Backhoe Aarps 720 backhoe worth 2k?

[hammick]

I'm buying a Branson 4020 tractor from a Branson dealer. Dealer has an older Aarps 720 backhoe that fits on the 3pt and has it's own pump. Everything works as it should and I have confirmed internal parts and cylinders are still available. My dealer is also a farmer and says he has done a fair amount of work with this backhoe and it is nice and tight and does a good job. Is it worth 2k? These are 1980s vintage. I have the manual and it is very detailed on parts, operation and maintenance.

Here is a photo of the BH. Thanks for any advice.

 

[hammick]

Also anyone know what exactly this means in the manual: "if it is three point hitch mounted, the hitch must be restrained from movement by the appropriate factory provided weight transfer device or mounting kit or locked against movement by other reliable means"

Do backhoes that come with 3pt BH have a 3pt lockout?

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

I don't think you'll find many on TBN (myself included) to support the use of a backhoe on a cat1 3pth. Lots and lots of force gets transmitted through that connection.

You want a "4 point" mount directly to the tractor's frame.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Also anyone know what exactly this means in the manual: "if it is three point hitch mounted, the hitch must be restrained from movement by the appropriate factory provided weight transfer device or mounting kit or locked against movement by other reliable means"

Do backhoes that come with 3pt BH have a 3pt lockout?

Here's what I think:
This means that if your sitting in the hoe's seat and the 3pth gets raised you can get squished. Also the hoe could 'buck' you pretty good (only gravity keeps the 3pth from raising.

 

[RickB]

The backhoe appears to have a properly braced, rigid toplink mount. This prevents the hoe from being lifted out of position by normal operating forces.
That means the hoe is safe for YOU to operate as attached in the photo.
Whether that type of mount is prudent to use on YOUR TRACTOR is up to you to decide.

 

[newbury]

Also anyone know what exactly this means in the manual: "if it is three point hitch mounted, the hitch must be restrained from movement by the appropriate factory provided weight transfer device or mounting kit or locked against movement by other reliable means"

Do backhoes that come with 3pt BH have a 3pt lockout?

If you are getting the entire mounting kit as pictured it might include the necessary hardware.

Woods sells a 3pt kit for their BH's

and if you look at the right drawing you can see the "3-Point Hitch Safe-T-Lock Kit"

The picture you provided shows a diagonal bar coming down from the toplink.

$2K for a backhoe is a steal.

 

[hammick]

The crushing potential got my attention. I called my dealer and he said that it does come with everything as pictured in the photo. He also said that if the bucket was able to raise the three point it is designed to disable the hydraulics on the pump as a safety feature. He also said that the three point operation on the Branson can be locked out.

I'm picking it up a week from tomorrow and he is taking me through everything including removal and install of the BH. If the backhoe appears to be unsafe in any manner I have the option to skip it.

I'm going to try to figure out if current generation 3pt BHs have any additional safety features.

 

[2458n]

I have a 730 Arps hoe that I gave 1200 dollars for at auction. Was mounted on a Ford 4000 with a front loader. 1st owner used it to pop three stumps with to build a pole barn. If you notice the top link is a 2x2 piece of solid steel, and you have hook-up for both cat 1 and cat 2. Used originally with cat 1 tractor. Man at the auction was a back up bidder said he stopped because his Case tractor did not have enough casting in the rear top link area. Claimed this hoe would pull the," *** off his tractor." I do not know but mine works well with the Cat 2 set-up. Make sure the top link area of your tractor can handle the force that ends up there.

 

[JFS2295]

I've had that backhoe for 26 years running off my Ford 1710. I do have the hard mount frame for it which I used for the first year, but had switched over to 3pt so I could more easily switch between attachments. While being in sandy soil and nothing that even looks like a rock it's been used very hard. And no tractor case fracture issues. I've replaced hoses and rebuilt the cylinders myself once.

Compared to the newer designs, even from ARP, it is an odd duck which is why they sell for less when you see them. ARPs made backhoes branded under several manufacturers names after they went to a more conventional design. When I got parts I could go to my defunked Deere dealer, give him a Deere designation and get several of the parts.

But it's been worked hard as I said and never an issue. Resale value is just not there due to its oddity, but it's a good working unit.

The picture shows it has the safety lock kit already installed, so there will only be a small amount of movement allowed by the 3pt, basically slack take up. Nothing to worry about.