Backhoe Attaching a Backhoe to the 3-Point Hitch

[Mad Mac]

We raise beef cattle. I wanted a tractor with four wheel drive and an FEL that could move round bales. At least 50 hp seemed to be the consensus.

The ability to run a grapple bucket, a backhoe, heavy duty brush cutter (heavy duty is relative) to do some land clearing of brush, mostly yaupon, was desired. We already had a 24 foot pipe drag and a 20 foot Caldwell batwing shredder that I hoped to pull. It handles the drag easily with all four wheels to pull it. Have not tried the shredder yet but doubt that it will disappoint.

We no longer grow our own hay. A 300 gallon spray rig and Lilliston mower are pulled by our "cute" tractors; an ancient David Brown Case 1210 and a rare for this continent Deutz 4506. We do not put many hours on our machines.

The ranch has been in the family more than a hundred years and I started taking care of it six years ago after my father passed. During that time I've taken hundreds of photographs. About 150 of my favorites have been assembled in one album. In order to satisfy the heirs, the ranch is for sale.

 

[5030]

To the both of you, I'm a contract hay producer and have cattle as a sideline plus I own a shop and work part time...and hunt. The machinery I run is power intensive so for me, a minimum of 90 pto is sufficient, just. I run rounds and squares, have 2 mowers, a JD sickle with rubber rolls for 2nd and 3 cuts in alfalfa and a New Holland center point discbine thats a couple years old, a New Holland 575 High Capacity square baler with automatic tension and kicker, a New Holland BR750 (I think) round baler, net and twine with bale command (it's all electronic, bought it last year to replace an older NH net only unit) (I'm on good Terms with NH Credit..) 2 Kuhn Gyrorakes, a Pioneer 4 star tedder, 250 gallon 3 point sprayer (for 28% urea), a granular fertilizer spreader, various balewagons, buckets forks and spears, a batwing disc, 5 bottom plow. a Swedish time cutivator.... and some payment books.

About the time I get something paid for, it's replacement time. I like to sell and buy one new piece of equipment every year. I don't like used hay tools. Used is someone else's problems that I don't need. I want to get out and get it done and not work on junk equipment....so I buy new. Nothing worse that having to get hay made with rain coming and then get out there and your baler craps the bed. I don't play that. I can't.

Both my tractors are getting up in years, one is 10 and the other is 9 but they both run perfect and both are really good on diesel and have super cold ac (and don't use DEF, candidly I think thats a crock), I'd never buy any tractor thats emissions compliant, I want to see smoke when I get them up on the turbo. Thats power to me, but then I'm old school too.

Thats what I do with my 'cute' tractors.

I run contract forage on shares. I get half, they get half. I sell most of mine and keep what I need to feed the cattle. I'm not getting rich, but it's fun.

 

[kneedeep]

Opinions vary greatly concerning tractor mounted backhoes. My buddy laughed when I told him that I bought a Subframe mounted Mahindra BH for my 3510. He claimed I needed a 'real' BH like his ragged Ford (work on it 3 days to operate 2hours) that he is having a hard time getting parts for. I looked at the 3 Pt mounted units, Subframe units and used Backhoes. After LOTS of research and comparing quality, cost and actually laying hands on at several units at dealers, private sellers and auctions, I made a decision.
My decision was based on my needs, my equipment future value, and my checking account balance. In my younger days, I helped my dad wear out a new JD 310 building houses and installing Septic Systems. Even dug a few basements and lots of stumps out so I am aware of how one of these things work.
My Bh cost as much as many of the small SCUT, but it is what I wanted and could afford. Anyone that decides to buy something like this and asked for opinions should only get actual experience from owners of that type of equipment or people who sell or repair it. Everyone who makes comments based on what they read in a forum that someone heard at the coffee shop should leave it there. When I asked for opinions on BH while researching, I disregard any that did not actually have one.

JMHO :2cents:

PS- NEVER read or heard of anyone breaking a tractor in half with a 3PT mounted BH. I'm sure there are lots of damaged units out there. If I had one and broke it, I would not tell the world how I abuse my equipment! :ashamed:

 

[5030]

It's quite possible to break the rear housing casting on a smaller tractor with a 3ph mounted hoe by horsing the tractor around with it, like lifting the rear wheels off the ground and pulling the tractor with the BH bucket or digging with the wheels in the air, on a grade angle and crowding the bucket against an immovable object like say, a stump, I know someone who did just that with a Kubota L3710 and fractured the rear housing from the lower lift arm mounts (left side) up to the top, a small fracture but expensive none the less. If I remember correctly, it was a 3 grand mistake but it was all attributable to abuse on his part.

If you operate one according to proper procedure, the chances of a failure are pretty slim.....IOW don't use the hoe in an abusive manner and don't oversize the hoe for the tractor. Little tractor = little hoe. The consumer idea is buy the largest unit that will fit, but in this case, the big unit imposes big stress so always buy on the side of smaller.