IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 15,802
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
I'm doing similar land clearing work with my tractor which is a Kioti CK20 but in the same general size class as the 7510/7610. From my experience over the past year or so in clearing out about 2-3 acres of scrub trees, briar, vines and a few dozen bigger trees, I'd say that the backhoe is very valuable. I find a combination of bush hog, grapple and BH to be ideal.
The FEL on a B series machine is not as powerful as the FEL on my Kioti and while I can push over a fair number of trees less than 3-4 inches in diameter, anything much bigger requires cutting and then digging out the stumps.
My tractor is also heavier so I'd estimate that the 7510/7610 would have a more difficult time pushing trees over which is an important step in digging them out with either toothbar or grapple. My FEL has about the same lift capacity as the LA402 so I'd have a bit of an advantage there too. While I think my tractor has done amazingly well I would not opt for anything smaller. I would therefore agree that the B7800 would be worth the extra money. However, if it came down to B7510 and a BH vs B7800 without a BH, I'd say the BH is worth more than the extra weight and FEL capacity.
If you are doing a lot of land clearing do yourself a favor and get a grapple. Although a toothbar adds something to the ability of an FEL bucket to deal with brush, a grapple is the tool you want. A bucket grapple would suffice but a full grapple is much more versatile.
The FEL on a B series machine is not as powerful as the FEL on my Kioti and while I can push over a fair number of trees less than 3-4 inches in diameter, anything much bigger requires cutting and then digging out the stumps.
My tractor is also heavier so I'd estimate that the 7510/7610 would have a more difficult time pushing trees over which is an important step in digging them out with either toothbar or grapple. My FEL has about the same lift capacity as the LA402 so I'd have a bit of an advantage there too. While I think my tractor has done amazingly well I would not opt for anything smaller. I would therefore agree that the B7800 would be worth the extra money. However, if it came down to B7510 and a BH vs B7800 without a BH, I'd say the BH is worth more than the extra weight and FEL capacity.
If you are doing a lot of land clearing do yourself a favor and get a grapple. Although a toothbar adds something to the ability of an FEL bucket to deal with brush, a grapple is the tool you want. A bucket grapple would suffice but a full grapple is much more versatile.