Backhoe on the BX24

[Adirondaquer]

I was wondering how well the backhoe works on the BX24.

For instance, how long might it take to dig a 100 foot trench 3 feet deep in soil that is mostly clay with mixed in shale and stone, etc. (no boulders)

One day?
One weekend?
One week?

I'd be using it primarily for digging trenches to bury electric cable/wire or water lines and for digging holes and transplanting small trees, etc.

Also have a bunch of small stumps to remove.

This would be on my own property and other friends and family.

Do you think this might be enough machine?

Would it be about equal in ability to the similar JD? Better? Worse?

Any other suggestions or sizes on a low budget?

Thanks.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Time, and quality of the trenches depend more on the skill of the operator than the backhoe if soil conditions are good for digging. The needed width of the trench is also a factor since the BX24 backhoe isn't too wide. Stumps, and roots are another matter, and while the BX backhoe will certainly dig out pretty large stumps with patience, and good technique, more power, and weight is good. You will see that the forces that can be generated by the BX24 backhoe are just somewhat more than half the forces that can be generated by the BH76 that they put on the larger B series tractors for example. Both those forces, and the weight of the tractor are signifigant when dealing with roots. Bro Tek makes a ripper tooth for the BX hoe that sure helps break roots, and other techniques help too. I did take out several stumps, and many LARGE rocks with the BX22 that I had so I do have some experience. Other tractors in the same size range have about the same capability. I'm not sure, but the JD may have more degrees of boom swing, and that is a tremendous help when positioning the tractor.

 

[ptplumer]

I used a BX23 for similar trench 2 years ago. I was a novice operator, and I could dig about 15 feet per hour at that depth. As I got better, time improved. Took me a little over a day to dig my 150 ft x 3 ft ditch. Lots of rock and hard pan.

 

[BigD23]

I own/operate a BX23...Very similar to the BX24...I dug a 3' deep x 50' trench for an electrical "lay in" with it and it took maybe 6 hours...I don't do it for a living so an experienced BH operator would probably cut that time by quite a bit...The bucket on my BH is 10" wide...I've removed quite a few stumps and the BH is a very handy item to have around the place...Good luck with your choice.

Don

 

[radioman]

When I dug 40" trenches for footers, it took me half a day for 3 corners and one long side of wall. It took me longer then I thought due to the corners were only 3' on the corner, not a simple trench box like. I wanted it neat so it took me longer there too. Also I was putting spoils in a dump cart to take away.I was digging in clay, 12-14" wide with many shale rocks. When I hit the 20-28" mark, I had water coming in from high water table and it slowed down diggin since the bucket was getting full of clay and had to be shoveled out by hand every 4-6 digs. When I hit the 36-39" mark, I hit really hard clay pan and the teeth would make powder of the clay when trying to scrape it. I gave up for the day and waited till the next day. The water filled the trenches and I pumped it out and found the water softened up the hardpan and I was happly able to finish digging the "clay muck" to the required depth to code.
As for your situtation, If you just digging in a straight row going backwards, not worried about neatness, 12"-14" wide, 3 ft deep 100 ft long in clay that is dry, low water table, just dumping the dirt on the side of trench and not in a trailer like i as doing, no tree roots in way ( it will cut 2-4" diameter no problem but you need to take the time to curl bucket right to break it free on one side) I would say you would be done in half a day with WOT or less. I would say the BX24 will do everything you ask it to if you just take your time. If you need to do all the stuff you want to do in one weekend, you might be better off with a much bigger machine and rent it out. If you need to complete the tasks on your list within the lifetime of owning the machine, then the BX24 is perfect. (in fact, you might run out of stuff to do )

 

[OlderToday]

I put in a 110' long storm drain that was 1' wide and ranged from 3' to 18" deep last year with my BX24 in Columbus Ohio clay that had some light shale and a few small (6-8") rocks in it. No tree roots in the area. Did the trench in less than a day by myself (maybe 5 to 6 hr?) and that was with getting off the tractor every so often to check the depth and slope using a laser level. I put in a second 140' long storm drain (same width & depths) on the other side of the house in which I hit a shale layer and also had to work under maybe a dozen 3-6" tree roots. That trench took a full day. The shale layers will slow you down, but if it's not too thich and/or is fractured, you can work under it once and then pull up through it for the rest of the trench.

 

[Adirondaquer]

Thanks for the answers, everyone.

Looks like the right sized tool for the job.

 

[GreenWannabe]

You may have a local rental store that has a BX22, BX23, BX24, or BX25, like we do about 20 miles from me. If so, you might rent it for a day to see what you can get done in that time, and decide if it is enough machine for your jobs or if you need something larger.

Good luck with your projects.

 

[newbury]

I put in a 110' long storm drain that was 1' wide and ranged from 3' to 18" deep last year with my BX24 in Columbus Ohio clay that had some light shale and a few small (6-8") rocks in it. No tree roots in the area. Did the trench in less than a day by myself (maybe 5 to 6 hr?) and that was with getting off the tractor every so often to check the depth and slope using a laser level. I put in a second 140' long storm drain (same width & depths) on the other side of the house in which I hit a shale layer and also had to work under maybe a dozen 3-6" tree roots. That trench took a full day. The shale layers will slow you down, but if it's not too thich and/or is fractured, you can work under it once and then pull up through it for the rest of the trench.

So you wasted TWO DAYS putting in 250' of storm drain and wasting diesel fuel!!

You should have charged 25 environmentalists $50 a day to come out and get healthy exercise with their shovels!

Save the environment, Come dig my ditch!

Sorry, I keep getting snide comments about what I'm going to do with a tractor and backkhoe.

 

[LBrown59]

I was wondering how well the backhoe works on the BX24.
I'd be using it primarily for digging trenches to bury electric cable/wire or water lines and for digging holes and transplanting small trees, etc.
Also have a bunch of small stumps to remove.

This would be on my own property and other friends and family.
Thanks.

I have a BX23 and it does great .
I have taken down lots of 6 to 10'' trees and removed 30 or 35 stumps with the BH.

I put in a 110' long storm drain that was 1' wide and ranged from 3' to 18" deep last year with my BX24 in Columbus Ohio clay that had some light shale and a few small (6-8") rocks in it. No tree roots in the area. Did the trench in less than a day by myself (maybe 5 to 6 hr?) and that was with getting off the tractor every so often to check the depth and slope using a laser level. I put in a second 140' long storm drain (same width & depths) on the other side of the house in which I hit a shale layer and also had to work under maybe a dozen 3-6" tree roots. That trench took a full day. The shale layers will slow you down, but if it's not too thich and/or is fractured, you can work under it once and then pull up through it for the rest of the trench.

I put in 110 feet of of 15'' culvert in a road side ditch and back filled the 1.5 to 3 foot deep by 2 to 4 foot wide dich hauling tons and tons of fill dirt with my BX23.

Thanks for the answers, everyone.

*Looks like the right sized tool for the job.

* Seems so.