I wish.. stronger bh for 4x20...

[jrutherford]

Interesting turn the thread has taken. I will give my reasons for my purchase of the 448. I want one power plant to maintain. There is no doubt that with todays market you can latch onto a construction hoe reasonably. If I was using the hoe once a week I probably would have gone that route. But why take up that much more yard space, have another engine to maintain and the issues surrounding a used machine.

I still think that the 4x20 could carry a larger hoe than the 448.

You can't get much simpler than the mounting arangement JD has with the rock shaft mounting. I'm down to under 5 minutes for either mount or dismount including the 3 pt arms. I've operated 3pt mounted hoes. No matter how much I tried to tighten them up, the linkage moved way too much and shock loads the whole tractor.

Have I had issues?

HOLY COW. I hope my new 375 doesn't do that!! Did Deere take charge of that problem under warranty? I'm assuming we didn't chain a stump to bucket and start pulling with tractor!

 

[Cidertom]

If you search through my posts you can get the whole sad story. No, the 448 was out of warranty. My salesman tried to get them to do it anyway, but regional didn't bite.

 

[sweetjeep]

I still think that the 4x20 could carry a larger hoe than the 448.

Bradco makes and backhoe and will sell you brackets for, 9' and up to 11' hoes (I believe 11'). But the prices, though perfectly competitive, are obscene. Unless you are dead set on ONLY 1 TRACTOR, the prices are unrealistic. Plus you're still power limited by the drive system.

I have access to a Bradco 9' which makes the Woods (and Bradco) 8' look like toys. My Case backhoe (problems and all) can REACH farther than a CUT and it's backhoe (24') and still have more power. I don't mind picking at a problem, but stumping with a CUT (which is my primary goal) is an exercise in futility.