older backhoes...

[Adj100]

Looking at building a cabin, and associated land leveling, trenching septic etc... and considering getting an older hoe.... see lots of them of CL for 5-10k but am not really sure what I am getting into...

Bad idea?

any guesses as to what rental would run?

I have not run one before, few hundred hours on a JD 450H dozer though. My mechanical and mechanicing experience is limited.

 

[Foxtrot08]

A good backhoe is worth it's weight in gold, especially the older ones - however there are some tricks.

1. Make sure it's 4x4 - a bigger, 2WD backhoe is a turtle on it's back when it comes to being off road. I have a 1986 JD 310, 2WD, cab, heat - but off road, it will get stuck in wet grass. They're weighted funny, so it just doesn't work well off road. However, I busted out 14inch thick asphalt with it about 3 weeks ago, doing a culvert pipe under a drive way. Saw cut it 6 inches... ended up being around 14-15 inches thick, oops.

2. Make a list of work you want to do with it. A backhoe might be good - but a mini-excavator might be better. If you're planning moving dirt around, get a backhoe. If you're just trenching / refilling (i.e. Septic work), a mini-excavator might be better. Also, how long will you want to be doing stuff? Renting is an option, but expensive with no return. If you buy something, you have an asset. But, if you're only going to be doing a weeks worth of work and you have the time to do it all at once, renting is great. If you're going to split it up and do a little here, little here - buy something.

3. Make up your mind for a price range. A good backhoe, 4x4, etc - even older is going to cost 15-20k. The 5-10k ones are going to be 2WD and pretty beat up, which means you'll be putting a lot of money into them.


To me? Mini-excavator / skid loader is the best combination you can get. And I have about everything - dozers, backhoe, excavators and skid loaders. With my ZTS 50 and 317, I never have to use a dozer, or my backhoe really. The only time I use the backhoe is traveling from my parents farm, down to my house - because it's easier to go long distance. If you can afford a mini/skid loader combo - go for it. If not, maybe look into something like a JD 110 - which is what I've been looking at to work around where I live. (Small community, about 240 acres.) So I don't have to trailer the excavator/skid loader 5 miles from my parents house. With the 110, you can get a 3 point hitch too, for various attachments such as a box blade/rear blade, etc. For finish grading.

 

[Adj100]

thanks for a very detailed response, especially this bit about 4 wheel drive. Most of the machines are 2w smaller ones.

Now I have seen some crawler loaders that might work.

I was hoping to keep it under 10k, but that well may not be possible.

I will have to look into rental rater more. Defiantley would be spread out over time.

I do like skidsteers, however how well do they actually dig? we have rather Rocky ground in this part of main that may be an issue.

 

[Foxtrot08]

Crawler loader's are 'okay' off road, but with street pads they again, have issues in the mud.

Skidloader's are not real big on digging - if you're talking moving dirt around digging? Sure. But actual like trenching for a septic or such? Not so much.

How much property do you have? Do you plan on moving dirt around a lot, or leaving it in one place? A mini-excavator might be more the sound thing it seems like, for all conditions.

With a mini, you would have no issues digging the foundation of the cabin, trenching for the septic or leveling land with the dozer blade of it. That way all you would need is something to move dirt, distances. Like a tractor, or even a lawn mower with a cart behind it.

If the hours are true,

something like this http://www.machinerytrader.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=8518203& could be enough for what you need.

Here's some specs on it... Bobcat*331*Mini Excavator

40hp machine, 10ft digging depth if you're digging a basement, that would be about perfect for height, but a little strain on the machine.

Could also auction hunt in your area or dealer hunt in your area for deals. Never know what might come up really. A mini would be a pretty good 'cover all' for digging, again - if you have a way to move dirt around. We mostly use our skid loaders to move things from point A to point B - pallets, gravel, dirt, etc. Not digging. We also have a hydro axe for the front of the 317 for land clearing.

 

[Fi-Q]

There is some good deals for older trackhoe, but i was told that for some of they don t manufacture parts anymore, like some older JD models. But on of my friends dad fot a decent suze older JD track hoe for 12k$ and he used it quite a lot and been lucky, ni major breakdown. If you re planning on keeping the machine at 1 place that might be an pption as well .

