Backhoe attachment vs excavator

[cummins08]

I'm trying to decide on a tractor with a backhoe or an excavator. I do landscaping and lawn care. I already own a ford 3600 and a New Holland skid steer. Any advice on whats better for landscaping? I'm getting tired of renting my friends mini excavator so I need one or the other. Any help is appreciated.

 

[MBTRAC]

Given you already have a skid steer, IMO hands down I'd take the excavator every time.

An excavator with its 360 degree operation is a much more versatile/stronger/quicker machine to operate (as they're designed from the ground up to be a hydraulic "powerhouse") with the bonus of tracks leaving less damage to the site + an excavator will fit/operate in conditions/space where a wheeled tractor BH won't.

The compact nature of an excavator also aids transportation & site accessibility, with added benefit of zero set up time (no stability pads/legs to lower like a BH).

However excavators aren't the answer to everything & the major downside/cost as with any tracked machine is track wear, so the key is planning the site operation to minimise travel where ever practical

 

[bindian]

Get an excavator. I have a Bradco 511 backhoe on my Mahindra 6520 and it's a bull in a china closet in small back yards trying to dig and bury sewer line. Numerous times I have wished for an excavator and a mini track loader. Some day I'll have at least the excavator, but in 14000-16000 pound class.
hugs, Brandi

 

[OldMasterTech]

I have both and rarely use the backhoe - excavator is so much faster.

 

[Carl_NH]

It depends on the scope of landscaping - "light duty landscaping" if planting trees/shrubs, and doing some general excavating, or building stone walls a small TLB is more versatile as you can dig holes/trench, then move rock, unload trees, move dirt with a TLB over some distance with one machine. The small TLB's like the used Kubota B26 or L39 or JD 110 will probably be the same price range as a 10,000Lb class used excavator.

If you are doing more extensive hardscape with stone, trench work, or commercial site work with things like drain tiles, septic lines/fields then a small excavator along with your skid steer would be better.

if for most jobs you envision you need the skid steer and excavator on site then will they both fit on your trailer? Otherwise its multiple trips, and load unload - not a big deal if you are going to be on site for a few days/week each.

Then as MBTRAC said, the tracks/maintenance on the excavator are a maintenance item more so than a TLB.

 

[cummins08]

Thanks for the info everyone! Leaning toward the mini ex. but nothings set in stone yet.

 

[cummins08]

Anyone have any opinions on a good affordable excavator? I've ran a bobcat 430, Takeuchi135, and CAT 305.5 . CAT was by far my favorite, but also out of my price range.

 

[Wnc3]

:thumbsup: Komatsu PC-35 with a quick coupler

 

[deerseeker001]

Welcome from Wisconsin

 

[bindian]

Anyone have any opinions on a good affordable excavator? I've ran a bobcat 430, Takeuchi135, and CAT 305.5 . CAT was by far my favorite, but also out of my price range.

In my searching, I found the same thing..............Cats are expensive. I narrowed my choice down to Take or Kubota. But would go Bobcat with the right deal. The Bobcats I have rented work well, but are kinda short of leg room. A good dealer nearby is a must on my list of purchase requirements. I have an awesome Bobcat and Kubota dealer nearby. But Take dealers are few and far between. In my opinion, Bobcat dealers have become like John Deere dealers. There are everywhere if you look.

Last Friday, I finally got to check out a Kubota KX080-4. I just finished running 720 feet of water line with my backhoe and the Kubota's angle blade had me drooling. Overall I liked what I saw in Orange. Have you considered Kubota?
hugs, Brandi