# IH 2500B loader/backhoe Questions



## Zigblazer (Jun 2, 2016)

I'm looking at buying an International 2500B with the loader and backhoe. It is for sale, listed at $6,500 with everything working, and a few bushings worn. I have a few questions for anyone that has one. I have plenty of uses for the loader and backhoe, but would also like to use some 3-point implements, including a tiller.

It looks like the backhoe can be removed, and I see specs for a rear PTO. Do they always have the rear pto, or is it an option that would be left out if they had the backhoe?

If the backhoe is removed, would I be able to put on a 3-point hitch? What parts would be missing to put one on? I do metal fabrication, so I might be able to put something together if the tractor has a way to lift it.

Are there any big problems I should look for, before buying it?

Are parts available to maintain and repair one?

Thanks for the help.
Jeremy


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## etemplet (May 6, 2012)

I own an IH 3400A. I personally would not buy an IH because parts are so scarce. I was not aware of this when I bought mine. I would think you could get a more up to date machine for the money or at least look for something where parts are easily available.


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## Zigblazer (Jun 2, 2016)

I haven't seen anything else in this category around anywhere near my price range. The biggest advantages I can see are it being the right size to still fit on my trailer and being able to remove the backhoe and use it as a tractor with 3 point hitch. I still need to confirm that it can have a 3 point hitch, but maybe I'll be able to see the rear pto this afternoon when I go look at it.

The closest thing to it in my price range is a Case 580C. Which I know there is info and parts available, but it has several downsides. Like being too heavy for my trailer, being a few thousand dollars more, not hydrostatic drive, and most importantly it can't have the backhoe removed and use 3 pt implements. Which is enough for me to take a chance with the IH.

Thank you.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

Is this a hydrostatic transmission or a hydraulic shuttle transmission? They are not the same. The shuttle is a more powerful machine, but transmission parts are impossible to find if ever needed.


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## etemplet (May 6, 2012)

I know of a guy on either this forum or another that paid $1500 for his 3400A. LOL I know a guy in Texas that would sell his for about $3K. I think it has a steering issue. I don't know about the 2500 but my transmission is a standard type.

On the size of the machine, I am not sure how much the 2500 weights but my 3400A weighs about 13K pounds. I have done tons of work to my machine. They are old, parts are difficult to find and most are off used machines. Not many people know how to work on them. The guy I purchase my machine from lied to me and told me is was a 1980's model. Go figure. LOL Caveat Emptor.

My 3400A does not have the 3 point hitch.


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Without seeing a picture to be certain it's hard to say, but I think you're going to be disappointed to find that the tractor has no PTO. When these industrial tractors were slated for loader/backhoe use they almost never got a PTO installed. There was just no use for it and it would only make the price of the machine higher. As for adding a 3pt hitch, again without seeing a picture of the tractor it's difficult to say, but my guess is it would cost you more than you paid for the tractor to install a 3pt hitch. You'd have to buy the lift cover on top of the transmission and all the linkage arms and parts for the 3pt. There may also be internal piping inside the transmission that was never installed since the unit was built to be a TLB.

You are FAR better off buying a Case 580C if you want a good backhoe with parts and service readily available. The 580C was the king of the backhoes in its day and in my opinion is still the best, easiest to work on and most reliable backhoe ever built. I was a Case mechanic for 10 years back in the days of the 580C.

On the other hand, if you want something that gives you at least some functions of a backhoe/loader as well as the functions of a regular tractor you should look at look at buying a farm tractor with a front end loader and then buying a 3pt backhoe attachment for it.

Just my 2 cents worth,

Mark


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## Zigblazer (Jun 2, 2016)

I did go look at it. It does not have a pto installed. Parts are available, but like some have said, it will cost too much to put it on. I've been looking at other tractors available, there isn't much for less than $10k in usable condition. My biggest problem with the Case 580C is it's weight. The IH is going to put my trailer to the max, and weighing almost a ton more would put it over max capacity. There is a Case around that looks decent for $10k, but it would be stuck at my place and I'd need to get it over to my gravel pit, which will be about 7 miles away once we get moved. There are a couple more 580cs for $8k down by the cities, but not being able to use my trailer will make them difficult to get. 

I've thought a lot about it, and offered the guy $6,000 for it yesterday. We'll see what he says. I think for the money, it's as good as I will get and will do any of the heavy work I need. I should be able to get a smaller tractor in a few years to do everything else I'd need the 3pt and pto for.


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## etemplet (May 6, 2012)

think about whether or not you will need to move the machine. If you won't need to transport it they pay someone to move it to your location I don't have a trailer for mine and don't want one. That way no one can expect me to let them borrow it or me to come do free work. Ha ha.

I say this, if you are planning on using this machine long term for business I would not buy it because parts are scarce and people do not know how to work on them. Better off Getting the Case for certain or new better model. Sometimes cheap cots much more. Good Luck.


