For Those Without a BH, How Do you Do It?

[boggen]

sounds like you were in same situation i was, a year or 2 ago.

3pt hitch backhoe, or not. anywhere from 4k to 8k for it.

for me it came down to what needed to be done. this old farm is ran down. and needs a lot of prep work. (dirt work). along with putting in new water, electrical, gas, septic lines. including culverts, and tree removal.

to me it was worth getting an older TLB (tractor loader / backhoe) construction type, were seat just turns 180 to use the BH (backhoe). time it would take to switch seats via 3pt hitch BH. to feeling like an octopus to use FEL (front end loader), BH, left and right rear brakes (steering brakes), gas peddle or handle, to get unstuck ((way to many times)). along with the extra power and weight of an older used ford / new holland 555c loader backhoe. it was well worth it and has paid for itself.

BUT there is a con. right now the farm looks like a mud hole. but i am willing to accept this for right now. after a couple years of getting primary prep work done. i will end up selling / trading this older unit in. for a regular utility tractor. and at that time get loader attachments and 3pt hitch attachments / implements. and will most likely downsize in HP (horse power).

other words right now the TLB is prep, and the utility tractor will be for me a maintenance / upkeep tractor for the farm.

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renting.....

i do not have a big enough vehicle to handle towing a excavator. nor a trailer that could handle the weight. so that adds up to cost.

i would most likely end up taking a day off of work or 2, to run the rental machinery, so that is more cash out of pocket.

wasted half day to full day. going to and back from rental place. plus gas.

hope it does not rain while i am renting it.

get some seat time and get use to the machine. (takes some time)

it adds up quickly for rental. ya 1000 here and a 1000 there. for say a weekly rental. but if ya had it already vs renting. you might have saved a good day or more on some projects vs trying to use other less efficient methods. and you have it when ya need it. and work a fully weekend. vs messing around waiting for rental to show up or getting it.

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if ya need to do a lot of dirt moving. i find it is easier with the 555c TLB, to dig up areas with the backhoe bucket with teeth on it, and make one large pile of dirt. then use the FEL (generic bucket with no teeth on it) to run right into the softer pile of dirt. and move it were it needs to be. and then use the FEL to level things out with.

some times backhoe, is much easier to compact dirt. as you fill in areas. vs driving over the spot with front / rear tires of tractor. more so in tight spaces.

i do not have a "thumb" for the backhoe. but i sure can curl that BH bucket up around a tree, and move it to a trash pile or a pile were i can later chain saw it easier. vs cutting down in the woods.

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folks have used rock sleds. ((think of a metal hood off of a old truck or car, that ya attach some chains to. and toss rocks on it. to pull it around the yard)) then use ropes and like to put rocks manually were you want them. vs using a backhoe and thumb. or 4in1 bucket, or regular bucket with grapel attachment on it.

electric, gas, septic, water, telephone lines. it can be at times easier to get a ditch witch. ((looks like a huge chain saw)) for digging trenches for the pipe. and can make for a cleaner look vs dealing with a backhoe, but if you have a lot of rocks, a trencher can come to a hault.

folks have came up with ways to make pulling trees out easier http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/129506-tree-puller-hard-get-trees.html

tree stump grinders.

dulling chain saw blades. to get closer cut to ground.

multi ways of going about everything. what makes sense to you vs short and long term goals?

 

[tnjind]

Such tasks as boulder/stone removal, stump removing, etc.? I currently have a Kubota B20 and am looking to upgrade however a 40hp+ tractor with a BH is expensive so I was wondering whether I could survive without one. I do have a lot of stones on my property and I have a number of stumps I need to remove (4"-10" trees - elm, ash, birch). I am currently looking at a Kubota MX4700 or a Kioti DK45SE and would purchase a BB.

Other than renting a mini-ex, any other tips if I am sans BH?

Tks.

4-10 inch trees. Really? Axe, shovel. Tractor to clean up.

