Backhoe or not

[check 6]

Those with a BX with backhoe, how often do you use it and or do you regret getting it. I have a little over an acre and ordering a BX 2680 as a 菟ower wheel barrow and at 76 with a back issue maybe I need a power shovel as well

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Do't have a BX, but an LS mt125 (similar size) and don't regret getting the BH at all. I had a lot of projects and digging, so it only made sense. I have used it for more things that I never even thought of so again was glad I had it!

 

[mikester]

The question you really need to ask is how often do YOU plan to use it.

If you plan to use it a lot and you have back/hip/knee issues then you will be unhappy with ANY 3PH or frame mount unit that you need to climb off the tractor every time to climb on the back of your machine aka every 3 feet. Your first regret will be that you didn't get a TLB with a swivel seat BH operation or a mini-ex. Been there done that, won't go there ever again.

When I'm 76 I think I'll probably be more interested in a beach front condo someplace warm drinking on the patio than digging holes in my yard.

 

[check 6]

Don稚 think I will slow down, I still fly and do the maint. On our community grass runway plus all sorts of chores for neighbors and our church. Remember growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional

 

[GRTkub]

I am 61 and I've had more knee operations than I care to count. I currently am sitting in a beach front condo waiting for spring at home so I can get to back up to my camp and start using my tractor again. :drink: Seriously though it does depend on how much you will use it, how much you can afford and how close rental equipment is to you. My camp is 3 1/2 hours away from the nearest dealer or equipment rental place. When I bought my BX25 I opted for the backhoe and it has proven itself invaluable at the camp. Everything from digging trenches for drain tiles or culverts, digging 14 holes for sonotube / bigfoot footings for my addition, digging grey water tank holes, pulling stumps, putting a pole in for a sat dish, and repairing the camp road. With the thumb I've even moved rocks and other things for my wife's gardens. Two years ago I sold the BX and upgraded to a B2650. The first option I chose was the backhoe. I used some posts from TBN as a guide to upgrade the Kubota manual thumb to a hydraulic thumb. I find I can maneuver the machine around quite a bit without getting off the seat while digging. Takes practice and patience. An excavator or TLB would be way easier but for me it just isn't practical. I leave the hoe off the tractor until I need it and then leave it on till I need one of my 3pt implements. It's pretty easy to take it on and off.

Bonuses with the backhoe - it makes a great rear ballast and the outriggers make a perfect jack for lifting the rear tires off the ground if you need to add chains or ballast or spacers.

 

[TimBuck2]

Backhoes are handy, and as far as tractor stuff goes they are pretty fun. So, if the pinch to you wallet won't be too painful, I would go for it.

One word of caution: If you would be regularly digging in in bony soil, you might want to skip a BH for a bx machine.

What is the surficial geology (soil) like in your work areas?
If you have a lot or a moderate amount of large cobbles or boulders, you are going to run into the limits of BH on a 20-something HP machine real quick.
Same with a 30-something HP machine.

The BHs have a lot more hydraulic power than the machine has weight, so when you hit an obstruction, the machine just pulls itself around.

 

[fried1765]

Don稚 think I will slow down, I still fly and do the maint. On our community grass runway plus all sorts of chores for neighbors and our church. Remember growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional

I am 78, and am looking to replace my old TLB with a used, but more modern one.
I don't still fly (have 30K hours), but am trying hard to not BE old.

 

[shooterdon]

The question you really need to ask is how often do YOU plan to use it.
.

Make up a list of things you need to do, want to do, and might do if the BH was there and "free".

Do the same for what you will be doing with the 3PH, and factor in the time to switch over. Best way to figure things out.

BTW, I am buying a new LS and the dealer told me they have the BH on sale for $2000 off. I still could not justify it. I have a bunch of stumps to remove but I can get that done for under $1000. My needs are not yours.

 

[jeff9366]

I have a little over an acre and at 76 with a back issue maybe I need a power shovel.

You will know better than anyone else how often you need to dig holes and trench.

For an acre a integrated BX23S will be ample and require minimal garage space.

Do you foresee landscaping or garden tasks for which you will need to remove the Backhoe in order to attach Three Point Hitch implements, such as a PTO powered Roto-tiller? The bucket on a BX is certainly an excellent powered wheelbarrow.

The first option I chose was the backhoe. I leave the Backhoe off the tractor until I need it and then leave it on till I need one of my 3pt implements. It's pretty easy to take it on and off. I find I can maneuver the machine around quite a bit without getting off the seat while digging. Takes practice and patience.

Bonuses with the backhoe - it makes a great rear ballast and the outriggers make a perfect jack for lifting the rear tires off the ground if you need to add chains or ballast or spacers.

 

[check 6]

Guys, thank you for your comments. I decided to go with the BX2680 with front loader and work lights. The deciding factor is that my dealer is only 5 miles away and will not only rent me a backhoe when I need for a very fair price but delivery and pick it up. I can rent a backhoe many many times for the money I saved