I don't really want to hear from the safety police, so if you include yourself in that crowd, please don't read this.
While the backhoe on the BX23 is capable of performing a lot of tasks, operating the machine is a royal pain. First, you move the machine to the right location, then dismount and rotate the seat to the backhoe position, get on the seat and lower the stabilizers and complete the work that it can reach, without moving the tractor. Then to move the tractor, do it all in reverse, and then reverse it again to return to backhoe work.
To simplify the whole operation it would be nice to be able to move the tractor when the seat is in the backhoe position. The first involves bypassing the treadle safety switch. In my case, last year I wired in a switch that bypasses all the safety switches. The original intention was to be able to operate the tractor temporarily if some of the safety switches failed. Normally it is in the off position, but now, for backhoe operation it is on. This allows treadle operation in the seat backhoe position. Secondly, you need to be able to operate the treadle from the seat in the backhoe position, and this is the removable hand lever that accomplishes that. It clamps to the treadle with a set screw, and it can rotate to the desired angle, and bend to get good positioning. Now, all the operator has to do is learn to move the tractor with the steering wheel behind his back, and the forward/reverse hand lever at the side. Tried it out this afternoon on a small stump, and grubbing some undergrowth and it sure saves a lot of time.
While the backhoe on the BX23 is capable of performing a lot of tasks, operating the machine is a royal pain. First, you move the machine to the right location, then dismount and rotate the seat to the backhoe position, get on the seat and lower the stabilizers and complete the work that it can reach, without moving the tractor. Then to move the tractor, do it all in reverse, and then reverse it again to return to backhoe work.
To simplify the whole operation it would be nice to be able to move the tractor when the seat is in the backhoe position. The first involves bypassing the treadle safety switch. In my case, last year I wired in a switch that bypasses all the safety switches. The original intention was to be able to operate the tractor temporarily if some of the safety switches failed. Normally it is in the off position, but now, for backhoe operation it is on. This allows treadle operation in the seat backhoe position. Secondly, you need to be able to operate the treadle from the seat in the backhoe position, and this is the removable hand lever that accomplishes that. It clamps to the treadle with a set screw, and it can rotate to the desired angle, and bend to get good positioning. Now, all the operator has to do is learn to move the tractor with the steering wheel behind his back, and the forward/reverse hand lever at the side. Tried it out this afternoon on a small stump, and grubbing some undergrowth and it sure saves a lot of time.
