Backhoe Backhoes--who has one? Would you buy again?

[fried1765]

If you have a whole lot of digging to do, a MiniEx makes sense. It will always be faster for these tasks. However if you really only want 1 machine a TLB is great. Granted the BHs on many cuts are really homeowner grade performance, they work if you have the time and patience. Just dont expect them to perform like commercial equipment. They lack speed and weight behind them for more efficient work.

Personally I like having it, but we are building a house so I have lots of uses for mine (trenching, buried propane tanks, etc). I also have 46 acres of rocks and trees so there is lots of opportunity.

I know lots of people get them for digging stumps....that is a mistake in my opinion. First of all it is very hard on a machine. Second with no real power it takes forever to dig them out. Larger trees take hours. If you have a sizable task I would save up a bunch of stumps then get a large excavator (contract or rent) to make quick work. Even with my machine I will do that.

Yeah......but you have an M62.....and that is one damm nice machine!!!

 

[4570Man]

Yeah......but you have an M62.....and that is one damm nice machine!!!

I don’t much like digging stumps with my M59 either. I would with my 310 but the compact TLBs just aren’t built to the same level.

 

[Takman]

Most of the people I sell backhoes to with a tractor really only have a few jobs for it. They use it alot of the first year then call wanting to know if they can trade it back in for other attachments.

 

[shooterdon]

Most of the people I sell backhoes to with a tractor really only have a few jobs for it. They use it alot of the first year then call wanting to know if they can trade it back in for other attachments.

OMG....cannot be true....lol. Must not be TBN’ers.

I love my BH. It is about 3.5 miles away and comes with an operator. IIRC $75/hr last time I needed work done.

 

[fried1765]

Most of the people I sell backhoes to with a tractor really only have a few jobs for it. They use it alot of the first year then call wanting to know if they can trade it back in for other attachments.

Yep,...that is probably because a tractor mounted BH attachment is a far cry from a dedicated TLB backhoe.

 

[Hay Dude]

"Backhoe is like a Swiss Army knife"
Most appropriate comment on this thread!

Now a full sized 4WD backhoe with a HVAc cab, an extenda-hoe and hydraulic line down the boom for a thumb/tamper, etc and a 4in1 front bucket with flip down forks and hydraulics for a sweeper is like a Swiss Army Knife on steroids!!!
Had one and miss it everytime I need big rocks or stumps dug out.

 

[ovrszd]

Personally I like having it, but we are building a house so I have lots of uses for mine (trenching, buried propane tanks, etc). I also have 46 acres of rocks and trees so there is lots of opportunity.

We've been in our new house almost a year. Bought my Ford 555A two years ago. Put 242 hours on the clock. Gave $6,500 for it, did $1,500 in repairs. It's most definitely paid for itself.

 

[dennis103]

I love my back hoe attachment. I don't use it a lot but its there when I need it. My last 2 tractors (JD 4310 and my current Kubota Gr L6060) have both had back hoes. They are frame mounted and I have done a lot of work with both. They are always there and ready when I need them. If they are too small for the job, the job is probably too big for me and I will hire some one to do it. No single piece of equipment will be perfect for every job, but a subcompact tractor with all the attachments available will definitely get the majority of the work done that the average guy will need to do. Not to forget the fun factor in doing it.

 

[4570Man]

We've been in our new house almost a year. Bought my Ford 555A two years ago. Put 242 hours on the clock. Gave $6,500 for it, did $1,500 in repairs. It's most definitely paid for itself.

I sold my 310 more for than I had in it. I didn’t keep a spreadsheet on my L3240 but I didn’t lose much if any after working it for 800 hours so I definitely got my money out of both of those machines. I would’ve been tens of thousands in the hole not to mention a lot of work just not getting done if I had to rent a machine the whole time.

 

[Storm56]

I love my back hoe attachment. I don't use it a lot but its there when I need it. My last 2 tractors (JD 4310 and my current Kubota Gr L6060) have both had back hoes. They are frame mounted and I have done a lot of work with both. They are always there and ready when I need them. If they are too small for the job, the job is probably too big for me and I will hire some one to do it. No single piece of equipment will be perfect for every job, but a subcompact tractor with all the attachments available will definitely get the majority of the work done that the average guy will need to do. Not to forget the fun factor in doing it.

+1

I have a 4700 48 hp 4x4 John Deere with the loader and frame mount backhoe and would never be without it. May not even use it every year but always there when I do. True it is not as capable as a 580 Case or mini ex, but it whas always done the job for me when I need it. It has performed many projects in the years I have owned it and I have a couple lined up this summer for it. It has definitely paid for itself.

It is not for sale.