Opinions on backhoes.........

Rick Jay · Jun 7, 2003

Ditto everything Henro said. Just replace his Kubota hoe with my Woods 7500 with subframe and his 3.7 acres with my 2/3 acre.

For me, I like the longer reach when transplanting shrubs. I believe the longer hoe allows a better "angle of attack" when plucking them out of the ground with less chance of damage.

I talked myself up through the Kubota B series partly because the upper end of the B's would take the larger backhoe. For me, the extra performance was worth the extra $$$.

Now, if I actually had some real property, I could easily convince myself to go with the L30 series and a 9' hoe. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Good Luck,

~Rick

PondKeeper · Jun 7, 2003

I'm a virtual newbie to tractors but your question is on point to what I had to answer to myself when I was deciding what to purchase. I ended up buying a smaller tractor than my budget but I went with the backhoe attachment which increased the initial purchase amount back to my max budget. If dollars were not the concern I would have gone with a larger model with a backhoe but that was not reality for me. My B7500 Kutota is the smallest compact model but when you add the backhoe it was far more than the largest B Series without a BH.

The task and your budget really make the decision. In my case, I am glad I got the BH, in fact, I have not taken it off yet because I continue to use it all the time. I have tackled projects that I could not do with the FEL alone. BTW, the FEL is the most useful attachment IMO and I see the BH right behind it, (discounting mowing decks if that is one of your tasks).

The BH is probably the most lux attachment because of the excessive cost, but when you have one you know how many uses it has that are beyond any of the things you thought you might use it for when weighing the purchase. It might be cheaper to rent one when needed but the all of the incidental tasks would not warrant a rental..... The BH literally opens the door to more uses for the tractor, kind of like "if you build it they will come..."

If I had the same budget today as I had when I was deciding what to buy and with the experience I have had since I took delivery I would do it the same way again. I am very pleased I bought a BH.

Mike

Anonymous Poster · Jun 7, 2003

<font color="blue"> Now, if I actually had some real property, I could easily convince myself to go with the L30 series and a 9' hoe. </font>

Rick,

Somehow I doubt that you would stop at the L30xx series!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SPIKER · Jun 7, 2003

AUTOTECH:

I have a smaller backhoe frame mount on an import (JINMA284) 28 HP 4 wheel drive gear drive) It has it's own PTO pump as others said... I have been using mine quite alot, though not enough to have justfied the cost 100% but shortly I think i'll have made it there!

It only has a 6' dig and an 8' reach but it is frame mount which makes it harder on,, pretty easy off, but really is much more sturdy, I can lift tractor with it and the FEL. (both IMPORTS CHINA STUFF) but heck I have less than 10 grand into it with FEL, hoe, mower and TIller. that was WITH the tractor too... lots cheaper than going with big 3, maybe older tech, but well worth the $.

Mark /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Carl_NH · Jun 8, 2003

Greg,

It's like a snowplow on a truck, when you need it you have it.. and it will be dormant for a time, and at the end of the day you will decide it is probably one of the better investments after the basic, FEL, box blade etc.

Before the BH I used a hand operated rototiller then the bucket to move the spoils as needed. While the BH gets infrequent use, (1-2x week) when I need to use it it's there..

The key element in consideration should be ease of R&R of the BH, then size. If you intend to tackle a quantity of large stumps (10" and up) or need to navigate in large rocks then either rent/hire this done or get a unit that is sized for the task at hand.

THe other factor is depreciation, and if you buy the BH and use it for 2-3 years and don't misuse it, it will likely lose about 25% of its value in that time, so not a bad investment if you need the tool.

Carl

Dahammer · Jun 8, 2003

I had a JD48 hoe on the back of my 4600 for four years. A compact tractor hoe is an expensive toy IMHO. That never stopped anyone from buying one, including myself. They are light duty little hoes for around the house or estate. Dig a hole for a shub here, trench a french drain over there bury some cables over here sort of thing. Now, understand that you can do just about anything a real hoe does, it will just take you forever. I cleared an acre of Maine woods, and wouldn't want to do THAT again. Pulling a 20 inch maple stump would take hours. I just sold my outfit and next one will be a smaller tractor without the hoe, and I will buy an old beat up excavator or *yellow* TLB and have 10 times the capactity for not much more than I invested in my old rig (30+K). If you are not in a hurry and have the self-control not to try things with a compact tractor hoe that you shouldn't do, then go for it. If you want some serious capablities, then rent a 26,000lbs Hitachi for a week and do what would take you all summer to do with a little hoe. I just got back from a farm, looking at a camper for sale. Out back the guy had about a 30,000lb excavator that looked like a rusting hulk. He paid 12K for it and has been using it to clear woods for more pasture. The bucked on it was a big as a car. He pulled trees out like pulling weeds. He will use it for the summer and then sell it for 12K not a bad deal..

Hoeman00 · Jun 8, 2003

I'll second lamarbur just get a Deere 710 w/ extenda hoe and be done w/ the debate /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

manganos · Jun 8, 2003

I had a Kubota BX22 and just traded it in on a Kioti 3054. I didn't get a BH for the Kioti. I used the BH a lot on the BX22 and then I didn't use it anymore. I feel that getting a bigger tractor and just renting the job out or renting a BH is better in my case.

EddieWalker · Jun 8, 2003

I've been looking at backhoe's on tractors also. I've been told to avoid putting a backhoe on a 3pt due to the amount of preasure put on the frame. In some cases the frame will bend or even break. I don't know this to be a fact in all cases, but if it happens once, it can happen again.

GregJ · Jun 8, 2003

Gregg,
I just wrote a post in the Kubota Owning/Operating group regarding some of your questions. Here is the link: Backhoe Attachment . I think it is one of the most useful parts of my tractor. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Greg