Backhoe Kubota L4310 and Woods 7500 Backhoe

[Anonymous Poster]

Am thinking of buying a 3PH mount woods 7500 for the L4310. My uses are trenching for drainage and cleaning up stone rows - burying the stones. I use 3pt mounted implements so need to have use of the 3pt hitch. Price is $5500. Sure wish I could find a used one. I hate paying retail.
Anyone have any comments? Too small? Frame mount?

 

[Rick Jay]

Hi,

I have a Woods 7500 on my Kubota B2910 with a subframe and pump.

My recommendations:

1.) Get a price on a Woods 9000...it is significantly more hoe for only about $1000 more (I think). The extra reach is worth it alone, aside from the extra digging force.

2.) I would recommend the subframe mount. When the backhoe is removed, the subframe stays with the hoe, so you can then reinstall the 3 pt. arms to use other implements. The only potential problem with the subframe is if you use a mid-mount mower, there is a bracket for the subframe that stays on the tractor and that will probably interfere with the mmm. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Good Luck,

~Rick

 

[Anonymous Poster]

First, let me say that I am not a expert for sure, with only 150 hrs in the tractor seat. I am looking hard for a backhoe at this time and have been researching lots of hoes. Have seen a Kubota 7 1/2 foot which would be similar to your woods, and have seen a woods 9000 ground breaker. There is a very impressive difference in the two hoes when you see them in person. To me 5500 is a lot of money, and for another 12 to 1300 above that you could get a bradco 509. From what I can tell Bradco is the way to go. The first thing that all the big boys with "real backhoes" mention is how little reach you have with those "little three point jobbies". With a 509 you would have an extra 2 foot 2inche digging depth with slightly more than that in reach. More reach equates to less repositioning...more work in less time. Plus with a 509 you would have about 1000 lbs more dipperstick pressure. With your tractor I would consider the Bradco 511 with subframe for about 8000- 8500. Its more money but you would have twice the hoe. Weve all been there when we said "I wish I would have spent a little more to have better or more." When I bought my tractor I didnt think I would use a Front loader much... Boy am I glad I have it after some of the uses it has proved to be worth it. I believe a backhoe will be the same thing once you have it you want know how you lived without it before. I have a Kubota MX5000dt with Kubota Front Loader and am waiting for Bradco to make subframe mount so I can get the 511. The subframe for you tractor is already available. Reach on a 7 1/2 foot woods is about 9' 8" and reach on a 511 is 14' 5" and the strength of the hoe will be about twice as much. I have researched the Rhino, Kelley, Bushhog, Woods, Kubota, and Bradco. Bradco specs out better than all, And Bradco makes some backhoes for Kubota, and Ford NewHolland. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Isn't that special. Hope this helps.

 

[chrisjbell]

You should get the biggest reach you can. I've got an itty bitty Woods 6500, which is a heck of a lot better than using a shovel, but a 9 footer or bigger would be wonderful. Longer reach is definately a good thing. I also think that a subframe mount is the way to go, although for the larger tractors like yours it becomes less of an issue than it is for us little guys.

But budget is important, so don't price yourself out of getting a backhoe. If you have a use for one (and it is kind of like an FEL - once you have one you'll find all kinds of ways to use it), it is a great implement to have.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Rich_H: Would strongly recommend against a straight 3pt mount hoe even though your machine is a bit heavier than some with BH. The reason is the twisting forces from digging can crack/snap the tractor. I know of cases where this has happened. If it did, the tractor maker (KUB) could easily blame the BH manufacturer and guess who the BH maker would blame. It my judgment its just not worth the risk unless you had a 5000/6000 pound tractor with a cat II hitch.

The comment above on the Bradco is right on the money, also the comments on reach, although the only physical limit on a short reach is actual depth. A shorter hoe requires you to reposition the tractor more often. The Bradco system is elegant in design - a flat universal plate with 4 hooks bolts onto a subframe for the particular tractor (Bradco offers subframes for 55 or so different tractors - and Woods offers subframes for different tractors as well). So, you can "take it with you" when/if you switch tractors - keep the BH and just get a new subframe.

As others have commented on, the Woods 9000 is a lot more BH than the 7500. Also, you need to consider hydraulic flow. If you plan on using the tractor's pump you need to consider gpm flow. If you are going to use a pto pump (offered with Woods hoes, and others) you have more time for mounting/unmounting the unit.

I ended up with a NH BH for my NH TC40 (about the same size as your L4310) even though I would really have liked a Bradco 511. Why? No warranty issues if there were any problems. The tractor's hydraulic pump flow on the NH is enough to drive the hoe. The subframe on the BH comes off with the hoe leaving the tractor "cleaner" - with the Bradco (and others) the subframe stays on the tractor. Also, the 3pt arms stay on the tractor even with the BH mounted. On, or off, time requires pulling/inserting 2 pins and connecting/disconnecting 2 hydraulic lines - a little more time than the Bradco, but not much. On/off time is 5 minutes or so.

JEH

 

[MarkV]

A former very active member of the forum was using the Bradco hoe with sub frame on a 4310 and was very happy with it. As a matter of fact it work well enough it is one of the few things he never modified. A real plus with the Bradco is that you do not have to remove the 3pt arms when using the backhoe. This may not sound like a big deal but it takes longer for me to remove and install the pieces of the 3pt than it does to install or remove the hoe on my B21. Very irritating if you have a need to switch back and forth often.

MarkV

 

[RMulkey]

Hi Rick,

I have a L4310 and a Woods 9000 subframe BH. I have been very happy with the setup. The subframe mount is deffinately the way to go. The hoe easily has the ability to lift the tractor with loaded tires off ground. The 3PH-only mount would scare the heck out of me that something would break given the strength of the hoe. I have used mine about 250hours with no problems. The sub frame mount does require that you remove the 3PH arms and install a sub-frame receiver where the 3PH lower arms mount. It takes me about 5-10min to get the hoe on or off including removal or installation of the 3PH arms. The 9000 is significantly larger than the 7500 and in my opinion well worth the extra money. The digging producticity is much better due to the longer reach allows you not have to reposition the tractor as often while digging shallow trenches. I use mine for the same reasons that you mentioned. When I first bought a tractor, the BH was a luxury. Turns out the back is tied with the box scraper as the most used 3PH implement.

Hope this helps.
-Roger

 

[CTyler]

I have a L3130 and was considering the 7500 and decided to get the 9000. This was definately the right decision. I had to wait for Woods to make the subframe and supposedly got the first production piece. I don't have to remove the 3pt arms but do need to unbolt the sway arms and rubber strap/bungee them. Takes less than 5 min. Total time to connect the BH is 10-15 min.

You might get away with running the 7500 as a 3pt but the 9000 is to big. The 9000 would rip the toplink pin in half. I would go with a subframe no matter what. It just that much better!

I concur, the BH and the box blade are geting a LOT of use on my farm. Cleaning out terraces, catch dams, trenching, making(fixing) waterways, septic system etc...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I just got back from the Kubota dealer. Saw both the Woods 7500 and 9000. The 9000 gets a subframe mount while the 7500 uses the 3pt hitch. Prices are $5500 for the 7500 and $7200 for the 9000. If I buy a backhoe I'll go with the 9000 for the extra $1700. Now if I could just find a used one I'd buy it today.

 

[Boondox]

Good choice! I agree with CTyler; the 7500 is too small. I have one (sub-frame mount) for my L3010 and while I love it, the extra reach would have made me much happier.

Backhoeing, by the way, is the most fun you can have with your clothes on! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Pete