Hello all, Looking for recommendations on an older machine. I'm not looking for an antique (LOL) but because this is something that I will use pretty sparingly, I don't have a lot in the budget for this. I have a newish Kubota mini excavator but am wanting the backhoe for projects (mainly around our property) where more power is required for lifting, etc. I prefer diesel things without computers. A machine that is popular is good for me because parts availability is important as I do all my own repairs (whenever possible). Looking around the 'marketplace' (FB is terrible, hate that we're all reduced to shopping on there for stuff!), I see a few options at the lower end of the price range but am wondering if there are any that I should be particularly looking for. Thanks O.
For example, today I'm seeing a 416 Caterpillar, Case 580B, Case 580C, Case 580E, and a Ford 655a (4wd). O.
Depending on your uses and land, is a 4x4 essential or could you get away with 2 wheel drive? Of the few backhoes over the years, I would never get a 2 wheel drive again. I am partial to Case but a Cat 416 or 420 would definitely work. Make sure before you buy, get it checked out professionally or do your homework and work it real hard or get it hot and make sure the tranny works well. For every 10 older purchases on here, I bet it’s 70 to 80 percent that find out it doesn’t want to move when it gets worked hard.
A couple of things you didn't mention factor into your decision. You didn't mention what your budget is, and another thing I think is important as well but not quite as important is the type of land/topography you will be using the machine on. My first backhoe was a Case 580C 2wd. I did a bit of work on that machine repacking almost every cylinder, fixing the brakes so they worked, patching rust ect. Parts were still available and not too expensive, but the major drawback to that machine was that it was very light in the front end. It really liked to come up in the front on a decent grade. At the time I had some mountain land and although I was able to get done what I needed to, it was not really a good machine for that kind of ground. My current backhoe is a Cat 426B 4wd with an extendahoe, and in my opinion it's a much better machine than the Case. Not necessarily because it's a Cat, Case makes good backhoes and Deere does too, but the 4wd and extendahoe just make it a much more versatile machine. Like any machine I buy, I am slowly working my way through rebuilding cylinders, replacing hoses, acquiring buckets, and it will need some electrical work at some point for sure. With an extendahoe you can do things you would never dream of with a regular hoe.
Although I think Massey Ferguson makes a good machine and fairly easy to work on, you cannot get any parts for them. Built in England and no one handles them or any of their parts. NOS if you find it is crazy expensive. You definitely have to have a parts manual to get numbers and try going from there. No matter what you can buy it for, it's not worth it living here in the states.
1997 DEERE 310E For Sale in Archbold, Ohio 1997 DEERE 310E For Sale in Archbold, Ohio at MachineryTrader.com. www.machinerytrader.com Looking around for the money find a newer hoe than than the old Ford or Case. Case feels lightweight when digging & I'm not a fan of the boom lock design pita
TCat ; Did that 580C have the front counter-weight on it ? I have seen 2 inch thick plates welded on the front bucket to decrease what you experienced.
I gotta know how this operation ended up? Was this going in or coming out?
Sorry Massey87. I mean to quote Tcat. So Tcat, how did this operation end up? Was it going in or out?
Lol that was coming out. I rented a stair climbing electric hand truck with tracks on it from an office moving company to get the thing in when I moved in. I actually had to winch the hand truck up the steps when the tracks started skipping on the hardwood steps with the safe on it. I swore I was going to let it go with the house when I sold it. Well my better half (who was not with me when I moved it into that house) said come on I think we can do it and that way you won't need to buy a new one. Well she's pretty smart and despite my mis-measuring by a 1/2" we did manage to get it out that window and landed safely. It was a very stressful few hours though and although I'm glad we took it with us now, I wasn't on that day. That was one of the first things we ever did with the Cat backhoe after we bought it. lol.
My 580C did not have any front counterweights. I agree welding some heavy plates on the front would definitely have helped. In my case I bought, fixed it, used it for what I needed to get done, and then sold it to use the money toward a Cat 953 track loader that I had for a few years. Other than being light in the front end, I had no complaints about the old Case and it dug well for me for the money I paid for it.
The 580C's came from the factory with a front mounted counterweight. Seems strange yours was missing.
Maybe it had one and I just don't remember it, but being it was so light in the front I suspect it was missing.
Case 580E was a solid machine along with the Cummins 4B engine which is damn near indestructible when it comes to engines unless it's been seriously abused.
Like this!!!
Would be great to get one with forks.