Backhoe Or 5 Extra HP?

[drizler]

Where can you get a backhoe for $5400? Sign me up. Kubota L3400.

You can't period. One nice thing with Kubota is that all the yuppies buy em so there are a lot of them kicking around. After they get done building their chalet in the country and discover that hoe takes up a lot of space and it's a pain to hook up they sell them. Set up an email return search on Craigs list and keep the money real handy then wait.
You see them around here for Kubotas for around 7500 used. That's about all you get for something in very nice shape. Back in 13 or 2012 I see people buing new for 7500. Like the Massey dealer told me they couldn't move them at all then wham. By 2014 you couldn't get enough of them and the price had jumped up to over $9K. With my horse farm discount of 28% mine still came in back about where they were selling a year or two back and it was just over dealer cost. Simply stupid but amazing. I literally had to wait for them to cast mine in Korea. :confused3: Oh well. FWIW I see those Kubota hoes sitting on craigs list for a long time, often remaining till the next year. That's a good opportunity to low ball em and wait

 

[dave1949]

Compare the hydraulic pump ratings between the 35 and 40 hp models. My backhoe doesn't work my 40 hp engine very hard, I think 5 hp less would hardly be noticeable for backhoe work. Same frame means you have about equal weight.

If the main hydraulic pump flow (ignore the PS pump flow) is the same or close on the two machines, the hoe is the way to go IMO.

 

[aeblank]

I say backhoe as well.
My dad has one, and we find that most jobs don't justify renting a mini-ex, but since you have the backhoe, you midas well save your back.
i.e. without the hoe, we'd dig by hand. With the hoe, its "easy street". Depends on your property and projects of course. Even if it sits a lot, when it's being used, it's worth having.

 

[kneedeep]

Put a 509 on the 3510 and its the best attachment I ever bought. Don't use it all the time but when I do it is priceless.
It will dig holes, fill up holes, lift everything I can get the thumb around, pulls, pushes, loads and unloads equipment, digs ditches, cleans up ditchs, the list goes on and on.

 

[drizler]

Compare the hydraulic pump ratings between the 35 and 40 hp models. My backhoe doesn't work my 40 hp engine very hard, I think 5 hp less would hardly be noticeable for backhoe work. Same frame means you have about equal weight.

If the main hydraulic pump flow (ignore the PS pump flow) is the same or close on the two machines, the hoe is the way to go IMO.

My Massey operates the hoe nicely at just a high idle around 1600. It's all you need. I wouldn't worry much about the power either. The hoe is pretty much limited by the weight of your tractor anyways. Once you bite too much it's going to slide or be dragged . Thus you only get what you are getting anyways. I would think that the larger tractor wouldn't be enough more weight to be dragged any less.
One word of great advice I got with mine. If you don't have a cement floor to park that hoe on when dismounted build a wooden platform to set it on. I took mine off on some slightly uneven ground the first time and it came right off. Putting it on was a whole nuther matta. At the very least make sure it's sitting nice and square with plenty of room for the tractor to move around in front if need be. Like don't park it dismounted right next to something fragile and expensive that can't be moved out of harms way, in case you need to slide things around a bit getting reattached. If you are square and flat it's a 3 minute job. I leave mine on nearly all the time though as the 1000 lbs takes the place of loading the tires more or less when it comes to traction.

 

[TheGoose]

Looked into getting a Woods BH-80X with a PTO powered Hydraulic set-up. Was going to cost about $10K before any installation (not sure how much that would need). Have never been able to find a used unit worth looking at.

