**** backhoe's are expensive

[kspring61]

Wow, started this thread thinking I would get some recommendations to find a used one or after market one. Lots of good information here and thanks. Priced some used Mini's and at $15K-$23K that really doesn't make much sense as much as I would use it. I priced a rental that is only 20 minutes away and it's $200/day. I can get a lot of days before getting the the half life ($8K) of a used mini.
Think I will keep looking around and if I fall into a deal for a used backhoe I might go that way or just rent one and let the maintenance be someone else's problem.

 

[Jesse masterson]

I bought a new rhino 95c for 9 grand with subframe

 

[tman1020]

I have used many different backhoes but have owned these two. They both dig about the same and are about the same usefulness.
I’m on the fence about whether I would have spent the money on the tractor backhoe again. Yes it pretty well paid for itself over the years but I have had to hire larger machines for big stuff. Plus it does take up quite a bit of space in my barn. When I purchased it there was a used many excavator for about the same price I kind of regret not going that route.

 

[Sysop]

An excavator for the price of a Bobcat 7TB tractor backhoe attachment? I think much would have needed done to the excavator to keep it in operation at that sort of cost. I sincerely doubt it would have been a trouble-free machine... How many mechanical issues did you have with the 7TB?

I look at such a thing as I do any tool. I don't need the largest or most powerful of everything to complete my day to day tasks. If I occasionally need something bigger or more powerful than I have, that is what rental places are for. If I regularly need something bigger or more powerful, I purchased the wrong thing and should have spent more money... Having something adequate for my day to day needs allows me to complete 90% of what I need to do and is well worth being able to do it on my own schedule without racing a clock on a rental. I also prefer reliability in my machines. Too many unknowns with inexpensive used machines.

 

[tman1020]

An excavator for the price of a Bobcat 7TB tractor backhoe attachment? I think much would have needed done to the excavator to keep it in operation at that sort of cost. I sincerely doubt it would have been a trouble-free machine... How many mechanical issues did you have with the 7TB?

I look at such a thing as I do any tool. I don't need the largest or most powerful of everything to complete my day to day tasks. If I occasionally need something bigger or more powerful than I have, that is what rental places are for. If I regularly need something bigger or more powerful, I purchased the wrong thing and should have spent more money... Having something adequate for my day to day needs allows me to complete 90% of what I need to do and is well worth being able to do it on my own schedule without racing a clock on a rental. I also prefer reliability in my machines. Too many unknowns with inexpensive used machines.

It was a mini excavator and it was used. But actually it was very close in price and seemed pretty decent even had a cab. It was about the same size as the seven TB that I have. And yes I have had some problems with my 7 tb.
The thing seems to continuously drip hydraulic fluid and every time I tighten the fittings they want to split open and then I have to replace the whole hose. And they must’ve used cheapie valves because they drift down very quickly. Plus it does seem very hard on the tractor when I’m digging. I have seen where the sub frame can break away from the castings where it connects to the tractor. So that also is a concern.

 

[cdaigle430]

A tractor mounted hoe is not a construction hoe, just like a construction hoe is not a full sized excavator with a two yard bucket. But, if you have the time, the tractor hoe will do a lot around your place. No, it will not dig a basement, and it takes awhile to dig out a stump.... I looked for several years for a used TLB, but most were rode hard and put away wet. And they wanted top dollar for them. I have floor jacks to work on fairly heavy stuff, but not to work on 10 or 20 K pound stuff... and my barn only has 10' high doors.... A tractor hoe may not be perfect, but it works for an old retired guy with lots of time to ' play ' ...

Well somebody should have told me that earlier, I dug out 2 basements with my little backhoe and loader combo.

 

[ovrszd]

Well somebody should have told me that earlier, I dug out 2 basements with my little backhoe and loader combo.

You dug 9ft deep basements? That's very impressive!!! How did you get the dirt away from the holes?

 

[Jchonline]

You dug 9ft deep basements? That's very impressive!!! How did you get the dirt away from the holes?

He will tell you once he figures out how to get the tractor out of the hole....

 

[Jchonline]

For me the real question is cost recovery. It seems like too expensive to justify because it is "handy". Just rent and knock out a years worth of stuff on your list with a mini-ex.
My BH was broken out at around $16k with the thumb. I am doing the majority of my new home build digging with it. Septic, water, electric, sewer, solar, footings, foundation, etc. It should pay for itself. In the CO mountains trenching is crazy expensive. It seems like they want a few grand just to show up and start their machines.

 

[Jchonline]

Wow, started this thread thinking I would get some recommendations to find a used one or after market one. Lots of good information here and thanks. Priced some used Mini's and at $15K-$23K that really doesn't make much sense as much as I would use it. I priced a rental that is only 20 minutes away and it's $200/day. I can get a lot of days before getting the the half life ($8K) of a used mini.
Think I will keep looking around and if I fall into a deal for a used backhoe I might go that way or just rent one and let the maintenance be someone else's problem.

Sounds like a well studied decision and I agree. What's more you will love operating the Mini Ex. They are a ton of fun!

 

[fried1765]

For me the real question is cost recovery. It seems like too expensive to justify because it is "handy". Just rent and knock out a years worth of stuff on your list with a mini-ex.
My BH was broken out at around $16k with the thumb. I am doing the majority of my new home build digging with it. Septic, water, electric, sewer, solar, footings, foundation, etc. It should pay for itself. In the CO mountains trenching is crazy expensive. It seems like they want a few grand just to show up and start their machines.

I bought my Ford 3400 TLB 33 years ago for $10,000. It was then 16 years old.
Even now, has only 1350 hours.

I completely restored it 3 years ago (another $4,000)
It has paid for itself many times over.

