• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Case 780 backhoe HELP PLEASE (:

Dan68

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Montana
Long story short, bought this backhoe (1985ish serial number 5501450) a couple weeks ago. Like an idiot didn't drive it when I went to look at it. Just started it and worked the bucket and how. Everything seemed pretty legit, get it home and its in low gear. I see absolutely no lever for the transmission other than the shuttle on the column for forward and reverse. Called the case dealer and he thought you lift the shuttle lever up but that changed nothing. Also has air brakes and when you press the pedal you hear air leaking and the air pressure drops drastically. My guess is the valve in the pedal? I've tried to contact the seller for about a week, and won't return my voice mail or text. Wondering now if I got the shaft because of my lack of experience and trusting nature. He loaded it on the trailer so I saw nothing to be concerned about as far as it driving. Can anyone start me in a direction to solve the mystery? Thanks in advance guys, anything would help!
 
Last edited:

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
9,366
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
The air leak can be anywhere. Most likely an air brake chamber if it loses air when a pedal is depressed.
I never have ran or worked on a 780, but here is a photo from the parts book for the speed selector.
Here is link to the Case online parts book. It is for a 780C series. If that is what you have. And a link to the parts book.https://partstore.casece.com/us/par...bec84d5&sl=EN&currency=#epc::mr65623ar1048865
780.png
 

Dan68

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Montana
First and foremost thank you for your response! I knew I would forget or need to provide more information. I'll look today but I think it's a B series. I know there is nothing in that can that resembles the shift selector in the diagram. It's pretty noisy when in the cab when it's running which is making it difficult to determine an exact location of the air leak but it sure seems to be coming from directly under the petal. Again thank you, I'll try to provide more details. It does for what it's worth say construction King on the cab. My apologies for my lack of knowledge.
Dan
 

Dan68

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Montana
I had called the case dealer and he too was unfamiliar with the model but had said it's on anrod connection to a valve. I tried lifting in both the nutral and in gear position to no avail. The selector forward and reverse will only move up about 1/8". The diagram is exactly what I have
 

Dan68

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Montana
Not sure how you guys do it...my searches mostly come up with nothing. Im going to revisit this today, maybe I'm not holding my tongue right?
 

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
9,366
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
I found that photo by doing a Google search for ----780C backhoe for sale. When you look at the ads most of them have multiple photos of the various angles looking at the machine. I have a software program that will capture all or just a fraction of anything on my laptop screen. I have another software program that will resize the captured image to any size I want.
 

thepumpguysc

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
7,516
Location
Sunny South Carolina
Occupation
Master Inj.Pump rebuilder
A decent mechanic AND a computer nerd.. we hit the jackpot when you joined.. Lol..
Personally, I love the way you incorporate pictures to illustrate your explanations.. it helps a thousand
times more than just sentences.. {I wish I knew how}.. {jealous}
It sure would save me a lot of typing, trying to "explain" where the metering valve is..or what a broken flex ring looks like..Lol
Keep up the good work Tinkerer.. I know I appreciate it..
 

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
9,366
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
Dan, The 780B and 780C have the same shifting arrangement. The two speed on a separate lever and two speeds on the shuttle shift lever like in the photo. This photo is a the first production 780. No letter designation, just 780. Does it look more like yours. Notice how the lever goes into the dash.
780.png
 

Dan68

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Montana
Tinkerer mine is like the first picture with the sticker showing arrangement. Anyway that helped, I have now found 2nd gear!! After looking at your pic I could see mine had the same sticker just painted over. I moved the shuttle lever forward and still wouldn't go anywhere, so finally while continuing to pull up I moved the lever slightly forward and back...she fell right in place. Hope this helps someone else. There's a sweet spot in at least this particular one. The weather turned again so I didn't get a chance to see if it was actually going to work in that position but it is without a doubt in second gear. This Montana winter this year is for real, its killing me to confirm it engaged. I appreciate all the help from you guys, now if I can fix these brakes.... What would be the best steps to track this down? I would think good old common sense, follow the sound of air when the pedal is depressed. Again pretty loud to hear properly when its running.
 

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
9,366
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
You actually have four speeds Dan. Use the range selector for either high or low. Check the photo .
To find your air leaks connect an air compressor into the outlet side of the air compressor on the 780. I have a pipe tee with a quick coupler permanently mounted on mine. Do that and you can leave the engine off.
geers.png
 

Dan68

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Montana
You know i saw this in one of my searches the other day but it didn't make sense until now. When the weather warms up a little I'm going to mess with it. Good thinking on the air. There is a drain for condensation just under the one step, I'll put a valve and fitting on there.
 

Dan68

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Montana
Not sure how much it would affect the gearing but the tires on the one I have are 21 24s.
 

Dan68

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Montana
So transmission wise all seems good. High and low forward and reverse all good, that's a good feeling. Cleaned up the driveway a little, the thing is way more than I need but I'd rather have it and not need it than want it and not have it kind of thing. Put a ball valve on with an air coupling, filled it with house air. Went right up to about 110# in just a matter of seconds. Used the brakes just a couple of times, enough to watch it drop to 90#. Because I really didn't need them I just watched as I bladed to see if the air would hold not using them. It slowly after about 15 minutes went down to about 60. I'm thinking I'll house air it up again as tinkerer suggested not running ( there goes that common sense thing) and spray soapy water on the underneath stuff. Anyway just checking in.
Dan
 

Dan68

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2018
Messages
14
Location
Montana
This is the only one I have at the moment. Just happen to take it when I finished up yesterday. I've never been an operator for a living but "used to" rent one almost yearly for clean up around the house. They were always newer units but John Deere 310's so a little bit smaller. I'm here to tell you, this rig means business. The kid in the bucket is small for his age (8 almost 9) but you get an idea of the size of the machine. I can't thank you guys enough for the help in helping me through the basics
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20180413_182700474_HDR.jpg
    6.6 MB · Views: 42
Top