**** backhoe's are expensive

ovrszd · Jan 1, 2019

If a tractor attached hoe meets your needs I'm happy for you and suggest looking no further.

If a TLB meets your needs I'm happy for you and suggest looking no further.

If an Excavator meets your needs I'm happy for you and suggest looking no further.

This thread is strewn with comments about various equipment's abilities to do things effectively that they simply can't do. Sometimes those comments are an attempt to convince readers the best choice was made. At that point things get foggy.

My choice of equipment best fits my needs. It can lift the blocks 4570 pictured. It has a 19ft hoe reach. It can be roaded to any jobsite. It has a cab for foul weather work. It adds no stress to my tractors nor does it tie up other uses for my tractors. I have $8,500 invested.

With all that said, I make no claims that it's the best choice for anybody or that it will do tasks better than a different machine that's better suited for said tasks.

4570Man · Jan 1, 2019

For me the biggest hang up with a mini and separate loader machine is moving them. If I had a 30 ton trailer I’d definitely have separate machines. If you get 2 machines that are half the weight of my backhoe to fit both on the trailer at the same time and the backhoe will walk all over them. If you have to make 2 trips you’ll probably never make up that lost time with the more efficient setup.

ovrszd · Jan 1, 2019

4570Man said:
For me the biggest hang up with a mini and separate loader machine is moving them. If I had a 30 ton trailer I’d definitely have separate machines. If you get 2 machines that are half the weight of my backhoe to fit both on the trailer at the same time and the backhoe will walk all over them. If you have to make 2 trips you’ll probably never make up that lost time with the more efficient setup.

Yep. And I think most posters in this thread won't move their machines. And they have minimal tasks to perform. With time on their hands to do them at a liesurely pace. Aren't working for hire. Don't expect the machine to pay for itself. Generally is a luxury purchase.

For those folks buy what you most fancy. Just realize it's practical purpose.

I think if financial practicality didn't apply you and I would each have a fleet of machines. Each for a specific purpose. I wish I had your 310.

lps8 · Jan 1, 2019

For around the farm use, I like my tractor and backhoe attachment. Nothing heavy duty and light for some tasks, but not being for hire, if it takes a little longer, so be it. You wouldn't think pine trees have big roots, but they do. I have a mf 165 and bought a 3 point hitch backhoe attachment, but it was too hard on the 3 pt so I rigid mounted it. I have since bought a Mahindra 4150 with a factory backhoe that is rigid mounted. The cost of maintaining a separate machine I have experienced when I worked for a contractor years ago. He bought a big old ford backhoe cheap and you had to work on it every time it was used, if you could get it to crank. To me it would just depend on what use you would have for a separate backhoe, budget, and how big a hurry you are in. My backhoe is on my tractor most of the time. Wouldn't own a tractor without one or a front end loader. I don't do hay or row crops so I don't have a need for a lot of other equipment other than a bush hog and box blade.

ovrszd · Jan 1, 2019

lps8 said:
For around the farm use, I like my tractor and backhoe attachment. Nothing heavy duty and light for some tasks, but not being for hire, if it takes a little longer, so be it. You wouldn't think pine trees have big roots, but they do. I have a mf 165 and bought a 3 point hitch backhoe attachment, but it was too hard on the 3 pt so I rigid mounted it. I have since bought a Mahindra 4150 with a factory backhoe that is rigid mounted. The cost of maintaining a separate machine I have experienced when I worked for a contractor years ago. He bought a big old ford backhoe cheap and you had to work on it every time it was used, if you could get it to crank. To me it would just depend on what use you would have for a separate backhoe, budget, and how big a hurry you are in. My backhoe is on my tractor most of the time. Wouldn't own a tractor without one or a front end loader. I don't do hay or row crops so I don't have a need for a lot of other equipment other than a bush hog and box blade.

Sounds like it suits you very well.

Diggin It · Jan 1, 2019

The single machine Swiss Army Knife concept works out for me even if it doesn't make sense to others.

ededic · Jan 1, 2019

Not sure if you could retrofit this to your Kioti.