Always at my immediate disposal.

Best purchase I ever made!
I do not do work for hire....only play/work for myself.

 

[Oldoak]

You dug 9ft deep basements? That's very impressive!!! How did you get the dirt away from the holes?

He will tell you once he figures out how to get the tractor out of the hole....

They could have been walk-in basements and already drove the tractor out.

 

[Sysop]

You dug 9ft deep basements? That's very impressive!!! How did you get the dirt away from the holes?

Not sure about him, but when I dug the 6'x11' hole 10' deep for my septic tank, I filled my dump trailer parked beside the tractor.

And then... Once completed the septic tank delivery place delayed my delivery for 3 days. During those 3 days we had a lot of rain, which partly filled my hole with water and caused parts of the side to collapse.

Due to the weak sides, I didn't want to climb in to clean it out. Nor did I want to operate equipment along the edge of the hole. Knowing front loaders aren't made for digging, I used it to create a ramp into the hole for cleanout...

You just have to treat the equipment properly and not ramrod it into solid materials or take too big of a bite on stuff. It took me about 12 hours to dig the initial hole for my tank and another 4 or 5 to make the ramp to clean it out. The initial hole could have been faster had I not been transporting the spoil to another location across the property. The spoil from the ramp stayed by the hole so it could be refilled. Stumps, I've dug out a few dozen of varying species. Only one took more than 30 minutes to remove, and it was still less than an hour.

No, tractor backhoes by no means are construction equipment, nor are tractor front loaders. If you are paying by the hour, you want commercial level equipment. If you are paying for something to own to do things you need to do on your own time, a tractor backhoe can do 90% of anything that needs done; including construction tasks.

 

[DK35vince]

All I can add is my I've had my tractor mounted backhoe for 15 years.
Done everything I have ever needed it to do. (Works quite well IMO). (Water lines and electric line ditch's, stump removal, covert pipes and ditching, drainage pipe, pole barn foundation, dug the rock for my road to pole barn, Etc. Etc.)
Easily paid for itself with the amount of work I have done with it over the years and ready to use any time I need it without the hassle of trying to get a rental machine every time a project comes up.
A excavator or commercial TLB may do it faster, but also comes with the expense ,maintenance and storage of another machine that I do not want or need.

Forgot to mention in this earlier post. I bought this backhoe (Rhino 85) new with subframe 15 years ago (2003) for $5200.
Easily paid for itself over the years and I'll be using it for many more.

 

[ovrszd]

Not sure about him, but when I dug the 6'x11' hole 10' deep for my septic tank, I filled my dump trailer parked beside the tractor.

And then... Once completed the septic tank delivery place delayed my delivery for 3 days. During those 3 days we had a lot of rain, which partly filled my hole with water and caused parts of the side to collapse.

Due to the weak sides, I didn't want to climb in to clean it out. Nor did I want to operate equipment along the edge of the hole. Knowing front loaders aren't made for digging, I used it to create a ramp into the hole for cleanout...

You just have to treat the equipment properly and not ramrod it into solid materials or take too big of a bite on stuff. It took me about 12 hours to dig the initial hole for my tank and another 4 or 5 to make the ramp to clean it out. The initial hole could have been faster had I not been transporting the spoil to another location across the property. The spoil from the ramp stayed by the hole so it could be refilled. Stumps, I've dug out a few dozen of varying species. Only one took more than 30 minutes to remove, and it was still less than an hour.

No, tractor backhoes by no means are construction equipment, nor are tractor front loaders. If you are paying by the hour, you want commercial level equipment. If you are paying for something to own to do things you need to do on your own time, a tractor backhoe can do 90% of anything that needs done; including construction tasks.

Since you quoted me. I call BS that a tractor hoe will do 90% of construction tasks.

Secondly, your hole would be an extremely small basement.

 

[Sysop]

Since you quoted me. I call BS that a tractor hoe will do 90% of construction tasks.

Secondly, your hole would be an extremely small basement.

You missed the point. It is deeper than the 9' than was quoted. Overall footprint just means you move around more. I could dig the same 10' deep hole covering a 100'x100' area if needed. That being said, if it needed to be more than 20'x20' or more than 10' deep, then I'd start to consider renting a larger machine unless I had more time than I typically have.

 

[prof fate]

on marketplace on FB locally are 2 case backhoes - a 70s model and an 80s model - 6500 and 8k, complete and running.

 

[fried1765]

on marketplace on FB locally are 2 case backhoes - a 70s model and an 80s model - 6500 and 8k, complete and running.

Those could both be serious money pits, unless they have very low hours...which I would doubt.

 

[4570Man]

Since you quoted me. I call BS that a tractor hoe will do 90% of construction tasks.

Secondly, your hole would be an extremely small basement.

If I was doing full time construction I’d devote my 310 to playing and buy a 20 ton excavator. My 310 is a completely different animal than tractor backhoe. Let’s see how the tractor lifts 8,000 pounds on the loader or 5,000 on the boom. I only moved the blocks 1 at a time and the bigger 5000 pounders was a little much on the boom. The boom set the 4000 pound block pretty good. And I’ve got twice the reach as a tractor backhoe. It would be possible to dig a basement with a backhoe but that’s a game where a 360 swing excavator will really come in for the win. My buddies 50 series mini can’t set those block so a backhoe is a clear winner there. Even if you had a bigger excavator I had to move those about 50 yards.

 

[Oldoak]

No, tractor backhoes by no means are construction equipment, nor are tractor front loaders. If you are paying by the hour, you want commercial level equipment. If you are paying for something to own to do things you need to do on your own time, a tractor backhoe can do 90% of anything that needs done; including construction tasks.

That is one of the most accurate comments in this whole thread. :thumbsup: