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White347lx

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2023
244
354
I've tried to use those backhoe attachments on compact tractors and it's more frustrating than productive. They're too light so it tips easy, have no reach so you have to keep moving the tractor to get a good angle on your work and they're *SLOW* af. As others mentioned, you're way better off just renting a real excavator as needed to dig holes/trenches/footings/etc. If you really do use one that often, buy an older Case backhoe, replace all the hoses on it, change all the fluids and filters. You'll have a legit badass machine that will likely become your most used toy and once you're done it's still worth at least what you paid for it. This old 580 is $8500 on marketplace and it will do a days worth of compact tractor work in minutes:
1731974273598.png
 
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sparkuri

sparkuri

Pulse on the finger of The Cimmunity
First 100
Jan 16, 2015
37,783
49,662
White347lx said:
I've tried to use those backhoe attachments on compact tractors and it's more frustrating than productive. They're too light so it tips easy, have no reach so you have to keep moving the tractor to get a good angle on your work and they're *SLOW* af. As others mentioned, you're way better off just renting a real excavator as needed to dig holes/trenches/footings/etc. If you really do use one that often, buy an older Case backhoe, replace all the hoses on it, change all the fluids and filters. You'll have a legit badass machine that will likely become your most used toy and once you're done it's still worth at least what you paid for it. This old 580 is $8500 on marketplace and it will do a days worth of compact tractor work in minutes:
View attachment 130931
Click to expand...


Funny, I was just looking at that exact one on marketplace.
But's it's 2wd, which is not gonna fly on my land.
 
W

White347lx

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2023
244
354
sparkuri said:
Funny, I was just looking at that exact one on marketplace.
But's it's 2wd, which is not gonna fly on my land.
Click to expand...
Backhoes do not get stuck. They can walk into or out of places you wouldn’t believe. Of course anything is possible, but a 4wd backhoe probably won’t go much farther than a 2wd. It would still slide against trees on muddy hillsides and sink in creekbeds. Those are the only ways I’ve been able to stick a hoe.

Edit to add pic of stuck hoe. This was when the dam broke at Lake Delhi and we got the job to salvage boats. My buddy thought it was hilarious at first, then it kept sinking every time the engine started:
1731979718510.jpeg
1731979741079.jpeg
 
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sparkuri

sparkuri

Pulse on the finger of The Cimmunity
First 100
Jan 16, 2015
37,783
49,662
White347lx said:
Backhoes do not get stuck. They can walk into or out of places you wouldn’t believe. Of course anything is possible, but a 4wd backhoe probably won’t go much farther than a 2wd. It would still slide against trees on muddy hillsides and sink in creekbeds. Those are the only ways I’ve been able to stick a hoe.
Click to expand...
I've worked with backhoes in construction and a little in the forest. I love them.
I'd love to have one, but cannot warrant the cost on a bunch of small projects opposed to the larger projects.
Plus I know guys that have them that will bring theirs from landfills and sidejob for me for $50/hr. if need be.
A subframe good contractor backhoe in the 1700lb.'ish range with thumb is all I need. I would not fuck around with a dinky 3-point.
I'm kinda right in the middle.
 
kvr28

kvr28

Ghost of KVR
Nov 22, 2015
7,348
10,236
White347lx said:
I've tried to use those backhoe attachments on compact tractors and it's more frustrating than productive. They're too light so it tips easy, have no reach so you have to keep moving the tractor to get a good angle on your work and they're *SLOW* af. As others mentioned, you're way better off just renting a real excavator as needed to dig holes/trenches/footings/etc. If you really do use one that often, buy an older Case backhoe, replace all the hoses on it, change all the fluids and filters. You'll have a legit badass machine that will likely become your most used toy and once you're done it's still worth at least what you paid for it. This old 580 is $8500 on marketplace and it will do a days worth of compact tractor work in minutes:
View attachment 130931
Click to expand...
And it's not much more than a back hoe attachment
 
NiteProwleR

NiteProwleR

Free Hole Lay Row
Nov 17, 2023
2,773
4,276
You should be able to drag yourself out of a lot of hairy situations. We got stuck in a man lift on a flooded area and just the sheer weight of the lift/bucket when angled proper got us unstuck. Thing was a tank with monster tires, though. I can imagine if you've got a claw like them tractors it would be even easier.
 
sparkuri

sparkuri

Pulse on the finger of The Cimmunity
First 100
Jan 16, 2015
37,783
49,662
This is nice input, but if we don't get away from backhoes and tanks, I'm afraid we're two posts from you guys convincing me I need an APC and to mow my yard with the .50 cal.
 
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