SA324 Backhoe Attachment

[AZdesertrat]

Last year I purchased a new SA324 with a bucket, forks, gannon box and what I thought was a BH660 backhoe like Yanmar recommends. When the
tractor was delivered it had a BH760 installed. When I contacted the dealer and told him I felt the tractor was too small and under rated for this size hoe
he gave me a story about how the SA324 motor was rated at 24hp but was actually in the 27hp class and the hoe would be fine. I didn't buy it and I have tried to contact Yanmar 3 times and they don't respond back. This tractor is flat scary to drive on anything but hardpack. That extra couple of hundred pounds back there makes the tractor extremely light on the front end and near impossible to steer in soft soil. It goes where it wants not where you aim it.
I have about 10,000 hrs. combined between a Case 580D hoe, a Michigan 35A Loader and a John Deere 444 loader so it's not like I'm new to this. Has anyone else had similar issues with there tractors. This dealer pulled a few other things over this sale and he's about ready to get a visit from the Arizona
AG because of his refusal to make things right. My problem is I have tried to make Yanmar aware of this 3 times regarding the hoe and the tractor financing and some other issues and they have failed to respond. In my book silence is consent and that makes them part of the problem instead of part of the solution. I would not recommend a Yanmar tractor to anyone if this how they deal with customers.

 

[VeRV77]

Last year I purchased a new SA324 with a bucket, forks, gannon box and what I thought was a BH660 backhoe like Yanmar recommends. When the
tractor was delivered it had a BH760 installed. When I contacted the dealer and told him I felt the tractor was too small and under rated for this size hoe
he gave me a story about how the SA324 motor was rated at 24hp but was actually in the 27hp class and the hoe would be fine. I didn't buy it and I have tried to contact Yanmar 3 times and they don't respond back. This tractor is flat scary to drive on anything but hardpack. That extra couple of hundred pounds back there makes the tractor extremely light on the front end and near impossible to steer in soft soil. It goes where it wants not where you aim it.
I have about 10,000 hrs. combined between a Case 580D hoe, a Michigan 35A Loader and a John Deere 444 loader so it's not like I'm new to this. Has anyone else had similar issues with there tractors. This dealer pulled a few other things over this sale and he's about ready to get a visit from the Arizona
AG because of his refusal to make things right. My problem is I have tried to make Yanmar aware of this 3 times regarding the hoe and the tractor financing and some other issues and they have failed to respond. In my book silence is consent and that makes them part of the problem instead of part of the solution. I would not recommend a Yanmar tractor to anyone if this how they deal with customers.

I'm intrigued by your situation. I bought an SA424 a couple of years ago, right after Yanmar had switched BH suppliers from Ameriquip to Woods. My BH is a "BH65" model. I've not heard of a "BH760" available or included on new SA series machines. Would you mind sharing a photo of your BH or linking to an image somewhere? Your machine should have a BH65 as well.

 

[AZdesertrat]

I'm intrigued by your situation. I bought an SA424 a couple of years ago, right after Yanmar had switched BH suppliers from Ameriquip to Woods. My BH is a "BH65" model. I've not heard of a "BH760" available or included on new SA series machines. Would you mind sharing a photo of your BH or linking to an image somewhere? Your machine should have a BH65 as well.

I've never heard of a BH65. I think Yanmar is just playing with numbers so they're not associated with the BH660 or Bh760 which everyone knows are made in China and are sold under several different names but are the same product. E-bay sells the Ansung brand in both sizes with a decent photo and full specs. BH660 - 6'6" depth. BH760 - 7'6" depth. I would be willing to bet money that Yanmar's BH65 nomenclature means 6 1/2' ( 6" ). Just a marketing ploy to disassociate themselves from other brands. If you look at current pics of an SA324 or 424 there is no number on the hoe. I'm just super disappointed that Yanmar never got back to me. I had a concrete crew over here this morning to do a foundation and I told them they would have to finish the lot clean-up with their backhoe because of the issues I was having. I let their operator drive the SA324 and he parked it within a few minutes and suggested I file a complaint with the feds against Yanmar because it was so dangerous to drive and they were not responding to my inquiries.

