Buying Advice To Backhoe, on not to Backhoe...

[Automobilist]

A backhoe and a Dozer... all you need is a dumptruck or trailer and you're in business!

Greeting from Olympia!

Just what I need! The wife is already not thrilled that I have two enclosed car trailers and a boat parked here too...

 

[BigBoyToys]

Just what I need! The wife is already not thrilled that I have two enclosed car trailers and a boat parked here too...

BIG BOY TOYS!!!!

 

[Qapla]

Our BH is a Woods mounted on a NH TC40D. It is a sub-frame that was installed by the dealer - even though the tractor was used.

Interesting this is, the NH had a FEL on it already. The sub-frame for the BH was compatible with the frame for the NH FEL - so the new Woods BH went right on the used NH and both have dug many,many holes as well as countless other things since we bought them. Sure glad we have them.

Only thing is, if we want to use the 3-point, we have add the rest of the 3-point after the BH is removed. I would say that it is a pain to do that .... but ..... we have never taken the BH off since we have another tractor with a usable 3-point.

 

[hawkeye08]

When looking for my tractor, it became obvious that I would have to buy used to get the size tractor I wanted within my budget. None that I looked at had a backhoe included in my price range. I bought my tractor without and kept looking for BH that would work on it. Several years later, I found a 3pt model that met my budget and requirements. I would have preferred a subframe mounted, but none came up for sale that would fit my tractor. I am pleased with my setup and take extra care not to abuse the BH since the 3pt is a weak link.

You will likely find it useful, but if budget is a concern, you may need to compromise on what you end up with. Best wishes.

 

[ultrarunner]

Just what I need! The wife is already not thrilled that I have two enclosed car trailers and a boat parked here too...

It's no small benefit to by able to keep equipment protected under cover... especially in my part of Washington.

I've never been to Fall City... would like to check it out... when is a good time of the year to visit the area?

With your screen name I'm guessing have an interest in collector vehicles?

 

[kthompson]

A few years back was looking at backhoe on tractor or excavator and a great friend of mine who owned small site work company was who I went to for advice. He said what I wanted could do with either, but the excavator would be a good bit quicker as it would fully rotate and moving for say digging ditch was much faster than with outriggers. Now I realize if you want to dig a hole here and then run 100 feet and dig another the tractor travels much faster. Every time I think on his recommendation am so thankful I went with excavator. No idea about where you are but here for $6,000 you will find a fair selection of 6,000 pound excavators that have lots of life in them. That frees up the tractor to pull trailer for what ever you dig such as dirt but does mean two machines. NO ONE SET UP IS PERFECT while the other is all wrong. I would not trade my excavator for backhoes on each of my three tractors. Then I do use my tractors as tractors and not loaders backhoes. My largest does have loader but I use it with the excavator, the two are much more efficient than to me a tlb setup is. Again that is for ME AND MY USE. Realize others will say for them the TLB is best set up. Just my experience.

 

[dragoneggs]

I've never been to Fall City... would like to check it out... when is a good time of the year to visit the area?

You have probably driven by it several times.... it's next door to Preston. You can visit there at the same time. :laughing: Seriously it is close to Snoqualmie Falls. Come late spring when the water is gushing.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm mostly South Sound and the Olympic Peninsula...

Someday, I would love to explore the Sound by boat... just never have the time or the weather for it.

Mom loves it when she comes up... the mountains remind her of where she grew up and she has no problems making friends and people always think I'm the one visiting her!

I have a gravel drive to the house... it is shared for half the way... the first thing she always does is get the shovel, wheelbarrow, and my tamping bar with a half wheelbarrow of rock and goes about fixing the potholes...

She is 82 and said she grew up doing that as a kid with her dad...

 

[Gary Fowler]

A few years back was looking at backhoe on tractor or excavator and a great friend of mine who owned small site work company was who I went to for advice. He said what I wanted could do with either, but the excavator would be a good bit quicker as it would fully rotate and moving for say digging ditch was much faster than with outriggers. Now I realize if you want to dig a hole here and then run 100 feet and dig another the tractor travels much faster. Every time I think on his recommendation am so thankful I went with excavator. No idea about where you are but here for $6,000 you will find a fair selection of 6,000 pound excavators that have lots of life in them. That frees up the tractor to pull trailer for what ever you dig such as dirt but does mean two machines. NO ONE SET UP IS PERFECT while the other is all wrong. I would not trade my excavator for backhoes on each of my three tractors. Then I do use my tractors as tractors and not loaders backhoes. My largest does have loader but I use it with the excavator, the two are much more efficient than to me a tlb setup is. Again that is for ME AND MY USE. Realize others will say for them the TLB is best set up. Just my experience.

An excavator is for sure the top digger of choice, but for folks like me who don't want a second (or third) piece of equipment setting around, a TLB is the next best choice, although everytime I am digging out a ditch or pond, I wish I could rotate the hoe 180 degrees rather than just 90 degrees. Being able to put the spoils pile further back from the dig site would be grand. I just don't do enough digging to justify an excavator and in order to move that pile of dirt without having a dump truck, you need a FEL type of equipment also, so then comes in the tractor with FEL or a dedicated front end loader which is then even more money. The majority of us TLB guys don't want or need all the other equipment that is needed when using the excavator.

 

[kevin37b]

Gary , you are going to buy a mini I can see it now . How ya been ? Enjoy your posts .