**** backhoe's are expensive

[Industrial Toys]

Many, many discussions are had here totally missing many important details. Socio-economic being the biggest, age, interests, resources, marital status and the list goes on. But it's always, I have an acre, blah, blah, blah, what tractor should I buy?

 

[Oldoak]

Many, many discussions are had here totally missing many important details. Socio-economic being the biggest, age, interests, resources, marital status and the list goes on. But it's always, I have an acre, blah, blah, blah, what tractor should I buy?

Thus, the reason for my comment #180 with a quote of kspring:

I don't think there is a right or wrong general answer here after reading all the responses, but the right answer for me -------

Which could be applied to almost all the topics here on TBN.

Researching and asking for opinions, ideas, help, etc. is wise, but the ultimate decision is up each individual. Only they know the particulars of their own circumstances.

 

[prof fate]

I've rented a mini-ex twice in 20 years - $250/weekend including delivery and pickup. (rural county outside pittsburgh pa).

At the time I had no tractor - so the alternative was $20-25k for a new tractor/hoe. $250 was a bargain.

today I have a CK3510 - a hoe adds $7500 to the price. Since I got the tractor twice i've hired out some digging (bury a horse and dig up a water line/bury it). $150 for the horse (bereaved discount I suppose) and $600 for well issue (includes labor to fix the pipe). He used a NH workmaster 45hp with a woods hoe. Can't say it was slower than a mini-ex.

So had I the hoe I'd have used it a few other times in last 2 years - I'd expand the water line, bury (move and bury) a gutter drain line...dig up some stumps that bother me (maybe a buch of them...).

And at soem point in the future the hoe will have resale value with the tractor. So it doesn't really cost $7500...

BUT - it would have added $100/month to my loan payment...something I couldn't do.

May talk about buying a used backhoe, deere or case, for $8-10k and use it, sell it for that in 10 years...sounds like a better deal in many ways.

So, every time you want to dig something, it costs you $250 plus travel time, no matter whether it would take you an hour or a day. And maybe the digger is available when you need it.

I can dig a hole whenever I want to, no direct cost.

 

[joe48]

All I can add is my I've had my tractor mounted backhoe for 15 years.
Done everything I have ever needed it to do. (Works quite well IMO). (Water lines and electric line ditch's, stump removal, covert pipes and ditching, drainage pipe, pole barn foundation, dug the rock for my road to pole barn, Etc. Etc.)
Easily paid for itself with the amount of work I have done with it over the years and ready to use any time I need it without the hassle of trying to get a rental machine every time a project comes up.
A excavator or commercial TLB may do it faster, but also comes with the expense ,maintenance and storage of another machine that I do not want or need.

ditto everything Vince says except I've done it with a CK20!! More than paid for tractor and hoe and all my attachments over the years by doing work for people. I always get PAID one way or another; cash, barter, equal time for skills I don't have etc.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I was quoted 12K for a Kubota installed backhoe.

I just bought a Chinese Special from the internet and it was less tha 3K delivered.
I wanted to connect it to the tractor hydraulics which my tractor can handle but I'm
not knowlegeble enough to do that so I bought a PTO pump for $400.00.

I had a Kubota backhoe on my last Kobota and I must sat this Chinese Backhoe
is actually more stout in my opinion much heavier, nuch stronger steel .

Hook it up without a sub frame and just dug some hole to the tractors limit
with is 6' - more than my needs putting in and repairing water lines (OFTEN)

Renting out my way eats up a good portion of $1,000 with $350 delivery plus
$450.00 renta, plus $8.00 gal fuel charge plus insurance etc.

After three uses my backhoe ends up being paid for by not renting.

I'm getting way too old to be digging ditches by hand in 120 degree temps, did it
last year and it almost killed me - literally.

So even if you use a backhoe a few times a year owning one will pay for itself.

I cintacte dthe company direct in China and they are $1,500, but aroung $1,000
shipping so no real savings buying direct from China.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It may sound a little strange, but one of the reasons I always wanted and got a backhoe is just because, I wanted to be a guy that COULD use a backhoe. It's maybe, no big achievement, but there's nothing like learning with your own. But in that sense, isn't the education/skill part of it, also worth something?

 

[Rebeldad1]

Have both a tractor and a mini excavator. The mini excavator I purchased to keep me from doing things I shouldn't.
At 70yrs lifting things is easier pulling on a control handle. Have lots of banks that need blackberries and growth pushed back down. A tractor backhoe has no reach. Firewood is great! I can pickup a 30' tree waist high and never have to bend over to cut pieces.
Taking trees down I can dig a little and push it over and get the stumps out with it. Also i can move the tree to where ever I want effortlessly. My back REALLY doesnt like wrestling trees anymore. Its cut down my Advil bill considerably!
Also my wife doesnt have to help me so much any more. Road work= the front blade is handy at certain things the tractor bucket isnt.

All in all I would be lost without both for what I do plus all the honey do"s she wants.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I sometimes thought of having an excavator. But then the question, how BIG? A mini won't dig out or make bigger my pond. And, on a hundred acre place with a little job to do here and there, the mobility of a rubber tyred machine is attractive.

I just hire nice big Hoes to do a spectacular amount of work in a short time when I need them. To me, it's money well spent.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I was quoted 12K for a Kubota installed backhoe.

I just bought a Chinese Special from the internet and it was less tha 3K delivered.
I wanted to connect it to the tractor hydraulics which my tractor can handle but I'm
not knowlegeble enough to do that so I bought a PTO pump for $400.00.

I had a Kubota backhoe on my last Kobota and I must sat this Chinese Backhoe
is actually more stout in my opinion much heavier, nuch stronger steel .

Hook it up without a sub frame and just dug some hole to the tractors limit
with is 6' - more than my needs putting in and repairing water lines (OFTEN)

Renting out my way eats up a good portion of $1,000 with $350 delivery plus
$450.00 renta, plus $8.00 gal fuel charge plus insurance etc.

After three uses my backhoe ends up being paid for by not renting.

I'm getting way too old to be digging ditches by hand in 120 degree temps, did it
last year and it almost killed me - literally.

So even if you use a backhoe a few times a year owning one will pay for itself.

I cintacte dthe company direct in China and they are $1,500, but aroung $1,000
shipping so no real savings buying direct from China.

I would think the sub-frame is a must do. Hard to visualize it operating w/o the sub-frame. They have a purpose in transferring stress to the tractor frame. Too bad you could not get help locally to solve the hydraulic dilemma. You could have also saved the money for the aux system. I am sure it could be solved as it is a simple science. Trying to trouble shoot from our armchair is not always easy to do and a lot of false signals are produced that the poster has to sort the wheat from the chaff. I am a visual guy so words glance off my brain.

Ron

 

[Diggin It]

We all value tools, tasks and time differently, but I've done things in the last six months of having this BH that I simply could not have done without it. Before the 'just rent it' gang gets going, I don't have a rental place close enough or the ability to transport anything of any size.