3 point back hoe

[RollTideRam]

I don't know much about BH's but I have heard to avoid ones that mount to the 3pt. An older friend from church offered to sell me his because he wants to buy a tiller. He has a Kubota 3pt hoe that he has used on his Deere 750. He said he has not used it for a coulpe years, but I know he has had it for about 10 years. I don't know the model but he wants $900 for it. I don't really need it (I don't have $900 either) but was wondering if it would be worth what he wants for it. Thanks for any help on the topic. JC

 

[AndyMA]

If it is in decent condition at all it is worth $900. It could be modified to have a subframe. Small hoes and small tractors should have a subframe to protect the tractor from splitting in half.

Andy

 

[George2615]

I'll agree with Andy. A used BH attachment for $900 is a great price. I wish it was located closer to me, I'd get it and build a subframe for my tractor.

 

[3RRL]

Agree that it's a REALLY good price if it's in any kind of good condition and also with making/buying a subframe. There are lots of 3pt backhoe users out there. Some have subframes and some don't.

 

[Tororider]

I'll fourth that. I would definitely get a subframe, build one, or have one build for you.

You may not NEED it, but think of all the projects you can come up with to use it on.

 

[Soundguy]

I agree.. 900$ is a good price.

IF.. ( IF ) I ran a 3pt hoe, I'd run it on a tractor bigger than it was intended for.. -OR- I'd make a subframe for it. If neither of those was an option.. I'd 'baby' it and not use it to full breakout potential.. that way i wouldn't run so much risk of stress testing my transmission bolts holding the 2 halves of the tractor together.


I bet if you were enterprising you could line up a buyer, and then go buy it.. as the seller to 'float' the payment a few days.. then you deliver the item in transit, get paid, and then pay the original seller, and keep your cut.

good luck.

Soundguy

 

[AndyMA]

IF.. ( IF ) I ran a 3pt hoe, I'd run it on a tractor bigger than it was intended for.. -OR- I'd make a subframe for it. If neither of those was an option.. I'd 'baby' it and not use it to full breakout potential.. that way i wouldn't run so much risk of stress testing my transmission bolts holding the 2 halves of the tractor together.

I don't think you can baby a backhoe. As soon as you hook something that you need to pull on you 'll pull with all it's got. At least that's me.

Andy

 

[shvl73]

I agree w/ Andy. I tend to keep at it until the rock comes out of the ground or dig around it enough to use a chain. I've been amazed at what I've accomplished with my hoe but, I haven't babied it at all. Make sure the hoe has the additional bracing that triangulates the hook up and prevents the hoe from rising up. Your fel bracing to the rear axle will help reduce tractor breakage some, though still quite a bit of stress at the top link bracket.
$900 is a heck of a deal.

 

[RollTideRam]

I have already had a couple of people that wanted me to buy it and ship it to them. I am going to try and get a look at it this weekend and see what model it is. I don't have any stumps or rocks to dig up, but I could use it to dig a trench with behind my garage and a few more places around the yard. I searched and found some homemade subframes on here. That may be the answer or just sell it for enough profit to cover the cost of power beyond. JC

 

[Soundguy]

I don't think you can baby a backhoe. As soon as you hook something that you need to pull on you 'll pull with all it's got. At least that's me.

Andy

Sure you can baby one.. all it takes is self control. Might take more time to do the same job by babying it.. but unless you are in a tough area.. you should be able to get it done.

That's why i don't like unsupported 3pt hoes.. they aren't much good.. etc.. you either can't use them to full potential.. or you really risk breaking something if you do.

soundguy

 

[AndyMA]

Sure you can baby one.. all it takes is self control. Might take more time to do the same job by babying it.. but unless you are in a tough area.. you should be able to get it done.

That's why i don't like unsupported 3pt hoes.. they aren't much good.. etc.. you either can't use them to full potential.. or you really risk breaking something if you do.

soundguy

Soundguy,

I guess I'm not saying you can't baby one. You also can leave your tractor sitting in the garage, It's just that if I'm on a hoe and trying to dig a trench or move a rock I'm unlikely to get out and resort to a pick and shovel if I can make any progres with the backhoe, Just last week I spent 2 hours chipping the top off a ledge with my Woods hoe. A inch squre piece at a time. New England (except coastal) is just not a place where a hoe can be babied much. In fact about 80% of the work I see people on this list doing without hoes I could not do on my property without one. On just about every project I have 2 tractors, one with a hoe and the other to move and spread material. I pretty much can't even level an area without the hoe.

