Total noob here trying to understand my tractor

[waygeekierthanu]

Hey all, just picked up a used 790 with just 120 hours on it. I want to get a backhoe attachment (found on Craigslist). I have a rear PTO but not a center PTO, I don't know if I have an scv or the rear quick connects. I currently have a brush hog and loader 300 on it. I of course would like to take the brush hog off and put the back hoe on. How can I tell if I have real hydraulics? I assume it would be obvious and since I don't see them I don't have them? Anybody have a picture or where theirs are, or am I just doing this totally wrong?

 

[Phillip w]

Welcome to the forum. Boy, I can't say one way or the other. I am pretty sure you have a mid pto. It is basically located underneath the tractor. Imagine where the front of the seat is, now go all the way underneath the tractor. There should be a pto shaft pointing to the front of the tractor. As for the hydraulics I'd get with a John Deere dealer and let them help you. I'm pretty sure putting a backhoe on it is possible. But the dealer can definitely get you headed in the right direction. Also, if it were me, I'd get with the dealer and get an owners manual and a service manual. Manuals have helped me alot over the years. Welcome once again and good luck.

 

[waygeekierthanu]

There are two controls for the pto's. I have the control for the rear one I do not have the control for the center one even though the cutout is there for it. That's why I don't think I have a center one. I have downloaded the user manual and it shows all that controls for everything but doesn't really explain where everything hooks up. I will call John Deere on Monday but this weekend I have some free time so I would like to get to work if possible.

 

[beenthere]

Take some quality pictures and post them, showing the rear of the tractor, under the tractor between the rear wheels, and of the operators area. With those, we should be able to advise if the mid PTO is there.. as it may have been an option.

Also, get familiar with the jdparts system here.. put in the model number and find the various parts of your tractor, including part names and part numbers.
John Deere - Parts Catalog

:welcome: to TBN

 

[waygeekierthanu]

These clear enough?View attachment 534734

 

[motownbrowne]

Save the money you'd spend on the backhoe and rent a mini ex when you need it. A three point backhoe puts a lot of stress on the rear end of a tractor. Plus, a three point backhoe on a machine that size won't be very impressive anyway. Just my .02.

 

[beenthere]

Pretty good pics.. the 5th pic almost shows where I think the mid PTO should be.. but just need to see further toward the rear to be sure.

 

[waygeekierthanu]

Save the money you'd spend on the backhoe and rent a mini ex when you need it. A three point backhoe puts a lot of stress on the rear end of a tractor. Plus, a three point backhoe on a machine that size won't be very impressive anyway. Just my .02.

I hear you, but rentals where I live are 300 a day, I have 2.5 acres and will be doing a lot of work... I have to imagine more than 10 days worth... I was honestly tempted to get the harbor freight backhoe but found a 3 point for 1800

 

[rScotty]

I hear you, but rentals where I live are 300 a day, I have 2.5 acres and will be doing a lot of work... I have to imagine more than 10 days worth... I was honestly tempted to get the harbor freight backhoe but found a 3 point for 1800

I used a 3 pt backhoe for years. Mounted it on everything from our little 16hp Yanmar to the much larger John Deere. It was very useful....also very dangerous and capable of over-stressing the back of the machines. But if you can find one used at a good price, why not go for it? They are very negotiable. Easy to get your money back. Get as small a backhoe as you can find. The 790 simply cannot handle anything larger and you want to avoid big repairs. But used with care, they will do a lot of work for you.

What make is the hoe? We can work on this, and I can point out some things to look for on the hoe. But first, I don't understand how the backhoe is associated with a mid PTO. About the only thing a mid PTO is used for is to drive a belly mower. Other types of mowers - and things like PTO pumps for backhoes - are driven by the rear PTO. The JD790 is basically a re-badged Yanmar, and all of those have rear PTOs.
Luck, rScotty

 

[Bavarian]

rScotty you beat me. I was just about to warn the OP about reported rear end damages caused by 3Pt back hoes.

Can't help on anything else since I don't know the tractor. The only thing that caught my eye are the low hours.