 

[VeRV77]

I've never heard of a BH65. I think Yanmar is just playing with numbers so they're not associated with the BH660 or Bh760 which everyone knows are made in China and are sold under several different names but are the same product. E-bay sells the Ansung brand in both sizes with a decent photo and full specs. BH660 - 6'6" depth. BH760 - 7'6" depth. I would be willing to bet money that Yanmar's BH65 nomenclature means 6 1/2' ( 6" ). Just a marketing ploy to disassociate themselves from other brands. If you look at current pics of an SA324 or 424 there is no number on the hoe. I'm just super disappointed that Yanmar never got back to me. I had a concrete crew over here this morning to do a foundation and I told them they would have to finish the lot clean-up with their backhoe because of the issues I was having. I let their operator drive the SA324 and he parked it within a few minutes and suggested I file a complaint with the feds against Yanmar because it was so dangerous to drive and they were not responding to my inquiries.

That's really messed up. Your tractor definitely shouldn't feel or be unsafe to drive. As for the BH65 name, I agree it's probably based on the depth. Yanmar carried it over from Woods Equipment's model number. The BH on my SA424 is this one from Woods. It should be the same one that goes on the SA324 as well -- the only difference in these machines being slightly larger rear tires on the 424. You'll see it weighs about 700 pounds without a bucket, which never gives me any trouble (although the front end gets a tad bouncy if I don't have a bucket or forks on the loader). I've often thought this tractor could handle the next size up backhoe, but maybe not.

I'll share some pictures of my tractor from August 2017 when it was new so you can see the Woods backhoe and compare. If you want to see the Ameriquip backhoe that preceded the Woods backhoe, there's a YouTuber named Robert Simmons who has that model, which you can see here.

So is THIS your backhoe, the BH760?? If so, it weighs over 1300 pounds and I could see how that would be TOTALLY unsafe!! A proprietary Yanmar 4-point mount might shave off a few pounds, but still. That would be crazy on a 324 in my opinion. Speaking of which, how is your BH attached to the tractor?? Is it a 3-point hitch mount, or does it sit in the factory 4-point mount? That might be your smoking gun right there. The SA series machines have an integrated mount for backhoes that are designed for them and spec'd by Yanmar. If you BH is mounted any other way, it's probably not meant for your tractor and could be something your dealer put on.

 

[AZdesertrat]

That's really messed up. Your tractor definitely shouldn't feel or be unsafe to drive. As for the BH65 name, I agree it's probably based on the depth. Yanmar carried it over from Woods Equipment's model number. The BH on my SA424 is this one from Woods. It should be the same one that goes on the SA324 as well -- the only difference in these machines being slightly larger rear tires on the 424. You'll see it weighs about 700 pounds without a bucket, which never gives me any trouble (although the front end gets a tad bouncy if I don't have a bucket or forks on the loader). I've often thought this tractor could handle the next size up backhoe, but maybe not.

I'll share some pictures of my tractor from August 2017 when it was new so you can see the Woods backhoe and compare. If you want to see the Ameriquip backhoe that preceded the Woods backhoe, there's a YouTuber named Robert Simmons who has that model, which you can see here.

So is THIS your backhoe, the BH760?? If so, it weighs over 1300 pounds and I could see how that would be TOTALLY unsafe!! A proprietary Yanmar 4-point mount might shave off a few pounds, but still. That would be crazy on a 324 in my opinion. Speaking of which, how is your BH attached to the tractor?? Is it a 3-point hitch mount, or does it sit in the factory 4-point mount? That might be your smoking gun right there. The SA series machines have an integrated mount for backhoes that are designed for them and spec'd by Yanmar. If you BH is mounted any other way, it's probably not meant for your tractor and could be something your dealer put on.

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Yes. That backhoe on the Branson is the same one I have. The dealer delivered it that way. This is why I need help from Yanmar to go after this guy. He's supposed to be their top dealer in AZ. This story gets better. The loan paperwork on the tractor which was financed through Yanmar's affiliate has a serial number of the tractor I thought I was purchasing but is different from the one delivered. The dealer was supposed to correct the paperwork but it's been over a year now and as far as I can tell nothing has happened so I can't insure it, get warranty work or anything else. Anyone out there know someone at Yanmar that can help straighten this out? There are a few more issues that I won't go into right now.

