Harbor Freight (HF) Trencher(Backhoe)

[CURTMU]

Unless you are digging in sand, that hoe won't suit anyone. It's too weak and it is not anchored to a tractor for stability. I think you would feel like you just blew $3K. It will still be a PITA so send the thing back.

Just my 2 pennies.

making blanket comments about a machine you don't own makes you look foolish.
I recently bought one of these marvelous machines. It has a great deal of power for a little 9 hp overhead valve (One of the best Honda Clones).
I built a blade for leveling and an extension for the bucket. It has its limitations but, for $3000.00 it's a bargain.

 

[Diggin It]

OK, old thread got bumped up, so I'll bite.

No way I'd spend this kind of money there. Most they've ever got from me was short of $200 for a small trailer. Most everything else has been $100 or less. $3K? No way.


Remember, it's not self propelled, so you need something to tow it. If you have something capable of doing that, you may (or may not) have something capable of taking a backhoe add-on. Those aren't a whole lot more expensive, but are far more stable and capable.

 

[nyone]

I have never owned nor do i plan on owning the HF trwncher but i did buy a 3pt backhoe 2/3 years ago. It basicly has no digging force, it just lifts its self up like i see this doing. I was able to dig 8 fence posts holes with my 3pt backhoe. It wouldnt break through or dig up dinner plate sized rocks.
I now have a 3pt backhoe forsale and a mini excavator (3klb) that will pull rocks out the size of an end table.

 

[cdaigle430]

I agree with John and Alan on this one. I purchased the plate compactor and the 10" wet saw and they work great. The compactor comes with a B&S engine and fires up with 1 or 2 pulls. No complaints yet.

My plate compactor is awesome....best bang for the buck, seriously!

 

[davepg1]

I have been working with a Harbor freight trencher for 3 seasons now and I was surprised at what it is capable of. This year I dug 450 ft of drain tile with it, no problems at all. I am not a Harbor Freight fan, but this machine beats the **** out of a shovel any day. I tow it into position and dig with it attached to the 3 point on the back of the tractor. Sometimes I tow it with the UTV and just set the hand brake.

 

[MoArk Willy]

Harbor Freight tools are economical for the homeowner, backyard mechanic and anyone who doesn't need $50 ratchet and socket to tighten a lawn mower blade on their push mower. They aren't the best tools on the market...but so what? Anyone expecting a $10 drill to work like a $50 drill isn't the brightest bulb on the tree anyway. Harbor Freight tools are actually better quality than the pricing suggests. Not the best chrome plating, not the prettiest tools but is that really what matters? As far as the towable trencher goes...there are tons of videos showing them in use, digging trenches, ponds and digging out stumps. Personally I like Harbor Freight. Nothing fake about them, they are what they are. If you expect more than that then it's your fault.....not theirs.

 

[DieselBound]

I'd thought about one of these for getting into really tight and soft (VERY soft) places, places where no real piece of equipment that has any real weight could go- I've gotten heavy equipment stuck and it's no fun!). I'd have to winch it around between trees and such. At this point I'm opting for pure grunt work: shovels and such.

If I have to dig trenches/ditches I rent an excavator.

Don't underestimate the amount of work that is still required to back-fill (or smooth out): assumes material isn't being hauled away from the immediate area. Most excavators have a push blade for this.

 

[XR4140]

New member here.

I literally just returned one of these trenchers.

Cutting to the chase, they are more trouble than they are worth. I had a weld on of the hydraulic pumps snap clean off. Both main pins (that you cant hardly get grease into) Both snapped at the ends where the factory welds are.

Ill say the thing has some power, but it is so sloppy and slow that its miserable. I know use a Woods BH75 and its way better for me. The quality and operation is night and day.

Maybe you will have better luck, but I quickly realized I wasted 3k. You will wait forever for parts also. The metal is like soft cheese and deforms like crazy. I could go on and on. Save more money!

 

[patrick_g]

Not competition for a high dollar back hoe but... Mine is over 10 years old and has required few repairs. Still starts easy and does a pretty good job. Would I like it to be more powerful, faster, indestructible? Well sure but it is a bargain price wise and I have NEVER regretted buying it. If you don't own/operate one of them then you probably should only ask questions of those of us who do and refrain from commenting/guessing about imagined shortcomings.

 

[BeeFarmer]

I've owned one for a few years now and have not once regretted buying it. I search and searched for a 3 point hitch mount unit for my tractor. The more I read about splitting your tractor in half unless you purchased a special carriage under your tractor at an additional cost as well as mounting and un-mounting it from your tractor being a pain I decided to purchase a tow able trencher/backhoe. I looked at several models and decided on a HF unit. I was able to get mine at a discount for $2500 and no issues shipping directly to my farm.

I've seen and heard of horror stories as well as successes with the HF Trencher as well as numerous YouTube videos. You have to understand the jobs you are going to use it for and know it's limits. I live in Ohio with heavy clay and stones/boulders and have no issues. With that said.. I don't expect this unit to dig out a 500 lbs boulder or dig out a 100 year old pine tree stump that is 6 feet around unless I work my way in and have a lot of time on my hands.

