Great Bend BH for 7500??

Anonymous Poster · Mar 11, 2003

I am still vacillating between BX and 7500. Just talked with a salesman who told me that they like to use Great Bend backhoes on the 7500 unit. It apparently meets or exceeds specs of the 4672 BH and is less expensive. Anyone heard of this and is it a good alternative?
Thanks in advance.

Rick Jay · Mar 11, 2003

Strongbow,

What else can you tell us about the Great Bend hoe? Is it a 3 pt. hitch mount like the Kubota, or does it use a subframe?

Does it have a self-contained hydro pump or does it use the tractor hydraulics?

How much less is it than the Kubota hoe?

Are the digging depth and digging forces approximately the same?

I put a Woods hoe on my B2910 at the recommendation of my dealer, mostly for the subframe. I would have no qualms about putting any Kubota 3 pt. hoe on a Kubota tractor. I might be concerned about putting another mfg. 3 pt. hitch backhoe on my Kubota for tractor warranty concerns. If warranty isn't a concern, I would try to stick to a name brand hoe that exerted similar forces to the Kubota hoe.

If you can give us some more info, we'll help.

~Rick

Anonymous Poster · Mar 12, 2003

From what I can find out so far the Great Bend BH can be mounted with 3 Pt hitch or subframe mount. The salesman I talked to this morning said it was about 1K more for the subframe mount. I notice on the comparison chart that the Kubota 4672 also uses 3pt mount. The digging force for the GB is 2450# vs 2950# for the 4672. It has a dual cylinder swing vs sinble cylender chain swing for Kubota(?). It digs to 78" vs Kubota's 73.9". I didn't get a quote difference for the two but I noticed that both of the dealers I have talked to in the Seattle area are pushing the GB. Any thoughts or advice on this unit?

Rick Jay · Mar 12, 2003

My personal experience is that I have never wanted more digging force but an extra 6" or more of reach is always handy.

My guess is that either hoe will be able to toss the tractor around, so I believe digging force might not be much of an issue. I would therefore recommend the hoe with the longer reach. And I think a subframe mount adds a little bit of security.

The twin swing cylinders are usually a sign of a higher quality hoe (although I'm not sure why?). My Woods uses a single cylinder and swing chain. I think in a backhoe this size, more important than the swing mechanism is the swing angle. I believe both of those hoes swing 180 degrees, which is about as good as it gets for a backhoe.

~Rick

Dozernut · Mar 12, 2003

I have a Great Bend hoe on a Kubota. They make a good hoe, but definitely go with the subframe. The twin cylinders versus the single cylinder on the swing, equates to more power to the bucket. This allows the operator to use the side of the bucket to push dirt back into the hole. It is not that big of an issue and the single will work quite well.
GB has a recomended retail price on the subframes of $761. This is for a subframe to fit a Kubota L 4610, which is a little bigger than the tractor you are talking about. Sounds like your salesman might be a little high on his price. Either BH would be a good purchase and I would not rate one higher than the other. I would go for service and then price.

Anonymous Poster · Mar 13, 2003

Thanks for input, I have learned tons here. My salesman soft pedaled the subframe mount and also told me it would decrease my clearance which is one of the reasons I am thinking 7500 vs BX22. Is this something I could retrofit or does it need a factory guy to do it? His service is a nonissue as I am buying out of state. I live in Alaska and it will save my about 3K including the shipping here from Washington.

Dozernut · Mar 13, 2003

The subframe will bolt right up if you get the correct subframe for the tractor you buy. A little mechanical knowledge and some hand tools should see the installation complete. If I were you I would call GB, if thats the hoe you buy, and make sure they make a subframe for your tractor and what hoes will properly fit your machine. Their phone number is 1-800-825-1701 and ask for a sales rep. You can do the same for Woods but I don't have their number handy, maybe someone else will have it. When you have the sales rep on the phone, ask them what the suggested retail price is on the equipment you are looking at. It could give you a heads up on your dealer and might save you some money.

Anonymous Poster · Mar 17, 2003

OK it's fish or cut bait time. I have talked to dealer and GB company regarding the subframe for a B7500. The dealer tells me that once the subframe is on it has less clearance than the BX. While I have misgivings about using the BH with TPH he assures me that when adjusted properly they are safe and durable( he has sold 200 units like this without known problem). Since one of my main reasons for going with the 7500 over the BX is for clearance it seems I am in a dilemma. I am about ready to order the 7500 with 302 FEL and the Great Bend 652 backhoe. Any last comments regarding the safety and stability of BH connected by TPH?? All will be appreciated.

Dozernut · Mar 17, 2003

If you are concerned about ground clearance and will only use it occasionally, then you should probably go with the 3pt. hoe. Just be sure you get the heavy, top arm bracket. If you are going to use the hoe in a commercial venture, then you should go with the subframe.
When you use a hoe with a subframe you can lift the rear tires off the ground with the stabilizers. This makes for a solid setup and the hoe won't move the tractor around quite as much. A 3pt. hoe, in my experience, will not lift the rear tires, it just pushes up on the lower arms. This is not as stable as the frame setup. On the large hoes I have operated, they still were pushed around, it is the nature of the beast. A smaller tractor has a lot less weight to hold it in place.
I would suggest that you go with your gut feeling on this. You have talked with the dealers and GB and will have a feel about it. Sometimes your subconscious is screaming at you about things, the trick is learning to listen to it.

Rick Jay · Mar 17, 2003

As far as ground clearance of the BX vs. the B7500 with a subframe hoe: The ground clearance on the BX is always the same, assuming the MMM is removed. With the B7500 and subframe hoe, the ground clearance might be slightly less when the hoe is mounted, but when it's removed, it will be considerably better than the BX. So, for other implements, you will have better clearance with the B7500.

I opted for the subframe partly because I had never, ever operated a backhoe before. I was a bit concerned that I might not know when I was subjecting the tractor to damaging forces. I felt the subframe mount would give me some extra assurance and possibly compensate for my novice hoe operation. If I had a 3 pt. hoe, I might always be concerned that if I "push too hard" I might damage the tractor. The solid feeling of the subframe mount gives me more assurance and I don't really fear any damage to the tractor.

I know it's a tough decision. Remember this: whichever way you decide, you're going to really enjoy and appreciate all the work that you will be able to do with it.

Good Luck,

~Rick