Harbor Freight (HF) Trencher(Backhoe)

[hbaird]

I just found HF sells a Towable Trencher at their Internet Store. It would cost about $3100 delivered. The local store does not stock it. I would like to have a LIGHT DUTY backhoe for ocassional use. I don't need an industrial grade machine and I am able to do and live with repairs. I have not tried any of the Central Hydraulics gear from HF. Any constuctive comments?
hbaird

 

[Dargo]

Any constuctive comments?
hbaird

If by "constructive" you mean positive comments about the machine you are considering; no. I don't have anything good I could possibly say about it.

 

[bones1]

Might want to steer clear of that one.

 

[CurlyDave]

I have always had good results with Harbor Freight tools, but I have never spent more than $50-100 on any single item there.

I would check their return policy carefully before making a major purchase, plan to have several days available to test the trencher in a real working environment as soon as it arrives, and just to be on the safe side, use a credit card for ordering, so I had the option of disputing the charge if it was lower quality than I really wanted.

A debit card does not offer the protections a credit card does.

 

[Dargo]

I have always had good results with Harbor Freight tools...

Wow, that's amazing. I don't think I've ever seen that statement before. It took me several years (slow learner) to learn my lesson, but other than the few name brand items they carry, I've never have even what I'd remotely consider fair results from their junk.

 

[CurlyDave]

I've never have even what I'd remotely consider fair results from their junk.

I am not connected with HF at all, but let me explain what I mean by "good results". Almost every tool I have bought from them worked just as I expected it would, and the only failure I have ever had was a tire inflator, the kind with the gauge built in. $6 down the drain.

Now balance that against hundred$ or thousand$ I have saved over the years by buying tools there, and I am far ahead of the game.

A HF drill is not going to be a pleasure to use, like my Milwaukee, but the holes are going to be the same.

Sometimes their stuff is surprisingly good. I have professional-quality solderless connector crimpers from HF which are better than the Channel-Lock ones I also own. I have 4 or 5 $3 multimeters, which are just as good as the $100 kind from an electronics supply store. And I can keep one in every toolbox: in the house, in the garage, and in the RV.

Most of the time the quality of their tools is lower than the name brands, but then the price is about 20-50% of what I would pay for the name brand.

Frequently it comes down to a choice of buying a seldom-used HF tool and doing the job myself, or hiring it out.

 

[Dargo]

Okay Dave, after some thought, you caught me. I do like the $1 Chinese made claw hammers with a yellow handle I got there and the digital calipers have actually continued to work.

I guess it's the power tools and hand tools that always burned me. I think the Pittsburgh brand of hand tools, wrenches and socket sets in particular, are made from pot metal. Not one has survived even moderate use. I burned up their metal cutting chop saw on it's first use and had it replaced by them. In the mean time I bought a nice DeWalt chop saw, so I gave the HF chop saw to my dad. After a week he brought it back. I put it out with the trash with a note to the trash man that it worked and he was welcome to it. I happened to be out there when he picked up the trash and was going to put it in the front of his truck (where he puts all of his prize 'finds'). Nope. He said he could have had a dozen or two of them by now. He said everyone seems to throw those things away. He said that he constantly gets those, the orange drills, the blue 18 volt stuff, and the 4" grinders trying to be pawned off on him. He just tosses them with the rest of the junk.

 

[AlanB]

While not on the level of that "backhoe" we bought the vibratory compactor.

The boss (wife) has installed several patio's with it and it has worked fine so far. Only shut it down once, the bolt holding the pulley onto the engine shaft came out and was rolling around in the cover,,, Talk about a racket. New bolt and some blue loctite later.....

Is it as good as a whacker, or a Mikassa or Bomag or whatever my brand of choice would be? Nope, I am sure it is not. But it was $600 instead of the $1500 on Sale I was getting quoted around here. It is really a pretty simple machine and does have a B&S motor on it which for how much that thing will get used, will last a real long time.

I am in Dave's camp on this I guess, I do not have the same expectations of HF tools as I do of their name brand counterparts. But, as Dargo say's I have found most of their electric tools to be junk.

I have had their 3/4" socket set though for about 15 years, and their is the occasional Craftsman socket in there,,,,,, but for the most part it has worked fine.

We have looked at that same backhoe,,, it certainly has some advantages.

I just took a pass on a very,,, Very rough terramite for $3000, working, but did I mention it was rough.

Full tilt back hoes can be had for $5K in rough shape if you have patience. And lord knows there is no comparison in what the machine is capable of.

I have also looked at doing the cad plans ones, but heck, by the time I bought all the pieces, I could probably have the HF and be out there working.

I must also say in a bit of defense of HF, their return policy has always been very favorable too me. Look at the thread about the Quick hitches and a number of guys have returned them. I do not remember seeing anyone saying that HF would not take their's back.

I am certain though, if I was too buy that tool, that the first job I would want to do would be just heavier then the machine could handle............................

 

[RobJ]

I've never have even what I'd remotely consider fair results from their junk.

I am not connected with HF at all, but let me explain what I mean by "good results". Almost every tool I have bought from them worked just as I expected it would, and the only failure I have ever had was a tire inflator, the kind with the gauge built in. $6 down the drain.

Now balance that against hundred$ or thousand$ I have saved over the years by buying tools there, and I am far ahead of the game.

A HF drill is not going to be a pleasure to use, like my Milwaukee, but the holes are going to be the same.