Andy

 

[john_bud]

$900 bucks>??

I'd be on that like a fat kid on a bag of candy!

jb

 

[Ductape]

I'm with the rest of the gang, $900 is a great deal ! I looked at a couple used hoes before i bought the one i have now. They were in the $2500 asking price range, and they were VERY well used (one i'd call JUNK!). Around here you won't find a backhoe...... no matter how used up under $1500. That being said...... you will find many uses for it once you have it. I can't recommend buying it to re-sell, simply because you will NEVER replace it for $900 again. Now if you already HAVE your perfect hoe and come across another for $900...... thats another story. I never have a problem buying anything that i know i can get my money back on tomorrow..... i consider it an investment. I think you'd be silly NOT to buy it for what hes asking!

 

[Soundguy]

Soundguy,

You also can leave your tractor sitting in the garage, It's just that if I'm on a hoe and trying to dig a trench or move a rock I'm unlikely to get out and resort to a pick and shovel if I can make any progres with the backhoe, Andy

Whatever yuo want to do.. and you'll probably be the guy with 2 halves a tractor and broke xmission bolts if you put too much pressure on a tractor with a 3pt backhoe.

that's the point of my message

1, 3pt backhoes with no subframe are hard on tractors

2, you can either play it a bit easy and not break the tractor.. or work it like a real backhoe and risk breaking the tractor.

3, The 'leave the tractor in the garage' is a grape to watermellon argument. Using the tractor is what it's made for.. abusing it isn'nt A 3pt backhoe doing hard work is abusing the tractor.

That said.. the owner of said equipment can do whatever he wants with HIS equipment.. In the end.. he'll probably be able to sell the backhoe for more than enough to cover the repairs if he does break the tractor in half.. since the price is so good.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[rural2]

How come the sellers tractor isn't broke in half? How come my tractor isn't broke in half? How come every bodies tract isn't broke in half Makes me wonder sometimes...
So what's the story on the hoe? Is it in decent shape? Is it even worth buying? What model? Does it have it's own PTO pump or does it use tractor hydraulics? Inquiring minds want to know!
FWIW, I don't use mine very often, but it comes in handy often enough to keep it around...

I am going to try and get a look at it this weekend and see what model it is. I don't have any stumps or rocks to dig up, but I could use it to dig a trench with behind my garage and a few more places around the yard.

 

[john_bud]

Why aren't more tractors broken in half from 3pt mounted hoe's?

They aren't used enough. Most manuals for construction equipment list 500 hours (or so) as the time to inspect for structural cracks. Usually around 1500-3000 hours a hoe will start to show small cracks at the weakest areas. If left unchecked, they will grow until you are the proud owner of a schizophrenic tractor.

If you want a reality check, put an operator on your 3pt hoe tractor and stand behind it with a stationary level that matches up to the top of the tires and watch as a full bucket is swung with the boom/stick extended. There is a LOT of flexing going on. You see that and you won't wonder anymore!

jb

 

[shvl73]

We've seen pics posted here on TBN showing broken tractors and I do believe a 3pt hoe can do it in some cases. I've been real happy with my 3pt hoe but, I'm also working on adapting it to a Bradco sub-frame, when I get an hour or so on the weekends to actually work on it.

 

[Soundguy]

How come the sellers tractor isn't broke in half? How come my tractor isn't broke in half? How come every bodies tract isn't broke in half Makes me wonder sometimes...
So what's the story on the hoe? Is it in decent shape? Is it even worth buying? What model? Does it have it's own PTO pump or does it use tractor hydraulics? Inquiring minds want to know!
FWIW, I don't use mine very often, but it comes in handy often enough to keep it around...

You can take the sarcastic head burried in the sand route or not.. it's your choice. Fact of the matter is.. 3pt hoes can break tractors in half. I've seen it.. Many here have. It doesn't happen as soon as you bolt it on.. it's usually a slow process of stresses that fatigue and crack the metal that culminates in a break once the metal distress reaches a point that is overcome by the next big flexing stress the hoe puts on it.

Manufacturers don't make hoe subframes just to pad costs.. there is a reason for them.

Soundguy

 

[RollTideRam]

I did not get to look at it this past weekend. I talked to the fellow at church Sunday and he said he will hold it for me till I have the money. He also said it has a pto pump, so I will not have to get pb. Maybe tomorrow I can go look at it. JC

 

[Soundguy]

Wow.. a pto pump too.. this is becoming more of a bargain all of the time..

soundguy