<font color="blue"> You've got more experience on heavy equipment at your age than I'll have in my whole life, so take that into consideration as I anwer this. I was referring to using the BH as a crane for lifting. Any hydraulic hose or fitting could fail at any time. </font>
You know, one thing that is different between "real" heavy equipment and the stuff we use is that the commercial stuff is maintained to a whole different level. When you are using something that weighs 40,000, 60,000lbs or more you get real serious about making sure it doesn't break, especially since you are working in a public place or for a customer. On decent sized jobsites, there is a maintenance truck out there every single day.
So my thinking is that, for example, on my tractor I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to change the hydraulic hoses. They aren't falling apart, but they sure don't look new any more. But for me, I'd just as soon not mess with it until I have to (and hope I don't get nailed in the face with a high pressure stream /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif). I'd guess the big boys replace 'em every year (or even more often) whether they need it or not.
Besides, they have health plans and such. We are just doing it on the side, so it makes sense to assume that equipment will fail. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
<font color="blue"> I just don't see why it could be a problem, unless for the 3 pt. mount backhoes it puts too much lateral stress or twisting on the 3 pt. hitch mounting. </font>
Yet another reason I favor the sub-frame models for these little tractors...