I've dug smaller trees up, roots and stumps, numerous feet of clay to put in waterlines and drainage at least 3-4 feet deep, gas and oil lines, and other small farm work. It is not the fastest on the trencher in the world but I'm not expecting it to win any races. I move it around with a four wheeler that I have and have used my tractor... as well as I've moved it on its own. I don't always take it off its wheels as smaller jobs I will just leave it on it's wheels and tow around. My brother in law as a Case Backhoe and his will do heavy work but seeing him climbing back and forth and lowering his supports and trying to maneuver around doesn't make me feel like I'm inconvenienced that I tow mine. Grease fittings take a special attachment that looks like a needle but works wells.

In a nutshell the motor starts on the first pull for the most part and if not the second, I can easily move it anywhere I want QUICKLY and it can run on a tank of gas for hours. It's slow and isn't built like a tank but it does what I expect it to do and has never broken.... oh.. let me take that back... I lost a grease cap on my wheel and that cost me about $1.50 to replace. If there was one con I could think of it would be I had to change the hose on a couple of levers so the up and down was the direction I liked... and that's only a personal thing... probably works for others with no issues.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask.. I will give you my honest opinion on it. It's not a trackhoe or a mini excavator, you're getting a lightweight piece of equipment that does a great job for what it is designed for.

 

[MoArk Willy]

I still haven't bought one although I think about it every spring. When (and if) I do it will be between the Harbor Freight and the Jansen. For my needs either should do just fine. I have seen good reviews on both and watched many videos.
The Jansen seems to be a bit better built but who knows? I am a homeowner who maintains his own property. My 5 acres gives me plenty to do and being retired gives me the time to do it.

 

[BeeFarmer]

Jansen looks pretty nice. As long as you realize your limits and the abilities of the trencher you will be fine. Don't wait... you will find so many uses for it. It's like having a loader on your tractor... I don't know how I would live without mine.

 

[MoArk Willy]

I know exactly what you mean about the loader....it's like having an extra hand around the home. My biggest issue is storage for the implements. Right now the only thing indoor is the tractor itself. I don't want to deal with fuel issues and my garage never gets below 40. But outside is my trailer, loader, ballast box, box blade etc. Im considering a carport type structure for the implements. Maybe that should be my next investment rather than more equipment.

 

[dfkrug]

This old thread lives on!

Earlier this year, I tried to buy a Trencherman off a local hoarder I know. He bought it on sale from HF years ago and never assembled it. After maybe 8 years, it still sits in his sister's backyard, in the boxes, under tarps. Probably all rusty by now. Regardless, he will not let it go.

I wanted it to do what I did before with my CADDigger: get it up my steep trails to my septic and water tank area.

Instead, I bought a Chinese 1T mini-X.

I am sure these HF micro-excavators can be quite useful, as was my CADDigger. Attention to care and maintenance is always an issue.

BTW, I have another big-ticket item from HF: their Chinese bandsaw sawmill. Works fine for what it is. Not a WoodMizer for sure, but less than 1/3 the price. I got it used for $600.

 

[Rsking]

Sorry to dig up graves on my first forum post but I was looking into these little HF trenchers lately and I haven't been able to find the answer to a question I had. I've seen people speed them up by putting a better pump on it but is there any reason you couldn't power the thing through the remote out's on your tractor? I have no idea what the flow rate is on the pump motor combination but surely it's not the 8 gpms I have available through my very expensive motor hydraulic pump unit on wheels. Just looking at viable alternatives since the excavator for compact tractors seem to start at 7k. We choose not to get one, figuring we'd just rent later when we need one, but having now been exposed to the HF trencher...

Anyways I can't think of any reason why this couldn't or shouldn't be done, what say those who actually have experience with these machines?

 

[dfkrug]

Sure you could power your Trencherman off your tractor's hydraulic system. You can even modify it to mount on a subframe that attaches to your tractor, for a semi-homemade backhoe attachment.

I built a CADDigger 728 back in the 90s, before I had a tractor. There was a version of the plans that did what I describe above.

Your Trencherman prob runs at 3-4 GPM, and 1500-1800 psi at 3600 RPM engine speed.

 

[patrick_g]

I have available through my very expensive motor hydraulic pump unit on wheels. Just looking at viable alternatives since the excavator for compact tractors seem to start at 7k. We choose not to get one, figuring we'd just rent later when we need one, but having now been exposed to the HF trencher...

Anyways I can't think of any reason why this couldn't or shouldn't be done, what say those who actually have experience with these machines?

My HF trencher, if I recall correctly, is about 15 years old and has served me well. I don't use it a lot but when I do it does OK. My tractor is a Kubota Grand L 4610 HSTC and has rear quick-connect hydraulics I use to operate hydraulic scarifiers on the box blade. This in addition to top and tilt hydraulics. I suppose I could rig it to operate the trencher on the tractor hydraulics and it would likely operate the implement faster. The trencher is a tad slow and faster would seem to be better but you need to be careful to not try to do more HD work than the unit was designed for as you would start breaking or wearing things faster than normal.

Patrick

 

[macdoesit]

I have owned mine for 6 years and have put it thru Hell and still works like new. From digging a 8 foot x 8 foot x 6 foot deep pit to lifting 20 foot x 16 inch diameter oak trees on to a trailer, digging up 36 diameter stumps. If it ever wears out I will buy another. Nuff Said.