What to buy?

[barticus73]

I have a Cub Cadet 7272, 27hp 2wd tractor with a Cub 476 loader. I own a 40 acre farm with another 60 acre parcel 5 miles away. I am in need of a backhoe of some type for routine chores around the property such as installing drain lines, cleaning ditches, general digging duties, etc. I know I could rent one but would rather own my own now. My dilemma is what to buy. My initial thought was to sell the 7272 and buy a new CUT in the 30-40hp range set up as a TLB. This was feasable as the money from the cub would be a down payment and I could finance the rest hopefully at zero percent which many are currently offering. Well, seems noone wants a used 2wd tractor so this option has been shut down.(Tractor been listed for 3 months now in various places without any offers, lol). I called around about getting a backhoe for the 7272 but it seems difficult to find a submounted hoe for this unit and the price I would likely be around 8 - 9 thousand if I did. Plus the hoe would be a little one with 6'6" digging depth. My other options running through my head are(I would like to stay under $10k, if feasable):

1. Used older TLB such as a Case 580 (May be too heavy for my needs?)

2. Used Skid Steer with quick attach hoe(Favorite option so far as I could use the skid steer for other jobs such as cleaning out the barn, etc. How well do used ones hold up though?)

3. Used Mini Excavator.(Never used one but see them in this price range on Ebay, etc all the time)

If I bought something used in this price range I would keep the 7272. Any reccommendations?

 

[Soundguy]

I like 1 or 2

1, Gives you the drawbar power of a larger tractor if you need it.. 40 - 100 ac is quite a bit of land to manage with a 27 hp tractor.. thus a larger AG tractor.. perhaps with a QA backhoe might even be nice. ( 100 ac is a big place for a 27hp tractor to play in.. )

2, A skid steer is always usefull.. if you like them.

Soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I like 1 or 2

1, Gives you the drawbar power of a larger tractor if you need it.. 40 - 100 ac is quite a bit of land to manage with a 27 hp tractor.. thus a larger AG tractor.. perhaps with a QA backhoe might even be nice. ( 100 ac is a big place for a 27hp tractor to play in.. )

2, A skid steer is always usefull.. if you like them.

Soundguy

Skid steers are THE way to go IMHO. Just a couple blocks away from the office is a BobCat dealer. We use their product and services quite a bit. With a GOOD skidsteer you can rent attachments (like a backhoe) that give you flexability unmatched with any other piece of equipment. Skidsteers are getting bigger by the day. High HP models, especially track mounted versions will do what a small bulldozer struggles with.

 

[barticus73]

FWIW I also have a Farmall 544, approx 50hp.

 

[patrick_g]

If you mow the place or spray it or do anything requiring lots of seat time stretched over a considerable path length then a skid steer is not a good choice. Skid steer doesn't do 3PH. There are tasks that the skid steer will do well (or better) but a decent tractor can do most of those and almost as well in many instances.

I have 160 acres and a 40 horse tractor. There are very few tasks that I can't do with it that a larger tractor would do much better (not just a bit faster.) Dragging a huge disk to create fire breaks in fewer passes was one of the only that come to mind. Four wheel drive is mandatory for a smaller CUT. A practical rule of thumb that is approximately right in the 20-50 HP range is that a four wheel drive tractor will usually do the same work that a 1.5 times as powerful two wheel drive tractor will do. For example a two wheel drive tractor with 60 HP is about equally capable to my 40 HP four wheel drive. MANY two wheel drive tractors don't have front end components (spindles etc.) that are beefy enough to handle HD FEL, pallet fork, or hay spike duty. I see a lot of two wheel drive tractors retrofitted with FEL but too spindly to allow much work between breakdowns.

A skid steer is a wonderful piece of equipment to get after you have a tractor and the implements you need and still can't do all you want that the skid steeer is good at. A decent CUT will do most of what a skid steer does but a skid steer can't do most of what a good tractor can do.

Pat

 

[Soundguy]

That piece of info changes my prev reply then.. Leaning more towards the skid steer.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[chas in me]

OK guys, I'm new here. What do TLB and CUT mean? I know I'm going to smack my head when someone tells me.
Thanks,
Chas

 

[barticus73]

Tractor-Loader-Backhoe


Compact Utility Tractor

 

[citytransplant]

OK guys, I'm new here. What do TLB and CUT mean? I know I'm going to smack my head when someone tells me.
Thanks,
Chas

TLB = tractor, loader, backhoe
CUT = compact utility tractor

Hey, stick around. Three months ago I did not know what TLB and CUT stood for either. These guys and gals here have taught me a bunch.

 

[Fredex]

Since you already have the 544 along with the Cub, I would go with the skid steer. Use the cub for finish mower work & other light duties; the 544 for field farming; the skidder for heavier loader work & backhoe, etc.

 

[Egon]

Think I'd go for a small used commercial TLB which will do the work in reasonable time and give you reasonable reach and depth. It may also allow you to work with just the dipper which really speeds things up.

I've always considered the skid steers are perfect for working on hard surfaces moving loose material in confined areas.

 

[Soundguy]

I will say one thing.. adding to what Egon is hinting at. If you are on dirt.. a skid steer on wheels can become useless real quick. Tracks are way better.

The GC I work for uses a skid steer every now and then when we make building pads for industrial complexes.. and the wheeled skid steers bog down waaaaaaaaaaaaay to easilly in anything but hard packed rock/soil.. or other firm ground. In material that has been excavated, and spread, and rolled... they make ruts and sink fast due to lower cround clearance.. and higher ground pressure due to decreased surface area when compaired to the tracked skid steers.. which, on the other hand.. are pretty good at floating over stuff that even some larger dozers can't.. due to there realitively low ground pressure and overall weight.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[BarryinMN]

Well, a tracked skid steer with 200 hours runs $38K. Deere 332.

If your budget is $10K then a TLB like a Case 580 or equivalent, Allis Chalmers 615/715 etc. Keeps your budget intact and digs to the 14' class. My 36 year old AC615 weighs 8K lbs, trailering is not bad but it stretches 25' long with buckets down. I've always been able to pick up the tractor on the backhoe to get itself unstuck.

A small trackhoe is much more manuverable in tight quarters.

How about a dozer backhoe? This thing will shape your ground and dig holes when necessary You already have a loader tractor so lifting loose soil is no problem. The second tractor can be hitched to a dump wagon to relocate dirt.

 

[weesa20]

I used a Kubota B21 to dig out some good sized loblolly pines today. i rente dit to see how it would work and I wish I had gone with a mini-excavtor instead (the bobcat 331 was $60 more) I think the mini-hoe would dig circles around the TLB and be much more efficient.

My vote is for either a full-sized used backhoe (Case 580 or equal) or mini-hoe.

W

 

[barticus73]

Think I'd go for a small used commercial TLB which will do the work in reasonable time and give you reasonable reach and depth. It may also allow you to work with just the dipper which really speeds things up.

I've always considered the skid steers are perfect for working on hard surfaces moving loose material in confined areas.

Do you guys have some mdel numbers to look for as far as 'smaller' commercial TLB's? What do you guys think about ones like the Bobcat B100/ B250's? Terramites T5C's look like toys to me. What others?

 

[Egon]

I don't have model numbers but of the older ones the case was probably the most popular. Think I would stick to case or John deere after a talk with a dealers service manger considering parts and what had a tendancy to fail.

If it's newer than old it is out of my time frame.