ITHINKICAN
Gold Member
Air ride seat :thumbsup:
Buying Advice What do you guys think?
- Thread starter jmmy
- Start date
- Views: 3381
wow! man you guys don't mess around. Thanks for all the responses. I have read thru them three times. First priority is to get the back healed up. And while recuperating keep searching around for the tractor/bushog with FEL. Then as soon as physically capable, rent skidsteer for grading driveway and spreading gravel (driveway is pretty much cut in as it is anlod logging road). Then I am just going to keep my eyes open for dependable old backhoe. It doesn't have to impress anybody....it just has to work. IF i don't find one when it comes time to do the digging I need to do,, I'll just get all my ducks in a row and rent one. I would rent a dozer for my grading work but around here you have to have some kind of insurance policy to rent any piece of equipment with metal tracks.
20 20
Elite Member
just a thought, if you allready have a tractor{with FEL} why not get a mini ex?
I thinkthats where I am headed. I have used mini-ex alot at work. They are very versatile pieces of equipment. They can also be thrown on a trailer behind my pick up, for side work:thumbsup: You guys are agreat bunch to help a new guy out.....thanks
TripleR
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Messages
- 18,084
- Location
- Missouri
- Tractor
- Kubota M8540HDC, L5740HSTC, BX2200, BX2660, John Deere 425&1025R, Case, Massey Ferguson, Ford
We usually go with a mini excavator although we did rent a backhoe once. Even one this size can do quite a bit of work and is easy to transport.
First of all Thanks for all the responses, about the equipment choices, and the back surgery. By the way, the back feels bettere than it did when I made my first post, still stiff as@#$@# but just taking it easy right now reading alot of old threads on here. Thank you for all your best wishes. So... Used tractor, with loader, 40hp range is what I am aiming for. Then, used mini-ex. What do you guys, who have bought used equipment, look for when making your purchases?? I know to look at hours ( and compare the number of hours to the overall condition of the machine) body damage, rust, bent up buckets, slop or loose controls, But what do you guys, look for? The tricks that you know when looking at used equipment?
My neighbor is also a heavy equipment operator and he rents an excavator or bulldozer when the need comes up. It is amazing what he can do with one of those machines in a day or two. He dug out the foundation for his brother-in-law and got enough gravel screened for a 500ft driveway in about 4 days. Could have done it faster if they had three dumptrucks hauling instead of two. He said that it would be a waste of a good machine for him to buy because it would be sitting around way too much unused. I would say just get the tractor and rent the heavy stuff since you have the skill to put it to use. What to look for? I think you would know from your experience on commercial machines. I bought two used tractors. Started fine, operated fine, no slop, not banged up or obvious signs of abuse, motor and hydraulic fluid smelled normal.
