Regret not getting a backhoe for my tractor

[Jstpssng]

I had a little CadPlan "Caddigger" BH that a school teacher downstate welded up. I did a surprising amount of work with it, considering that it just rode on the 3pth.
You had to be careful and drag rather than push; otherwise you would get slammed into the roll bar.
I don't dig trees, I fell them and dig the stumps. It takes several moves; as previously mentioned you don't rip it out of the ground, you dig around it and cut the roots.
The biggest I ever dug was too heavy for my L275 to lift; I had to drag it off with a chain.
I sold that when I inherited my father's 750 Woods. Again, 3pth mount although I eventually will get a subframe. Unfortunately it will have to be modified from another BH.
I'm not sure if I'd go spend the money for a new one but this comes in handy. I dug a 275 foot trench to replace a waterline, and every year plant a few more fruit trees. I eventually plan to reclaim gravel from a 600 foot road into my field and the BH will be used to dig it out.

As somebody mentioned, you are constantly moving it. I go forward just far enough so that my rear tires are where the fronts were. Still, for my purpose it works well. I can put it on, use it and take it off in less time than it would take me to drive to a rental place.

 

[Eagle1]

While a mini ex would be ideal, I picked up my used LS with a hoe. Hardly ever comes off, great counter weight for the heavy lifting. Use it all time to dig holes for fence posts in my rocky clay ground when a Tpost can't be pounded in anywhere near where you need it. I can dig the bigger rocks to make room.
Buried 3 old dogs this year alone.
Planted a bunch of fruit trees.
Dig dirt/rocks from a hill and scoop and move with the loader
Handy crane when needed or post puller, post straightner after the cattle mess with stuff. Handy to remove multiflora and other pesky things in places I can't get the loader.
Only time I pull it off is when it's time to mount the rotary mower.
Granted I have the little BX to pull most things I need

And no 60+ mile one way drive to a rental yard.

 

[walnutman]

For my 7.5' backhoe on my 5000 pound tractor (with front loader and backhoe on), I generally limit myself to felling 12" trees and smaller. The 15-20" diameter trees I have tried to fell have taken FOREVER, with many repositions of the machine to be able to find the right roots needing cut. And then when a giant tree gets to swaying, you dont have enough backhoe leverage power to necessarily avoid a catastrophe if the wind blows randomly.

That's not taking out a stump LOL. That's taking out a tree. Very dangerous.
Here in Texas they bulldozer or trackhoe them.

 

[GWagon]

A backhoe is a great thing to have but it all depends on your usage. They are not just for digging.. If you have an hydraulic thumb they are amazing for lifting things into place or removing things!!

It is very important to make sure you get one with a sub-frame if you do decide on one for your tractor.

I have used mine quite extensively at times but then it will also sit for long periods of time. I decided on getting it instead of an excavator because I did not want to have an entire other machine with another engine and a drivetrain to sit around and have to maintain. Therefore the removable backhoe was for me the best option.

Just my 2 cents. I hope this helps!!

Absolutely. Must have the subframe. Never use a 3 point only mounted backhoe unless you want to break your tractor in half.

 

[karlmagne]

Backhoes are great tools, but terribly hard on farm tractors. Farm tractors just weren't built for backhoes, so they can't really handle abuse, just easy digging. If you get one, don't try to shove the teeth into the earth, curl the bucket and try to fill it up. Use a longer scraping action to gradually fill it up digging 4" at a time on a longer stretch to fill the bucket. The abuse of the backhoe can possibly break the tractor in half where the transmission bolts to the engine. Many tractors have died this way.

That's good info to have, thanks.

 

[karlmagne]

Good information on this subject, thanks.

 

[Brianczaw]

A loader is important, and I'm glad my tractor has one with a big bucket. It's proven very useful as I will explain shortly. But the loader just isn't good at digging DEEP holes. This is my first tractor/ranch and, to tell the truth, I was unaware just how critical a deep a hole would be. Don't get me wrong, the loader is great for scooping up the cash, but it just can't dig a big enough hole, in which to put it. In fact I just bought a 15 yard dump trailer. Now I can use the loader to fill it up with cash and then dump it directly into the money pit. A real time saver!

Funny!!!!! I have a waterfront property. Same issue.

 

[jfsawatzky]

Absolutely. Must have the subframe. Never use a 3 point only mounted backhoe unless you want to break your tractor in half.

I agree. I don’t think many people consider the stresses transferred thru the tractor frame to the front. That’s where the subframe avoids other potential weak spots. It’s obvious is a lot of stress is directly applied to and thru the 3 pt but some of that migrates thru the tractor frame.
Without a subframe I think you’re asking for problems.

 

[airbiscuit]

If you're looking for an efficient way to go through money, wouldn't it be easier to just buy a horse?

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Or a boat!

 

[deezler]

That's not taking out a stump LOL. That's taking out a tree. Very dangerous.
Here in Texas they bulldozer or trackhoe them.

Yes. But taking down the whole tree using a backhoe or excavator is by far the easiest way to get the stump out! The whole weight of the tree helps lever the stump along with it. If you chainsaw the tree down first, then its at least twice as difficult to get the stump out afterwards.

