Excavator vs 3pt attachment?

[Woody65]

A question for you diggers out there. I can purchase a mini excavator for the same amount it would cost to buy a 3pt backhoe for my JD 4300. I am leaning towards the excavator. I don't want the extra maintenance of another piece of equipment but feel it would better serve my needs. I am looking for some input from you that have had experience with both. I will be building a home, installing 1200ft of trench for electric, installing a septic system, clearing land for a 1200 ft driveway. The excavator is a IHI mini 7GX with 1900 hrs on it. Thanks for your replies

 

[LD1]

Provided the ex is in good shape, that is the route I would go. But to be fair, you do realize you are not comparing apples to apples. A used ex vs a new backhoe??

The main advantage of a TLB is versatility. Since you already have the tractor and loader, you will still be versatile in that you are able to use the loader still if you get the ex. The ex will be WAY faster and more productive at digging. And you can have someone else be running the tractor moving piles:thumbsup:

I vote the ex. But if you are unfamiliar with the equipment and what to look for, take someone with you that does when buying used. It could save you thousands and/or a big headache.

 

[dex3361]

i have given a bit of thought to this and I would go with the mini ex. Most mini excavators will outwork and outlast a CUT based back hoe. Keep in mind I like the idea of a stand alone mini ex being able to work along side of a FEL equiped tractor. JMHO

 

[Woody65]

I am a novice when it comes to excavators but not totally uninformed. I would love to have an experienced operator accompany me to look at it and inspect it but I don't have anyone that fits that bill. I agree that the ex would do a better job than the 3pt backhoe. And I like the idea of having 2 people working at one time. One on the ex and one operating the loader on the 4300.

 

[Gary Fowler]

An excavator for sure is much better than a TLB for digging, but that is all it does so it should be much better. Since you already have a tractor with FEL, you could opt for the excavator. Leaking hydraulics, bad hydraulic pumps and especially tracks and undercarriage could be very expensive to repair so inspect carefully and take someone with you that is knowledgeable of excavators. Operate it for several minutes(at least 30) and dig with it if possible with all fluids & motor up to operating temp. Two pairs of eyes is always better than one even if you are thoroughly knowledgeable of the mechanics of the machine. One can be looking at it while the other operates to check for leaks when each operation is done. Dont forget to check operation when turning with tracks also not just straight forward and reverse.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I didnt see the reply about not having anyone with experience available. Regardless of that, take an observer with you to look for obvious problems like leaks when operating. Look at the idlers on the tracks to see that they are all turning and not sliding due to bad bearings. Make $$ deductions for repair of any issues found.

 

[Woody65]

Thanks for the informative responses. I plan on taking another set of eyes with me so that it can be observed while in operation checking the idlers and undercarriage. I will let you guys know how it works out and if a purchase is made the obvious pics will be posted. Thanks.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I would go with the excavator over the 3pt hoe as well. Another item not mentioned yet is that the excavator will go places a TLB can't. Plus if you get your tractor stuck or the mini stuck you have a second machine to pull the other one out. Get a TLB stuck and your needing to find another machine to get you out. The down side to the mini is that they are slow to move from one place to another but then again you don't need to mess around hooking it up to a tractor every time you want to use it either. If you don't rush and keep looking you can find one in great shape. I wanted one with a cab (no ac but heat) because I knew that the majority of my spare time that I would have available to use the excavator would be when it was cold or raining so I wanted something that I could use and be comfy in. I have enjoyed digging out the ditches or clearing the pond edges while it was cold and pouring rain. I sit out there in a tshirt and just find it relaxing. I paid $18k for my Bobcat 331 with 16 and 24" buckets, brand new tracks and cab. It wasn't a perfect machine as it needed a few small items but it was useable as is. First thing I did was fix the window latches (they were the few small items) and that was the worst issue. The exterior lights do not work but I do not use it at night so I haven't been too worried about finding out why. The only other item that needs attention is the quick coupler. I am either going to have it repaired or if I can buy it for a few hundred dollars I will just replace it and the pins.

 

[Woody65]

I agree. I plan on cutting some new trails on the property and couldn't see myself doing it with the tractor. The ex would be able to handle it much better. Does anyone know where I can get the specs on the IHI 7GX? The IHI website doesn't list anything and google searches have turned up nothing that has that excavators specs.

 

[arrow]

A question for you diggers out there. I can purchase a mini excavator for the same amount it would cost to buy a 3pt backhoe for my JD 4300. I am leaning towards the excavator. I don't want the extra maintenance of another piece of equipment but feel it would better serve my needs. I am looking for some input from you that have had experience with both. I will be building a home, installing 1200ft of trench for electric, installing a septic system, clearing land for a 1200 ft driveway. The excavator is a IHI mini 7GX with 1900 hrs on it. Thanks for your replies

Another weak point of an abused machine is the yoke that attaches the boom to the under carriage. This area can get sloppy if too much side pushing was done with the machine. I think minimum size for what you describe the work it will be doing is a 5 or 6 ton machine. If the 7 in its GX moniker refers to the weight, its a good size . Not so much the strength but how it holds up to hard work. This is an item I always wanted myself my favorite being a Takeuchi 145.