Mini excavator/skid steer vs backhoe.

[goeduck]

For all around use including on-Farm transport, there is no beating a TLB. You can bury a dead cow on the back forty and be back at the barn before a excavator can be loaded on the trailer. For digging only there is no beating an excavator. So it depends.

I do not know many farmers that have that much digging to do on a regular year after year basis to justify an excavator. Contractors, of course.

 

[Agvg]

But why are people not using a real wheel loader when you have the space to do so? Nobody here uses a skid steer unless it's the only option because big space limitations.

 

[spitter]

By me it's mostly hobby farms and just about everyone I know has a old 310 ,580 or 555 all 1960's 1970 's vintage all purchased under 5,000$. On the job we use our 310 way more than our SS or mini but we are a GC not diggers. It gets lots of use filling and compacting dumpsters. I know of one guy we hate bought a brand new 310 just to compact dumpsters. No wounder he beats his guys out of money all the time:thumbdown::drink:

 

[Big Barn]

I do not know many farmers that have that much digging to do on a regular year after year basis to justify an excavator. Contractors, of course.

I sold mine for that reason. It was nice to have on the farm but just too much of a luxury item.

 

[4570Man]

But why are people not using a real wheel loader when you have the space to do so? Nobody here uses a skid steer unless it's the only option because big space limitations.

Maybe you bridge a lot of the gap with the tilt&rotators we don’t have but the CTLs are far better dirt work machines. The compact loader isn’t a lot different performance wise for the backhoe. The loaders are designed for loading and not a lot more. You’ll find CTLs doing the vast majority of site work over here. Sure they’re not dozers but you won’t bring dozer and a grader to the same excavating job as the CTLs.

 

[Big Barn]

But why are people not using a real wheel loader when you have the space to do so? Nobody here uses a skid steer unless it's the only option because big space limitations.

I grew up on the farm using a Case Uniloader. It was archaic.

Compact wheel loaders and telehandler today.

 

[Big Barn]

I have this hanging in my shop office.



Growing up the terms CUT and SCUT didn’t exist. I only heard of them when I joined TBN.

We only had tractors. Ag and Industrial.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I need to throw a different animal into this mix. Late 60's, I worked for a small excavation outfit. Couple of R190 IH dumps, a tilt deck tagalong, IH 175 track loader, TD 9 dozer and as for the backhoe, an IH Hough model 60 rubber tired loader with a detachable backhoe. Keep in mind that back then, there was not a lot of money around for buying fancy equipment nor customers with deep pockets.

I think that the backhoe may have been made by a company named Ware? Anyway, that backhoe would easily lift and set a concrete septic tank where as most of the hoes around at that time would not. You could drop the hoe in a minute or two and have at it with the loader bucket as needed.

Plus, in the winter, the trucks and loader were leased to the state for snow work. Smart man that owner. He made money during a time when many failed.

I agree though, the TLB would work best for the budget if it mostly filled the need.