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Backhoe, trackhoe, dozer, ?

Poke

Poke

I’m condescending
Joined
May 20, 2020
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763
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1,392
I could use a piece of equipment. I’ve got 39 hp compact tractor with bucket, snow plow, tiller, sprayer, very handy. But it sucks on angles. I need something to put water bars in, fix badly rutted out trails, dig holes or ditches, make new trails. I don’t dare drive my tractor down or up a lot of trails and the bucket sucks for much more than spreading top soil.

im thinking a trackhoe but know little about their capabilities and how stable they are. Can that front blade push a rutted out SxS trail flat? Is a bigger backhoe my best option?
 
CAT 307 sized machine with a blade and steel tracks.

You'd be surprised what an excavator blade will do.
 
TiTRD said:
CAT 307 sized machine with a blade and steel tracks.

You'd be surprised what an excavator blade will do.
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This

Excavators are great on slopes, you have an adjustable counter weight, which also can be a kick stand, and be used to pull you up steep shit. Keep the blade downhill and you can use it to level yourself out. Plus you can make whatever pad you want with the bucket.

​​​​​

Back hoe won't be much different than what you have as far as stability.

​​​​​​Dozer would be better for fixing the trails, but not as versatile.
 
I've got a similar deere CUT setup as you and I bought a used yanmar 8,000lb mini-ex with a 2-way blade about a month ago with a trailer for $9k and it does an excellent job of doing what the deere doesn't. An excavator is x100 more useful than a backhoe as long as you don't need to move material longer distances. I'd never used an excavator before and am blown away with how fast you can do stuff with it. Really versatile too. I'm really glad I didn't buy a backhoe attachment for my tractor. A 6-way blade would be cool but these machines get expensive fast and this one was already about as much as I could justify spending on a toy.

I'd vote the best mini-ex. you can afford.
 
So a 2 way blade is up and down, correct? 6 way would be up down and angle left/right?

It has to fit on my SxS trails so 6' -7' wide ish
 
It's technically a 4 way blade. 6 way is up, down, angle right, angle left, tilt right, tilt left. I haven't seen a 6 way on a mini but they might have one now.
 
We talking a 3-5 ton machine?
 
Yes. I was buying a Cat 303.5 when I discovered the 4 way. The other thing Cat is doing now is there's a switch to use the joysticks like a skidsteer for when you want to use the blade.
 
Captain Call said:
Yes. I was buying a Cat 303.5 when I discovered the 4 way. The other thing Cat is doing now is there's a switch to use the joysticks like a skidsteer for when you want to use the blade.
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I've been waiting for that, neat that the did it.

Personally, I could give a fuck about blade angle, it's super over rated, tilt would be a game changer.
 
Not tilt. Angle. Works good backfilling or working a windrow like a grader.

Edit: or were you talking about the joystick dealing?
 
larboc said:
I've got a similar deere CUT setup as you and I bought a used yanmar 8,000lb mini-ex with a 2-way blade about a month ago with a trailer for $9k and it does an excellent job of doing what the deere doesn't. An excavator is x100 more useful than a backhoe as long as you don't need to move material longer distances. I'd never used an excavator before and am blown away with how fast you can do stuff with it. Really versatile too. I'm really glad I didn't buy a backhoe attachment for my tractor. A 6-way blade would be cool but these machines get expensive fast and this one was already about as much as I could justify spending on a toy.

I'd vote the best mini-ex. you can afford.
Click to expand...

I knew you were looking for one, got a link to that thread? Or if you don't have one, we'd like to follow the shenanigans:laughing:
 
Thanks guys. Is 3 ton too small for keeping logging roads maintained and digging holes for sonnet tubes, etc?
 
I personally would go 305. But 303 would get it done, just not as fast. Also, spring for a hyd quick coupler.
 
Captain Call said:
Not tilt. Angle. Works good backfilling or working a windrow like a grader.

Edit: or were you talking about the joystick dealing?
Click to expand...

Ya, back filling its a decent use for an angle blade.

It's not the same as a grader, a grader can go basically 90* a 6 way dozer can only go like 20*, material will not move across a blade that great on that little of an angle. You can do all the same things with a straight blade, it's less wear points, and it doesn't stick out as far.

I prefer a fixed blade on a real dozer also.
 
Poke said:
Thanks guys. Is 3 ton too small for keeping logging roads maintained and digging holes for sonnet tubes, etc?
Click to expand...

The common 35s or 303.5 is a very handy, they will dig well and will lift more than you would think.

The problem is that they have a small undercarriage so they are harder to grade with the blade.

Another thing is reach, they can only reach so far and I'm always running out of reach.

