Backhoe vs Tractor with backhoe

[paulsharvey]

I'll throw this up as another option. Get a compact utility tractor, with a loader, and something like this. These Chinese mini hoes are getting pretty common for homeowner and lawn care guys, and they are dang cheap (compared), and assembled basically from off the shelf components (standard cylinders, pumps, a Briggs engine, ect)

 

[mike69440]

Exactly right. If I got a tractor, I'd want something that can handle moving feld trees as well as installing and maintaining a small food plot/garden

Got a question,
Is your 6 acres a miniature version of our 17 Acres before we did the terraforming or is it a nice piece of workable land?
See my thread: Busy Wife This Weekend
to give you you some idea of what I'm referring to.
Next question, do you farm, or just maintain, & improve property.
Answer that, and that determines what equipment you need.

 

[nch77]

I found its better for me to rent a decent sized mini ex for when I need it, not invest in a backhoe. The mini ex is much faster and easier to use, and I don't have to maintain it.

The prices are insane though, if I ever buy an excavator it is much cheaper to get a 50k lb machine compared to a mini.

 

[Mark_G]

I have just under 6 acres, gravel driveways, mature woods, etc. I have a 30HP Kioti CK30 with a backhoe etc. The tractor is a champ, I am amazed at the trees I can lift and drag with it. If I can't,then I can after using a good quality chainsaw! I did clear a bit of land a few years ago for a garden, but just hired in a crew to push the trees down, that is a job for a large loader, nothing I will own for my property. While I did have some trenching projects that more than paid for the backhoe in the past (french drains all around the house down to a pond we have, plus ran water and conduit for power out away from the house, most of the time (years at a time) the backhoe just sits. Renting a dedicated unit may well make more sense most of the time. What I use most is my bucket, box blade, rake, but one of the most used are just chains to pull logs and pull out small trees. I did pick up a tiller, but have yet to mount it (I need to cut it's driveshaft this week) for the garden I cleared, and I have an auger to put up fence poles. If I were to get a different piece of gear instead of the tractor, it would probably be something more like a Bobcat, as it has most of the same implements available. WIth having trees get something that will get through your property. My tractor "fits" what I have. I do have a pond and at some time in the future I will need to muck it out. That will also be a job to rent something far bigger than I would want to own, some sort of extension bucket or large excavator that can reach in far enough (I don't want to breach my damn to clean it). A tractor day to day is the best tool for me. Some implements are available for rent, and that is the best approach for many odd jobs that come up rarely, or until I need them more regularly (like the tiller).

 

[Wobblin-Goblin]

On our farm, we have a bunch of tractors and equipment to do all the things and chores that need to be done. From digging holes and trenches, to handling material (we have a small screening plant to make screened loam), to just whatever. The best thing we have for digging holes and trenches is our mini excavator, but the problem with that is it takes forever for the mini to get to the further reaches of the farm. If you're just digging one hole or pulling one stump, that's a lot of wasted time crawling along. The only other thing we have with a hoe on it is our 1953 Ford Jubilee. While we still use it occasionally and it does the job, the hoe is slow and a little on the weak side.

So that left me with a decision: do I buy a tractor large enough to have a capable loader and backhoe attachment...or just buy a yellow backhoe and be done with it?

I ended up buying a 2007 John Deere 410J with relatively low hours. Its loader outclasses even the upgraded loader on my MF 4707, and the backhoe is a beast. Plus, I get a nice cab with heat and A/C and don't have to climb out of the tractor to use the backhoe, I just swivel around and go to work.

One option I looked hard at was the Kubota M62. The downsides to that were:

A. You almost have to buy new because there aren't many used ones for sale and they are all going for nearly what a new model goes for.

B. No cab.

C. The loader on the M62 is only slightly more capable than the loader on my 4707. I didn't want to spend big bucks to only "slightly" improve on the loader.

 

[mikennh]

i have 20 acres in New Hampshire and a John Deere 1025R. It came with the loader, backhoe and mid mount mower. All the attachments are very quick removal and install. I used the backhoe for a few drainage trenches, and after that it pretty much sits in storage. (I do use it for logging once a year). I have the front snowblower, but if I had to do it again I'd get the rear mount, as it replaces the loader in the winter, which is great for pushing piles back. Front forks are essential and can be switched from bucket to forks in seconds. Attachments on the compacts are endless. Box blades, tillers, land planes, anything that will attach to a 3 point hitch. There are loads of low hour tractors on Marketplace. It seems at one time everyone had to have one of these tractors because it was a cool thing to have, and then they found they had little use for it. A heated cab is a great option for snow removal but it is an expensive option, and some cabs prohibit the backhoe mounting. I have over 500 hard hours on my 1025R, it's a smaller tractor, but it has done everything I've ask of it.

 

[djefferis]

You have left out a part of the equation - budget !

It’s like saying what’s better to haul things - a Mack or a 3/4 ton truck. Obviously one is “better” but it comes down to need/budget.

