L3301, what can I do with a BH77?

[ckarnes]

Looking at replacing my old L345 with a new L3301. I am interested in getting the BH77, but am on the fence. I have a lot of excavation work to do. Living in KY I have rocky, clay land, and live on top of a hill. I am trying to get the pasture restored from where the previous owners horses walked up and down the hill. The pictures look better than it is in reality. Can a BH77 tackle this, plus digging out for my back patio and other digging down the road? I know not to expect the performance of a full size machine, and I have the time... ~$7500 is a good chunk of money though. Thanks for the input!

 

[baronetm]

I have a BH77 with a mechanical thumb and for use around the home and property maintenance I find it very useful. I have removed many rocks from my lawn, added rip rap to my brook, some of the stones near the limit of the hoe’s capacity, dug footings for a retaining wall, contoured shallow drainage ditches in my lawn and dug conduit trenches. I made an 18” crumbing blade and a 40” Squeegee blade to fit on my 16” bucket. With these add-on’s it made digging my footings and contouring my drainage ditches a breeze. I think they may work well in smoothing your animal ruts in places where running a tractor bucket may be cumbersome or dangerous. If I had the money a mini excavator would be my preference for digging but we all have to work within our means and practical needs. Will I ever get my money’s worth out of it, probably not, but the convenience, completing some task that would never have been done and saving the back braking shovel labor as I age makes it worth it me.
I did have to have the bucket curl cylinder replaced with less than 3 hours on the hoe, a manufactures defect, but stuff happens, dealer took good care of me, that what counted in the end.

 

[DuckDog]

I did not get a BH for the fact that I can rent a mini excavator on a trailer for a weekend for $200 from a local rental company. Would have to rent the mini over 35 times to justify the price. I’ve rented it twice. And will probably do so another few times. But still no where close to $7500 worth. Also have to store the BH when not in use and any maintinence. One factor I cannot argue is convenience.

Maybe check into rental rates before you make your decision and weigh that out vs owning your own BH.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quazz]

It is amazing what they can do. Sure a mini excavator will do it quicker but it isn't attached to your tractor and there when you want it. I have ditched, dug up stumps, repaired a water line from my well, dug holes for footings, installed a long drain pipe, put in a septic, planted trees plus a bunch of other things that I can't think of right now. On top of it digging is fun, I dig it lol. I am really glad I bought mine.

 

[ckarnes]

There is a rental place fairly close. A mini-ex is $286 for a day plus delivery. It works out to less than 26 days to pay off. I'd have to call on delivery charges, but figure it is at least $50 for delivery and another $50 for pickup. Weighing out the options of cost is difficult. However, having a piece of machinery at the house whenever I want to use it is also worth something.

I am more interested in seeing that it will perform the work I want. If it can do the job, then I can weigh out the cost benefit. Thanks for the input!

 

[DuckDog]

I don’t think you’ll have any issues with the tasks you list. Stump Work is hard on any mini or BH and you didn’t list that. Just digging in the dirt should be no issue for any BH. Stump removal is also possible with the right plan of attack. But can be a little harder on the equipment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[quazz]

Yes stumps take a long time but most of what I dig out are alders and bush and it works great for that. The problem with things like alders is you cut them back and they come back stronger than ever and it is really satisfying popping those roots out.
Another thing I use the BH for is in the event of getting a tree hung up. With a long chain I give the trunk a little tug from a safe distance and down it comes. I could do this with the draw bar but with the backhoe I can be more accurate. I think the backhoe is one of those things you don't really know if you need but when you get one (assuming you have several acres) you won't want to live without one ever again. There are a million little jobs that are made very easy. Usually I see these when I am doing something else so I just jump in the back seat and it's done.
Next up for me is a grapple after reading about them hear I have a feeling that this would be one of those 'how did I get by without one?" moments.

 

[Tractor Dell]

Next up for me is a grapple after reading about them hear I have a feeling that this would be one of those 'how did I get by without one?" moments.

Haha, this so true, you won't believe it.

 

[ckarnes]

On a side note.... Have you thought about the L2501 instead of the L3301 (with the emission garbage including the Electronic Control Unit?). Lower price that you can put towards the backhoe. How much PTO work do you have planned?

My old 34hp L345 which is wore out; has trouble pulling the 72inch finish mower up some of the hills. I was worried that the 25hp wouldn't be enough. I am changing over to a 60inch finish mower, the property really isn't set up for a 72inch, but it came with the old tractor when I bought it.

Finish mowing and the occasional bush hogging is the only PTO work I see in the foreseeable future. Will a L2501 be able to handle these steep hills?

Also, when I talked to the dealer there didn't seem to be much price difference between the two. It could be that I started getting info on the L3301?

Thanks!