You can't period. One nice thing with Kubota is that all the yuppies buy em so there are a lot of them kicking around. After they get done building their chalet in the country and discover that hoe takes up a lot of space and it's a pain to hook up they sell them. Set up an email return search on Craigs list and keep the money real handy then wait.
You see them around here for Kubotas for around 7500 used. That's about all you get for something in very nice shape. Back in 13 or 2012 I see people buing new for 7500. Like the Massey dealer told me they couldn't move them at all then wham. By 2014 you couldn't get enough of them and the price had jumped up to over $9K. With my horse farm discount of 28% mine still came in back about where they were selling a year or two back and it was just over dealer cost. Simply stupid but amazing. I literally had to wait for them to cast mine in Korea. :confused3: Oh well. FWIW I see those Kubota hoes sitting on craigs list for a long time, often remaining till the next year. That's a good opportunity to low ball em and wait

 

[GPintheMitten]

I bought my BH65 used from a guy that bought it with his B2920 as part of the original package. He tried it for about 5 minutes then took it off and never used it again. If I recall correctly, I paid about 4700 for it including the subframe. I had hoses made and fabbed a seat platform. The original owner kept the 180 degree swivel seat.

 

[DK35vince]

I'm amazed at the prices of backhoes today.
I bought my Rhino 85 (8 1/2' backhoe) with subframe and 18" bucket brand new for $5200 in 2003.

 

[IslandTractor]

Another vote for backhoe. However, I wouldn't want a 3pt version. Go for the subframe.

 

[sd455dan]

I'm amazed at the prices of backhoes today.
I bought my Rhino 85 (8 1/2' backhoe) with subframe and 18" bucket brand new for $5200 in 2003.

Me to at least the attachment kind,
even locally - a buddy of mine looked for an attachment but gave up because of the high prices he picked up a late 1990s Case 580 from a neighbor that runs and operates really well for under $7k recently.

I think he got a whole lot for his money- because it weighs over 11,000lbs and can lift almost 5000lbs in the fel.
When he's done with it i am going to make him an offer. More to take care of -but when the backhoe goes from push to shove think it may pay to have a heavy duty unit. he also likes having the 3 point available.

I do think for the OP it makes a lot of sense to get a subframe backhoe at the time of their tractor purchase If they are buying new and are going to need the backhoe.

 

[Bocephous]

Backhoe, without a second thought.

 

[Turbys_1700]

Me to at least the attachment kind,
even locally - a buddy of mine looked for an attachment but gave up because of the high prices he picked up a late 1990s Case 580 from a neighbor that runs and operates really well for under $7k recently.

I think he got a whole lot for his money- because it weighs over 11,000lbs and can lift almost 5000lbs in the fel.
When he's done with it i am going to make him an offer. More to take care of -but when the backhoe goes from push to shove think it may pay to have a heavy duty unit. he also likes having the 3 point available.

I do think for the OP it makes a lot of sense to get a subframe backhoe at the time of their tractor purchase If they are buying new and are going to need the backhoe.

This is why I still have our old hoe sitting in the shed. To me it makes more sense to buy an older Case 580 for the same money than a backhoe attachment. They are not really comparable in performance. To me the aggravation of hooking up and taking off the backhoe is more than offset by having the machine in the shed.

 

[dirtymartini]

Me to at least the attachment kind,
even locally - a buddy of mine looked for an attachment but gave up because of the high prices he picked up a late 1990s Case 580 from a neighbor that runs and operates really well for under $7k recently.

I think he got a whole lot for his money- because it weighs over 11,000lbs and can lift almost 5000lbs in the fel.
When he's done with it i am going to make him an offer. More to take care of -but when the backhoe goes from push to shove think it may pay to have a heavy duty unit. he also likes having the 3 point available.

I do think for the OP it makes a lot of sense to get a subframe backhoe at the time of their tractor purchase If they are buying new and are going to need the backhoe.

I have been thinking about this option also. I have seen a lot of old 580's for sale near me for under 10k. I would probably just keep my old Massey if I went that route. If I really didn't use it much once my house was built and I had most backhoe work don I could always re-sell it.

 

[jaotguy]

BH !!! and a resting platform ..... end of story .... you will find uses for it .....ripping , trenching , digging , lifting , tensioning fence wires , that extra set of hands to hold things ......

 

[sd455dan]

This is why I still have our old hoe sitting in the shed. To me it makes more sense to buy an older Case 580 for the same money than a backhoe attachment. They are not really comparable in performance. To me the aggravation of hooking up and taking off the backhoe is more than offset by having the machine in the shed.

