</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Get the case 580. Cummins engine, big time power, save your tractor for tractoring. The 580 will be much more capable and will be an excellent bcakup machine.
I am not amused by the prices of backhoes. Even the 6000$ ones. I could sure use a BH. )</font>
Right-on!!! I followed the forum's advice getting the largest tractor I could afford: a Kubota M6800. Guess what? I quickly learned it's still not a piece of construction equipment. After being similarly "not amused" by the prices of hoe attachments I bought a used (but not abused) Case 580E Super for about the same numbers.
Now, not only do I have a real construction-grade hoe, I can use the Case loader for the tougher work I might have had to really push the Kubota on.