Buying a Hoe for JD 990

[AKfish]

The 8 series of hoes are powerhouses! I loved my 8B that I had on my 970 for the past 3 years.

I dug some stumps that were downright scary big! I'll try to post a couple of pics with one of the bigger stumps that I dug last summer.
'Course the thumb attachment did help a little but...

AKfish

Oh man, the files are 35K and 14K too big... 235K and 214K. Man, that's just what I wanna be --- an AdobePhotoshop guru --- NOT!

 

[AKfish]

OK.... let's give this another go! Or maybe it's go number 5 or 6 or... well, I've lost count of how many times I tried to crop these things!

Does using *.jpeg file types make things easier?

Anyways --- the JD 8 hoe is a great workhorse. You'd have a great time; er... you'd be able to work HARD if you get one for your 990.

AKfish

Oh yah, I'm 5'10". So, that stump is pretty fair sized!

 

[wallace]

The John Deere backhoes were made by Ameri-equip and were very good backhoes. Branson is now using them also as an oem hoe.
After selling both the Ameri-equio and Woods I would buy a Woods.
Woods comes standard with a thumb mount and if you go into the 80X it has a swing speed control valve.
Also I was told by Woods that mid year they are going to have an option for the hydraulic thumb.
They also come with a 2 year warranty.

 

[ttkeeler]

I am highly considering buying a backhoe for my JD 990. I believe JD calls for the 8B for my model tractor.

For those of you who have one or have used one:

Does it have much digging power?

Once the initial jobs you have lined up for it are completed....does yours just tend to sit without use?

How hard is it to un-attach & re-attach the backhoe? How long does it take? I use other attachments behind it frequently like mower deck & rototiller.

What kind of price should I expect to pay? BTW.....I already have the power & beyond kit installed.

Thanks,

JB

Here are the figures for my 8B which I got in early October.

$8,629 installed which included the 12" bucket and the Power Beyond Kit.
The Power beyond kit listed seperately was $532 installed.
For the 18" bucket instead of the 12" it was an additional $66.
For the 24" bucket instead of the 12" it was an additional $137.
For the 36" bucket instead of the 12" it was an additional $259.

As for your other questions I am still learning to run it and have yet to remove it from the tractor so I won't be of much help yet. I do know that with our 5 acres it will be used a lot and I also expect that some of the local neighbors will also have some things they will want done. I see it getting a good amount of use in time.

I have attached some information that I gathered when I was looking.

 

[ttkeeler]

I would like to see photos. Michael's photo does not quite show them.

You can kind of see the chain links on page 5 of the attached PDF file.

 

[dfkrug]

You can kind of see the chain links on page 5 of the attached PDF file.

Oh, now I know what you mean. That is like the single cylinder swing
control that Woods and Kubota used to use. I did not know they were
easy to break. I had heard that that type had low swing forces and had
to be kept in adjustment. Never had that kind myself. It seems to be
disappearing.

 

[dirtworksequip]

dfkrug, the swing chains hold up OK. The two times that I had them break where always when I was moving the machine off to one side or the other by raising the rear of the tractor off the ground with the hoe and then using the swing to move to the right or left. Evidently this must put pressure on the chain and caused the link to break. I think Deere no longer uses this type swing system on the newer style hoes.

Sincerely, Dirt

 

[dfkrug]

I think Deere no longer uses this type swing system on the newer style hoes.

Correct. JD has not used that swing design since the earlier JD7s and
apparently JD8s. Dual swing cyls since then on 7, 8, 47, 48, 447, 448.