Yeah on the performance comparison , I heard a (joke) that Case 580s are so tough the only thing that can break one is itself

 

[boggen]

I was waiting for Kioti CK3510 to come out b4 making a decision between the Kioti and the LS XR3037 cab. It was going to be a cab model if I went with LS or a backhoe if I went with Kioti proving I liked the new model...... I was thinking the CK35 at first but the fel capacity just wasn't there. I really was liking the cab but after thinking ALOT...... I figured I really don't need a cab for what I do. In the summer I prefer an open station as I'm doing yard maintenance , loader work etc getting on and off the tractor multi time etc. not really in the tractor for real long periods of time (going by when I had my Kubota L3540 cab). In the winter I plow the driveway witch take a half hour...... Forty five minutes if I'm playing a little. For that amout of time I don't mind the cold. I'm weighing that out vs how much I'd prefer an open station in the summer. I guess it's a give and take. Then I was thinking well mabe I really don't need the backhoe and save some cash...... But for $5,400 (any bucket size I want with it) after a $1,500 rebate IF I purchase it at the time of tractor purchase..... It's hard to turn down. I was recently planning to buy the 40hp that's $1,600 more than the 35hp but after thinking about it and asking on here I'm looking at it this way...... If im not gonna really see a difference for what I'm going to use it for why not think of it as taking the $1,600 off the $5,400 ( it's all a mind game lol) and pay an extra $3,800 for the backhoe. I understand I'm actually paying $5,400 for it.
After playing on an LS XR3037 for about an hour and a half it just didn't feel as s good as the Kioti. It was nice but the hydraulics on the Kioti seem a lot faster, I liked the movement on the Kioti a little better also..... It was a little smaller too. I guess both were nice but over all I just liked the Kioti better.
Kioti with the same options as the LS and the backhoe was about $100 less than the LS with the cab (radio and rear wiper included) but with the Kioti I also will receive everything for the first 50 hr service........ AND let's not forget 3 hats and 3 shirts
Both tractors were about 2.5 to 3 hrs away and includes delivery.

Forgot to mention the new CK's have a one handle SSQA bucket like the larger models

rude but gotta ask to ask...

why did you sell your previous tractor? seems like you are getting a replacement for it.

winter + wind + snow = very cold, even 30 to 60 minutes out there. i would encourage a cab.
my allergies are bad = cab = nice way to stay out longer. more so during these hot humid days.

1 maybe 2 times a year, all low hanging branches on trees get cut. = normally someone driving truck, and someone else in bed of pickup truck, standing on a tool box every now and then. to cut some limbs down. normally one run around everything to cut. then a second run with a trailer, to pick all the stuff up that was cut out of the trees.

backhoes are nice do not get me wrong, not sure i could live without one. but it is the "chore" work mowing, and like, that gets down once a week or 1 a month. or a few times during given seasons of the year. were a cab can shine, and saying i will rough it out, if going with open station, meh... cab's can be just as much benefit.

 

[drizler]

This is why I still have our old hoe sitting in the shed. To me it makes more sense to buy an older Case 580 for the same money than a backhoe attachment. They are not really comparable in performance. To me the aggravation of hooking up and taking off the backhoe is more than offset by having the machine in the shed.

Right on the performance part. As for off and on mine took 15 minutes to mount the other day but it's only the second time I have done it in the year I have had it. The secret is making sure it's laid down nice and flat. The bad news is that sitting there it takes up over half the floor space of CUT just sitting there. Around here most of those old machines you find are really beat and still expensive. Still, the price of those small subframe hoes is disgusting, no way around that.

 

[dave1949]

Storage for subframe hoes is an issue. Mine takes about 14' of space, plus leaving room around it for using the stabilizers and bucket for mounting and un-mounting.

I drop mine on the floor behind the tractor for the winter and lay two 6" X 6" posts beside the subframe rails. That allows me to rest the cutting edge of the snowblower on those 6x6's above the subframe of the hoe. It would be nice to have it stored in another building though and out of the way.

Some poster here who I don't recall said his grandfather says you can pay for a barn, or pay for shortened equipment life--but you will pay.