Maximum Driving Distance...

baddogdgs

New User
Can anyone tell me what the maximum recommended driving distance is for a backhoe? My son bought a 1995 Cat 614B for his business and doesn't have a trailer yet.
 
I've driven them 35-40 miles. Just pack a lunch. I think it's what you're willing to do more than a recommended max existing.
 
Thank you! I was concerned because last night he drove it about 20 miles (hills and flats) and it sounded like the oil was boiling in the rear diff. It was hot to the touch. Would that be normal?
 
Drive it as far as you want.
I use to drive my dads Ford 4500 backhoe for miles and miles between jobs when he first went into business, Long before I had a driving permit. He did not get a trailer till everything was paid off.
My dad did not believe in having too many bills to pay. LOL..
 
Change it .. May be the wrong oil in it.. Disc brakes and prolonged distances will heat it up.. Put the prescribed oil in it to reduce future problems.. Not sure what "Clatterpillar" says for suitable oil.. Maybe someone else on this site will know..
 
According to cat roadability is unlimited so guess you can drive it as far as you can afford fuel and tires for.
 
In all likelihood, the hot rear end is a good thing - it will get the water out of there. Check the levels (if there was water it may be down now), make sure it looks/smells good and is the right fluid.

The fundamental reason not to road them much is the price of tires, fuel and operator time. You get a comparatively large amount of wear on some very expensive tires running them on tar, and it's slow as heck, while not making any money.

Depending on the state there may or may not be a registration needed for running on the road, too. Whether or not liability insurance is also required, if you manage to hit something expensive, or someone, you'll wish you had that, if you don't. When towing insurance generally goes with the towing vehicle, which will already have it.
 
(quoted from post at 22:04:02 05/17/14) In all likelihood, the hot rear end is a good thing - it will get the water out of there. Check the levels (if there was water it may be down now), make sure it looks/smells good and is the right fluid.

The fundamental reason not to road them much is the price of tires, fuel and operator time. You get a comparatively large amount of wear on some very expensive tires running them on tar, and it's slow as heck, while not making any money.

Depending on the state there may or may not be a registration needed for running on the road, too. Whether or not liability insurance is also required, if you manage to hit something expensive, or someone, you'll wish you had that, if you don't. [b:2b4e677fa9]When towing insurance generally goes with the towing vehicle, which will already have it.[/b:2b4e677fa9]
In IL that's true for personal vehicles, but not commercial. Anything being towed by a commercial vehicle here has to have it's own insurance.
 
Thank you Jim! The tractor was just serviced from the dealer that took it in on trade and had the fluids changed. (Evident from the fill plug that was hogged out from an impact gun.) I used to work at a truck shop in my younger years, but this is a different animal!
 
Yea, the tires on it are spent anyway from past road wear. My son plans to put it on a trailer after his business gets established. He is working on a contract with someone to haul it for him to bigger jobs. Right now he is doing local work with it.
 
aparently you can drive them as long as you want to, the south of the boarder types around here do, they have the tractor, but nothing to haul it on, and routinly road them for anywhere from 5 up to 40 -50 miles, they get to the job about time to shut down and go home for the day lol
 

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