Sometimes their stuff is surprisingly good. I have professional-quality solderless connector crimpers from HF which are better than the Channel-Lock ones I also own. I have 4 or 5 $3 multimeters, which are just as good as the $100 kind from an electronics supply store. And I can keep one in every toolbox: in the house, in the garage, and in the RV.

Most of the time the quality of their tools is lower than the name brands, but then the price is about 20-50% of what I would pay for the name brand.

Frequently it comes down to a choice of buying a seldom-used HF tool and doing the job myself, or hiring it out.

I've also had good luck with HF stuff. Keep in mind if I was a contractor I might not feel the same way. But if my saws are getting dropped or stolen every other week why buy yellow?

Most of their larger stuff you can get an extended warranty for up to 3 years or so. Might check on that.

BTW HF has one of the best no questions return policy I've seen. Several items I bough, and tried or just didn't like it out of the box. Returned with my shipping!!

Rob

 

[schmism]

you might also consider looking for a used Ditchwich 2310.

late 80's with backhoe and trencher, ride on. can be had for $5-8K depending on condition.

not only would you gain the backhoe but also the dedicated trencher.

 

[Captinjack]

Unless you are digging in sand, that hoe won't suit anyone. It's too weak and it is not anchored to a tractor for stability. I think you would feel like you just blew $3K. It will still be a PITA so send the thing back.

Just my 2 pennies.

 

[buppy69]

I have been buying HF tools for 24 years. The only bad thing I ever got was a set of drill bits that weren't straight. I have the 16.8 volt cordless drill (29.95) that after 6 years the battery charger quit charging. I had to buy the 18v drill to replace it. I took the charger out and have been using it to charge the 16.8v batteries. Still using the old drill. I haven't even taken the new drill out of the case. As for the blue drills mentioned, they are Drill Master. Not a Harbor Freight product. I wouldn't buy any of their electrical saws because they are too light, but their hand tools have a lifetime warranty. That's as good as Craftsman, Snap On or Mac. And by the way, I do use them commercially.

Eugene

 

[buppy69]

I forgot to add that the blue cordless drill was selling for $9.99. I bought those for my grandkids to play with. How can you expect anything to work for that price?

Eugene

 

[MiserableOldFart]

The old ditchwitch idea might make some sense (if this is the kind of machine I am picturing, the trenchers that look like overinflated chain saws..) I've seen that a lot of the irrigation companies in CT that used to use them have switched to a machine that drags the pipe underground and has some kind of vibrating or oscillating blade ahead of it. The old trenchers are obsolete for them, and probably a lot of other people in that kind of business. Might be inexpensive to buy.

 

[roxynoodle]

I have a HF 1/2" drill that I love. It is the only drill I have tried that can put screws into my 150 year old house made of native oak. I borrowed the neighbor's expensive Makita hammer drill and it couldn't do it with or without the hammer feature. Got the HF for $20 and if I only ever use it on my house that is fine with me. If it breaks I will buy another.

As for the backhoe/trencher, I was interested in it too but I think others are right, that it won't have the necessary strength not connected to a tractor. Course it would be nice to hear from someone who actually owns it whether or not it can do the work.

 

[dfkrug]

As for the backhoe/trencher, I was interested in it too but I think others are right, that it won't have the necessary strength not connected to a tractor. Course it would be nice to hear from someone who actually owns it whether or not it can do the work.

I built the CADDigger 728 11 y ago. It is larger than the Trencherman,
but it works the same way. Mine weighed less than 1000 lb and yes,
the hydraulics could overpower it, but it was still quite useful. Once a
hole is started, the dipper and bucket could pinch against the back
edge of the hole and be quite effective. Starting a hole on hard ground
tended to just lift the machine. I did some things I could never do
with a tractor, like pull it up a 50% slope to dig a bench for my
5000 gal concrete water tank. (I also bought a chainsaw-powered
winch from HF at that time to help pull it up. It worked fine.)

I had about $3000 in my CADDigger, and I sold it a few years ago on Ebay
for $3000.

 

[schmism]

The old ditchwitch idea might make some sense (if this is the kind of machine I am picturing, the trenchers that look like overinflated chain saws..) .

this one is slightly larger than the 2310 but you get the idea.

vibatory plow is the other kind you see, which the larger ones can pull upward of 2" + pipe through the ground

 

[earthsmeller]

I Origionally became interested in this sight because of the Harbor Freiight Backhoe, there is a new alternative for the property owner that needs to dig a trench or a pond or anything you could imagine. checkout:

the greens machines-towable backhoe-home

 

[dal929]

I've bought the remington electric pole saw, 7'' polisher/sander, the 2 stroke cut off saw, the 3-1/2 cubic ft cement mixer a doly and the tamper. I always buy the 2yr in store replacement and have managed to buy everything with %15 discount coupons. The tools have already paid themselves off had I just given the work I've done with them to someone else. With in the next 2 yrs I plan to drive these tools right into the ground, get a free new one and then sell that one when I'm done.

 

[2manyrocks]

I think some of the issues with this backhoe would be --1) as already touched upon, the design of these type machines is that they aren't as convenient as a conventional backhoe since you're dependent on moving them with the bucket; 2) digging in hard ground may be difficult because of the comparative light weight; 3) what is the strength of the steel used in this machine? 4) are these standard cylinders that you can get parts for or are there odd sizes and odd O rings that can't be found on this planet?