn't want to come back up (lever wouldn't move enough) and for a while the backhoe was very low on power. To the point that the other outrigger wouldn't go down much without helping by lifting with the backhoe, which it barely could.
Oh well, more stuff to put on the fix-it list.

 

[SeeNebraska]

cleared the driveway a few times already this season. takes a little practice to get the curl to the right angle to scrape without gouging. I have been using the float, is it supposed to latch into float position or do you always have to hold the lever down?

 

[alpine44]

cleared the driveway a few times already this season. takes a little practice to get the curl to the right angle to scrape without gouging. I have been using the float, is it supposed to latch into float position or do you always have to hold the lever down?View attachment 749780

The lever will stay in the float position after you fix/replace the spring and ball detent in the end cap of the spool valve.

 

[SeeNebraska]

The lever will stay in the float position after you fix/replace the spring and ball detent in the end cap of the spool valve.

thanks, i'll look into that! be nice to be able to have both hands again.