Optimal Backhoe Bucket?

[My Hoe]

I checked with Kubota and they said there is no problem that they have ever come across, so maybe its just a Woods thing as you said.

The trailer unfortunately has no sides. It is a flat solid metal deck, with the dip in the back for easy loading. If you need it, you can use it. I figure if your on this site AND you live in Rockland, how bad could you be. All I ask in return is that you check the tire pressure and fill it with gas. LOL

To find a dealer, first decide how far you are willing to travel, get the zip for that area, then just input it into the dealer locator on the Kubota site. Everything can be done over the phone. First go to Westchester Tractor up here (by the way thats the best place to buy it if you decide not to take the trip) and pick out what you want and with what options. Get you best price, then start making some phone calls. The hardest part is the trip. If you make a vacation out of it, its that much better.

Good luck and keep me posted. I would be curious to see what the actual savings winds up being after all is said and done. You can always get in touch with me through this site.

Carl,

Thanks for the tip on Westchester Tractor. I've found Arroway Chevrolet (and Kubota, believe it or not--that's a weird franchise combo, right? LOL) to be helpful when researching a used machine NOT at their dealership. IOW, they were pretty generous with their time, for no potential profit, so I've got them workin' up an estimate, but I will definitely call Westchester, given your recommendation--thanks!

In talking to Arroway, I remembered something the Woods' techs said that DID make sense, about why the 12" bucket would create a problem with the Woods' thumb: they said if the teeth "gnashed" as opposed to "meshing," then you would not be able to close down tightly on small items, such as smaller branches, steel pipes, etc.... THAT made sense to me, as I could forsee someone losing control of a steel pipe, then trying to blame Kubota/Woods for selling a thumb assembly that couldn't grip smaller (say, 4-6" diameter stuff?) securely. As I say, that DOES make sense, but the "bending a tooth" argument really didn't add up to me. (Now that I've beaten that horse to death.... LOL).

I will definitely follow your advice, re: getting prices, and then see if taking a trip makes sense. If you don't mind, where did you go when you went "south" and saved $4,000.? I definitely agree that that trip sounds like a money-saver--especially, as you say, if you can combine it with some vacay time.

And lastly, thank you, again, for the offer of the trailer. If and when the time comes, I'll reach out and still if it's still available. But you'll have to give me some pointers on how to fill it up with "gas"--unless, you were talking about the air in the tires? LOL :laughing:

Oh--My F250 has electric trailer brakes set up already--previous owner had a penchant for $300,000. cigarette-type boats (twin, blown 501's at 900hp PER SIDE). Does your trailer have electric brakes? Or surge? Two axles or one? Just curious. I may just rent a landscape trailer, so I can pile the wood two layers high, and if I do that, I won't bother you and I'll just use the rental trailer, but either way, your generous offer is VERY much appreciated!

I'll be in touch on the pricing, once I get it all researched.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Carl Bert]

Carl,

Oh--My F250 has electric trailer brakes set up already--previous owner had a penchant for $300,000. cigarette-type boats (twin, blown 501's at 900hp PER SIDE). Does your trailer have electric brakes? Or surge? Two axles or one? Just curious. I may just rent a landscape trailer, so I can pile the wood two layers high, and if I do that, I won't bother you and I'll just use the rental trailer, but either way, your generous offer is VERY much appreciated!

I'll be in touch on the pricing, once I get it all researched.

All the best,

Peter

The trailer has electric brakes on all wheels, and is a double axle. I sent you a PM on Arroway Tractor. Oh and the "Fill it with gas" comment, was just my way of saying that it won't cost you anything to use it. Like I said, it just sits there anyway.

 

[lhansman]

Carl

Thanks for the offer but at that price I think I'll hang on to the 18" bucket for now. It seems that even though the Canadian $ is at or above par with the US $ we Canadians are still getting the shaft when it comes to pricing in Canada.

Doelake

I have given away more limestone boulders than I can count over the last few years - to me it just looks like concrete when you landscape with it. I grew up in North Bay and my father in law still has property there with many granite ledges, outcroppings and boulders. If you are interested I have attached a few photos of the regrading and granite boulder retaining wall I have been constructing over the last couple of years in my spare time. I just love the variety of colour that you get with granite.

I have wished many times for the added power of an L39/L45 sized machine as many of these boulders are at or above the capacity of my old B21 and even the new B26. The upside is that the B26 gives me the manouverability I need on my small property.

 

[My Hoe]

The trailer has electric brakes on all wheels, and is a double axle. I sent you a PM on Arroway Tractor. Oh and the "Fill it with gas" comment, was just my way of saying that it won't cost you anything to use it. Like I said, it just sits there anyway.

Your trailer sounds nice! Twin axle/four brakes = Less drama/more safety. I like.

My old boat trailer is single axle/no brakes. Happily, the boat's probably less than 2,500 lbs., and even my old F-150 had no problem stopping it. The F-250 has two-piston calipers (per side) up front, so it should be even better.

I liked your "Fill it with gas" joke--I'm normally not "slow" re: jokes but that one got by me--LOL :laughing: It reminds me of the one about the Service Writer who told the lady (not trying to be sexist here, but I didn't write it ) that:

1. Your blinker fluid is low.
2. Your muffler bearing is worn out.

Yeah, I guess some Service Writers get bored at work sometimes, huh? But I rarely did--usually it was too busy and stressful to get bored, so I guess I wasn't working in the right shops. :confused2:

Thank you for the PM--very helpful.

ttys,

Peter

 

[doelake]

lansman, nice job with the granite retaining wall...working with a backhoe sure beats doing it by hand! I like how you positioned the rocks so they "knit" together, natural looking but with "structural integrity"... I bet you had to flip them back and forth and constantly rotate them to get the right "feel", I remember that well.....
and never apologize for the size of your equipment, it's what you can do with it that matters:laughing: and I think you've shown us:thumbsup:

 

[boggen]

lager = better.

but if ya putting in say telephone line, water line, lawn irrigation, network cable or telephone cable. it is nice to have a smaller bucket. and hopefully the smaller bucket has at least a seep hole or 2 in the bucket some were to help allow clay and mud to come out of the bucket easier. vs having to take a shovel to it.

as far as working in a trench. for above, you don't need to be in the trench.

if you were putting in say culverts, ditches, digging a basement, dealing with building a pond. bigger is better.

 

[lhansman]

Thanks Doelake - I have been on vacation for a couple of weeks hence the delayed reply.

Moving the rocks with a backhoe is definitely a lot nicer than pulling and pushing with a tractor and or come-a-long. This is another type of job where I found having multiple buckets handy. I found picking up the rocks with the 24" bucket made them a little more stable when trying to position them (unfortunately I don't have the thumb yet!) but then sometimes you get it almost in place but need to remove some additional dirt around it to get it in it's final position. This is when I love the Quick Attach hoes as I can drop the 24" and throw the 12" on in less than 5 minutes and get rid of some additional material.

It sounds like you too have experience with positioning rocks. It can take half a day just to get five or six of them positioned so they fit together nicely. I had accumulated a total of about 70 tons of granite boulders over a four year period for this project and you could spend a lot of time just finding the correct rock to fit in next. I hope to finally complete it this summer with the balance of the rocks and then my wife will take charge and get the plants started.