 

[VeRV77]

Holy smokes. Yeah, your dealer bolted on a random third-party backhoe from the sound of it and passed it off as Yanmar spec equipment. That Branson hoe has no business being on a 324-- it's nearly twice the weight of the Yanmar spec bh!! I would keep calling Yanmar, but another approach may be to demand the proper backhoe from your dealer. Clearly that is NOT the specified backhoe for your machine (regardless of how it's attached), and presumably you thought you were ordering Yanmar spec equipment. I'd get on the dealer's case over that one. Whatever their motivations for delivering you a machine with a Branson BH760, you would think the liability and danger of having such a clearly mismatched hoe would have outweighed whatever reason they had. That's just nuts. Ask them to show you where this BH is spec'd for your machine - they won't be able to.

The correct backhoe will not be as powerful, but at least it'll be safe and operable and what good is that power if your tractor can't support it? Yanmar has an issue with their dealers. I'm not sure what kind of outfit the AZ dealer is, but I think Yanmar was a little too hasty when it came to signing on dealers after their big push in the US. My own dealer was more of a lawnmower shop, and closed down shortly after I bought my machine. I love the tractor, but the dealer experience and lack of support is disappointing. Good thing the tractor has been reliable and easy to maintain.

 

[AZdesertrat]

Holy smokes. Yeah, your dealer bolted on a random third-party backhoe from the sound of it and passed it off as Yanmar spec equipment. That Branson hoe has no business being on a 324-- it's nearly twice the weight of the Yanmar spec bh!! I would keep calling Yanmar, but another approach may be to demand the proper backhoe from your dealer. Clearly that is NOT the specified backhoe for your machine (regardless of how it's attached), and presumably you thought you were ordering Yanmar spec equipment. I'd get on the dealer's case over that one. Whatever their motivations for delivering you a machine with a Branson BH760, you would think the liability and danger of having such a clearly mismatched hoe would have outweighed whatever reason they had. That's just nuts. Ask them to show you where this BH is spec'd for your machine - they won't be able to.

The correct backhoe will not be as powerful, but at least it'll be safe and operable and what good is that power if your tractor can't support it? Yanmar has an issue with their dealers. I'm not sure what kind of outfit the AZ dealer is, but I think Yanmar was a little too hasty when it came to signing on dealers after their big push in the US. My own dealer was more of a lawnmower shop, and closed down shortly after I bought my machine. I love the tractor, but the dealer experience and lack of support is disappointing. Good thing the tractor has been reliable and easy to maintain.

I went back and forth with the dealer last year because he wasn't taking care of the serial no. issue in what I felt was a timely manner. He refused to give me an itemized invoice and now I'm beginning to see why. I even had a hard time getting a manual from him. Another long story but his shop foreman finally mailed me one after I mentioned it could be a liability issue if someone got hurt and I was never given the proper paperwork. I did try to work with this guy but it ended up getting a little hostile with each other and he told me to contact his lawyer who is some shyster back on the east coast. What this guy doesn't know is that when it was delivered inside the packet was the work order he gave his shop with what was to be included with the tractor including the wrong size gannon box that had the price crossed out and a new price $200 higher which reflected the price of the larger box that I ordered and didn't get. This place has been in business in Phoenix for a long time and is a full-fledged tractor dealer. He has recently added another manufacturer to his business. I tried to work with the guy to keep it just between us because he has employees that have families to feed and I didn't want them to be caught in the fallout if I have to get state agencies involved which it now looks like I will have to.

