Buying Advice Buying a backhoe ?

[fried1765]

Buy a full sized used construction BH, use it for several years to do your jobs, then sell it for what you paid for it originally.

Keep your tractor for your tractor needs.

That is reasonable advice, but having a BH always at your convienience is a wonderful thing, particularly as your body ages.

 

[4570Man]

310 is a good digger but a poor loader. There are some trades.

Why do you say that? I miss the loader on my 310 more than I do the backhoe. They’re strong, carry a lot of dirt and move fast. Finish grading isn’t their strong suit but a tractor or CTL can’t touch a backhoe for scooping and moving materials.

 

[CoyPatton]

If you are buying used very high on your lists of musts needs to be GOOD TIRES.

Not to knock the benefits of good tires, and yes replacement is a large expense, but if someone threw on god shape used tires just to make a machine look good—run away from it not just walk!
Now if the entire used machine has been afforded the maintenance/upkeep—hoses are in good shape, pins are in good condition, axle seals are not leaking and on and on— that would be a machine worth looking at buying. But 1 single item looking good compared to others needing replaced…..

 

[Brendanspapa]

Seems as if backhoes are one of the least liked tractor attachments, per an article on another forum. They are difficult to install and remove, and don’t have the functionality of an excavator, for starters. If you have a lot of backhoe work on a regular basis, you likely need to consider a good used compact excavator.
If you have occasional need for a backhoe, it’s much less expensive to rent one when you need it. Besides, it’s someone else’s problem when it needs repair or maintenance.

I have owned 1 tractor in my life, but operated equipment during my National Guard career and as I have needed to rent. I am now to the point of considering rental vs. ownership of a backhoe. I have approx 100 acres that are always in need of something, so instead of calling the rental office, I think ownership would be cheaper in the long run. The question is " How do I buy a backhoe?" Where do I go? What should I be looking for and when do I turn and run away? A 4n1 bucket and extended reach with a thumb would be the preferred tractor.

Thanks for the advice

 

[fried1765]

Seems as if backhoes are one of the least liked tractor attachments, per an article on another forum. They are difficult to install and remove, and don’t have the functionality of an excavator, for starters. If you have a lot of backhoe work on a regular basis, you likely need to consider a good used compact excavator.
If you have occasional need for a backhoe, it’s much less expensive to rent one when you need it. Besides, it’s someone else’s problem when it needs repair or maintenance.

So......when I need a backhoe for 30 minutes, I should drive 30 miles to the rental place, to then learn that their rental units are both out.
Of course, I could call first, but they would still be out.....maybe available next week.
So assume my BH task is only 30 minutes?.........I reserve the BH for next week, then rent their trailer, and tow it home.....1/2 day wasted.
Take it back next day (another total 60 miles travel), and another 1/2 day wasted.
Perhaps that would work for you, but certainly not for me.
Most times I use my BH for only an hour or two at any one time.

 

[4570Man]

I’ll be the first to admit a tractor backhoe is terrible compared to a mini excavator. If you want to spend that kind of money definitely get one. But for what they are a tractor backhoe is a very useful tool. There’s a ton of work like virtually everything a homeowner is going to be doing that’s not a big enough job to justify getting better equipment on site and too much work to do with a shovel. Even if the mini x would do the job way better if it’s only an hour job you’d be done before you got the excavator. I have a mini excavator btw. But I did a lot of work with my BH-90.

 

[Egon]

Seems as if backhoes are one of the least liked tractor attachments, per an article on another forum. They are difficult to install and remove, and don’t have the functionality of an excavator, for starters. If you have a lot of backhoe work on a regular basis, you likely need to consider a good used compact excavator.
If you have occasional need for a backhoe, it’s much less expensive to rent one when you need it. Besides, it’s someone else’s problem when it needs repair or maintenance.

Can’t seem to understand why a mini excavator is so much better for performance? The hoe part is the same. Just a different drive system attached. Maybe lots of swing but rather anemic at loader phase!

 

[Caseyb1]

I'm very pleased with my 3 point backhoe attachment. Has paid for itself many times over in rental fees and is still worth what I paid for it 10 years ago. Just one opinion

 

[4570Man]

Can’t seem to understand why a mini excavator is so much better for performance? The hoe part is the same. Just a different drive system attached. Maybe lots of swing but rather anemic at loader phase!

You’d have to run one for a while to understand. My KX040 a 9800 pound machine will dig as much dirt as my 310 Deere would and it’s a 17,000 pound machine. And the full size was a lot better than a tractor hoe. You’re right the mini is useless at being a loader. You have to have 2 machines and that’s the biggest drawback to them.

 

[DK35vince]

I'm very pleased with my 3 point backhoe attachment. Has paid for itself many times over in rental fees and is still worth what I paid for it 10 years ago. Just one opinion

Always been happy with my (subframe mounted) tractor backhoe for the past 18 years I've owned it.
I can have it on the tractor and ready to go anytime I need it in 10 minutes.
Takes around 5 minutes to remove it.