Is a backhoe on a ck20s worth the price?

[Bousez]

I would buy it again anytime .......first when i bought it, i had to rebuild the septic field ( i don't know if that is the right word in english )
It did save a lot of money right there . 20'X36' long . Did it with two friends , it took 13 hours and everything was done and covered up . I have removed so far at least 90 ,may be more, stumps within the last 3 years, for many of my neighboors. I never tought i would get so much contract with that little hoe . It is very strong, but a bit slow........

I got 480 hours so far on the tractor i would say i have spent at least 25% percent of those hours with the backhoe.

yes i would buy it again !

 

[Rockman]

To me I can't imagine having a tractor without the backhoe. Anyway, as others have said it depends on what you are planning to do, but, you said you have 13 acres, the backhoe will get lots of use. I have a 2465 6 1/2 ft. hoe on mine, I dig up stumps, ditch's, postholes, it's very handy and very strong for it's size. If and when you get one, be careful with it, it is very strong and will lift the frontend off the ground with ease, if you lift the front and let it drop hard continuesly you will do MAJOR damage to the tractor.

Kevin

 

[SixHoeBob]

Dmace's description of renting the mini-excavator is pretty accurate. The few times I rented one, I also had to take it to the car wash because it was too dirty or muddy to return. More time lost. The only time I wash my machines is before a planned repair at the shop, other than that they self clean during the following project.

The convenience of having the hoe will more than offset the cost.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I was looking at Derek Mace's outline of the shenanigans he had to go through renting an excavator vs owning a back hoe.

I noticed 2 hours wasted from breakfast to when the rental place opened to call to see if a unit was available.
1.5 hours round trip time wasted getting there.
0.5 hours wasted loading and contract.
1.5 hours round trip time wasted returning unit.
0.5 hours wasted turning unit it and paying for it.

Total of 6 hours of your life wasted. Now my regular job figures I'm worth $35 an hour (I think I'm worth more, but that's for my yearly negotiating a raise.) Anyhow, that 6 hours works out to an additional $210 cost of time if I were Derek.

 

[Dmace]

Anyhow, that 6 hours works out to an additional $210 cost of time if I were Derek.

And that's just one day and one job, see how quickly that backhoe pays for itself. :thumbsup:
BTW, the DMACE name has nothing to do with my real name.

 

[JiminGa]

I was looking at Derek Mace's outline of the shenanigans he had to go through renting an excavator vs owning a back hoe.

I noticed 2 hours wasted from breakfast to when the rental place opened to call to see if a unit was available.
1.5 hours round trip time wasted getting there.
0.5 hours wasted loading and contract.
1.5 hours round trip time wasted returning unit.
0.5 hours wasted turning unit it and paying for it.

Total of 6 hours of your life wasted. Now my regular job figures I'm worth $35 an hour (I think I'm worth more, but that's for my yearly negotiating a raise.) Anyhow, that 6 hours works out to an additional $210 cost of time if I were Derek.

It's awesome to actually put that info down to see...I knew it was a lot, but I didn't realize just how much time is spent dealing with a rental and your numbers really match mine when I look at it. from a business standpoint I'd be workin for nothin renting a machine.

 

[grsthegreat]

well, im still not convinced. i used to own a large Case 580C backhoe years ago. thing was always being repaired.

when i finally got rid of it, i was renting nice new units, always running in top form. I used to have them delivered and picked up so i let my CDL expire (hated it anyways - and really dropped my insurance rates). I just charge the equip to the job, and i like it that way.

Now i guess if i had alot of use for one around my place i might get one for an open station compact tractor. But never for my cab tractor...what a pain that would be to use. But i have 20 acres of dense trees and 10 acres of pasture, and ive only rented an excavator 4-5 times since i built my place in 1996. I save up all the roots, rock burial, etc until the list gets too long, then splurge and rent one for 8 hours (keep for 24 hrs). I get all the work done in a few hours, usually share it with my neighbor to get his stuff done, then wait 5 more years and repeat.

one thing is for sure...i dont miss having those calls late at night to bring my backhoe over to help bury a neighbors horse or a cow. that really sucked. I hated doing that, and started to tell people the case was broken. That kind of work is soooo depressing.

 

[Nick359]

I bought a used JD 755 and it came with a backhoe. I have 3.5 acres and I use the backhoe all the time. I am planning on making a thumb for it this spring. It is slow and can't cut big roots, but it is very handy.

I have dug stumps, planted trees, turned a garden, transplanted shrubs, got the tractor unstuck, burried dead animals, and it is a great counter weight for loader work. I am sure I am missing some things.

Once you have a backhoe you will find many uses for it that you wouldn't have thought of before you had one.

I am going to install a geothermal system this spring. I am going to try to dig the trenches. The backhoe will be at its max, and if I can't do it I will rent a bigger one.

I have no complaints, but I have $7,500 in my machine. 6k is a lot but if I buy a new tractor it will have a backhoe with it.

 

[joe48]

DITTO ; Rimshot and the others with positive input on a hoe.
Once you have it, you'll constantly find ways to use it. My only negative is you have to plan your work ahead , so you aren't wasting a lot of time to switch back and forth between the hoe and other 3pt equipt.
I have a CK20 with the 6.5 Rhino hoe with PTO hyd pump. The PTO pump does several things for you, one you have much more flow and power at low RPMs, saves a lot of fuel and if you really need more power or speed then rev it up(like for trenching). It's easier on the machine and your ears too. I run mine at 1200 to 1500 most of the time. i've dug out stumps that were bigger than the whole rig and couldn't lift them. Dug a ramp on one side and rolled it, back filled the other side and keep repeating until it was out of the hole and could roll it with the loader.
As for cost vs. rent, I've done over 300 hrs of loader/hoe work at $30.00/hr, at least half was the hoe.
I just love telling my buddies with boats and Harleys, I have just as much fun with my hobby and mine pays for itself.
And the real icing on the cake is when the wife says can you move some dirt in my garden with my diesel powered wheel barrow, you know you've got it made.

 

[rcrcomputing]

Had the same decision 6 years ago..

The limit was money. Get a ck30 with a backhoe, or a kubuta without. (Lot of price difference)

I went the kioti. And very glad I got the backhoe! Used the **** out of it. It is a bit of a bucking bronco, and when I needed valve parts, had to send pictures and they still had a hard time figuring it out. For these two reasons, I'd look at a different brand next time, but would still get a backhoe..

BTW, shortly thereafter my leach field failed and had to add lines. Then welded a thumb on it and could pick up trees and rocks!

Also, get the TNT now!