The best answer likely lies somewhere in the range of TLB or TL and renting a mini or possibly tractor/loader and buying one of the Chinese minis with a Briggs Stratton engine that are flooding the market right now.

Rarely is it worth the cost of 2 pieces of “name brand” equipment for a small property owner not using the machines daily for more than a project. A TLB is a Swiss Army knife - it does a little of everything - but again a dedicated machine does the job better/faster in general on larger jobs. Is time or money a priority here ?

The Chinese units out there can be had for less than the cost of the cheapest backhoe attachment - but know what you’re buying. It will likely need periodic “fixes” and it will have less support than a “name” manufacturer. Of course at 5500-6k - that’s probably a 1/3 of the price of the cheapest mini sold by “name” companies and is based on similar designs.

Renting is per use the highest cost - but if you’re going to use it 2 weeks and then set - it’s the way to go. Unless you have a list of weekend projects and time is broken up so you can’t do it all in a short period of time - it’s the best for many. A TLB is a good alternative for the hobbyist and they tend to hold value used - but new you are pushing 30k for the smallest units - that’s a lot of $$ when it’s not too difficult to find clean used tractor loaders of similar size for half that.

 

[Martin Roper]

Silly question, but here it goes.

Which would be most ideal for a 6 acre property with long driveway, mature trees, snow removal, and making and maintaining a small veggie garden. A midsize backhoe with loader or a midsize tractor with backhoe and loader?

You would be much better in my opinion to have a 360 tracked digger, 2.5 / 3 tonne, so much easier to use, they come in for every thing, you will find uses you haven't dreamed of. The day of the back hoe has gone.

 

[Drew Loker]

A midsize backhoe with loader or a midsize tractor with backhoe and loader?

I have a similar scenario (except for snow). I got a BX23…with FEL and BH. Also got an underbelly 60” mower and 4’ Tiller.

I have been pleased with the FEL and BH. However, the “chore” of removing the BH to use the mower, not to mention me putting the mower on successfully, resulted in my selling the mower. It was really time consuming and difficult. I am sure I would have gotten faster, but I felt that as I got older, it would be more challenging. And to have a tractor sitting there with the mower attached, and not wanting to take the mower off (and really the FEL) to put the BH on would really undermine the usefulness of the TLB. So I got rid of the mower while it was still practically new.

But I am about to do the same thing with the tiller also for the same reason. And I am ok with just having a TLB. The tractor is useful and works well for lots of jobs…planting trees, moving mulch, digging ditches, etc.

 

[captainbars]

Faced the same question recently and went with a 55hp TLB for my 7.5 acres. It does everything I want and is quick attach loader and backhoe.
For my ground in western Arkansas we have a lot of rock so the extra weight and power helps dig stumps or waterlines etc. The TLB gives you a lot more versatility with the use of added implements like box blade, post hole digger, etc. all which I use.
So it's back to your question, what do you need to do with it?

 

[GeneSimm7]

This is a little confusing to me. How are you differentiating between a tractor and a TLB? I have a John Deere excavator which is a tracked backhoe and a Century TLB tractor. The TLB has a loader on the front and a Backhoe on the back. Since I got the excavator, I haven't used the Backhoe on the back of my TLB.

 

[Viny]

It depends on your usage. I have 60 acres, mid-size tractor with many different attachments including a 3pt backhoe. I don't dig many holes but when I do it is very nice to have available. I converted my 3pt to Pat's quick hitch, so putting it on and off isn't a big deal. Also, I converted my FEL to skid steer quick disconnect so I can put many things on there also. Good luck!

 

[Eebbee]

Silly question, but here it goes.

Which would be most ideal for a 6 acre property with long driveway, mature trees, snow removal, and making and maintaining a small veggie garden. A midsize backhoe with loader or a midsize tractor with backhoe and loader?

 

[Dundertaker]

Friend advised me "I own a 200 acres and wouldn't buy one...rent it the handful of times you need one...way better to get other attachments you will use"...he was 100% right. They're 30%+ cost of most compact tractors and I might/could have used it a few times, but not anything I regularly need and a PIA to R&R.

My 2 cents...save your money...I have 15 acres of woods and it's not necessary for me. I would add pallet forks or a "Bucketeer" (I have a Bucketeer) as a "poor man's grapple"...most useful attachment I have. Way cheaper than a real grapple and easier to switch to...no third function, etc...with 6 acres? Unless you're digging trenches for the next decade likely not a good investment.

 

[Maineuropa]

Silly question, but here it goes.

Which would be most ideal for a 6 acre property with long driveway, mature trees, snow removal, and making and maintaining a small veggie garden. A midsize backhoe with loader or a midsize tractor with backhoe and loader?

I am running a horse farm on 40 acres, using a couple of Deere 955’s for snow blowing, loader for manure/ gardening, backhoe for trenching. I have dug three electrical trenches ( about 500’ )total) five similar length drainage ditches and several tree stump removals. I have not used my backhoe in the garden yet (15 years). I have used the loader a lot. My local Deere dealership recommends renting a backhoe whenever you have a project rather than have one sitting around. If you are dead set on a backhoe then nothing I’ve said here will matter. But I would spend the backhoe money on a reliable irrigation system for the garden.

