Another newbie question.

[gitrdone]

Hello everybody. I am shopping for a tractor for our business and am totally new to the world of tractors. We need a tractor to knock down brush, build small roads/trails, grade our existing roads, and dig trenches for water and electrical lines. Can anyone recommend what the minimum amount of horsepower I should be looking at to do a fair amount of trenching in soil that can be hard in places? A Mahindra dealer I've spoken to has suggested the 3215. A magazine article I read said that you should not consider a backhoe attachment on anything less than 50 hp, so I'm wondering if the 3215 is going to be powerful enough?

Oh, and we're on a budget.

Thanks!

 

[DavesTractor]

Hello everybody. I am shopping for a tractor for our business and am totally new to the world of tractors. We need a tractor to knock down brush, build small roads/trails, grade our existing roads, and dig trenches for water and electrical lines. Can anyone recommend what the minimum amount of horsepower I should be looking at to do a fair amount of trenching in soil that can be hard in places? A Mahindra dealer I've spoken to has suggested the 3215. A magazine article I read said that you should not consider a backhoe attachment on anything less than 50 hp, so I'm wondering if the 3215 is going to be powerful enough?

Oh, and we're on a budget.

Thanks!

For some applications you need the weight and digging depth-strength of a 50HP, or maybe even a 75HP tractor. Yet a lot of guys accomplish a huge amount of work with backhoe tractors around 20HP that may only weigh 3000 lbs total. So it all depends on the task, the speed at which you want to accomplish same, and any physical limitations, like needing to lift high enough to load a real dump truck, dig deep enough to put in a septic tank, lift objects that weigh a bunch, etc. If your tasks can be broken down into small bites, even a real small tractor will do. That being said, the 3215 Mahindra is a real nice medium size compact, built in Japan by Mitsubishi. The loader and backhoe are USA built. Great quality rigs. Mahindra makes backhoe tractors from 18-75 HP, so you can have a lot of options in that brand.

 

[BigD23]

Hello everybody. I am shopping for a tractor for our business and am totally new to the world of tractors. We need a tractor to knock down brush, build small roads/trails, grade our existing roads, and dig trenches for water and electrical lines. Can anyone recommend what the minimum amount of horsepower I should be looking at to do a fair amount of trenching in soil that can be hard in places? A Mahindra dealer I've spoken to has suggested the 3215. A magazine article I read said that you should not consider a backhoe attachment on anything less than 50 hp, so I'm wondering if the 3215 is going to be powerful enough?

Oh, and we're on a budget.

Thanks!

Welcome to TBN...Not sure about the 50 hp backhoe attachment thing but it's all relative to what your applications are...You'll probably hear that bigger is better...Good luck with your pick.

Don

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

for not much more than that 3215 (or 3316, if they're out of the older model) you could get a 4110 (also last year of production) which is a frame size bigger and therefore heavier, which translates into better traction for ground engagement and BH work.
OTOH, I completely understand budget restrictions.
you might also check around for a used machine in your price range. I had a demo model Branson 4720 with loader quoted to me at $16,100 this week. BH would add $7k to that, installed.

 

[LBrown59]

A magazine article I read said that you should not consider a backhoe attachment on anything less than 50 hp, so I'm wondering if the 3215 is going to be powerful enough?
Thanks!

Did you know that ya can't beleive every magazine article u read?

 

[LBrown59]

You'll probably hear that bigger is better...Good luck with your pick.

Don

That's not always true across the board.

 

[teg]

Oh, and we're on a budget.

What's the Budget range???

 

[kthompson]

Depending on the amount of trenching and all the specs with it, you might find a trencher to be better option for that than backhoe. Depending on your needs there you might be better off renting a large trencher. At same time depending on all specs you might find you are better off hiring such done or renting a machine just for the digging. If you will be doing trenching often then your probably will be better off buying. Still think you will find trencher is faster than digging is. Of course the backhoe has advantages.

 

[Soundguy]

I hate to say it.. but this almost sounds like skid-steer teritory.

in any case.. a backhoe on a cut, if it has a subframe, is ok.

soundguy

 

[Gittyup]

The trencher suggestions are good ones, if you know you only have a few, or that they will always be narrow. The backhoe lets you dig BIG holes and big trenches too.

If you get a QA bucket and front remotes, you can buy or rent a trencher attachment for the front of your tractor, assuming you get a tractor with enough HP to drive it. This is where the skidsteers excel.

For narrow, shallow trenches, say for a water line, a cheap middle buster can be used on a tractor. Very fast. And there are some other inexpensive implements specially designed just for this purpose too.