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## Zigblazer (Jun 2, 2016)

I did decide to buy a Case 580C that is very near me. He is going to deliver it Friday. I'm hoping I can get most of the stuff done at the one place, then just drive it over to my new house. I hope everything works well with it. Sounds like the power shuttle works the exact same way the Front Loaders I've used do, so there will be minimal learning curve for using the loader. Might be a big learning curve for the backhoe, I've used a few excavators, but they were all twin joystick controls.

Thanks for all the advice. Hopefully everything works out well. I am not using it for business at all, just my own stuff. I have a rental house on 40 acres with a gravel pit, that needs a bit of dirt moved for landscaping. Plus a bit of gravel added to the driveway. Then whatever I can use it for at our new house.


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Congrats on the purchase!
I think you'll be pleased with the 580C and its performance.
If you have any issues or questions, give me a shout. 
I'll do what I can to help. I loved working on the 580C and 580D's.

Mark


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## Zigblazer (Jun 2, 2016)

Thank you. I got it today. Tested it out, got a little carried away since we're moving and I'm suppose to be packing, not moving earth. It took a few minutes to figure out why the throttle wouldn't move and I had no power, but once the shutoff cable was pushed it it worked great. Confused me because the guy I bought it from left the hand throttle wide open and when I pushed the shutoff in it rev'd up. I have the feeling I'll find myself making several stupid mistakes like that. Took a bit to learn my neighbors excavator too, but now I believe I run it better than he does. 

I already got stuck. Used the backhoe to get unstuck. Found the front tires don't have a lot of weight on them. They come off the ground easily. I was worried about not having four wheel drive, but I'm not sure it would do a lot of good anyway. 

I do have a couple questions. Besides none of the lights working, several cylinders seeping, and it needing a fan belt I didn't see much wrong. Engine oil looks like it is staying in the engine, same with the transmission and rear axle. The shift lever falls out of forward when the machine bounces. It has 7,000 hours on it and is almost 40 years old, I don't expect a perfect machine. 

So, first, how do you get the rear boom back to it's over center locked position for transport/loading?

Second, there is a cylinder on the left side of the transmission with 2 wires coming out of the back, what is it? (finally found it, clutch cutout solenoid) There is a small amount of fluid around it, and what looks like a fresh metal plate between it and the transmission. Does anyone know why that would be there? I can't tell if it recently broke off, or if someone sandwiched it in for some reason and it's just being kept clean with oil.

3rd, Why would the differential lock be disconnected? The rod is simply not there.

Other than that it started well, and ran well. Hopefully I'll get time to go practice more, before I actually need to use it for something. I did get some of the mud moved off of the old gravel parking area I have. Tested the backhoe out in the pond to see how close I could comfortably get and reach. Checked to see if it could lift the front of one of my semi-trailers, budged a little, but barely. Not the lifting power of the loaders I've used, but that was just wishful thinking. I was hoping the front would have been less than 5k lbs. Found the gravel layer in front of the other trailer was pretty thin, accidentally scraped it away with the mud.

Hopefully I learn it's limits without breaking anything. I will need to weld up the cracked loader arms and add a gusset plate. But no time now.


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## catfishjohn (Jun 11, 2016)

to latch the hoe for transport pull the boom lever back untill it's at the top then push it forward real fast. hard to explain but easy after you get the hang of it. tahes a little pratice. the cut out solenoid is for when your loading a truck and want to speed up the hydrolics to dump the front buckit you don't have to shift to nutrol. the differential rod missing I don't know used to use that alot. they always bounce as the hoe it heavy but a little dirt in front buckit helps .they were a great hoe and still are. spray some wd40 on your throttle linkage.to make your hand throttle work easier. Have fun, they are a workhorse.


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Like catfishjohn said, the boom lock is a little tricky until you get the hang of it, but he's on the money as to how to operate it.

Is the fresh metal plate behind the clutch cut-out solenoid, the bracket that the transmission shift linkage hooks to? If so, that may be your problem with it falling out of forward gear. There's a ball and spring behind the plate where the shift linkage attaches. That's the detent to keep the linkage in place. See items 55, 56 and 57 in the attached diagram.

HTH,
Mark


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## Zigblazer (Jun 2, 2016)

That detent makes sense to me. I bet you're right. Now I just got to get all our stuff moved, and the case over to the new house, and time to look at it closer. Too much to do, I haven't even had time to go over and run it any more. I have too many projects just waiting to be done, and we're moving this week. 

I'll give it a try and see if I can get it overcenter and locked. I had a thought that I could extend the hoe and use the bucket to cam it over that way before I read CatfishJohn's response. Have you tried that, or is the pull push method better anyway?

Thank you,
Jeremy


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

The push pull method is the only way I know of.
What actually happens is when the boom comes up quickly, it will pass the pinnacle of its arc and when you push the lever (like you were lowering the boom) you're actually pushing the boom toward the front of the tractor instead of toward the rear. The boom stays past its pinnacle for only a fraction of a second so timing is critical. You'll get the hang of it.


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