Advice: Backhoe vs. Traditional Tractor

[RodneyV]

My father-in-law recently bought 110 acres in the Texas Hill Country. He wants to buy a contractor type JD backhoe tractor to move around the loose large rocks and use the backhoe to dig out a mud filled spring. He's a relatively new in-law and new to the ranch life. At this point I've only made a couple suggestions that a traditional tractor might be a better investment so you could use a multitude of implements. He believes a typical backhoe is more powerfull.

My question is what size and model tractors would be equivelant in bucket lift power, have a backhoe option and still have a 3 point for other uses? I'd really like to convince him to get a traditional tractor because I think he might regret buying just backhoe for the ranch. He wants to buy a newer used tractor with a budget of 15K to 25K.

Appreciate any advice.

 

[Builder]

My father-in-law recently bought 110 acres in the Texas Hill Country. He wants to buy a contractor type JD backhoe tractor to move around the loose large rocks and use the backhoe to dig out a mud filled spring. He's a relatively new in-law and new to the ranch life. At this point I've only made a couple suggestions that a traditional tractor might be a better investment so you could use a multitude of implements. He believes a typical backhoe is more powerfull.

My question is what size and model tractors would be equivelant in bucket lift power, have a backhoe option and still have a 3 point for other uses? I'd really like to convince him to get a traditional tractor because I think he might regret buying just backhoe for the ranch. He wants to buy a newer used tractor with a budget of 15K to 25K.

Appreciate any advice.

You're right that a traditional tractor with 3 pt hitch arms would be more versatile, but I don't think ANY traditional tractor could be outfitted with a backhoe that can do more than today's CASE, CAT, DEERE, etc. backhoes. They would lack the integration to the frame, the stability, the digging power or the extendahoe capability, either.

On the FEL side, a backhoe has between 6,000-7,000 lbs lift capacity. You'd have to get a huge farm tractor to get that kind of lift capability.

The traditional tractor can run field mowers, scrapers, etc. that a backhoe cannot.

Pretty simple. Ask him if he needs 3 pt hitch implements, if he does, he needs a farm tractor. If he doesn't then he could get a tradtional backhoe.

 

[Z-Michigan]

A Kubota L48 or a JD 110 will give you a good solid backhoe and a 3pt hitch assembly with PTO. They aren't as strong as the industrial backhoes but are more solid than anything not designed with a backhoe in mind. And unlike the industrial backhoes they have a 3pt hitch and can serve with most all 3pt type implements. Wouldn't be an ideal choice of conventional farming tasks but should handle a range of landscaping and be able to do mowing well too (if rather on the heavy side).

 

[john_bud]

What kind of advice is that? He should get the big industrial Deere or Case or even a JCB and later, get the farm tractor to run implements.

When in doubt - buy both.

jb

 

[GaryCrowell]

Tell him to rent the backhoe for a week and stay up from dawn to dusk running it, then buy a tractor for everything else he needs to do. Equipment like backhoes and bulldozers are wonderful things, but they're specialized equipment that isn't needed on a daily or even monthly basis. A backhoe won't be cost effective because he doesn't have that much need for one, and once the stuff a backhoe can do is done it'll be sitting in the weeds. A tractor is needed repeatedly on 110 acres.

Buy a tractor, rent a backhoe.

 

[Builder]

Tell him to rent the backhoe for a week and stay up from dawn to dusk running it, then buy a tractor for everything else he needs to do. Equipment like backhoes and bulldozers are wonderful things, but they're specialized equipment that isn't needed on a daily or even monthly basis. A backhoe won't be cost effective because he doesn't have that much need for one, and once the stuff a backhoe can do is done it'll be sitting in the weeds. A tractor is needed repeatedly on 110 acres.

Buy a tractor, rent a backhoe.

I live in farm country. Every farmer in my area owns a full size 4x4 backhoe. They're part of farm life today.

 

[npaden]

My father-in-law recently bought 110 acres in the Texas Hill Country. He wants to buy a contractor type JD backhoe tractor to move around the loose large rocks and use the backhoe to dig out a mud filled spring. He's a relatively new in-law and new to the ranch life. At this point I've only made a couple suggestions that a traditional tractor might be a better investment so you could use a multitude of implements. He believes a typical backhoe is more powerfull.

My question is what size and model tractors would be equivelant in bucket lift power, have a backhoe option and still have a 3 point for other uses? I'd really like to convince him to get a traditional tractor because I think he might regret buying just backhoe for the ranch. He wants to buy a newer used tractor with a budget of 15K to 25K.

Appreciate any advice.

Based on what he is wanting and what he means by "a newer used tractor" I think his budget may be SIGNIFICANTLY low. The Kubota L48 and John Deere 110 in decent shape are going to be selling in the $35k range and they are on the "light" side of the industrial machines.

You could get a nearly used up industrial Case 580CK for that price that might work well for his needs but it may need some work and will probably be 20 years old. Not sure if that qualifies as a newer used tractor.

My 2 cents. Nathan

 

[Z-Michigan]

I live in farm country. Every farmer in my area owns a full size 4x4 backhoe. They're part of farm life today.

I too live in farm country and have noticed that most farms have an industrial backhoe in their barns. I haven't been able to figure out why, though. There can only be so many rocks that have to removed and can't be dug out with the FEL on a farm tractor. Can anyone tell me?

 

[Oleozz]

A friend, who's a farmer, has a Case 580 sitting in his shed and that's where it spends most of its time. Everytime I visit I enjoy looking at it but it doesn't get near the use that his farm tractors get.
My choice would be a good used utility tractor in the 75 to 95 hp range.

 

[DrRick]

I have 1000 acres in the texas hill country. I bought a used JD 410 for around 8000 dollars. I have to say I use it all the time, and not just for digging. It makes a great crane for unloading almost anything, and when I cut trees up it is easy to fill the bucket for the trip back to the splitter area. It of course digs well, but also will backdrag and smooth all the roads I have with some speed. I have a dozer, excavator, and a dk55c Kioti for other things, however I realy use the backhoe the most of all. Your father in law will never run out of things to do with it.
rick