Backhoe Curious...

[Turbys_1700]

I have a full sized backhoe and I rarely use it, when I do, sure it's nice. I don't think I'd be happy with a small tractor backhoe, but that's just me. I use the full sized backhoe more for loader lift capacity than anything. I find it much quicker, neater, and less bothersome to use the stumpgrinder to make stumps disappear. However, there are times where I really do NEED the backhoe, and those times it is great to have. If they made a backhoe that fit on a cab tractor that you could operate right from the cab seat, I'd be more open to it....OR, if they made the M59 available with a factory cab, I'd probably already have one. Even still, I wouldn't be able to justify the cost, but it's nice to have.

It all depends on your uses, and your situation. You can't really say if it's worth it or not, you can only say if it's worth it to you.

If I was buying new, I'd buy my new tractor without a backhoe, then take that 7 or 8 grand I was going to spend on the backhoe, save it, slowly save up some more money, and once I got to about 10k I'd find a well used, but well maintained mini excavator, and dig circles around any tractor mounted backhoe that exists today.

If I already had my tractor, and was thinking of adding a hoe to it, I'd look at the used market, you can get them for about half price used if you have a popular tractor, sometimes cheaper. But really, I think the mini ex would be the ideal way to go.


I personally think that the tractor with FEL grapple, and a mini ex, would be a far better investment and a lot more fun That would suit me well, but may not suit others well at all, depends on your situation. One thing is for sure though, if you buy a brand new backhoe for your tractor, be darn well sure you really want it, because you will lose a lot of money if you decide it wasn't worth the cost and you want to sell it. :thumbsup:


Side note: Be sure to budget in for a grapple, well before you budget for a backhoe. There is no better tool that can make your tractor 100 times more productive if you do anything other than move lose material.

This...
I use our old 3616 International 4 or 5 times a year...
It sure is handy when needed...
But the darn thing is cumbersome to say the least...
In 1967 when it was built it was one of the better hoes out there...
But now with mini excavators and skid steers our options are much better...

 

[UP Guy]

Thank you for all the responses. I have read each and every one and gained a lot of perspective. I'm new to owning a tractor and it's good to have all the experiences to draw from. Again, Thank You.

 

[Soundguy]

For the price of a Backhoe ($7,000+)

or buy used in the 2-3000$ range.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Bucket Spade is 110 pounds of sharp steel, mounted on optional Kubota 397 pound heavy duty bucket, pushed by 1,279 pound FEL. One thousand seven hundred eighty-six pounds, ALMOST A TON, of force on the sharp edge; BEFORE wheel force of tractor is applied.

Trust me, it will handle clay fine, unless, perhaps, clay is dry as adobe.

I do not recommend it for EXTENDED use on any but a heavy duty bucket.

Bucket Spade is the Rodney Dangerfield of attachments: it never gets any respect.

Even if it would dig, I'd have to get off the tractor and scrape the gummy clay off the spade after every dig.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

. . .

If I was buying new, I'd buy my new tractor without a backhoe, then take that 7 or 8 grand I was going to spend on the backhoe, save it, slowly save up some more money, and once I got to about 10k I'd find a well used, but well maintained mini excavator, and dig circles around any tractor mounted backhoe that exists today.

. . . .

Good advice. While I love my little BX23, and it's been handy for things other than the backhoe, a mini-ex would work circles around it for backhoe work. Being able to dig, move, dig, move, ad nauseum with the mini-ex would be a huge time saver.

 

[MarentetteService]

Sure a mini excavator would be sweet. Being able to pop the backhoe on and off my tractor is priceless. No engine, no track, no bogies, no bother. Just a filter to clean once in a long while. When and if my septic fails, the backhoe attatchment instantly pays for itself.

 

[super55]

I really haven't used my backhoe for much yet but it came with the used tractor I bought. The mrs. eventually wants a small pond that I will use to dig out and I do have a few stumps that I need to uproot. It hasn't gotten much use yet but since I have it I'm sure I'll find more uses. But would I go out and buy one for my tractor? The answer is a no.

 

[bspeedy]

I am now on my 2nd tractor with a backhoe. First was a Bush Hog brand, this one is a Woods 6500. I think a backhoe is like a FEL. Don't realize how much you will use it until you have it. I've used mine for most of the same tasks as the others that have posted. It's on the tractor about 10-15% of the time. It may not be the ideal digging machine, but it is there when I need it. I doubt that I will ever NOT own a backhoe of some sort because I simply hate shovels.

 

[davrow]

Last year we bought our retirement home on 6 acres 'in the country'. I wanted a tractor w/backhoe. Realizing I won't have any income to speak of after retirement I wanted to get it all at once while still working. No 'saving for later purchase'. So I have a wonderful new tractor and backhoe.

I'll never cost justify either one. And I would do it exactly the same if I had to do it over again now.

 

[paulharvey]

This is probably the 6th or 7th big pine I've pushed over. Probably 10 or 12 more to go.

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=402640"/>

But you spent so much on it, now you have to drink Natty light...