[MUZZLEBLAST]

I have a small hobby farm & I could use a backhoe now & then. Not enough to warrant buying a true dedicated backhoe machine. I have a 601 Ford with FEL and
I was looking into buying a 3 point backhoe attachment. I have heard good/bad things about them. I'm looking for more imput as to what to watch for, brands, Etc. Do they put a strain on the tractor? I'm sure there are some guys on here that have some exposure/experience with these. There is a Taylor Way unit for sale close and also a Woods. Butch from Pgh

 

[JRC0528]

A 3PH backhoe can put much higher stresses on the 3ph mountings than they were designed to handle. On a tractor with a frame mounted 3PH (such as the Kubota BX/B serieses) I'd worry less than on a tractor where the 3PH mounts directly to the transmission casting. Lets just say repairing a broken transmission casting adds up to one very expensive lesson in not being too aggressive while trying to dig out that stubborn rootball!!!

Personally I'd try to find a backhoe that uses a subframe mount, meaning it comes with a sturdy reinforcing frame that attaches to your tractor to take the stress. Typically these frames extend up from the rear end to about there the FEL mounts are located. Whenever you get aggressive in your digging this subframe spreads that load out along your tractor, protecting it from damage.