Anybody using a backhoe attachment on their CUT?

[massey 165]

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

The small boom and bucket will not move the dirt far enought from the ditch. The extra weight with a thumb and rock will constantly unruly.
I put a thumb on the Case and look for a mini-excavator . They make a shorter hole and move dirt and rocks 360 degrees.
Good luck

 

[MMC]

If you really want to do this for a challenge and entertainment, no one can fault you. But as some have alluded to, you have an interim and cheap way to get into this. I have an old 580C on the farm with a 12" bucket - it will do anything I ask (almost). The ground you first described might not be conducive to a lighter machine for digging - you probably will be disappointed and may well ask more of the machine than it is wise or safe to do. The older Cases' are a little crude, but relatively cheap to maintain and repair. Yeah, the seat is a little aggravating, but it works (as does the loud bang after quickly reversing levers to get the boom over center to lock...). Still, a 12" bucket and thumb would be a cheap experiment to get you started. If you don't like it, just move on...

Good Luck

 

[jjeff]

Used 3 point BHs go relatively inexpensive used and at auctions compared to other implements, If I was looking I'd buy one and modify it with a subframe, and anything else I wanted it to do.

 

[California]

Sure you can do that. Yanmar used to make about 4 different models of subframe and 3pt PTO-driven backhoes for their 25 hp and under tractors. So did several other companies. Bradco still does. We had one...It was Yanmar model YBH600, and cost about $2500 back in 1985.

They aren't real popular and you could probably pick one up for under a grand today. There really isn't anything much to go wrong with them. Ours had a PTO pump and about a 8 gallon hydraulic tank with filter under your feet.
I used it for chores like you describe for about 15 years and did a ton of handy work.

It's almost a toy - but a toy that easily does the work of several grown men laboring with shovels and wheelbarrows.

Even these tiny hoes are rough and stressful on little tractors, and really throw the tractor around - but it sounds like you have the experience to avoid tearing up the machine. And if your tractor has automatic draft control BE SURE TO TURN THAT OFF! Draft Control can tear up a 3pt/subframe hoe and you with it. It almost happened to me.

But they are real handy. I replaced mine with a real TLB but if I hadn't I'd still have it. I've not seen a thumb for one. If I had mine back I'd at least put a mechanical thumb on it. No more power than it has, you wouldn't have to weld the thumb mount to the dipper stick, just use some old Chevy leaf spring U bolts ought to be enough.

rScottyView attachment 773024

I have the YBH600 3-point BH you described above.
Except in Kubota colors as K-650. Same identical hoe sold as OEM by those respective dealers. Circa 1980.

I use it mostly for my annual removal of apple orchard stumps, as ancient trees get replaced by new plantings. Scotty, I paid $3,500 some 15 years ago and I doubt one in working order would be any cheaper today. Seller received multiple calls as I was picking it up, including offering more than the Craigslist listed price.

My Yanmar YM240 seems to be strong enough for this 3-point hoe. The only problem I've had was loosening of a 3-point hinge pin that had been sloppy loose when I bought the tractor in 2003, and re-set at that time with red Locktite. The pin finally worked loose 15 years later, perhaps because of the backhoe stress.

In summary I'm pleased with this hoe for what I use it for.

I think one of these would be suitable to start a frame-mount project.

Note 4 ft is about the maximum practical depth without moving the tractor for every foot advancing the trench.

And a caution: I looked at the Del Morino mini-backhoe thinking that would fit my smaller YM186D. I discovered the US dealer was lying, he advertised 6 ft dig depth while the manufacturer said something like 4.1 ft straight down and a lot less for a continual trench. Avoid.

 

[Jstpssng]

When I was digging trenches every time that I had to move I would pull forward so that the rear tires were where the fronts had been. That’s about the effective digging length.

 

[John in BC]

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

I have a Bobcat CT 225 tractor with a 7ft hoe. If I am ditching I am glad for the reach as it means less tractor moving. As for buckets I have a 9" and an 18". The land is all a mixture of sand and bowling balls, both 5 and 10 pin. I prefer to trench with the 18" because the 10 pin balls don't fit into the small bucket and that is a problem if one becomes exposed on each side of the ditch the small bucket doesn't want to pull up through them so in the end the ditch becomes wider anyway. Also if you need to climb into a 3 or 4 foot ditch and it's 9 inches, you can't.
JR

 

[Jaygyver]

You need to set your hopes a bit lower on a CUT BH compared to the "real one". Even new they can have a bit more play in the bushings and the controls can have a bit more slop in them then the commercial ones. With that being said and understanding the limitations of the "wanna be" it will serve you well.
One thing you might look at too is, see if you can get an OEM sub-frame either used or new then all you would have to do is fab a mount to the BH connections. I thought about doing that with my LS seeings how I aready have a 3pt BH.
I've used my BH way more then I thought I would. Basically if I could lift the log, stump or rock high enough for my old 4x8 trailer I was good to go. I just have too many large rocks to use my tractor bucket where I need it, it just beats the crap out of it when I hit one.

Everyone is different but unfortunately for ME I ended up getting a 3pt mount BH for my old JD770 a few years ago as I just couldn't find the factory one. Just got tired of renting one, which is how I got my JD also. And I did look at 3pt mount issues. There's even someone who's broke their tractor WITH the sub-mount so, it's either gonna break or it won't. I tried to get the lightest one that looked like it would hold up. I ended up with the WoodMaxx WM6600 self contained one. 180 degree swing. Got it with some extra's like the Ripper, Quick Connect system (for bucket change over), and Hyd Thumb. I do love the hyd thumb, it does fold out of the way so you don't even know it's there. Comes with a 9", 12" or 15" bucket. I got the 15" as I needed more digging then trenching. I think I paid around $5000 and a few penys delivered. (pre-pandemic) Hell, my neighbor spends more on beer/cig's in a year. It depends on how you look at it.
I ended up getting a new '21 LS MT235HE this last winter so I've since moved the BH over to it. I also ended up getting a HYD 4-1 bucket for it also, but I still need my 770 to get to our burn pile in the winter/spring as the LS is just too heavy for our mud as far as leaving ruts.

 

[hornett22]

Not sure what availability there is in your area but you might consider renting a compact tractor with a backhoe for the weekend just to get an idea of what to expect. Home Depot here in Knoxville rents a couple sub compacts and 2 series Deere and what looks like a 30-35 hp Yanmar all with backhoes. A couple of local rental places rent Kubota compacts with back hoes. Renting one for 3-400 $ and deciding it's not gonna work would be a lot easier to accept than buying one for $3-?k and deciding it's not gonna work.

 

[kpsp50]

Read the tractor by net post on 1129 of 22 bad news on my tc33 he had a 3-point backhoe on his tractor and he broke the case of his transmission 3-point backhoes are not the thing to put on a small tractor stick with the Case 580 or get an excavator

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

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.

We've had a 3 point type since 94 or 95. Dug footings for houses, built 4 chicken houses, built brother's house, buried dead livestock. No problems yet.