Hi, New to backhoes and been shopping for a while for one. Have a decent amount of experience with tractors and 3pt hitches and the likes but I found a 1997 JD 310E that is missing its entire backhoe assembly for pretty cheap money but havent moved on it as I've had no luck finding a backhoe attachment to put on it. Anyways was searching the web again and found someone semi nearby who was advertising a JD backhoe attachment for sale that he stated "Backhoe attachment for 450c or other loaders with rear attachment bracket" And it got me wondering if I could put the attachment on the 310 and have it work as it would save me 5-10k. Tractors with 3pts I know but backhoes I dont so just hoping somebody could help out with my question. Thanks
"anything's possible with a torch and a welder" What is on the back end of the 310? I would think the ears that the swing tower mounts to would be either there or cut off. I don't think there is any kind of "backhoe attachment bracket" on a 310, I know there isn't on the bigger ones. The backhoe mount frame is the tractor frame.
I would pass on that 310E If you are wanting a T/L/B unit. There were several different model backhoe attachments made through the years for the 450C dozers. It would be real interesting see how the 310 could handle the weight of the 450 attachment. It could be nightmare, I don't know. Just something to consider. If the backhoe control valve is missing on the 310 and isn't included with the 450 attachment you will spending some big time dollars getting all the plumbing in place.
I emailed the person and he said he'd email me some pictures of the rear of the 310, from the pictures of it I can see it looks like what I would call the "control lever box" or the box on the rear of the backhoe that contains the sticks to operate the boom, and the stabilizer is still attached the the backhoe. I will admit I totally spaced on the fact that the other backhoe system was for a 450... I missread and thought it was a 410. So that probably complicates things way more. I'll attach an image of the backhoe unit itself, in farm grade tractors we use a universal 3pt hitch on the rear so we can attach a myriad of things on it, but attachments like backhoes don't work that effectively due to the looseness of the 3pt. So I know that industrial grade like backhoes are mounted to the frame but thats as far as I know. Dont know how it goes from there or whats compatible with eachother
I have a 310C. The BH attachment looks a bit light compared to mine. Likely depended on the weight of the crawler for stability. For $10 -14K you could get a whole 310C machine without Frankenstein parts. The machines you're considering will have to be almost scrap priced to make the combination worth doing.
Yes, that's what makes things complicated. The 410 might have been even more different though? The frame IS the backhoe, the 310 most likely has everything in front of the swivel joint, and the swivel or something else on the tractor is junk or why would they have removed the backhoe??? That 450 BH looks like it has a swing motor, that could be a nightmare to fit in the 310. I don't see it very likely at all to be worth the effort. I just looked at a decent functional backhoe for a friend for $6K and he passed, "too much work".
Okay yeah its def sounding like its no were near worth the effort or the headache to try. I was hoping it was a simple fix of just bolt the two together, use it for a few months and then sell it for a few $K profit to get a backhoe that was more what I needed. Really end up needing one with extenda, 4-1, and 4x4 to work the land and trees on it. Saw a Case 580SK, extenda, 4-1, 4x4 for only 16k but it sold before I could call the person... ugh go figure lol. How are Ford 555c? Found one of those for sale with everything I need but brand wise Im only familiar with Case and JD from research. My main farm tractor is a Deutz which has turned into a mega nightmare finding parts for repairs so hoping to avoid buying something with a lot of hard to find parts
Are you interested in bidding online at a Ritchie Bros Auction ? Or even drive up to their yard. I drove past their Morris ,IL. yard today and they had a nice sized line of John Deere's and Case T/L/B's. The auction may be this SAT> but I don't know for sure.
Honestly I hadn't thought to look online other then machinery trader. I looked at Ritchie Bros but they had almost zero stock of anything with a 4-1 bucket. Was hoping to find one with one for leveling 1/4 mile driveway and also picking up trees for milling. Are there any other decent online auction places for backhoes?