CAT 420 IT opinions?

[dave1949]

I am thinking about getting a tlb for non-commercial use. Clearing stumps from 12 acres, general cleanup, some forest road building, and landscaping around the lot. The 12 acres of stumps are mostly under 18" at ground level. Lots of little stumps. The trees were cut and sold for chips last summer.

This CAT 420 IT looks interesting. '02, 3400 hours, extenda-hoe, detachable loader bucket. $32K asking.
02 Cat 420IT Backhoe

I think $10K is about the absolute minimum I would need to pay to hire the field clearing done. Likely more depending on how finished I want it. I could also use a backhoe for a couple years after the field clearing for various projects. That is why I am considering buying one.

I know nothing about construction equipment. Don't want a project machine. There is not a lot of middle-aged equipment to chose from in this area. There is a Milton CAT location about 2 hours from here that would be a parts source, or worst case, for serious repairs.

How difficult is it to put a front rock/stump grapple on these? A backhoe thumb would be nice but a front grapple would be even better I think for my projects.

I figure an excavator would be a better tool for stumps, but it has limited uses for me later on. The ability for the backhoe to move stuff around the lot for some distance with a front grapple, is worth a good bit for what I would be doing.

What do you think? What to look for on a used CAT 420?

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

420 is a good machine but like any other cat equipment, its gonna be expensive to work on. And being that new is gonna be mostly computer controlled ( = more expensive).

 

[dave1949]

420 is a good machine but like any other cat equipment, its gonna be expensive to work on. And being that new is gonna be mostly computer controlled ( = more expensive).

Yeah, that figures, more electronics in newer equipment. and single sourced from CAT.

There is stuff like this Case 680G that might avoid some of the newer complications:
Case 680G Backhoe Loader

That could be a hydraulic leak spot underneath it.

 

[D7E]

I spent most of my life driving JCB and case backhoes but now that i have returned to be in the family farm business we run case because they are cheaper to buy but i dont "like" them to operate . In winter i run a 1998 Cat 416 with a big shop built snow bucket on it with 9200 hrs , In that time 1 front final drive , 1 hyd pump , a few water pumps / oil seals / injectors/ gaskets etc but a lot of electrical work ? Fantastic for reliability considering the **** thing runs around the clock with double shift drivers in winter . I actually find cat parts to be no more expensive than case but cat have more " on the shelf" parts ..In this era i think JCB are the "nicest " machine but in our area there dealers and parts scare me . The one you posted looks right for the money . Personally for your job i's be looking for a nice cheap 1980's machine ..brand wont matter as long as it's sound .