 

[VeRV77]

I went back and forth with the dealer last year because he wasn't taking care of the serial no. issue in what I felt was a timely manner. He refused to give me an itemized invoice and now I'm beginning to see why. I even had a hard time getting a manual from him. Another long story but his shop foreman finally mailed me one after I mentioned it could be a liability issue if someone got hurt and I was never given the proper paperwork. I did try to work with this guy but it ended up getting a little hostile with each other and he told me to contact his lawyer who is some shyster back on the east coast. What this guy doesn't know is that when it was delivered inside the packet was the work order he gave his shop with what was to be included with the tractor including the wrong size gannon box that had the price crossed out and a new price $200 higher which reflected the price of the larger box that I ordered and didn't get. This place has been in business in Phoenix for a long time and is a full-fledged tractor dealer. He has recently added another manufacturer to his business. I tried to work with the guy to keep it just between us because he has employees that have families to feed and I didn't want them to be caught in the fallout if I have to get state agencies involved which it now looks like I will have to.

I would contact Yanmar Corporate in GA and let them know what is going on. I'd send them a picture of your machine with the BH760 installed, and tell them this is the BH your dealer sold you as the SA324 spec model. I think they'd be a little freaked out by that, given how hilariously overweight it is for your machine.

Contact - Yanmar Tractor

Yanmar has some corporate reps that post on this forum - you may find a thread with one of their posts and share your story there as well. I sincerely hope you get this worked out. What a pain! You didn't mention this, but how is the BH attached to your tractor? 4-point? 3-point hitch style? Bailing wire? Something else??

 

[AZdesertrat]

I would contact Yanmar Corporate in GA and let them know what is going on. I'd send them a picture of your machine with the BH760 installed, and tell them this is the BH your dealer sold you as the SA324 spec model. I think they'd be a little freaked out by that, given how hilariously overweight it is for your machine.

Contact - Yanmar Tractor

Yanmar has some corporate reps that post on this forum - you may find a thread with one of their posts and share your story there as well. I sincerely hope you get this worked out. What a pain! You didn't mention this, but how is the BH attached to your tractor? 4-point? 3-point hitch style? Bailing wire? Something else??

It's a 3 point hitch. I just dug out the operator's manual and surprise!!! it's an Ansung just like the one on ebay. Three different times I have e-mailed Yanmar through their support page in the past year and have never been acknowledged. This is why I am so frustrated with them. A friend of mine suggested I petition the Arizona AG to stop Yanmar from doing business in AZ because of their refusal to acknowledge legitimate customer complaints when their dealers are engaged in deceptive business practices. The irony of this is that I could just quit making payments on it and let them try to repossess it when the paper work doesn't match my tractor.

 

[VeRV77]

It's a 3 point hitch. I just dug out the operator's manual and surprise!!! it's an Ansung just like the one on ebay. Three different times I have e-mailed Yanmar through their support page in the past year and have never been acknowledged. This is why I am so frustrated with them. A friend of mine suggested I petition the Arizona AG to stop Yanmar from doing business in AZ because of their refusal to acknowledge legitimate customer complaints when their dealers are engaged in deceptive business practices. The irony of this is that I could just quit making payments on it and let them try to repossess it when the paper work doesn't match my tractor.

You probably hate lawyers as much as I do, but you may consider talking to one and taking the dealer to court over this. A $7k backhoe attachment is nothing to snort at. Dealer might settle and just get you the right backhoe, or be forced to refund you. The evidence of how they screwed up is sitting - all 1300 pounds of it -- on the back of your machine. Yanmar would never approve a BH of that class for an SA series tractor. Or maybe you can put some front weights on it, and/or sell it and cut your losses. You may also just sell the BH760, cut your losses, and order yourself a proper BH65 from another dealer. Personally that's what I'd do. Even if I could balance it with front weights, I wouldn't want a three-point hitch BH for anything. There's a reason that 4-point mount is on the back of your 324. Three point hoes can stress a frame/transaxle to the breaking point. This literally happened to my uncle who broke his Kubota L2800 in half after using a 3-point BH for several years. He rebuit his tractor and now has a Kubota-spec BH that mounts on the proper points.

As an aside, what they told you about the 27 HP class sounds like BS and is irrelevant anyway, and any dealer that specs a random 3-point hitch BH for a tractor that has a standard factory mount 4-point BH is either screwy, underhanded, dumb, or some combination of those.