 

[Baby Grand]

For trenching: Middle buster, eye hoe & shovel.
For 4-10" trees: Either tnjind's method or subsoiler if I can get access from 3 sides.

 

[Kyle241]

4-10 inch trees. Really? Axe, shovel. Tractor to clean up.

That would not work around here. a 10" (diameter, not circumference) ash, hickory or elm with a lot of stones would take days to dig by hand and I would guarantee whoever did the job would not be moving very well after it. This area is famous for it's stones and my property has them sticking out of the ground everywhere so that is why a BH or a grapple is a must.

 

[Baby Grand]

Understood. I used to live (many years ago) on top of a terminal moraine, so I know what you're talking about. We left stumps to rot as we didn't have a tractor and keeping an axe sharp was enough work when we used it for felling, let alone putting it to roots.

 

[tnjind]

That would not work around here. a 10" (diameter, not circumference) ash, hickory or elm with a lot of stones would take days to dig by hand and I would guarantee whoever did the job would not be moving very well after it. This area is famous for it's stones and my property has them sticking out of the ground everywhere so that is why a BH or a grapple is a must.

Yeah, I see your point about the rocks, sucks to try to dig.

I have cut/dug a few trees that size, wasn't to bad but no large rocks, and easy digging soil.

 

[Bdavis]

I think you can get by without a backhoe but I couldn't make it without my Front end loader. I don't have that many stumps and have been able to work around it with a variety of methods. (I don't really have a way to transport or rent a back hoe)

I bought a Paumco quick spade combo about a year ago and have been very pleased. I mainly have used it for trenching but I did remove one pretty good stump with it. It takes a little time to learn how to operate it but I can sure dig a 2 foot deep trench pretty quickly now. Hey for only a little over $300 it has been a good investment.

 

[Scrambler82]

I know this is “How do you get along w/o a BH” and I have already commented earlier in the post but earlier this week I dug a run-off trench about 18” deep and 26 feet along the side of my house, and am working on a leaching field, not sure how big.
Then there will be an overflow trench after that from the field.
I would not have done it without the BH, I can’t image not having it.
When I first looked at smaller Tractors I wondered if a BH would be big enough to get anything done, well it IS and I am GLAD I did get it.

So to answer the OP question, "Those Without a BH, How Do you Do It ?”

I wouldn’t do it, the BH is the best tool I have ever purchased.

 

[Kyle241]

Scrambler82, I agree a BH is a great attachment to have as one can do so much with it. I am planning to purchase one with my new tractor...just got to make the decision on which tractor!

 

[sdmayhew]

For most things on my familys 66 acres we can get away with our two 30hp tractors. For big stuff it is best to go rent a big backhoe. Once you use something like a 310SE to dig trees you will never want to do it any other way.

The best thing that I bought was 6,000lb heavy duty pallet forks with Quick Attach when I got my tractor. This lets me swap from 6' foot wide bucket to pallet forks in less than 3 minutes.

For trees under 12" diameter my l3130 with Quick Attach pallet forks, filled tires and 500lb of counter weight will push over trees roots and all.

I have even pushed over bigger ones once they rot a little bit. see attached pictures =)_
with the Pallet forks I have not been real successful at popping roots. Might have to try the tree spade.

What I have done to pull small brush is to put a pallet grabber hooked to my pallet forks at the Quick Attach mount, grab the small tree or brush and then leverage up with the forks in the ground. Works good on most small trees under 2"

I will move rocks up to 1000 lbs with my pallet forks - just set forks in close.

I have also dug irrigation trenches with my bucket. I just make a bigger trench, lay pipe and then back fill.

I must say that I have been looking at the single shank sub soiler for running irrigation lines.

Most of my stumps are Oak trees that are 12-48" in diameter. For these I either rent a backhoe or have a dozer come out. We have also had a D8 low boy come out when we cleared 15 acres of tree's.