Wet behind the ears

Back story I am a disabled combat veteran that has never opened or
operated heavy equipment. I have owned tractors and understand
how they work well. My father who knew all this stuff passed away a
year ago.
I bought a late 70s ford 535 backhoe a few weeks back and I have a
few questions about it. I think I am getting the hang of the hoe now
after blowing 3 hoses in the first two days of using it. Today however I
had a hose blow on the loader bucket while I was using the hoe. I
found it odd that a line blew on the loader while I was using the hoe
so I asked around. The guy at the local hardware store told me that it'
likely blew because I had the loader bucket on the ground and as the
hoe moved around from working it put pressure on the loader and
blew the hose. My question is, should I or should I not have the
loader bucket on the ground while operating the hoe? I thought it
would add extra stabilization to be on the ground, however I now
think I might be wrong. Also just to be clear I was still using the
stabilizers I just had the loader down as well. Next question should
the stabilizers be down to the point that it lifts the back wheels or
should it just put pressure on the ground? Thanks in advance I'm
sure I will have more questions soon.

Welcome!

While I'm not a hoe operator, I think most would operate with all the tires off the ground. Therefore the loader bucket is used as a stabilizer as well.

Here is what the Ford Operator's manual for a later, but somewhat similar, TLB (455D) says:

"Stability is the key to correct backhoe performance. Before operating the backhoe position the loader bucket level on the ground and apply sufficient downward pressure to transfer the weight from the front wheels to the loader bucket.

Lower the stabilizers sufficiently to remove the weight from the rear wheel. The rear wheels should be slightly off the ground, raising the unit higher not only reduces stability and digging depth, but will impair performance and impose unneccesary stress in the unit."

My dad always operated the hoe with the bucket on the ground if he could,better stability that way.I would guess that you have some hoses in need of changing due to age,the complete system is pressurized so surges on the hoses are likely making old hoses fail.

sounds like you bought an old hoe that has rotted hyd lines

Thank you for your service! The cylinder to one of my stabilizers has a leak so that side settles slowly. I will be working away when I notice that the hoe is not working like it should. Press the stabilizer down again and I am good again. Hard to make the bucket go exactly where you want it when your platform is moving. Keep the weight on the bucket and stabilizers. Here is a basic operators tip: When I got my first hoe, the best operator in the area told me to always keep two cylinders in motion. It makes the operation much smoother than if you have only one in motion.

Been and operator of heavy equipment for years. One wants to if you can have all 4 wheels off the ground when using a hoe. As for the hoses blowing well that is part of life and most likely you have a back hoe with old hoses and they will blow now and then that is just a fact of life. I have an old back hoe on an 8N and when we got it my dad said we need to replace the hoses they look bad and I said we will replace them when one blows and some are still the ones he wanted to replace 20 years ago

Not the cause of the hose to fail as you can use the outriggers and front bucket in various positions, from all 4 wheels up to just enough of either to keep the backhoe from being influenced by the hoe as you use it. Also one side more than the other level up. It's a matter of preference for the conditions you are working in or what you are doing.

I was an operator for 5 years full time and spent plenty of time on these machines doing a variety of work with just about every brand available.

Sometimes I would want the outriggers fully extended, and the front bucket curled down with the cutting edge straight down so I had the best view of the work and have the machine stabilized to the max. Other times, I want the bucket flat and just enough outrigger down so that I can lift the back end with the hoe and maneuver the machine left or right with the hoe (takes some practice).

You will learn from experience how to use this type of machine effectively and most importantly, safely. Keep at it, take your time and ask as many questions as you need.

One rule of thumb is to never exceed the limitations of the machine or you skills as an operator, adhering to same will keep you out of trouble.

Check out this video. I don't think having the bucket on the ground is your problem.
Backhoe Operator

Loading a railroad cartopper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0ddhTvMwSQ

i have never used a backhoe loader but with those burst hoses make sure hydraulic fluid is not low

Thanks man that gives me a lot to go on. I worked it hard Saturday and she did good. I especially liked the cutting edge down as it gave me full stability. It's a late 70s backhoe and has a bunch of lines coming up on replacement. I have a few leaks to get under control so I'm learning a lot as I go. Ty

Hey everyone and thank you for your replies I replaced the hose and worked the machine hard yesterday. All the hoses that have failed look to be old as the machine so I'm guessing that's why. My next thought is to buy 303 by a barrel but I have zero clue as to where to find that. I have a few leaks on the lower connections coming off of the bottom of my control unit so I need to remove a few more hoses but for now I'm just gonna run it like it is and keep an eye on fluids. Again thanks for the advice and if anyone knows where to get 303 cheaper than $29 a 5 gallon bucket please let me know. Oh 1 more thing when I search 55 gallon drums of 303 all I find is other hydraulic fluids, so is there another name 303 goes by or a better version of it?

Putting down force on the loader bucket to stabilize the tractor for backhoe work is good practice, but it does put pressure in the loader lines, and it sounds like the hoses on that tractor are old and just waiting for a chance to blow out. I would replace all of the soft lines on that tractor that you haven't already replaced if it were me.