A backhoe, also called a rear actor or back actor, is a piece of excavating equipment consisting of a digging bucket on the end of an articulated arm (also called a stick or dipper). Modern backhoes are powered by hydraulics. They are typically mounted on the back of a tractor or front loader. (Similar attachments for skid loaders are still called backhoes even though they are mounted on the front of the vehicle.)

A backhoe attached to a swiveling cab on top of tracks is called an excavator.

The British company JCB developed the early backhoes. Their first tractor equipped with both a backhoe and a front mounted loading bucket was completed in 1953 and set the standard pattern for future designs. Because of this backhoe-equipped diggers are commonly called 'JCBs' in the UK. The founder of the JCB company holds the honour of being the only non-American in the US construction industry's Hall of Fame.

Engineering vehicles

Backhoe Manufacturers

• Case
• New Holland
• Caterpillar
• Ford
• JCB
• John Deere
• KPX
• Massey Ferguson
• Terex
• Terramite

External links

• HowStuffWorks page on backhoe loaders, including animations and a simulator
• Configure a Backhoe Loader - from the official Caterpillar website

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