YOUR OPINION: Get a 3pt stump grinder, or get a backhoe for my R4047

[Poopdeck Pappy]

TSO, if you go with a backhoe, I'd highly recommend getting a ripper tooth for digging the roots out instead of using a bucket. I bought a ripper tooth for my little BX23's backhoe and it has worked great (in the limited time I have on it). I have heavy, black, gummy clay that just loves to stick in a bucket. It even sticks to my ripper tooth, but that's not a problem with the ripper like it is with the bucket.

My other suggestion would be to consider buying a used TLB, get rid of the stumps with it and then sell it. If you are careful when you buy it, you probably won't lose much or any money on it when you sell it. It's like a rental with no time limit that's free or almost free, and you have no hassles of removing the backhoe like you will if you buy one for your tractor.

Someone else mentioned the limited market for a model-specific backhoe. I thought about getting one for my Kioti when I bought it, but decided against it for exactly that reason. How many potential buyers are out there for a used frame-mounted backhoe for a Kioti DK50? Probably not that many. So I found the little BX23, which is sufficient for my needs. I'll sell it when I'm done digging out cedars.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Had a guy grind some stumps for a friend after the ice storm a few years back. Self contained Vermeer unit 2 hours got rid of like 20 some odd stumps really fast. Then help a family member dig out stumps from a logging job 320 cat 50,000 pound excavator took 15-20 min per stump and had a thumb too. Wouldn't try large stumps like you say you have TSO with a 3 pt hitch backhoe. I vote for the grinder. Even a walk behind grinder will be faster than a small backhoe. I know guys on here love theirs but I wouldn't touch a hoe under 20,000 pounds and without tracks. Just my opinion. Happy shopping.

I do agree that a stump grinder in many instances, especially on large stumps, is faster than digging them up, but 6 minutes average per stump including location time seems a bit fast (well a lot fast) and 20 minutes to dig out a stump with a 50K# machine is plain ridicules unless it was a giant redwood sized tree. I can dig out a 20" diameter stump with my little bitty B 26 in that amount of time in hard rocky clay. A big excavator should get out a stump in about 3 strokes with a knowledgeable operator.

For the OP, the best solution would be to rent a stump grinder and get all his stumps ground down in a weekend as there is likely not enough work to justify cost of ownership over the long haul.

 

[TSO]

Thanks for all the replies fellas. So far I'm leaning toward the 3pt stump grinder. Reason being, it's portable, it'll do the job without leaving me a pile of stumps AND a big hole to fill ... and more importantly, I can hire myself out here and there to grind stumps, when I choose to. Over time it may pay for itself, and if not, I'll just sell it.

Actually, I was making a deal on a used 3pt grinder that was several states away. Was all set to drive down there, and he called and said someone just came by and bought it. I'm not too happy about that, it was a great deal --- but I understand, cash is king.