Tractor Sizing BH90 Bucket Size

[gduff]

I am in the market for this backhoe. (Or woods equivalent, 9000 I think?) I would be using it on an L3830HST w/LA723 loader. There are several bucket sizes to choose from. For those of you who own this unit or have experience with it, what size did you go with? Would you change it? Also the dealer tells me that after you get used to it that this unit can be removed and 3 pt arms etc reinstalled in about ten minutes. Does this sound about right?
My soil is gravel-Loam with quite a few rocks. I would also be using it elsewhere in a variety of soil conditions.

 

[AntrimMan]

I have the 18" bucket on a BH90. It came from the dealer with the hoe. It is painted black. I don't know who specifically makes the bucket but I don't think Kubota makes their own buckets. There are four Hensley top pin teeth. I have about 1" of useless topsoil over 1 foot of useless sandy subsoil over bottomless gorgeous gravel. The biggest rocks I have found are 18" long and football shaped. I have used the bucket to pull 24" white oak stumps without any problem, know your limits, you do have to dig around them to loosen 'em up. You will need the loader to lift 'em out of the hole since the hoe will stall at about 900 lbs (more than the spec number). I have dug plenty of holes to plant bushes and shrubs and the bucket has always stayed nice and clean, never clogged. I have built retaining walls from 2'X4'X6" thick concrete slabs and have skidded them back and forth on top of each other using just the teeth pressed into the top. Never had an issue. That hoe, BH90, can easily handle the 18" bucket if you know and respect your limits (it's not a 40,000 lb excavator). The BH90 has a caution label on the stabilizer cylinders about having the boom at 90 degrees and hitting the stabilizer. Pay attention 'cause while I haven't hit the stabilizer with the bucket, I have retracted the stabilizer and the pad has contacted the boom. You can do more than scrape the paint if you are careless. It's a workhorse and I appreciate having it.
That said, it would be nice if it contained a throttle control, some oil and temp indicators and maybe a tiny tach. When sitting on the hoe it is a long reach to the standard loader valve when you want to use the boom to reposition the tractor. You will smell the UDT vapors coming from the axel vent, your sitting right on top of it, and the radiator fan will send all the heat and some exhaust your way but the cup holder is easy to get at. The BH90 uses the tractor hydraulics so if you don't have that already set up you will need to be sure it is included in the price and make sure the subframe is included also. If you buy from a dealer they will know all this. Taking the hoe off and on is a breeze but you do have to remove the 3ph arm and links. If you garage your machine pay particular attention to the height of the hoe. You can pull the building down on your self real easy. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, those lumps of grease on the seat and the back of your shirt and pants and face and hair etc are from low lying branches flicking it at you. If you have a cab, lucky you, but forget the hoe, I don't believe they are compatible but I could be wrong. I do know the mmm is not compatible with the hoe subframe.
I don't have a Woods 9000 so I can't comment on it.
Pleasant shopping,
I'm looking forward to fly season. Other than setting oneself on fire what keeps 'em away?
Martin /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Henro]

I don't have a BH90...mine is the BL4690A.

In my case I bougth 10" and 16" buckets. I wish now I had bought 12" and 24" buckets!

Buy two buckets, that is what my advice is. Get the 12 inch for times when you just want to drop something in the ditch and don't have to get in yourself...and the 24 inch to give you some room if you have to get in there, and also to have the extra width if you are doing things like cleaning out ditches and such, where the hoe is not working much. Back filling where the loader will not work would be another reason...

Last time we had a W. PA E Ohio get together, DK35Vince told me he just bought a 36" bucket for the backhoe on his Kioti. So I am sure a 24" on a BH90 would be no problem.

I wish I had a 24" bucket...whoops! Guess I already said that... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif But not as my only bucket... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Buckets are to backhoes as implements are to tractors...one is not enough! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[DK35vince]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Last time we had a W. PA E Ohio get together, DK35Vince told me he just bought a 36" bucket for the backhoe on his Kioti. )</font>

Yes I did get a 36" bucket.
I run an 18" for the hard digging and ditch's.
I use the 36" for everything else. Been using it a lot lately, works great, I can move a lot of dirt relatively quickly with the 36" bucket. I like it...

 

[gduff]

Thanks Antrimman and Henro for the info. I priced the unit with an 18” bucket, but that was just a guess on my part. Dealer is quoting $7,200 installed with all necessary items. Seems a little high, but that is par for around here. The two-bucket theory sounds like a good one so I will price out an extra bucket. I also noticed that they make a 36” for the BH90. That seems pretty big for the size of the backhoe, but it must handle it if they make it. All of our flies are still frozen or they are migratory! Anyway, when the time comes the mosquitoes here (state bird) make you forget all about the flies.

 

[AntrimMan]

Ge gduff, $7200.- sounds reasonable as an after sale add-on installation. If that includes pickup and delivery then it sounds even better. I'm reading my invoice from December '03. It's a little confusing but the BH90 hoe cost me 5900, the Bh4990 mounting kit ran 500 and the BT2903 bucket was 600, installed. There's seven large right there and with steel and normal increases your 7100 is ok IMO. I also paid $13.15 for the 723 loader and 500.00 for the L2273 HD bucket. Thats no typo. He wouldn't move on the tractor so we found room elsewhere.
The idea of another bucket occured to me right after I started using the machine but I was thinking narrower since an 18" bucket can always take another swipe to widen the cut but holy water and a handfull of magic dust won't make it cut any narrower, and I have plenty of time left yet.
I think the bottom line is to decide if you want it, if you feel the price is fair and don't look back either way. That machine will dig, you will be happy within it's limits.
Best of luck,
Martin

 

[Teabagger]

The BH-90 is a great backhoe unit. We have it on our 3130 with an 18" bucket and it works very well. As far as removing it from the machine the dealer is right it takes some getting used to. We take it off quite a bit to run our 7' york rake. I think werk-brau makes the buckets for Kubota. Good Luck

 

[gduff]

Upon further review you are absolutely correct on the price. I am looking at buying quite a few pieces of equipment and I had in the back of my mind that the list price on the BH90 is $7400. It is, but does not include a bucket, installation etc. My dealer is local (8 miles away) and has always treated me fairly. I have purchased items from them when they were not always the lowest price, but their service is great. It would take a lot to get me to change.