Hello all, I am new to this forum but have followed it for some time now. As the title states, I'm looking to enter into the backhoe business. I have many years of experience operating various pieces of equipment at te pulp and paper mill where I currently work but I have never ran a backhoe. I will definitely be going with a used unit with low hours and my choices are limited to Cat, Deere, JCB, and New Holland because they are the ont dealers in town. I am looking for any unbiased opinions on these machines, reliability being very important. I know that you usually can't go wrong with Cat and Deere but the service from the local Cat dealer our new machines at my workplace has been poor. Any input from you veterans out there will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Welcome I've got a deere but was also looking at cats and case before I bought. Any of these are good, JCB is not common around here and New Holland is of course the old Ford. Depends on what you can find on the used market there. Consider buying in the US right now, prices are good but expect it to cost you to get it home. If your local cat dealer doesn't provide good service for your local mill, which probably spends more in a month on machines, parts and service than you and I both would spend in a lifetime, they probably won't treat you any better, maybe not even as good. You need to be able to get parts for your machine, even if you do your own work, that is an important factor for me in deciding which brand. Cost is less important than availability to me. Good luck.
If the dealers you mention are the only one's nearby, my preference would be a Deere 310 or 410. Either machines are legendary 'round these parts (South Florida). In your climate I would opt for an enclosed ROPS -if in your budget- with a functional heater for operator (you) comfort as well as resale value should you things go south. An equally valued option would be a quick coupler on the loader boom giving you easy change choices in attachments since the more you have the more you can do, thus more money. A low hour machine -again, if within your budget- would be a good starting point and remember unless you have the knowlege and experience in repairing these machines have a competent AND trustworthy mechanic give a thorough "once-over" of any machine you're seriously considering. Good luck...
I am from the UK and am a huge fan of JCBs.I have used a a Cat 428 and a couple of Case machines over the years, probably why I am a fan of JCB,In your area buy from the best supplier/dealer, one who cares. One who carries lots of spares with a good service team and who will appreciate your custom.Good luck with whatever you buy
Thanks for the replies fellas. Norite you make a good point about the cat dealer and yes I will most likely be looking to te US to purchase. My uncle hauls equipment from the US to Canada on a weekly basis for Nortrax out of Iowa. Do you guys feel that ride control is a must have? I've recently had the opportunity to try the new 664 Deer loader with the ride control nd it is a dream compared to the old Volvo dinosaur I was used to. I can see the quick coupler coming in handy as well. I don't have a lot of interest in the integrated tool carrier as I feel that is something that will show signs of wear over the years As for the enclosed cab, that is also a must. To be honest I've never seen a backhoe in Canada without one due to our cold climate. Basically, what I'm specifically looking to get would be a 4x4 backhoe with a fully enclosed cab, pilot controls, extend-a-hoe, quick coupler, and rear auxiliary hydraulics. JCBs are a dime a dozen around here so I'm assuming thy must be cheaper but it doesn't seem like there are a lot of guys out there who are a fan of their product.
I'll sum it up for you like this:When I first got my new 510B in 1983 I said to myself--''nobody will ever make a better TLB.Then,when I got my 410G,I said ''Boy,was I ever wrong back in 1983.''
It may not be a "must" have but it sure is a welcome option. Boom suspension systems definitely make for a smoother ride and less clean-up if you're working over traveled roadways. I'm not a fan of the Integrated Tool Carrier either. I don't think you can go wrong with a Deere, they were in the TLB business before CAT although CASE and JCB have been at it for awhile.
Thanks for the input so far fellas. I've definitely got my work cut out for me!
I had always thought that Case made the first complete backhoe unit and according to Wiki they did, but this bit of info is interesting as well. From - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backhoe#Origins I never knew that the origins of Wain-Roy went that far back.
The JCB is not cheap to buy new but go down in price quickly. My friend owned one an I used it several times. Was solid and quiet but compared to my Deere I found the visbility is poor, backhoe controls go hard and steering took about 10 turns of the wheel to turn around. On that machine, ever single wire was yellow. Tracing an elecrical issue was next to impossible.
I am a huge fan of JCB, I drove them for over 30 years.Admittedly the old 3Cs were a pain but the last 20 years saw huge improvements.I never drove a JCB where the controls were "hard" and 10 turns lock to lock says something wrong with that machine.Sounds to me the machine has been rewired