Backhoe need to compare subframe backhoes

[wrb103]

I'm looking for a bh mounted on a sub frame. I have a Kubota M8540 which will be paid off in August 2013. I'm not sure how to compare different models and manufacturers. Is there one strong enough for an 85 hp tractor? I will be doing clearing of tally trees on about 10 acres so I can build a concrete form to build a 100 x 200 barn.

 

[Grandad4]

Your tractor is getting pretty large for a backhoe attachment... it would take a really serious and expensive backhoe to go with something that big. Plus, it's not as handy to maneuver as a tractor with a smaller footprint. A top-of-the-line backhoe that would match the M8540 would be something like this:

609 & 611 Backhoe,

But it will set you back something north of $10k.

You might find that a dozer guy will clear your 10 acres for less than that, or you could rent a dozer yourself. Either way, you save the wear and tear on your M8540 and get the job done quicker. Something to think about. I have a smaller BH that has been very useful for what we do, but if I needed 10 mostly flat acres fully cleared, the dozer option would look pretty good to me.

 

[art]

When you get that big of a tractor and you have to keep moving you will wear yourself out going from seat to seat! Buy an older backhoe do the work and then sell it when the work is done!

 

[swick1]

I'd rent a big excavator for a week and go for it. Tractor mounted backhoes suck for moving logs and loading trucks/trailers. Not nearly enough reach or maneuverability.

 

[wrb103]

yes my tractor is a little large for a backhoe but I've been wanting a bh for a long time. I hate to have to buy an entire new tractor just to get a new toy. I even thought of buying a smaller bh as long it will mount to my tractor.

 

[wrb103]

Maybe I just need to break down and buy a used mini excavator. I have used dozer before but are getting **** expensive around here due to high demand. Last dozer I hired took down trees I had clearly marked to save, said it was better looking that way. My blood pressure doesn't need to get that high again. I have a small 110 acre farm also that I could use this equip on.

 

[wrb103]

I'm looking at the bush hog and bradco bh. They seem to be built stronger than the woods or woodmaxx. Can't decide which is the best buy for the money.

 

[dfkrug]

Is there one strong enough for an 85 hp tractor?

Well, you can put a too-big hoe on a too-small tractor, but you can't really put a too-small
hoe on a too-big tractor.

A backhoe uses hydraulic power, which is limited by its relief valve. If the flow rate from
your tractor's implement pump is a bit high and makes your hoe move too fast, just lower
the engine speed a bit. The M8540 puts out 11GPM at full speed, so that's not too much.

And despite all my harping about using subframes for backhoes, your tractor has a Category 2
3-point hitch. A Cat 2 is strong enough to support a hoe on the 3-pt. That means that even
if you got a tiny 6.5' hoe, you can lower the hitch enough for the outriggers to properly engage
the ground. I don't know who makes a subframe for the M40s, but they are probably not common.

 

[wrb103]

Thanks dfkrug. that's was a major concern of mine. how would the hydraulics match up if I found a smaller bh that would do what I need but was half the size of what is recommended for my tractor. Hate to see something cheap cost me a bundle in tractor repairs.

 

[dfkrug]

how would the hydraulics match up if I found a smaller bh that would do
what I need but was half the size of what is recommended for my tractor.

A lot depends on what you want to do. The hoes recommended by the mfgr for a particular
tractor are really maximums, not minimums.

Hydraulically speaking, a common 7.5'-class hoe would work fine, and be quite happy at
7-8 GPM and 2500psi.

I did help a guy put one of my Prairie Dog 7.5s on a Case 480LL, an industrial tractor with
a CAT 2 3-pt hitch. The 3-pt has held up fine, and he has done a LOT of digging. Looks
kinda small on that machine, but hey, it works. That's a 1200# hoe and there are
lots of similar units coming up used on CraigsList around the country.