Anybody using a backhoe attachment on their CUT?

[etpm]

Greetings All,
I just can't seem to get this out of my mind. I have a Yanmar YM2310 with an FEL and a Case 580CK backhoe. I no longer need the big backhoe. It digs well but the bucket is 2 feet wide. And the machine is huge compared to my Yanmar. Now the only digging I need to do is ditches for water lines and a few power lines. I could really use a small backhoe with a thumb.
I move a lot of rocks because we have so many and every time I dig I get more. My back is slowly fusing itself, some sort of genetic thing, and this makes it particularly hard on my back when moving heavy things. Being able to pick and place rocks with a thumb would save me a lot of trouble and pain.
I would love to have a small excavator but I can't justify the expense. I have been looking to trade my big hoe for a smaller one but haven't had any luck with that. So I'm wondering if a subframe mounted backhoe on my Yanmar would be useful. Maybe something like this: 5\' Dig Self Contained Backhoe, VL-BHM5 | Betstco Sales, Parts, and Service:
I can build the subframe myself, I have a complete machine shop and welders and the expertise. Since I'm retired the shop is free for me to play in. The hoe would be powered with a PTO pump.
Anybody with a good amount of experience that wants to chime in I would greatly appreciate anything you would have to say.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[setxjeff]

I only have a towable backhoe so my personal opinion is if the 580 is in good mechanical shape I would build or buy a narrow bucket and thumb for the 580. you could rent a tractor loader backhoe in the same size as your current tractor for a few days and try it out before selling your big backhoe.

 

[Carl_NH]

Yes the Case is a big machine - have you considered getting a used 12-16" bucket for the Case and adding a thumb? You can find small buckets for $500 range, then add a thumb for similar cost. All in $1-1.5K

Or find a used BH to adapt a frame your machine and add a thumb - probably in the $5K range but it will be limited vs what you have today

 

[hornett22]

Greetings All,
I just can't seem to get this out of my mind. I have a Yanmar YM2310 with an FEL and a Case 580CK backhoe. I no longer need the big backhoe. It digs well but the bucket is 2 feet wide. And the machine is huge compared to my Yanmar. Now the only digging I need to do is ditches for water lines and a few power lines. I could really use a small backhoe with a thumb.
I move a lot of rocks because we have so many and every time I dig I get more. My back is slowly fusing itself, some sort of genetic thing, and this makes it particularly hard on my back when moving heavy things. Being able to pick and place rocks with a thumb would save me a lot of trouble and pain.
I would love to have a small excavator but I can't justify the expense. I have been looking to trade my big hoe for a smaller one but haven't had any luck with that. So I'm wondering if a subframe mounted backhoe on my Yanmar would be useful. Maybe something like this: 5\' Dig Self Contained Backhoe, VL-BHM5 | Betstco Sales, Parts, and Service:
I can build the subframe myself, I have a complete machine shop and welders and the expertise. Since I'm retired the shop is free for me to play in. The hoe would be powered with a PTO pump.
Anybody with a good amount of experience that wants to chime in I would greatly appreciate anything you would have to say.
Thanks,
Eric

Says in the link it's for sub compact and three point hitch. No way

 

[Racenut]

I have the subframe type backhoe on mine, and after seeing how much banging around it can do, there is no way I would ever expect a 3pt mount to handle that.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have a 3 pth backhoe for mine and wish that I had a subframe. I’ve done a lot of work with this as well as my last one, but the risk of breaking the rear housing is too great to continue using it.

Mine is a Woods 750, somewhere on TBN there is a thread where somebody converted his to a subframe. (I have it bookmarked on my computer.)

So yes, it can be done. Before selling your big backhoe though I would do as someone’s already suggested and try a compact tractor with a backhoe.

 

[etpm]

I guess I should have been more clear about the backhoe. I would not use a 3 point mounted one and included the one in the link to show the approximate size I am thinking about. I am hoping someone is using one in that size range and can comment on how useful or not the thing is. I am certain that any backhoe must be a subframe mounted one. I am not averse to buying a 3 point mount one and converting it to subframe mount. In fact, I have been looking at used backhoes online to see what's available and even though some are 3 point I still am interested because it would get converted.
Eric

 

[etpm]

Yes the Case is a big machine - have you considered getting a used 12-16" bucket for the Case and adding a thumb? You can find small buckets for $500 range, then add a thumb for similar cost. All in $1-1.5K

Or find a used BH to adapt a frame your machine and add a thumb - probably in the $5K range but it will be limited vs what you have today

I actually built a 6 inch wide ditching bucket that affixes to the main bucket. It works pretty well. But the whole machine is so big that it is really hard to use in a lot of places. I often have to park the hoe at 90 degrees to the ditch in order to dig. And that's a pain.
Eric

 

[etpm]

I have the subframe type backhoe on mine, and after seeing how much banging around it can do, there is no way I would ever expect a 3pt mount to handle that.

What tractor is it on? And how big is the hoe? Does it compare in size to the one in the link? I will not be using a 3 point mount, I just included the link to get a size comparison.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[newbury]

I've a Woods BH-70 on my B7610. It's a little big for the 7610 but when using it I always had plenty of power, my problem was more along the line of not enough weight on the tractor.
It's an expensive attachment but so aren't back operations.
Doesn't Yanmar make a BH?