How much tractor do I need?

[Gale Hawkins]

The need for backhoes are often a somewhat contentious, those that need them seem to think everyone would and vice versa. Deciding on "want" vs "need" is often hard. I "want" one, but don't "need" it. Many years ago my dad and brother bought a used one and fixed it up as we had house being built, septic systems going in etc. We "needed" it and it got a lot of use. After the first few years it just sat in the shed and needs a lot of work to get it going gain, so we rent every few years rather than invest the time and money in fixing it; one of those "one of these days" projects whose time never seems to come around.

I have to fight the desire to buy one once or twice a year, even went to look at one a few months ago.

Great post.

We bought our 1983 JD nearly 5 years ago for $7200 and still get a lot of use out of it cleaning up the place and helping neighbors. We did put on a new set of rear tires while not required it did help with traction being a 2 WD machine. We spent about $500 getting front and rear buckets rebuilt and about that much for starter, hoses. It is still old and worn out but runs and works fine. Currently we are in the process of buying some land around the church so that clean up/development project will be on going but when you have an old natural drain ditch grown up 20 foot on either side a back hoe is also to clear it then push it into piles for example.

If money was no object hiring someone with a track hoe and a dozer would be a lot faster but doing it yourself over time lets the project evolve over time and for you to change the outcome. The projects end better than I envision and would have told an operator what I wanted done. Even where to install a drain sewer may change after working on a project over a period of time for example.

Being physically limited due to arthritis the mechanical thumb on the back hoe is a blessing to have around the place.

I our case if I am doing things around the place I would like a backhoe. A FEL and track hoe would be nice but I like being on rubber and driving 10 miles one way is better for me than hitching, loading, etc to move a machine.

There are things that we get done that we would never get done if the backhoe was not parked on the place and ready to start at a push of the button. We are planning on putting in a one acre parking lot at church 1/2 mile down the road and the corn field now has a lot of 6" trees and more wet due to lack of drainage and rising water table. Saturday a guy with a low grade gravel pit (sand and rock but no clay in the mix) two miles away gave us the gravel if I will dig and haul it. That will be about 100+ loads on our 16' flat dump and the gravel being mostly clay free is what we need to go on our soft clay/sand wet low land at this time. In a few years we can come back with dense grade for the most actively used part of the parking lot.

The last owner of our back hoe built their home and developed the drive, barn locations, etc and then sold it for what he gave for it I expect.

$10K with buy a lot of backhoe. If the engine and transmission are solid the rest does not take a lot of skills to keep going.

Selling an old backhoe is not a hard task either.

 

[newbury]

A couple of points - Regarding the backhoe/salesman comment I made. The OP had laid out what he plans to do and an expenditure of thousands of dollars for a backhoe did not seem in the OP's best interest. I'm sure the salesman would make a decent profit off of it. But of course Gale and others know what's best. Get a backhoe.

As far as loaded tires - If you don't plan on doing any lawn work they are a good idea for the rears. A tractor spinning it's wheels is wasting power. Better yet get loaded tires AND a backhoe, backhoes also add weight to the rear.

Good luck with the purchase - and we need pictures or it's just a rumor.

 

[Schneeky]

Get a backhoe.
As far as loaded tires - If you don't plan on doing any lawn work they are a good idea for the rears. A tractor spinning it's wheels is wasting power. Better yet get loaded tires AND a backhoe, backhoes also add weight to the rear.
Good luck with the purchase - and we need pictures or it's just a rumor.

Momma said we could get either a new Goldwing or a new tractor given that they were about the same money. With this place I had more use for the tractor. But the backhoe just ain't in the numbers this go'round.
Called the dealership today and the tires come already loaded. Momma's puttin in the credit app this evening which should be no problem. There'll be plenty pics of a fat, dumb-n-happy redneck on the new rig by this weekend or there abouts if all goes right. d:^) Schneeks..

 

[GreenWannabe]

Schneeky, I have loaded R-1s on my Kioti DK45SE cab tractor, but carry a 700 lb implement on the three point for additional ballast. So far, I haven't felt any tipping at all, or light rear end, even with a heaping load in my bucket. I'm a big proponent of using both loaded rear tires and a heavy weight on the three point hitch. Good luck with your new tractor.

 

[TripleR]

Great post.

The last owner of our back hoe built their home and developed the drive, barn locations, etc and then sold it for what he gave for it I expect.

$10K with buy a lot of backhoe. If the engine and transmission are solid the rest does not take a lot of skills to keep going.

Selling an old backhoe is not a hard task either.

A friend of my son's does this fairly often. He owns a small construction company and will often buy what he needs used for upcoming jobs then sells them for what he has in them. It is cheaper than buying new or buying/building long term storage.

We could of sold our old Case and made a few bucks, but it has sentimental value as dad's gone now. It's going to take a lot of work, but some day...we have several projects in the same category.:laughing:

 

[Cherokee140]

You have a great outlook. What you say is so true. As you are going you slowly change little things for the better. Doing it yourself and being open to change is one way to have something turn out to be so much more then all the parts. It is also fun.

Great post.

We bought our 1983 JD nearly 5 years ago for $7200 and still get a lot of use out of it cleaning up the place and helping neighbors. We did put on a new set of rear tires while not required it did help with traction being a 2 WD machine. We spent about $500 getting front and rear buckets rebuilt and about that much for starter, hoses. It is still old and worn out but runs and works fine. Currently we are in the process of buying some land around the church so that clean up/development project will be on going but when you have an old natural drain ditch grown up 20 foot on either side a back hoe is also to clear it then push it into piles for example.

If money was no object hiring someone with a track hoe and a dozer would be a lot faster but doing it yourself over time lets the project evolve over time and for you to change the outcome. The projects end better than I envision and would have told an operator what I wanted done. Even where to install a drain sewer may change after working on a project over a period of time for example.

Being physically limited due to arthritis the mechanical thumb on the back hoe is a blessing to have around the place.

I our case if I am doing things around the place I would like a backhoe. A FEL and track hoe would be nice but I like being on rubber and driving 10 miles one way is better for me than hitching, loading, etc to move a machine.

There are things that we get done that we would never get done if the backhoe was not parked on the place and ready to start at a push of the button. We are planning on putting in a one acre parking lot at church 1/2 mile down the road and the corn field now has a lot of 6" trees and more wet due to lack of drainage and rising water table. Saturday a guy with a low grade gravel pit (sand and rock but no clay in the mix) two miles away gave us the gravel if I will dig and haul it. That will be about 100+ loads on our 16' flat dump and the gravel being mostly clay free is what we need to go on our soft clay/sand wet low land at this time. In a few years we can come back with dense grade for the most actively used part of the parking lot.

The last owner of our back hoe built their home and developed the drive, barn locations, etc and then sold it for what he gave for it I expect.

$10K with buy a lot of backhoe. If the engine and transmission are solid the rest does not take a lot of skills to keep going.

Selling an old backhoe is not a hard task either.