I was running a yanmar 35 today, digging and grading actually.

Captain Call said:
I personally would go 305. But 303 would get it done, just not as fast. Also, spring for a hyd quick coupler.
Click to expand...

I agree, definitely don't get a 303, it's a pos compared to the 303.5. I wouldn't ever want anything smaller than a 35 size.

The 305.5 is an awesome machine. The undercarriage is much larger than the 303.5. Much more stable, much easier to doze with, more reach, obviously more digging power.

Also, speaking of reach, there are different length sticks offered on the smaller excavators (all really) so be weary of that when shopping.

As mentioned, if you plan to leave it on the property, I'd be looking at bigger machines 7-8t is a really nice size.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Do you have a scraper box for your tractor? That's what you want for maintaining roads.
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yes. But it doesn’t work on holes that eat 32” SxS tires. One tractor tire would be in a rut. So a scraper is just a land anchor at that point. Also this isn’t Kansas. My Deere. 3910 will roll on my trails.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
The common 35s or 303.5 is a very handy, they will dig well and will lift more than you would think.

The problem is that they have a small undercarriage so they are harder to grade with the blade.

Another thing is reach, they can only reach so far and I'm always running out of reach.

I was running a yanmar 35 today, digging and grading actually.



I agree, definitely don't get a 303, it's a pos compared to the 303.5. I wouldn't ever want anything smaller than a 35 size.

The 305.5 is an awesome machine. The undercarriage is much larger than the 303.5. Much more stable, much easier to doze with, more reach, obviously more digging power.

Also, speaking of reach, there are different length sticks offered on the smaller excavators (all really) so be weary of that when shopping.

As mentioned, if you plan to leave it on the property, I'd be looking at bigger machines 7-8t is a really nice size.
Click to expand...

Thank you. 303 305 meant nothing to me before this post.
 
Poke said:
yes. But it doesn’t work on holes that eat 32” SxS tires. One tractor tire would be in a rut. So a scraper is just a land anchor at that point. Also this isn’t Kansas. My Deere. 3910 will roll on my trails.
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You mentioned maintaining logging roads? :flipoff2:

Aren't ruts part of the fun on trails?

Poke said:
:flipoff2:

Thank you. 303 305 meant nothing to me before this post.
Click to expand...

Most companies the first numbers are metric tons. E35 bobcat is 3.5 metric tons. (it's not perfect, but gets you a general idea on weight and size) E50 is 5 m tons. Or a Hitachi 350 is 35 metric tons.

Cat uses the first number to designate the type of machine 2xx is skid steers, 3xx is excavators ect. The last are the metric tons, hence 303.5. It gets confusing with the bigger machines because a 349 cat is a much larger machine than a 350 whatever and a 374 cat is similar to a 750 whatever.
 
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YotaAtieToo said:
You mentioned maintaining logging roads? :flipoff2:

Aren't ruts part of the fun on trails?



Most companies the first numbers are metric tons. E35 bobcat is 3.5 metric tons. (it's not perfect, but gets you a general idea on weight and size) E50 is 5 m tons. Or a Hitachi 350 is 35 metric tons.

Cat uses the first number to designate the type of machine 2xx is skid steers, 3xx is excavators ect. The last are the metric tons, hence 303.5. It gets confusing with the bigger machines because a 349 cat is a much larger machine than a 350 whatever and a 374 cat is similar to a 750 whatever.
Click to expand...

Got it. Thanks.

if you have 32's your skid rubs
If you have 30's your skid will almost stop you
28's or any stock tire size and you cant make it.

They are too deep for SxS's I am tried of pulling on rigs or sending them around to other trails.
 
Ideally that's dozer work, which doesn't help you in the digging department but you can cut in water bars with one.
 
Projectjunkie said:
I knew you were looking for one, got a link to that thread? Or if you don't have one, we'd like to follow the shenanigans:laughing:
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https://irate4x4.com/chit-chat/69822-yanmar-mini-ex

fetch?id=69825.jpg
It's a B37 and it's the cheapest working mini excavator I could find. I could find "full size" excavators for similar money that needed work but I wanted a mini for the work I needed to do and to be able to haul it around easily to make a little side money. Very happy with it so far, already made a couple hundred bucks with it as well.
 
TiTRD said:
Ideally that's dozer work, which doesn't help you in the digging department but you can cut in water bars with one.
Click to expand...

Ya, but getting one small enough might be a challenge. Doesn't sound like that's the main purpose of the machine. Plus he mentioned digging trenches.

OP, do you have rock in the area? The ex might be able to grab rocks from up or down the slopes and place them in the soft spots to help with rutting.
 
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