If you go with backhoe, here are few things to consider:

Weight of tractor is king - will help you get the most power out of your backhoe
Reach is a consideration, limited by tractor size: 20 hp = ~6.5', 25-35 hp = ~7.5', 35 - 45 hp = ~9', etc. Don't under estimate it.
Get subframe mount only, NO 3PH backhoes.
Good dirt and/or pavement pads are a must.
Good large (1/2" hoses) to rear remotes are better (faster). Rear remotes make backhoe on/off a little easier than long plumbing. Then rear remotes can be used for other purposes too.
Pay attention to hydraulic pump capacity of tractor. More = faster working.
Get a proven backhoe from a reliable manufacturer.
Consider a true TLB (like a Kubota B21 or B39), flip over seat, closer hoe to tractor. Heavier duty.

For CUTs, I think Branson is the heaviest, followed by Kioti and Mahindra. Kioti's have excellent pump capacity. The Kioti CK20 is good for it's size, if you don't need the reach or more hp power for other things. But, I'd opt for the bigger CK27 (or CK25). Or, if you think you need the PTO HP, the CK30 or CK35. I also like the TYM T273 or the new T353.

I'd definite check them all out, and look used first.

 

[gitrdone]

Hey guys, thanks for the great responses. This really helps.

I'm going to check out the 3215 at the local Mahindra dealer next week. Also, there is a used Branson 4520 in the area with approx 500 hours. Anybody know anything about this brand? They are asking $18,000...includes loader, backhoe, scraper and post hole digger.

Is there a guideline for number of hours before a used machine will begin to require significant, periodic maintenance?

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

500 hours should mean nothing to that tractor if they did their scheduled PMs. 4520? or 4720? and where did you see it? Either way, that's a very good deal if it's in any kind of decent shape. I was quoted $17k for a used 4720 w/loader at the closest dealer to me and $16,100 for a demo model with 16 hours on it from a dealer in Iowa. Backhoe would add $7k to the price from the "local" guy. New PHD runs about $500-700. not sure if by scraper you're talking box blade or back blade, but either way it's another several hundred. Branson is a good machine - my Century was the same as a Branson 3510. Good luck!

 

[BigD23]

That's not always true across the board.

So, please let us know what Is always true across the board.

 

[DavesTractor]

Hey guys, thanks for the great responses. This really helps.

I'm going to check out the 3215 at the local Mahindra dealer next week. Also, there is a used Branson 4520 in the area with approx 500 hours. Anybody know anything about this brand? They are asking $18,000...includes loader, backhoe, scraper and post hole digger.

Is there a guideline for number of hours before a used machine will begin to require significant, periodic maintenance?

Branson's are good tractors. The 4520 had a Yanmar engine, and it starts well and has at least 45 HP. 500 hours is nothing really. I would check the clutch for freeplay to make sure it is not on it's last leg. Gear type tractors will consume a clutch quickly with a bad operator, or will last for 2000 hours or more with a real careful user. It should have the 8620 backhoe, but some of the early ones had the 7620 hoe, which is sort of small for the tractor. The price seems good considering the attachments that come with it.

 

[gitrdone]

Does the Branson come with an hour meter somewhere? The person selling it said that it had "about 500 hours." To my amateur eye, however, some cosmetic aspects looked pretty worn out.

 

[Soundguy]

Hours are not always a good determining factor of usage.

A good operator that maintains his equipment can put a couple thousand on a machine and hve it still loocking new. A bad operator can ruin a 30,000$ machine before it runs an hour up on the clock.

soundguy

 

[DavesTractor]

Does the Branson come with an hour meter somewhere? The person selling it said that it had "about 500 hours." To my amateur eye, however, some cosmetic aspects looked pretty worn out.

It's on the dash, it looks like a car odometer. Some fading is normal, perhaps a torn seat, etc. But if it has lots of dents, a broken grill, lights that don't work, etc, that would show a lack of care when operating.

 

[mbohuntr]

From My experience, I've ran a few full sized 580 series hoes, I rented a 'Bota L30, and from a weight to power ratio, nothing I've ran comes close. I dug a couple of water lines 4' deep, and pretty long. What a beast! Now comes the catch... Tried to pop out a couple of 12" stumps, and it wouldn't touch em. In softer soil, It would likely be great, in that soil (HARD clay), it was impossible. The contractor I hired to clear the land told me his BIG Kobelco didn't like it either. The 'Bota was also very top heavy, and with a narrow wheel base gave me some scares. Now I own a Mahindra 2615, no hoe, and I'd say it should have plenty of power.

 

[Botabill]

I don't subscribe to the bigger is better theory at all but for what you want I'd go for it. In fact a real backhoe like a Case 580 would be my choice unless you have transportation issues and need a smaller machine.