Backhoes

[eatenabean]

I have a few large projects coming up. Fixing french drains on the house, digging about 30 stumps, and building 3 retaining walls.
I could rent a backhoe but i need to be able to work on my time.

So I come to ya'll.

What is the Best brand?
What is the best size?
3 point hitch or sub-frame mount?

 

[engine29]

Go w/ a subframe unit definitely. It puts all the stress on the tractor frame,
not the 3 pt. and rockshaft. I would first look at the OEM which in your case would be Massey. For shortlines, either Woods, Bradco or Wallenstein.

 

[mguitas]

Wallenstein make a good hoe.

 

[JerryK]

If your tractor is under warrantee, you should check into whether adding a non-OEM unit to the tractor will effect it in any way. Not just some salesman running his mouth, but look into it real good. Putting a hoe on a tractor puts a lot of stress on it, and you should spend a little time looking into this before you buy.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Two years ago we picked up a 1983 JD BH for $7200 when a new FEL for the 1976 MF. It is well worn but has a 7.5' FEL and 2' hoe and starts and runs well. Because we have 15 acres and I have physical limitations it is good to have around to lift and move things. Since putting a thumb on the hoe it is 10x more handy.

If I had to mount/remove a BH attachment it just would NOT happen. Being able to bushhog and grade without a FEL is nice in tight places and near buildings.

 

[kiotiken]

You should not consider anything but a sub-frame mount. I liked my Woods Groundbreaker BH-70x, but would go bigger next time. Warranty has been thrown around TBN before. A BH cannot void a warranty, but damage caused directly by it would be. That damage would either fall on the installing dealer since it wasn't done properly, or the bh manufacture if it was a design flaw.

I just traded my tractor with backhoe for a bigger tractor without backhoe. I agonized over it but then realized I can rent a mini ex for 1 full weekend a year for 20 years before it was cheaper to buy another one.

 

[rswyan]

I just traded my tractor with backhoe for a bigger tractor without backhoe. I agonized over it but then realized I can rent a mini ex for 1 full weekend a year for 20 years before it was cheaper to buy another one.

Local rental prices here:

Kubota U17 (7 1/2' zero tail-swing mini-ex) - $145/day

Kubota KX91-3 (10' mini-ex) -$185/day

Over the weekend is charged at a single day rate, with 8 hours run time. Units can be picked up for weekend rental after 2:00 PM on Friday and need to be returned between 7:30 and 9:00 AM Monday morning (except on a holiday weekend, like this one, where the return is due on Tuesday instead of Monday)

I had the KX91 last weekend .... and the U17 this weekend

By the time I'm finished, I will have dug 170' of 5' deep trench, and 100' of 2' deep trench .... installed 2 catchbasins and 6", 8", and 10" culverts .... popped a few stumps and trash trees .... prep'ed about a dozen or so planting holes and transplanted the same number of shrubs .... and done a few other things to boot ....

I do have a backhoe (BL4690) for my tractor - but the mini-ex's are so much more powerful/faster/more productive that for me it's a no-brainer .... and it frees up the tractor for other things .... like loader & box blade work and hauling the dump cart around.

 

[newbury]

I have a few large projects coming up. Fixing french drains on the house, digging about 30 stumps, and building 3 retaining walls.
I could rent a backhoe but i need to be able to work on my time.

So I come to ya'll.

What is the Best brand?
What is the best size?
3 point hitch or sub-frame mount?

If that's all you plan on doing, and you've got transportation for a nearby rental I'd suggest rental.

I got my BH because I wanted it and plan on using it frequently for SMALL narrow trail projects, and many miscellaneous projects at sites far from rental places.

I figured I would be renting one for weeks at a time at $500 a week, and having to transport it 30 to 40 miles one way.

If you REALLY want a BH I'd suggest a Woods BH80 w/ sub-frame.

 

[MHarryE]

I had the same quandary a few years back and bought a 4 year old mini for $12,900 instead of paying around $8,000 for a BH. Now there are many minis like mine for $2,000 or more higher than what I paid for mine. I looked into that when my wife had a garage sale and several people asked about buying it - I parked it at the end of the line so she could say everything up to the excavator is for sale. I told them that anything would sell for the right price but after I looked it up, I came back and said, "except the mini". Paid for itself easy in the 3 years in installing installing culverts, ditching, demolishing buildings, salvaging scrap iron, digging water lines, and planting trees. Narrow my track width and I can go places I can't get near with the tractor, plus no danger of flats. Think about it - it might be what you need, and in my area, if you decide to sell you get a lot closer to purchase price for a used mini than you do for a used backhoe.

 

[rswyan]

I had the same quandary a few years back and bought a 4 year old mini for $12,900 instead of paying around $8,000 for a BH ..... Think about it - it might be what you need, and in my area, if you decide to sell you get a lot closer to purchase price for a used mini than you do for a used backhoe.

Did I mention I spent $8,000 on my 3PH backhoe ?

I really, really, really wish I had put that money towards a mini-ex .... would have been a far better use of resources ....