Mahindra 5545 4wd w/backhoe arrived today

[BubbaBillyBob]

All--

My four wheel drive Mahindra 5545 with backhoe, heavy duty box blade and heavy duty brush hog arrived today. I had just a few moments at the dealer's (Blue Valley Tractor and Supply) to start it, exercise the FEL and the backhoe. The 5545 has industrial tires which I think will work for me in the rocky Ozark environment. I was very surprised to learn that the power steering was easier than our new Ram 3500 Limited!

The reason I had only a little time to play with the new machine is because of preparations for the transport of my Komatsu SK 1020 turbo skid steer to the same property deep in the Ozarks. I'll spend a day or two working on the home site (and creating a place to turn the truck with the attached trailer around!) and improving the mile and half plus logging road leading to it, a bit.

When I return, I'll take pictures of the Mahindra and post them in this thread. I'll also attempt to answer any questions that may arise, although I am a total tractor noob. I'm sure I will have more questions of you than you of me. I'll also use this thread to do my best to review the tractor.

Thank you to everyone that replied to my post(s) concerning tractors. Your replies and my research led to the purchase of the 5545. (I need a Ratchet Rake!)

(That is a friend of mine standing between my truck and trailer, obviously checking his messages.)

--Bill

 

[dickfoster]

All--

My four wheel drive Mahindra 5545 with backhoe, heavy duty box blade and heavy duty brush hog arrived today. I had just a few moments at the dealer's (Blue Valley Tractor and Supply) to start it, exercise the FEL and the backhoe. The 5545 has industrial tires which I think will work for me in the rocky Ozark environment. I was very surprised to learn that the power steering was easier than our new Ram 3500 Limited!

The reason I had only a little time to play with the new machine is because of preparations for the transport of my Komatsu SK 1020 turbo skid steer to the same property deep in the Ozarks. I'll spend a day or two working on the home site (and creating a place to turn the truck with the attached trailer around!) and improving the mile and half plus logging road leading to it, a bit.

When I return, I'll take pictures of the Mahindra and post them in this thread. I'll also attempt to answer any questions that may arise, although I am a total tractor noob. I'm sure I will have more questions of you than you of me. I'll also use this thread to do my best to review the tractor.

Thank you to everyone that replied to my post(s) concerning tractors. Your replies and my research led to the purchase of the 5545. (I need a Ratchet Rake!)

(That is a friend of mine standing between my truck and trailer, obviously checking his messages.)

--Bill

View attachment 478746

Oh boy a new toy err a tractor.

 

[jeff9366]

You can order a Ratchet Rake from the TBN store. Delivery by FedEx. Button at top of this page.

 

[Snowback]

Congrats. The 5545 is a beast! You may want to consider a grapple as well since it sounds like you have some woods. If you get a heavier duty unit you can use it on the Skid Steer and the tractor. Life changing when working in the woods... BE SAFE!

 

[BubbaBillyBob]

All--

I got the 5545 transported the 250 miles to our property, safely! The machine weighs 5567lbs, without the backhoe. I do not know what the backhoe weighs. However, my big Ram got 12.1mpg on the trip compared to 11.7mpg pulling the Komatsu with two FELs. I calculated that weight at 9500lbs. Therefore, I believe the Mahindra with the backhoe weighs a little less. (Komatsu, 2 FELs, 3300lb H&H Speedloader EX, plus 8420lb RAM = something north of 10 tons.) BTW, I usually get 22.9mpg on this same trip. My 6.7l Cummins sucked the diesel out of its 32 gallon tank!

I had some time to work a bit with the tractor. I have a lot of experience with a tractor, having driven a 4025 in the dealer's parking lot for about 500 feet. Consider that when I tell you that the backhoe surprised me with its power. It easily dug into the very rocky Ozark mountain ridge that we are going to call home. I thought I would have to at least change the hole where the hydraulic attaches to the bucket (there are three options), giving me more leverage while sacrificing motion. No need. Even using the first hole, which provides the widest range of motion, there was plenty of power to do what I wanted. I imagine when I actually learn to use it proficiently, it will be more than sufficient for my needs.

