JD 790 Backhoe

rjp444us · Aug 20, 2004

like my #7 hoe - I'd buy it again. Cheesy is certainly not the term I would use to describe it.

First thing i'm going to clear up is RobS asked if someone that owned a #7 hoe would buy another one.
NO I would not buy another one.
I use mine for commerical use yes RJP444US. I have a landscape business this does not discount the fact I still don't feel (and I have a lot of experiance ie operator and mechanic of heavy equipment) that this hoe does not meet the expectations for a 30HP tractor!!!
Now as for uses I don't feel that a home owner aplication is a good test for an honest opinion. Most of these users spend more time waxing then sitting in the seat. THIS IS ONLY MY OPINION I ONLY HAVE 30 YEARS EXPERIANCE!!!

OH AND BY THE WAY IT IS CHEESEY AT BEST.

RobS · Aug 20, 2004

<font color="blue"> It is not strong enough to move the tractor around for the most part, it will move it around some </font>

Are you referring to repositioning the tractor? If so, I'll agree but one reason I feel the 7 hoe is well matched to the 790 is that it already will move the tractor around some while using it. If it were any more powerful it would really jack the tractor around or perhaps damage it.

I don't think any of these backhoes are designed for repositioning the tractor like a full TLB can. Three point or subframe, neither will be as strong as a full frame mount like a 110. I use my hoe to ease the tractor along forwards/backwards but not side-to-side (OK, not much anyway).

A friend of mine refers to my little rig as a "power shovel" and I actually think that's a pretty good description. Most of the work I've done with it could have been done with a hand shovel but the hoe takes an all day dig down to an hour. On top of that, I'm not too tired to do the rest of the project once the digging is complete.

My biggest complaint about the 7 is the short reach. It makes for a lot of repositioning, depending on the project. If I were using it to make money for myself I'd have traded up a long time ago but as a personal time saver (over hand digging), it's long paid for itself /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BigEddy · Aug 20, 2004

I'm not going to argue with rjp444us as to how he likes his hoe. Obviuosly it isn't what he needs for his business.

I use mine on an 855 for home / farm and some landscape contracting. But I use it on jobs for which it is suited. A lot of my work is decorative ponds and retaining walls, and I've found the #7 well suited for those jobs. Foundations, pools, farm ponds, I'd rent an excavator or a larger backhoe.

I don't have 30 years experience, but I have close to 20, including time spent working for the largest Cat Dealer in Ontario. And my hoe has never seen wax.

If I had unlimited funds, I'd buy a JD110. Different class, different $, different machine. But looking back at my decision, I'm happy with my 855 and the #7 hoe. It does what I expect it to. I'm sorry rjp444us is disappointed with his.

My advice - understand what your needs are, what the options are, and buy the best compromise between your needs and your budget. And if you can find a unit to borrow, rent or try first - do that.

rjp444us · Aug 20, 2004

What's so hard to understand here I have all the equipment I need to do the jobs! This is not my only piece of wquipment I have larger equipment.
If I need a cerrtian piece of equipment either I buy it or rent it. It is that simple!!
All I am trying to say is in my opnion I don't feel that John Deere did there home work on the match up with this tractor and impliment .
There should have been a choice to opt for the #47 on this unit

BigEddy · Sep 8, 2004

That I can't argue with. Now that the better 47 is available, I don't understand why JD would not engineer the brackets etc. to make it mate with the 790.
Maybe a marketing reason, or maybe due to the 790 being based on the older 770 that the #7 was already designed for, and a limited design budget when developing the 47 that left the 790 requirements out.