[Foxtrot08]

I've been on the fence about picking up the 260 backhoe for my 2305 - mostly out of concerns how much I would really use it. I live in a community that is about 240 acres and I'm the youngest member by 15 years, I'm also one of 4 people who own a tractor or any sorts of equipment. Also, one of the few who has any dirt work experience. (Growing up on a farm helps, a lot. Especially with a father who was a contractor for a while.)

With that said, there is a lot of ditching, tree planting, general maintenance work that needs done around the property, however - it's not all on my shoulders to do.

Add onto this, I have access at nearly anytime to a Cat 301.5 mini-excavator down the road at my family's farm, but it's about an 2 hours to go get the goose neck hooked up, get the excavator out, load it up & chain it down then drive it to where I need it and finally, take it back. Where as, about 5 minutes to hook the backhoe up and drive it down the street.

Do you guys who have the 260 (or a small backhoe for that matter, BX series or whatnot.) Find yourself using it for small jobs here or there? Or should I side list it for now, until I move to more property? (A goal in the next 5-7 years is to buy 20-40 acres around where I live.)

I can regularly find 260's used for $3500-4000 and the powerbeyond kit is only $300 from my local dealer. So, all in all - lets say $4500 for the entire kit. Worth it for the 'freedom' of having it, or would it just take up space and collect dust in my garage?

 

[DJ in WV]

I have an 8A on my 950 and it is a bit larger than the 260, but to answer your question, yes, I use it for a whole lot of little jobs that I would have dreamed of before getting it. Besides the obvious ditch work or small holes, it is extremely handy for just the ballast, being on a 2wd machine. It's also really handy for pulling or pushing the tractor out of a stuck spot. I use it as a "cherry picker" of sorts for small lifting jobs too.

I guess the job that I use it for the most is maintaining the side ditches on my 3/10 mile driveway. It's amazing how quickly that job gets done with so little practice running the backhoe.

All in all, I can't imagine life without the backhoe now that I have it. I don't regret it for one moment.

 

[TUDOR]

Not having to spend a half a day, or totally rearranging your schedule, to do a 30 minute job makes having a back hoe collect dust between uses well worth the cost.

That's strictly my opinion, others may disagree. I wish that I could have bought mine 25 years before I did!

 

[Shack]

If it's not a strain on the wallet, then yes it is an awesome thing to have handy when you need it, and you will come up with reasons to use it. And I'm sure some of those neighbors will be happy to help find reasons to use it.

 

[Foxtrot08]

It's not a huge strain on my budget... just pushed my Jeep purchase back a little bit, ha.

 

[etcallhome]

I bought the 260 almost 5 yrs ago..Helping the out the community..
Agreed it is nice when you can take a day or two job of ditch digging by hand and finish it in 3 or 4 hrs..
Just helped my neighbors son , he was having a new home built . So I told him for a wedding gift I would dig his house drains, and dig the water line from his spring over to his house.
To make a long story short ,after about a weeks digging all is done.. Now if it ever drys up we'll we able to get the ditches pushed in a little better that they are now.
Sounds like the price for a used one is about 1/2 what I paid when I ordered mine.
Neighbors will like knowing someone in the community can help them out in a pinch..
If you haven't bought the fan guard ,,,you might want to before it's late...

 

[BLIND REF]

I have enjoyed the many uses I have experienced with my 260 hoe. I used it to dig lines, dig around my pond and use the dirt in other places to fill in. I also dig up small stumps. You can also get a thumb attachment which is good at grabbing large rocks, or holding up wood to cut.

 

[Foxtrot08]

With what has recently come up with work, I'm going to play the wait and see game right now. If I end up in a situation with a number of jobs I need to do, I'll pick one up. I was quoted $5200 from my local JD dealership, new installed with the power beyond kit.

So, if that's true, I can always throw it on my credit card and make payments on it. I do think I will end up picking one up, just the question of this spring, or next.