most powerful compact hoe

[milkie62]

Been looking at compact tractor backhoe specs.The most powerful seem to be made by Bradco.I am only using it mainly on my property digging stumps and landscaping use. 35-50 HP tractor.But do not know if all specs are created equal.Cannot afford a TLB all at once.Will buy tractor/loader then backhoe attachment .Has anybody tried a Kubota L39 ? I like the L48 but not the hydro trans.

 

[Sweden-Art]

Been looking at compact tractor backhoe specs.The most powerful seem to be made by Bradco.I am only using it mainly on my property digging stumps and landscaping use. 35-50 HP tractor.But do not know if all specs are created equal.Cannot afford a TLB all at once.Will buy tractor/loader then backhoe attachment .Has anybody tried a Kubota L39 ? I like the L48 but not the hydro trans.

I dont think that more powerfull more better is always the truth. Choosing Backhoe breakout force should depend on the weight of the tractor. I would not get a backhoe that has more break out force then the actually tractor weights.

What size of backhoe are you interested in?

 

[milkie62]

If I could I think I would get a Bradco 509.They seem to be a stout piece of equipment.

 

[newbury]

I dont think that more powerfull more better is always the truth. Choosing Backhoe breakout force should depend on the weight of the tractor. I would not get a backhoe that has more break out force then the actually tractor weights.

Say what?
Does that include the weight of the hoe?
/edit -
I think the dig depth should be maxed for your PTO output.
If your hoe outpulls your tractor you can always add weight.

 

[Sweden-Art]

Say what?
Does that include the weight of the hoe?
/edit -
I think the dig depth should be maxed for your PTO output.
If your hoe outpulls your tractor you can always add weight.

Yes all weight included, FEL, Hoe etc.
Im no expert though just my opionen. Like Newton said >"Force are equal in size and opposite in direction."
But with a hoe we need to consider the "frictional" counter force that the stabilizers and tractor gives, these forces and the weight of the tractor should over win the hoe breakout force in most cases. But even then i would not go for over powered hoe.

I think there is a reason why you hardly see any mini excavator specifications with bigger breakout force then weight.

But again im no expert, just "thinking", i may be wrong.

 

[jimmyj]

Hey Milkie. This is of great interest to me as I have a fairly small tractor (Kioti CK30) with a Kioti BH.

I find one of the things I'm having to deal with is the hoe can easily pull the whole tractor around. If I'm reefing hard on a stump or deep hole I often move the tractor. I know that I'm a newbie operator and have learned a few tricks about working the unit but it still happens a lot. A hoe too strong for the tractor may not be without some negatives.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

I sold several Mahindra 4110's and 3510's with Mahindra (Bradco made) 509 backhoes and some were sold to heavy equipment operaters. I cannot think of any that were not very pleased with their choice.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Yeah, a bradco backhoe that over power the tractors weight.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I sell Bradco, they are great backhoes. One strike against them is that they do not have many mounts available for the tractors, and they generaly are not as well designed as a Woods mount. That power also comes at the expense of speed, a L45/M59/etc is much more productive.

 

[FxdGrMind]

My ex GF... well ok maybe not the most powerfull, just well used.


Ohhh Sorry wrong toppic.

 

[Reg]

I agree with what I think Sweden-Art means - though I might have worded it a little differently.

A hoe with WAY TOO MUCH force in relation to the weight of the tractor would likely have had me in trouble more than a few times - or maybe just ONCE !
I read Sweden-Art's post as a rule of thumb; lets see 4,000 lb tractor, 1300 lb loader with bucket, 1100 lbs of tire fluid, I'm close to 6500 lbs without the hoe itself, maybe 1100 for that.
Yep, I don't think I would NEED or could usefully USE 6 or 7 thousand pounds of breakout force and if I had it I would probably do some damage.
My little 8 1/2 ft Amerequip hoe could also get me in trouble if it was on the back of a 20 HP (barely) Cat 1 tractor.
So I agree, keep it in proportion to the tractor's weight.

Yes, sure, experience and skills are part of the equation too, but many of the buying decision questions that are asked here come from people with little/no experience of the particular equipment they are considering for purchase.
Technique is more important with a hoe than absolute FORCE.

 

[dfkrug]

But with a hoe we need to consider the "frictional" counter force that the stabilizers and tractor gives....

That is correct! Comparing hoe attachment capabilities is tough. I have
been collecting published specs and my own measurements for these units
for several years. It is one thing to see a published force spec for the dipper
or the breakout force, but at what pressure is the measurement taken?
And does the manufacturer limit the recommended pressure to something
less than what your tractor can supply? I want it to run at the full 2500psi
that my tractor can put out.

The outrigger design is very important. Most of the hoes I see for sale
do not use "flip-over" outrigger feet that offer good frictional resistance
to being dragged by the hoe's digging action. One foot position should be
for paved surfaces and have rubber shoes. The flipped over position should
be pointy and anchor the tractor well. My own hoe uses cast steel
flip-over feet just like what Woods uses. In the pointy position, my hoe
can still drag the tractor.

 

[sqdqo]

When you mention "breakout" force are you referring to the bucket digging force or the dipper force? The specs I am reading show the bucket digging force being much higher than the dippers. I just want to clarify what I am looking at.

 

[Hematite]

I agree with what I think Sweden-Art means - though I might have worded it a little differently.

A hoe with WAY TOO MUCH force in relation to the weight of the tractor would likely have had me in trouble more than a few times - or maybe just ONCE !
I read Sweden-Art's post as a rule of thumb; lets see 4,000 lb tractor, 1300 lb loader with bucket, 1100 lbs of tire fluid, I'm close to 6500 lbs without the hoe itself, maybe 1100 for that.
Yep, I don't think I would NEED or could usefully USE 6 or 7 thousand pounds of breakout force and if I had it I would probably do some damage.
My little 8 1/2 ft Amerequip hoe could also get me in trouble if it was on the back of a 20 HP (barely) Cat 1 tractor.
So I agree, keep it in proportion to the tractor's weight.

Yes, sure, experience and skills are part of the equation too, but many of the buying decision questions that are asked here come from people with little/no experience of the particular equipment they are considering for purchase.
Technique is more important with a hoe than absolute FORCE.

Absolutely correct! Paper specifications are NO substitute for technique and practice. There has to be a balance of power and the weight of the machine. The machine manufacturer suggestions are ususally the best.

 

[dfkrug]

When you mention "breakout" force are you referring to the bucket digging force or the dipper force?

Breakout force for a hoe or FEL is the force applied to the ground by
the curl action of the bucket cyl(s). It will generally be much higher
than the dipper stick force because there is a smaller moment arm. This
also means that you can increase the breakout force with a different
bucket.

 

[Builder]

Been looking at compact tractor backhoe specs.The most powerful seem to be made by Bradco.I am only using it mainly on my property digging stumps and landscaping use. 35-50 HP tractor.But do not know if all specs are created equal.Cannot afford a TLB all at once.Will buy tractor/loader then backhoe attachment .Has anybody tried a Kubota L39 ? I like the L48 but not the hydro trans.

I owned one for 2 years and I thought it was pretty stout except the sheetmetal. I didn't like the L-48 hydro trans, nor the hydro trans on my 48HP Challenger, either. I bought the L-39 just because of this reason.

I went through a breif period where I thought I could get by just renting a full size TLB and owning a smaller TLB for small jobs. Mistake. I've been back in a full size since early '07 and better off for it.

The L-39/48, JD 110's are good units, but I think the small tractor mounted backhoes are very limited in digging speed. We used to have a running joke on the jobsite that a good laborer with a shovel could dig as fast as a small tractor with a little hoe on the back. lol