 

[boggen]

skid steer, or tractor, or TLB (tractor loader backhoe) been in your shoes before.

the industrial TLB like you might see a city worker driving around, or on road side that road crews might use. are nice heavy machines. and what i ended up going for.

for me though 80 acres, the industrial TLB fits the bill for doing some major re-work on the farm. and once done with major rework will most likely trade it in for a smaller size tractor that has a 3pt hitch backhoe with sub frame. *hint* i would love to use 3pt hitch equipment, but many of the industrial TLB out there the backhoes are permanently mounted on them. and if you take them off there is no 3pt hitch.

not all tractors make it easy for a backhoe use. some tractors are setup for a swivel seat, that you turn 180 to use backhoe, while others you need to hope off tractor than onto backhoe seat to use. sadly this narrows down the field out there pretty good for what is for used / sale.

4WD or MFWD for a TLB, do you need it? no, but it is nice. i can still get around in the mud, but i end up having to use FEL and backhoe. to pull my rear out of the mud more times than not. compared to if i had 4wd drive. though if you are driving in t hat much guey mud in first place, you most likely should not be out there to begin with. new rear tires for 2WD is almost essential to getting around in the mud. ya there may be tread on the rear tire. but less tread you have more likely the wheels will begin to slip in mud. new rear tires are COSTLY! couple thousand bucks

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www. tractorhouse .com/ and sister site www. machinerytrader .com and of course www. craigslist .org

when ya go looking, for used, create a list of places, and plot them out on google maps or on a GPS. and take a day trip starting early morning, till late that night. and go look at a dozen or so used TLB. there is a large differences between the machines. of how well kept they are, to how loose things are (worn pins, worn out holes) = slope for backhoe and FEL (front end loader) along with power, and of course leaks. every single TLB i looked at a couple years ago 13 plus TLBs all had some sort of small leak, some were just leaking like crazy, hyd oil that is.

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i am not a fan of skid steers. ya they are small and powerfull. but things cost more for them vs a regular tractor as far as attachments. and you do not generally see as many attachments for sale for skid steers on the various websites.

though every now and then, there is someone selling off there equipment, trailer, skid steer, and attachments in one bundle.

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with above noted, if you have a removal backhoe, on a regular tractor, you will more likely see much more use out of the tractor for a variety of things. using 3pt hitch equipment.

 

[Richard]

Late to the party here but, I've owned a 2 wheel drive JCB 1550 for maybe 10 years now. I'm a homeowner, and don't use it for any (paid) construction.

I agree that a 4wd might be the cat's meow however, I've never been a turtle stuck on my back with mine. I suppose I just take longer to do a job than a 4wd might take. There have been times I've wished (very much) it was a 4wd but, it keeps going.

Runs like a swiss watch, fires up within what seems to be 2 revolutions of the crank turning (when battery is fully charged)

My house is in the middle of a 250 acre family farm so it gets used to transplant flowers for the wife, move small trees for the wife, move loads of dirt from across the farm to bring topsoil to my front yard, dig stumps, push trees over, rudimentary plow for when we get a rare snowfall (live on dead end road 15 miles outside of town and it can be 4 days before the county finally gets to us)

It's been one of the most versitile things I've ever owned.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just purchased a used (2009) Kubota B26 with only 140 hours of engine time. I cost me about half of what a new one is selling for but still a pretty good chunk of money ($25K) I love the compact size and the amount of work I can get done with it. After seeing what the B26 would do, I sold my 45HP tractor with FEL and my 70 HP hasnt been cranked up since I got the TLB. With 4 WD and the weight of the backhoe,(4000 gross TLB) the capacity of the FEL is outstanding. It takes all of about 5 minutes to remove the backhoe then about 10 more minutes to install the 3 PH arms and it is ready to use as a tractor. The JD 110 is similar but larger frame (over 7000 pounds TLB)and much heavier than the Kubota. Either of these would be good to own as one piece of equipment that can do about all you need to do. Digging depth is not as great as the Industrial sized machines but 8 feet 4 inches on the B26 is plenty deep for me and my chores. The JD 110 will dig about 22 inches deeper than the Kubota B26. I am not sure what used prices are on the JD model though but there are a few on Tractorhouse.com for sale.
Industrial used machines are plentiful however and not bad on prices. $8k will get you a fairly good machine and I have seen them with cabs and AC for $12K but they are not convertible to tractors so all you can do is dig and haul with the FEL.