Kubota 3pt Backhoe Attachment

Kubota 3pt Backhoe Attachment - farm & garden - by owner - sale

Wilco · Jan 1, 2019

Here's a backhoe for sale in PA and its mounted on a DK40se. I can get a PH# if you need me to.
.Backhoe for midsized Kioti tractor - Garden - Augustaville, Pennsylvania - Marketplace | Facebook

cdaigle430 · Jan 1, 2019

Make a ramp, was where the bulkhead was going....

4570Man · Jan 1, 2019

ovrszd said:
Yep. And I think most posters in this thread won't move their machines. And they have minimal tasks to perform. With time on their hands to do them at a liesurely pace. Aren't working for hire. Don't expect the machine to pay for itself. Generally is a luxury purchase.

For those folks buy what you most fancy. Just realize it's practical purpose.

I think if financial practicality didn't apply you and I would each have a fleet of machines. Each for a specific purpose. I wish I had your 310.

If you never need to move the machine you probably don’t need a skid steer and a mini excavator. If you never need to move it why settle for a mini excavator? You can buy a pretty decent 20 ton or bigger trackhoe for similar money.

mopardude318 · Jan 2, 2019

Did I mention I want a Kubota M62.

hawkeye08 · Jan 2, 2019

We saved and scrimped for years before being able to get a tractor (Kubota L3130), then several more for a 3pt BH. We stayed in our budgets and if the project is more than my equipment can handle, then I would rent or hire it done.

My daughter and SIL bought some property they are developing to build their house on, put in power, road, got the well drilled.. they bought used, at an auction. It is a workhorse for them but they realized that being able to transport it is not in the cards (insurance wise and trailer wise). It weights 17k lbs and they don't have trailer or truck to handle that, even if the insurance would cover them..

Get what you want, realize it is likely a compromise and might not be able to do all the jobs you want to do.

ovrszd · Jan 2, 2019

mopardude318 said:
Did I mention I want a Kubota M62.

So do I.

4570Man · Jan 2, 2019

I considered buying an M59 instead of my 310. I decided the 310 was twice or more the the machine the m59 was and a similar price used so that made more sense for me.

ovrszd · Jan 3, 2019

4570Man said:
I considered buying an M59 instead of my 310. I decided the 310 was twice or more the the machine the m59 was and a similar price used so that made more sense for me.

Yeah, you made the right choice.

But I still "want" an M62.

4570Man · Jan 3, 2019

ovrszd said:
Yeah, you made the right choice.

But I still "want" an M62.

Who wouldn’t want an M62? Although a used M59 is more along the line of something I could afford. Even if money wasn’t an object I think the m59 is the better of the 2 machines.On a more serious idea I was thinking of trading my L3800 for a L45 or L39.

spitter · Jan 4, 2019

what gets me is if I wan't to buy a Harley or a classic car for 20-30 thousand that's normal buy if I want to buy a mini or a backhoe that's fu . I am always out in yard doing landscape design stuff or just doing yard maintaince. My old boss lets me borrow his mini I probally use it more than he does.:drink:

Turbys_1700 · Jan 4, 2019

I read the first two pages of this thread...
Here are my thoughts...
I sold my dad's old IH 3616 backhoe to my neighbor several years ago...
He bought it for 2K...
It needed a rear tire and had a few minor leaks...
The brakes are not the best but my father had the head redone back years ago...
The engine and hydraulics are excellent...
My neighbor is a good mechanic and did all the minor repairs himself...
He drove it over to his house...
The 3616 has a 14 foot hoe, is 60 HP, and weighs north of 11K with the hoe and FEL...
The FEL lifts 4500 pounds to full height at the pins...
It is a really strong machine...
For 2K and a little time he has an industrial BH that can do real work...
The best part is he is my neighbor and if I need it I can use it...
IMHO add on hoes for tractors are not a good deal...

mmecsics · Jan 7, 2019

I myself have considered getting a back hoe attachment for my ck2610. Dealer quoted me 7k. I have a lot of stumps to dig out, mostly pine in sandy soil being that I live in swfl. I rented a mini last weekend, a Deere 35g, it was all it could do to dig out some of the bigger stumps. So, moral of the story is, glad I didn稚 buy a backhoe attachment for my tractor. There痴 no way that would be able to do as much as the Deere I rented, which was undersized itself.