Anybody using a backhoe attachment on their CUT?

[jjeff]

Had an old smaller great bend 651 3pt mounted on my old L2850 very handy, it was self contained meaning you hooked the hydro pump on the pto shaft, if I ever needed another 3pt bh I'd probably look for the same setup for hydraulics. Never needed a thumb I curled the bucket into the stick when I needed to hold something, I do see the advantages of a hydraulic thumb though. Being my first tractor and BH, some would probably consider my usage as abuse. It didn't have a subframe for the BH it did have a subframe for the loader running all the way back to the rear axle though. Still have and use the L2850, and sold the BH when I bought a mini x both tractor and BH are/were in good operating condition.

 

[HP942]

Years ago I bought a JD1050 CUT with factory frame mount backhoe. One of the major reasons was for the BH. I used it quite extensively at first developing my home lot and digging the foundation for a 30x40 workshop build. Over the next 14 years of ownership I used the BH occasionally, but probably not enough to justify the extra cost when buying an newer tractor. I miss it some days…..and it sure beats a shovel.

 

[etpm]

If you have back issues climbing in and out of the BH seat to get into the tractor seat every 3 feet will get old and stale real fast. Do yourself a favour and find a CUT/SCUT TLB that has a swivel seat.

I've owned an AG CUT with subframe BH and will never buy one again. AG tractors just aren't made to handle construction duty. Sub-frame BH's suck almost as much as 3PH BH.

Sell your Case 580 and buy an older used mini-x with a thumb. Thank me later.

Greetings Mikester,
I appreciate your quite negative opinion of a backhoe mounted to my CUT. However, I am still leaning toward getting a small backhoe for my CUT. It will be subframe mounted. You commented on my bad back and climbing on and off the machine every few feet. Though the particular problem with my back probably wouldn't be bothered much climbing on and off the machine I can see how it would cause problems for some folks. It was good you pointed that out.
My Case 580 CK has the swivel seat but it is not easy to use. It needs to be raised from the tractor position before being rotated to the backhoe position. And then back for tractor operation. And it is actually not very easy. Obviously Case did not think about this operation very much when designing the machine. But maybe it is because backhoe operators use the hoe a lot to move the tractor. I do.
The Case was the first backhoe I ever even sat on, much less used. And is the only one I have ever used. I bought it to install my septic system, something I had zero experience with too. I soon learned to use the hoe to move the machine. I am sure that virtually every backhoe operator does the same. When digging a ditch it is quite easy to move the machine forward, backward, and side to side with the hoe. Still, I will need to think about how often I will need to climb on and off the machine, because even though it won't hurt my back if I'm careful I also have vertigo (and have had it for over 30 years) and so must pay attention whenever I climb on and off something.
Thanks,
Eric

 

[Williy]

Do a search on TBN there was a post
on the frames to attach a back hoe and
where you can purchase them.

Don't use the 3pt to attach a backhoe
because the life you save just might be
your very own!

willy

 

[shirleyujest]

I have a kubota b3030 with a bh77. It is not a case 580 or a an excavator. I think of it as a diesel powered shovel. Repairing tile blow holes and burying water lines are easier on my back.

 

[bdhsfz6]

If you're used to the raw digging power of the 580, you may be disappointed with the digging ability of a CUT hoe. This is especially true if you dig in difficult ground like hardpan & shale or need to dig deep.

I've had hoes on all my CUT's from an 18 HP Kubota B7100 up to my current L6060 with BH92 hoe. It's tough digging where I live and I've had to rent a full sized machine to do a few jobs.

For the most part, all the CUT hoes I've had are very capable and do the job but can take more time. The exception was the Woods 3pt hoe I used on my Kubota L3010. That hoe was a piece of crap which broke the tractor transmission housing.

 

[Glue Guy]

Try P F Engineering P.F. Engineering — Do-it-yourself Plans — Micro Hoe Digging

 

[twowoode]

I used to run a case 580 and now have a Massey 1723 tlb. I don’t know what your yanmar weighs but weight is your friend. My Massey has to be in 4 wheel drive while digging or just gets pulled backwards even with the dirt pad side down on outriggers. This then makes it impossible to push yourself along. Other than that it digs great and has a manual thumb you set.
Have you thought about selling your yanmar and buying one that already has the backhoe on it?

 

[tambs]

I picked up a Branson 4820C with a BH250 backhoe early last spring. The BH option was not cheap, and likely not worth the expense. That said, I wouldn’t have it any other way. For my use and purposes the backhoe is adequate to the task. I don’t have much rock on my place, and this will add longevity to the hoe. These are nothing like the Case you are accustomed to though. Breakout strength, digging depth, swing radius, loading height, and build quality are all very much less than what you are used to, and they are not designed to be used to pick up/move the tractor. Most of the manufacturers say to not pick up the machine with the BH and loader as it puts excess stress on the machine. Rolling forward from the BH seat might be possible, but only if you can reach the loader hydraulics from that seat. Hard to do with most setups, and impossible with a cab. One could probably MacGyver up some rudimentary FEL controls that would work from the BH seat, but if you need a BH that often to justify the effort then you should consider keeping what you have, or trading the Case for a mini-x like others have suggested. All of these CUT hoes are for light-duty purposes only, and won’t stand up to hard use. I understood all this when I got mine, and rationalized that it would serve my purposes adequately. So far I have been very happy with the decision, and the hoe.

 

[dcarman]

She's a big hoe but digs well. I have a Bradco hoe I mount on my Kubota with a subframe/threepoint mount I made. The three point makes it easier to put on and off. It works well but it's not like digging with the commercial case 530 tractor with the dedicated hoe. Mass is everything when trying to dig with a hoe. The Case is way heavier than the Kubota and doesn't move around as much when digging. I don't have the old Case any more and the Kubota gets the jobs done I currently do. It digs about 9 feet down and has a 12 inch bucket.
I would put a smaller bucket and thumb on the Case. You'll be more satisfied with the results.