**** backhoe's are expensive

[Sysop]

Backhoe vs Excavator - YouTube

They did have the mini-ex at a disadvantage having a smooth grading bucket for trenching. Needed teeth for max digging speeds.

 

[Looking4new]

There is no doubt in my mind that a mini-ex is of more use to me than the backhoe attachment on my Kioti. The backhoe is what I could afford at the time and that is what drove me to it. $$$ it all came down to money. And one less machine to maintain.

 

[Agvg]

They did have the mini-ex at a disadvantage having a smooth grading bucket for trenching. Needed teeth for max digging speeds.

Suppose it's a desperate try in the hope to sell some backhoes, here I live the sale died out in the late eighties, backhoes didn't stand a chance compete against excavators.

 

[4570Man]

Suppose it's a desperate try in the hope to sell some backhoes, here I live the sale died out in the late eighties, backhoes didn't stand a chance compete against excavators.

I thought it was a pretty funny video. The loaders lack a lot of versatility the skid steers have. What do you use the fill the gap? A mini is a pretty useless one piece unit. They require a skid steer or something else to help. And neither of the excavators you posted earlier are very common here. You’ll have to pay twice as much for that as a 50 series mini or a 15 ton machine.

 

[GSVette]

I have an Case 580E that I wouldn’t be without. I considered a backhoe attachment for my CUT but thought that switching out to do 3 pt tasks would be too much of a pain. As it turns out, I doubt a small tractor backhoe could have dug through some of the decomposed granite that I trenched through while trenching for water /power lines. Having the ~20’ reach of an extenda-hoe also reduces unproductive move time.

Cost-wise, maintaining the industrial TLB is probably higher (particularly depending on age and condition if you buy used)-how much higher I can’t say as my tractor hasn’t need service of a significant type yet-basic fluids and filters aren’t much different. I have had to rebuild a couple of cylinders and the steering control valve as well as a few hoses- wasn’t cheap but not unbelievably costly-some industrial TLB parts are though.

When it came to doing the septic borrowed a friends Volvo excavator-glad I did as the length and number of laterals, length of tightline and 2 large tank installs would have taken a long time with either my Case or a mini-ex.

Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses-the industrial TLB is a compromise as is the CUT mounted backhoe and the mini-ex. You pick the one whose weaknesses are the least objectionable and strengths are the most usable.

 

[Sysop]

Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses-the industrial TLB is a compromise as is the CUT mounted backhoe and the mini-ex. You pick the one whose weaknesses are the least objectionable and strengths are the most usable.

I agree with that, but I also agree with many tractor backhoe owners; a good operator with a good tractor backhoe "can" accomplish many of the same tasks. Where a tractor backhoe is a winner for many buyers, they are faster than working by hand with a shovel and wheelbarrow, and they are less expensive than the used commercial equipment.

 

[Agvg]

I thought it was a pretty funny video. The loaders lack a lot of versatility the skid steers have. What do you use the fill the gap? A mini is a pretty useless one piece unit. They require a skid steer or something else to help. And neither of the excavators you posted earlier are very common here. You’ll have to pay twice as much for that as a 50 series mini or a 15 ton machine.

Well, the problem with skid steer is a very limited ability to handle snow or terrain, a wheel loader is much better at this. Skid steer are here seen as a building or construction tool not as an all round machine, the Hitachi on the pic was a 8t, probably the most common class is between 6 - 8t, moves it on a tractor.

 

[4570Man]

That’s what skid steers are. I thought the same was true for most other construction equipment. I still don’t know why they use tractors to pull a mini in road. Trucks have one job and that’s pull loads down the road and you can’t beat them at that. That’s kinda your whole point with the mini excavator.

 

[Agvg]

Has used skid steer and small wheel loaders, as a wheel loader the skid steer doesn't work well. But inside buildings and very tight places they have an advantage.

 

[Agvg]

But now are we drifting into a bit off topic so everyone use what they can afford and enjoy.