 

[kneedeep]

Silly question, but here it goes.

Which would be most ideal for a 6 acre property with long driveway, mature trees, snow removal, and making and maintaining a small veggie garden. A midsize backhoe with loader or a midsize tractor with backhoe and loader?

I bought a new backhoe for my CUT with a frame mount several years ago.
It works for my needs, as I usually do all the digging when I put it on. Compared to a TLB, it is slower, has to move more due to shorter reach and does require a little effort to take on & off.
I have installed 2 septic tanks and field lines, 1000+’ of water line and several hundred yards of ditching for drainage.
For the same money, a buddy bought a old TLB and made fun of my “toy” for several years until I noticed it hadn’t moved in a while. He confessed the upkeep and repairs to keep it running almost broke the bank.
I use it for backhoe needs 4-5 times every year since 2014. I didn’t want to upkeep a machine for that little amount of use.

 

[Eebbee]

Silly question, but here it goes.

Which would be most ideal for a 6 acre property with long driveway, mature trees, snow removal, and making and maintaining a small veggie garden. A midsize backhoe with loader or a midsize tractor with backhoe and loader?

I would go with around 35-45 Ag Tractor with backhoe and FEL, if you only foresee occasional small digging jobs.
With the PTO on an AG tractor you can use a variety of implements, like snow blower, 3 point mower, post digger, grading blade, rototiller, cultivator, mulcher etc. many of which could be very useful, if not necessary on 6 acres. Note that these backhoes are best suited to dig simple small jobs like a trench for pipes or cleaning a ditch and things like that

You do need to consider some things carefully though.
If you are planning to do a lot of digging you might end up frustrated with a few things. First the reach of the boom is about 8ft on these tractor backhoes and mostly 180 degrees rotations. So if you have to dig a narrow trench 4ft deep, say with a 12inch bucket, you will likely run out of space to dispose of the excavated material.
That always has been my issue with the one I had. (1999 NH TC33 Boomer)
When you select models you need to make sure to get one that has a sub-frame and with quick and easy installation procedure. On mine (with a sub-frame) installing or removing was a 5 minutes tool-less job (after some practice). Only 2 pins to install and the hoses to connect.
That becomes extremely important if you want to be able to use your other implements painlessly.
Typically I would have my backhoe on just for digging jobs and had a weight box on the 3-point for when the backhoe was off, as it is safer to use the FEL with a counterweight when the backhoe isn't on.
In hindsight though, (hindsight is 20/20) I would have gone with an Ag tractor with FEL without backhoe and used the backhoe money to get a mini excavator. Like 2-3 tons with rubber tracks and a blade.
That would leave your PTO and 3-points hitch free on the Ag tractor and a mini excavator of that size will outperform all small tractors backhoes. The fact that it can dump the material around a 360 circle is a huge difference.

 

[Hiawassee Longhorn]

I had a 2019 25hp compact LS with a full frame backhoe, not the little bitty tractor but the average sized kne. while it was ok for chores like digging up the septic lids or a hole for planting a tree I didn't find it useful for much else as it just didn't have the power a regular backhoe has. I tried to trench with it onetime and it just couldn't handle the rocky soil or tree roots like the one at work could.

 

[bigham]

Silly question, but here it goes.

Which would be most ideal for a 6 acre property with long driveway, mature trees, snow removal, and making and maintaining a small veggie garden. A midsize backhoe with loader or a midsize tractor with backhoe and loader?

I have 10 acres. I have a JD3032E with a backhoe attachment. It handles everything I need. Would it be great to have a stronger backhoe? Yes. But the tractor fits my needs better. I use the backhoe at least once a month. If you don’t plan on using the backhoe that much I would opt for the tractor. It is more versatile. Taking the backhoe takes about 7 minutes by yourself.

 

[clarkharms]

Silly question, but here it goes.

Which would be most ideal for a 6 acre property with long driveway, mature trees, snow removal, and making and maintaining a small veggie garden. A midsize backhoe with loader or a midsize tractor with backhoe and loader?

I went through this myself. I originally bought a jcb mini cx. I soon realized I needed a three point with pto so I could get into the huge number of tools/implements that are available. I bought a Kubota L3901 and a bunch of 3 point accessories but kept the jcb because I had less money in that than a back hoe would cost for the L3901.
Anyway it isn’t often that I have to dig so I will probably sell the JCB and when I do need to dig just rent a purpose built machine. Trenchers are much better for digging a line for conduit or water pipe and excavator are much better for digging if you need to put in a foundation, retaining walls etc. either of those two can be rented for about $250/day in my area. The back hoe option for my Kubota was over $10k and isn’t easily switched over since you must remove the 3pt hitch.
So my advice having gone through this is get a tractor with fel and 3pt and rent when needed.