I will make another trip to haul the 7' HD brush hog and HD box blade to the property this week or weekend, I think. (I may be trying to access this board via my cell phone to figure out how to attach the 3 point to the tractor! My dealer--Blue Valley Tractor and Supply, Overland Park, KS [I don't know the rules concerning the posting of links] gave me a good overview, but I may need more help.])

I've attached some pictures. The last is a shot of my son. We are on the north side of the property down the cliff a bit. This cliff line runs over a thousand feet to the east from the point where the picture was taken. It is in the shape of an "L." The other leg of the "L" runs due north about 800 feet. The south side of the property--where we will build the house because of the awesome views--runs the full half mile length of the property. (The highest point on the cliffs I've discovered so far, is 50 feet. There are beautiful runoff waterfalls and springs.)

If you have questions that my limited use of the tractor will allow me to address, I will be glad to answer them. Basically, I know it's red.

--Bill

 

[SedonaDave]

Very Nice.....

 

[dickfoster]

If you look in the manual that comes with the backhoe you should be able to find the weight. My backhoe was made by KMW (Kansas Machine Works) they list the shipping weight at 1200 lbs. Giving about 200 lbs for the subframe and a pallet I figure the backhoe itself weighs about a half ton or 1000 lbs. I needed know that for building a dolly to make getting the backhoe off and back on a bit less of a chore. Since you have a brush hog and box blade I figure you'll be making a dolly to get the hoe off and back on easier too.
Have fun with your new toy errr ahhh work machine. Since your's is a bit bigger machine than mine your backhoe probably weighs a bit more.
PS I hope ever who installed your backhoe did a better job than the clown who installed mine.

 

[BubbaBillyBob]

dickfoster--

Thanks for the tip. I'll look through my "stuff" for the backhoe manual.

I helped remove and replace the backhoe at the dealer's. It wasn't difficult, but it wasn't in the field, either. There was a lot of tractor "back and forth."

What kinds of installation issues should I look for?

--Bill

 

[dickfoster]

dickfoster--

Thanks for the tip. I'll look through my "stuff" for the backhoe manual.

I helped remove and replace the backhoe at the dealer's. It wasn't difficult, but it wasn't in the field, either. There was a lot of tractor "back and forth."

What kinds of installation issues should I look for?

--Bill

Well mine was a disaster and it was put on by the West Coast distributor in Olivehurst CA. I'm still dealing with issues caused by an idiot who obviously can't read and doesn't give a crap about what he does. They should track him down and fire his A $ $ for what he did to mine.
My saga began with a bucket pin that had been smashed into place with a BFH, loose nuts falling off in my driveway that were supposed to be have torqued to 400 ft lbs or so, a bolt replaced with a ziptie and now I've found an SAE bolt jammed into a hole tapped for a metric bolt. And now the reason for the zip tie, I found he'd stripped out the bolt hole in PTO casting so he couldn't get a bolt in it. I'm waiting for the call back on that little tid bit now. Worst case will be a new rear PTO. Clearly it was something that he tried to hide. As if you could miss a zip tie. LOL, what a moron. I just checked, it's a non union shop so he can be shown the door. Screwing up is one thing but trying to hide it is quite another. Does this remind you of someone running for president today? LOL

 

[SedonaDave]

Well mine was a disaster and it was put on by the West Coast distributor in Olivehurst CA. I'm still dealing with issues caused by an idiot who obviously can't read and doesn't give a crap about what he does. They should track him down and fire his A $ $ for what he did to mine.
My saga began with a bucket pin that had been smashed into place with a BFH, loose nuts falling off in my driveway that were supposed to be have torqued to 400 ft lbs or so, a bolt replaced with a ziptie and now I've found an SAE bolt jammed into a hole tapped for a metric bolt. And now the reason for the zip tie, I found he'd stripped out the bolt hole in PTO casting so he couldn't get a bolt in it. I'm waiting for the call back on that little tid bit now. Worst case will be a new rear PTO. Clearly it was something that he tried to hide. As if you could miss a zip tie. LOL, what a moron. I just checked, it's a non union shop so he can be shown the door. Screwing up is one thing but trying to hide it is quite another. Does this remind you of someone running for president today? LOL

I personally blame the dealer far more than the guy(cant call him a mechanic that's for sure!).....Sounds like just another cheap *** dealer saving a buck and hiring someone who says they know what there doing!....Im sure you will give them an earful!