**** backhoe's are expensive

[4570Man]

But quite frankly you can slowly dig a very small hole.

For many of us in the "rent it crowd" it just makes more sense. If you really need a backhoe so frequently that it has to be there on demand you probably need something a little more substantial than a smallish tractor mounted one. When I need a backhoe, I need an honest to goodness 75+HP construction backhoe. For some of us, just making a phone call and having the lowboy show up next day is a better option.....
View attachment 599769

That one is 75HP, 13k lbs, yard bucket, 9' dump clearance, can lift > 3 tons. Most recent one they brought was a 410J which is even a lot more machine. So yeah, let some small projects pile up, then knock them out all at once with ease with a beast. It's an option.....

And the hoe isn't the only part of the machine. Although it is incredibly more capable than a small tractor one - esp like the one on an MT125, it's attached to brute of a machine that can do a whole lot of other work while its there....

An MT125 would only do maybe 10% of the tasks I need done with a hoe. The factory backhoe for mine would probably do half - so I'd still be renting or borrowing or leaving ..... Sometimes brute force and a machine with a lot of @$$ is what's required.

And I owned an 80hp, 14k lbs construction BH. Sure it was convenient, but reality was it sat idle for long periods of time too. That's a lot of $, a lot of maintenance time, tied up for an occasionally used item. I can rent something stronger, nicer and I don't have $ tied up in the machine, I don't have to do maintenance on it, I don't have to insure it, I don't have to worry about it growing legs, I don't have to have a place to store it, I don't have to replace it with another big $ purchase when it finally dies for good, I don't have to deal with unexpected and expensive repairs.

So be as irritated as you want of hearing from the rent it crowd - it doesn't make us wrong..... It is a stretch to say a tiny TLB with very limited capability but is available 24/7 is > than an excavator or construction BH that has to be scheduled and paid for as used. For many of us, a BH & subframe is a good $9k extra expense.....that's a lot of rentals.

Who says you can’t have a real backhoe? I could sell mine tomorrow for what I have in it but I don’t really feel like doing that because it’s a lot of fun. And you’re right. There’s a LOT of difference in a 310 and a tractor backhoe.

 

[fried1765]

Who says you can’t have a real backhoe? I could sell mine tomorrow for what I have in it but I don’t really feel like doing that because it’s a lot of fun. And you’re right. There’s a LOT of difference in a 310 and a tractor backhoe.

The guys who think a TLB is too expensive, absolutely MUST buy everything NEW!

 

[CMV]

Who says you can稚 have a real backhoe? I could sell mine tomorrow for what I have in it but I don稚 really feel like doing that because it痴 a lot of fun. And you?*e right. There痴 a LOT of difference in a 310 and a tractor backhoe.

That 310J is nice!!!!




This did a lot of work for me, but also required me to pretend to be a heavy equipment mechanic (which I am not!).

Around here, about best you'll do under $25k is ~20 y/o 310, ~9k hrs, overall good, ready-to-work shape. Which is fine - will cost some $ maintaining & repairing along the way, but still lots of life left. Would like to have one again but not on its deathbed like my 500C was just about.... But for my use & frequency of rentals, would take very long time (if ever) to break even - would depend on frequency and cost of unplanned repairs along the way. But since just adding a hoe to what I have now would still require occasional rentals of a bigger machine, the way I do it now just makes the most sense for me. I need the brute force and high dump clearance that come along with the construction BH too. But can get by just having that around 1-2 weekends per year & do everything else in between with what I have.

 

[joefromga]

I love my backhoe. I use it for all sorts of things that I would just not do if I needed a rental.

Lift the trailer to change the tire, pull fence posts and move them sideways (which the loader can't do). Smash down garbage in the dumpster, rip chain link fencing down, move brush, lift posts into holes, dig and pick up rocks and concrete bats, dig around tree roots, pick up a deck to repair it or level it, pull or push on a gate to straighten it, etc. They are way more useful than just digging a hole. You can also pick up your rear tires or a truck tire with it or a heavy barrel. A truck axle that needs to be moved or anything too heavy to throw away or haul off that you aren't gonna rent a machine for can be done on a whim if you own it and it's sitting there ready.

Tons of things in a non-farm environment that I would just not do or be able to do if I had to wait to rent.
Renting is certainly a good option to have, especially for things you won't use much but in my case I'd never use the tractor without the backhoe. It's become and extension of my arm and not having to use a shovel and wheelbarrow and going home dry at the end of the day is worth much more than what it cost to buy. Plus, like others have posted, when I sell it I will probably get my money back.

 

[CMV]

^^^^ Are those the OEM R1 tires or something different? Have any durability issues with them? I think I'd like those better on my rears vs the R4 I opted for. But mine have run over lots of crap without complaint so like the durability of mine - would like that toughness but more aggressive bite like yours look.

 

[finn1]

I知 at the point in life that I want to schedule my projects with only the weather and my own personal schedule in mind. I dig when those two things align. I bought my own mini ex.

There is a place in town that rents a mini, but the season for digging is short here, and I don稚 want to add rental machine availability to the mix for scheduling.

Most of my jobs are too small to contract out.

If you can afford the equipment, buy it, but don稚 become a slave to payments you are obligated to for something you really don稚 need.

You can always resell at some point in the future.

 

[4570Man]

Some people buy useless RVs. Some people buy expensive cars. Some people buy expensive clothes. Most people waste money in other ways. I’ll have a dang backhoe if I want one. And I wouldn’t give up my dump trucks for a fast car. Don’t forget about your air hauling pickup truck and the tractor you probably don’t need to begin with.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I feel sorry for so many guys that have to run everything by the CFO. A friend is moving and will need a real TLB to build a new house and shop. He does everything himself. Amazing guy. But he has been "given" a budget so small that will only buy him trouble and aggravation, and probably in the end cost way more, than if he had been "allowed" to spend more. AND at the end of the day, it would cost little or nothing anyway, if he sold it. Just plain stupid and pathetic! Funny, how there is no shortage of money for consumer JUNK though. Stuff you would practically give away at a yard sale.

 

[joefromga]

^^^^ Are those the OEM R1 tires or something different? Have any durability issues with them? I think I'd like those better on my rears vs the R4 I opted for. But mine have run over lots of crap without complaint so like the durability of mine - would like that toughness but more aggressive bite like yours look.

They are OEM originals. The tractor is 4 years old plus the time it sat on the lot (2014 model) but hasn't seen a ton of use but sitting in the sun is just as bad for tires as anything else but I have no problems or cracks or leaks. Very aggressive and look good but don't try to drive down the highway with them. Very bouncy at speed.

 

[PEJ5]

This got me searching for new/used, oem, and 3rd party manufactured backhoes. Very scarce in Canada.
I get the subframe attached backhoes that are tightly coupled to the tractor and take advantage of the tractor weight.
How well do the 3Pt hitch attached backhoes work? How unstable? How much stress on the 3Pt, etc. If a used one popped up would it be worth considering?