Backhoe attachment vs excavator

cummins08 · Aug 31, 2014

I'm trying to decide on a tractor with a backhoe or an excavator. I do landscaping and lawn care. I already own a ford 3600 and a New Holland skid steer. Any advice on whats better for landscaping? I'm getting tired of renting my friends mini excavator so I need one or the other. Any help is appreciated.

MBTRAC · Sep 1, 2014

Given you already have a skid steer, IMO hands down I'd take the excavator every time.

An excavator with its 360 degree operation is a much more versatile/stronger/quicker machine to operate (as they're designed from the ground up to be a hydraulic "powerhouse") with the bonus of tracks leaving less damage to the site + an excavator will fit/operate in conditions/space where a wheeled tractor BH won't.

The compact nature of an excavator also aids transportation & site accessibility, with added benefit of zero set up time (no stability pads/legs to lower like a BH).

However excavators aren't the answer to everything & the major downside/cost as with any tracked machine is track wear, so the key is planning the site operation to minimise travel where ever practical

bindian · Sep 1, 2014

Get an excavator. I have a Bradco 511 backhoe on my Mahindra 6520 and it's a bull in a china closet in small back yards trying to dig and bury sewer line. Numerous times I have wished for an excavator and a mini track loader. Some day I'll have at least the excavator, but in 14000-16000 pound class.
hugs, Brandi

OldMasterTech · Sep 1, 2014

I have both and rarely use the backhoe - excavator is so much faster.

Carl_NH · Sep 1, 2014

It depends on the scope of landscaping - "light duty landscaping" if planting trees/shrubs, and doing some general excavating, or building stone walls a small TLB is more versatile as you can dig holes/trench, then move rock, unload trees, move dirt with a TLB over some distance with one machine. The small TLB's like the used Kubota B26 or L39 or JD 110 will probably be the same price range as a 10,000Lb class used excavator.

If you are doing more extensive hardscape with stone, trench work, or commercial site work with things like drain tiles, septic lines/fields then a small excavator along with your skid steer would be better.

if for most jobs you envision you need the skid steer and excavator on site then will they both fit on your trailer? Otherwise its multiple trips, and load unload - not a big deal if you are going to be on site for a few days/week each.

Then as MBTRAC said, the tracks/maintenance on the excavator are a maintenance item more so than a TLB.

cummins08 · Sep 1, 2014

Thanks for the info everyone! Leaning toward the mini ex. but nothings set in stone yet.

cummins08 · Sep 1, 2014

Anyone have any opinions on a good affordable excavator? I've ran a bobcat 430, Takeuchi135, and CAT 305.5 . CAT was by far my favorite, but also out of my price range.

Wnc3 · Sep 1, 2014

:thumbsup: Komatsu PC-35 with a quick coupler

deerseeker001 · Sep 1, 2014

Welcome from Wisconsin

bindian · Sep 1, 2014

cummins08 said:
Anyone have any opinions on a good affordable excavator? I've ran a bobcat 430, Takeuchi135, and CAT 305.5 . CAT was by far my favorite, but also out of my price range.

In my searching, I found the same thing..............Cats are expensive. I narrowed my choice down to Take or Kubota. But would go Bobcat with the right deal. The Bobcats I have rented work well, but are kinda short of leg room. A good dealer nearby is a must on my list of purchase requirements. I have an awesome Bobcat and Kubota dealer nearby. But Take dealers are few and far between. In my opinion, Bobcat dealers have become like John Deere dealers. There are everywhere if you look.

Last Friday, I finally got to check out a Kubota KX080-4. I just finished running 720 feet of water line with my backhoe and the Kubota's angle blade had me drooling. Overall I liked what I saw in Orange. Have you considered Kubota?
hugs, Brandi

cummins08 · Sep 2, 2014

Yes, I literally just looked at a Kubota today. Yeah the Tak I ran was nice, but im 6'4 and it was a tight fit. And I would have to search for a Komatsu dealer. Lucky if theres one in 75 miles.Haven't ran a Kubota, but I know all the power and gas companys run them around here.

Sodo · Sep 2, 2014

I had a tractor with a backhoe. I got tired of storing it and now have a tractor and a mini excavator. The mini excavator takes up only 2x the shop sq footage of the backhoe (which was a hassle, un-attached & immobile). But the mini-ex can move out of the shop on its own, anytime. And dig a lot faster and get around better than the backhoe.

A tractor with an FEL can move material faster than the mini ex. But the excavator can go 360deg. My mini ex (kx41) travels at 2.2 mph - this is pretty slow. Mini-ex is much better for cutting a road across a sidehill. Backhoes add about $9,000 to the cost of a tractor. My used KX41 was $14k. So I paid $5k for the extra utility.

You ask a good question; one peice of eqpt or two. I like 2 much better than 1.

bindian · Sep 2, 2014

You have a 6'4" problem in a mini. I need one in the 6-8 ton class and those have more room for larger folks. I look for leg room as I have had two knee surgeries and need to rest with my left leg straight. I didn't run the KX080, but was concerned about the fixed foot rest in the floor. I would probably remove it to straighten my leg out.
Happy Hunting................................hugs, Brandi

cummins08 said:
Yes, I literally just looked at a Kubota today. Yeah the Tak I ran was nice, but im 6'4 and it was a tight fit. And I would have to search for a Komatsu dealer. Lucky if theres one in 75 miles.Haven't ran a Kubota, but I know all the power and gas companys run them around here.

MBTRAC · Sep 2, 2014

In my experience it's hard to go past Kubota , Takeuchi, Komatsu's (below 7T most Komatsu's are basically rebadged Yanmars) in sub 12T excavators, but I rate Hitachi's in a class of their own & well above these 3 brands.

For interest our owned since new Kub K161-2 has well over 7,000+hrs (the hour meter stopped working eons ago) & as can be seen by the rebuilt dipper & boom has fought well above its weight over years of abuse from our less than sympathetic operators who abuse it like a 20T machine - now retired from contracting & just a farm hack still never fails to put in a hard days work being the "multi-tool" of choice dragged along to any farm chore where likely to need an excavator as it's so convenient to also pack amongst other gear as a "standby" fitting on most of the trucks

cummins08 · Sep 2, 2014

I agree with you SODO. I feel the FEL and mini would make a good combo.

Briana03 · Sep 2, 2014

Welcome to TractorByNet!

We moved your thread to the Construction Equipment forum.

cummins08 · Sep 2, 2014

Thanks for the info Briana03!

Roadbuilder6 · Sep 24, 2014

I had a few mini excavators over the years, and more that Ive ran. I started with a Takeuchi TB135. Then I got a Bobcat X331. Then I got a Jcb 804 super, and then after that, we use a Bobcat 335. All are good machines, but this bobcat is by far my favorite. If you are doing residential landscape work I would suggest getting a 3-3.5 ton zero tail swing machine. Space has never been an issue for me because more of my work has been building and demolishing stone walls, barns, building pads etc. I have only had one Mini without a hydraulic thumb (the job, it had a fixed thumb) would never buy one without it. The hydraulic thumb is your best friend in landscaping, rock work etc. I would look very hard at the 430 bobcat, and a cat 303 depending on your price limit. If price isn't and issue, then i would go with a 2010 or newer deere 35d, or a Cat 303ccr.
This was my First Takeuchi