Backhoe for Deere 3033r

[WinterDeere]

Is your ground soft without rocks as this will influence the stresses placed on your tractor if you go with a backhoe for it even if it is sub mounted?

Highly variable, both by part of the yard and time of year. This is an old house (one of our additions is 250 years old this year, the oldest part is probably 291 years), so no earth moving or grading was done around the house when it was built. This means that most of the property is really nice soil, and most rocks that could be found at plowing depth have gone into the walls of the house and barn. But one area where I will need to dig for some septic work is covered in about 4 feet of hard clay fill with a lot of small rocks, which basically turns as hard as concrete in our usual summer droughts.

What projects do you have in mind?

Some septic repair, and possible septic drain field expansion, trenching for electric, digging out and re-grading an old swale that has lost its shape, possible others.

My backhoe for my TC33D is a sub mount, you really need to be careful using it. 25 years ago there were not the options there are today. For as much use as I have gotten out of my sub mounted backhoe if I was going to purchase my tractor today I would spend more money but I would look at a used mini excavator rather than buying the sub mount for the tractor.

I have seen but not read the few threads here on Chinese mini-ex's. I've ignored because it'd be another (larger) piece of equipment to store, but maybe that's the more sensible route.

Buying a mini excavator is definitely going to be more money and for some that is just not an option, but the versatility, increased power, increased reach you get in my opinion is worth the cost.

There's also the option of just continuing to hire out the work. Never as convenient, it's always time to scramble to keep up with someone on-site while trying to keep my own business going, but probably cheaper for the number of projects I have planned. Plus... no excavator eating up precious garage space!

 

[DK35vince]

I have an 8 1/2' digging depth and 11' reach on my tractor backhoe.
I have a 12", an 18" and a 36" bucket.
I've had it for over 2 decades, does everything I ever needed it for.
Never have I wished I had a mini x instead.

 

[Fladogman]

I love my bh on my Kubota MX. If I didn't have one I'd consider buying a used excavator though.

 

[BackRoad]

We're really just "renting" a tractor or excavator, even if we think we own it. If you don't sell it at some point, your kids will when you're gone...

Meaning - one can pay $20k to buy a good used excavator or tractor, use it for 6 months or a year, and then sell it for what you have in it. There's not much risk if you buy it right and keep it maintained, then sell it when the projects are complete...

The hardest part is deciding to put it up for sale when you're done!

 

[D&D]

We're really just "renting" a tractor or excavator, even if we think we own it. If you don't sell it at some point, your kids will when you're gone...

Meaning - one can pay $20k to buy a good used excavator or tractor, use it for 6 months or a year, and then sell it for what you have in it. There's not much risk if you buy it right and keep it maintained, then sell it when the projects are complete...

The hardest part is deciding to put it up for sale when you're done!

Define done. Is that after the last storm cleanup and before the next one? Is that when you've got loads of cash (and want to) pay someone else? Is that sometime in the future when you're confined to a wheelchair, drooling on yourself?

 

[BackRoad]

^^^^ The drooling part made me smile...that's My plan!

As mentioned, making a decision to put them up for sale is the hardest part!

 

[Rob REECE]

I've got a few projects piled up, where a backhoe would be real handy. When I bought my tractor, I skipped the $15k added cost of the backhoe, thinking I'd not get enough use out of it to make it worth the expense and storing the thing. That might still be the case, but at least in the near-term, I have several jobs that are going to need one.

I know I could just rent a mini-ex, but my schedule is unpredicatable and very busy these days, such that nearly every project seems to get interrupted mid-stream anymore. My days of a predictable schedule, where I could start a job and see it through in one continuous string of evenings or weekends, seem to be gone for now. So, I need the flexibility to just have the thing here for weeks/months, so I can jump on the job when I get free time, and let it sit when that time gets interrupted with a hot business project.

Deere sells the 385A backhoe for my 3033r, which looks like a great implement with full subframe... but it's $15k. Seems like an awful lot to spend for a few "now" projects, and then maybe some future use many years from now, but not any regular need. I was really thinking I should be shopping the $5k second-hand market.

I'd guess that brings us to 3-point backhoes, which I've always heard are trouble, that they break tractors, etc. There's some truth in nearly every stereotype, but also many are over-blown or exaggerated. Moreover, factors such as usage frequency and carefulness or carelessness of the operator may be big determinants on the advisability of this.

What have you folks found and experienced, here?

 

[MidwestMike]

I bought a Chinese mini-x and am happy as anything with it. Not one of the smaller gas ones, but a 2 ton with a Kubota diesel. (wanted it light enough to not sink in or tear up much ground, and something small enough that the tractor could help unstick ). I know it's still Chinese but I think the little heavier diesel units are made at a much different standard than the gas ones. (and no need to start with the cooling and other mods before using) It's also great to have the tractor with the 3 point available while using the x.

 

[Rob REECE]

I've got a few projects piled up, where a backhoe would be real handy. When I bought my tractor, I skipped the $15k added cost of the backhoe, thinking I'd not get enough use out of it to make it worth the expense and storing the thing. That might still be the case, but at least in the near-term, I have several jobs that are going to need one.

I know I could just rent a mini-ex, but my schedule is unpredicatable and very busy these days, such that nearly every project seems to get interrupted mid-stream anymore. My days of a predictable schedule, where I could start a job and see it through in one continuous string of evenings or weekends, seem to be gone for now. So, I need the flexibility to just have the thing here for weeks/months, so I can jump on the job when I get free time, and let it sit when that time gets interrupted with a hot business project.

Deere sells the 385A backhoe for my 3033r, which looks like a great implement with full subframe... but it's $15k. Seems like an awful lot to spend for a few "now" projects, and then maybe some future use many years from now, but not any regular need. I was really thinking I should be shopping the $5k second-hand market.

I'd guess that brings us to 3-point backhoes, which I've always heard are trouble, that they break tractors, etc. There's some truth in nearly every stereotype, but also many are over-blown or exaggerated. Moreover, factors such as usage frequency and carefulness or carelessness of the operator may be big determinants on the advisability of this.

What have you folks found and experienced, here?

I have a 2009 JD 4320 with a 448 backhoe. I bought the tractor used without the backhoe and I was able to find the backhoe used on Craigslist a few months later. Myself I wouldn’t trust using a three point attachment versus what is designed for the tractor. I have seen used 385 backhoes on Craigslist from time to time but it is rare. Good luck.

 

[WinterDeere]

I have seen used 385 backhoes on Craigslist from time to time but it is rare. Good luck.

Just out of curiousity, have you noticed the going rate on those 385's?

The reality of my situation is that it might make sense to buy a backhoe at $5k or $8k, if it's ready to use and needs no work. But at the $15k price of a new 385 hoe, I'd might as well just hire the work out.