I don't do this practice on windy days, but it's really not all that dangerous IMO. For any normal healthy tree on flat ground, you just take little bites at a time until you see the tree moving around, then you simply push it over exactly where you want it to go. As soon as you convince the tree to start leaning the way you want it to, it's not like it will change its mind and flip back over.

Again, see my comfortable size limits (up to ~12" diameter, but 10" or less and under 50' tall is really the only easy stuff).

 

[LowellBen]

Back when I was looking far and wide for a used tractor, I had to have a BH. Bought a Mahindra 1538 with a BH on it. Had to travel from central Colorado to western New Mexico to get it. I don't really regret the purchase, have put nearly 500 hours on it, bought it with 119 hours on the meter. I've used the BH to cut into a rocky ledge to install a solar ground mount, cut through rock/soil/scrub oak on a steep hill side putting in a UTV trail, cut in new ditches where it was too rocky to use the scraper blade, dug holes where I could not drive ground rods, buried some animals, scraped down a hill side to enlarge a parking area and did other things I think I have forgotten. When I'm plowing snow off of our steep 1/4 mile long driveway, it is nice to have the extra weight back there. The 1538 does have frame reinforcements for the BH. I have blown a few hoses that had already been abused by the previous owner. There are times when I wish I had more hydraulic power and/or more tractor weight. But the 1538 can get into places a larger machine won't fit into.

 

[In.the.Piñons]

Or a boat!

They say if it flys, fornicates or floats, it's expensive.

I say if it flys, fornicates, floats or farms, it's expensive

 

[Jstpssng]

Yes. But taking down the whole tree using a backhoe or excavator is by far the easiest way to get the stump out!

There is another, safer compromise. Cut it off about 4 feet above the ground. Then you have something for leverage, without the risk.

I agree. I don’t think many people consider the stresses transferred thru the tractor frame to the front. That’s where the subframe avoids other potential weak spots. It’s obvious is a lot of stress is directly applied to and thru the 3 pt but some of that migrates thru the tractor frame.
Without a subframe I think you’re asking for problems.

It isn't just when you are working it, either. You have a tall, ? hundred pound implement sticking out the back, swaying with every movement of the tractor.

 

[airbiscuit]

I say if it flys, fornicates, floats or farms, it's expensive

So, don't buy your mistress a float plane to keep at her horse farm?

 

[deezler]

There is another, safer compromise. Cut it off about 4 feet above the ground. Then you have something for leverage, without the risk.

Thats what I used to do, before I got comfortable taking the whole tree. It's still way, way more difficult without the majority of the tree mass helping lever the stump.

I wonder if you guys considering this practice too dangerous have actually tried it? I find it a very controlled and careful way to drop a tree directly where you want it to go. Debatably much safer than using a chainsaw to fell it, having to put your face right next to an exploding tree trunk, and hoping you chose the right way to notch and hinge, etc.

 

[dkmc]

We're just on the start of the micro-miniEx population boom. Already near new ones are for sale all over.
A few years from now, used ones (maybe with minor problems) will be selling for a few thousand. Some years
back I picked up a ARPS backhoe attachment and adapted it to my '83 Mustang SS. It's about 1 step up from a
shovel, but it's been much more handy and way faster than any pick & shovel I've ever owned. Like some said, doesn't get used much, but a $750 backhoe on a $2500 Skid Steer ain't eatin much either. With initial repairs & maintenance, it's really a $1000 backhoe on a $3500 Skid Steer. Still cheap enough.

 

[deezler]

We're just on the start of the micro-miniEx population boom. Already near new ones are for sale all over.

Good point. Tons of people are buying these new chinese 1-ton units and will likely quickly realize that they aren't very capable or practical to maintain.

 

[dkmc]

Good point. Tons of people are buying these new chinese 1-ton units and will likely quickly realize that they aren't very capable or practical to maintain.

You're probably not interested so haven't looked around. Tons of videos on Youtube proving they are indeed capable, pay off quick, and hold up. Many guys out there making money with them. From what I've seen, I completely disagree with your statement.

 

[deezler]

You're probably not interested so haven't looked around. Tons of videos on Youtube proving they are indeed capable, pay off quick, and hold up. Many guys out there making money with them. From what I've seen, I completely disagree with your statement.

Haha, ok sure. You gotta dig a narrow trench on flat ground, thats great. The videos I have seen are them tipping over when on any uneven terrain, and failing to lift heavy things because they simply aren't big enough. If you need a toy digger thats fine, but they simply don't excavate tree stumps or lift boulders effectively. And good luck sourcing obscure parts for your random chinese brand machine 10 years from now. Different strokes, all good.

Edit: just revisited this thread about chinese micro-ex's and its just a giant complaint fest about how terrible they all are. neat.

Chinese digger recommendations

They are fine - well built, everything works as it should. The Typhon XVIII is made by Hightop and has the 180MM tracks and Kubota 722 14-15HP engine. The Typhon XIX is made by Vote, and has 230 MM tracks, and a Kubota 902 16 HP or so engine. Also the XIX has a better fit and finish and has...

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