harbor freight trencher/backhoe

[6acres]

Anyone have any experience with the harbor freight trencher/backhoe? The current price ($2500)makes it look good. The problem I have heard is, it is light on the back end, I don't see that as a problem, I would make a 3-pt hitch and use my BS2200 as counter weight.
I don't see any used ones on the market, so the customers must be satisfied or maybe no one buys them?
Thanks

 

[dieseldude]

I have no expierence with this product, but I do with plenty of their others. Most of the powered product I have bought (drill presses, saws, shears, ect) needed to be fixed before I could used them. Then again I have one of their central machinery lathes and it has served me well for 10+ years.

 

[hodge]

Regardless of who you buy from, money can only buy you so much; in other words, if the price is low, something had to be compromised to get it there. My guess would be that it would be on the light side. I would imagine that to install it on a 3 point hitch, you may have to beef the rest of the frame up. Sitting on wheels or stabilizers allows it to move around, absorbing load. Fixing it to a tractor will place extra load on the frame. It is probably worth the money, but to protect that investment, I would make sure it is completely up to the task.

 

[hodge]

I looked it up, and the reviews are really mixed, but I'm sure you already looked at them.
I am not sure how you are intending to attach it to your 3 point hitch, but it looks about as long as your tractor; attached to the 3 point, it is going to impose a lot of leverage on the tractor. Or, am I misunderstanding things, and you mean that it will be hitched to the tractor, not mounted on the 3 point? Hitched to the drawbar should keep it pretty steady.

 

[Lil Foot]

I asked one of the Phoenix area shops how they held up, and they said they had never sold one.
Years ago I saw a similar setup (not Harbor freight) being used in Iowa, I think.
The old boy had welded about a 3" sq steel tube to the tongue, then a large "foot" on that.... he then parked one tire of his truck on the "foot". He said it moved around too much previously, but seemed to work fine when I saw it. Probably a pain when you had to move it, as in digging a trench.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Well its a little better then a shovel...

 

[hodge]

Well its a little better then a shovel...

$2500 is a lot of money if it doesn't stay together.

 

[Lil Foot]

$2500 is a lot of money if it doesn't stay together.

OK, it's a very expensive shovel!

 

[hodge]

OK, it's a very expensive shovel!

Or, to look at it another way, buy a new shovel, invite a friend over, and keep $2450 in your pocket.

I say that in jest, 6acres. I'm not saying you shouldn't buy it. Your money, your decision.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Or, to look at it another way, buy a new shovel, invite a friend over, and keep $2450 in your pocket.

I say that in jest, 6acres. I'm not saying you shouldn't buy it. Your money, your decision.

Thats kinda what I was getting at in a round about way...

 

[Profnohair]

I just sent you a PM. I may have a better option for you. And we are in the same area.

Revised:
I never noticed your tractor model in your original post. My hoe is probably too big for your tractor.
Thanks anyway.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

This little guy here I found on Ebay looks to be alot better suited to dig with then the one you found at Harbor Freight. If nothing else this baby excavator is more manoeuvrable.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-excava...107442?pt=Backhoe_Loaders&hash=item2579bb4ab2

 

[hodge]

Eric, did you notice that it is free local pickup, in France?

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I never said it was going to be easy to get ahold of....

 

[skeets]

LMAO @ eric

 

[hodge]

That is a cool little machine, Eric, but it needs stabilizers. It looks like it would be real easy to tip it over when you swing a full bucket to dump.

 

[6acres]

The local store said they sold 6 last year and no one returned any. Also they said the 20% off coupon could be used which would bring the price down to $2000. I'm thinking, if I make a 3 point hitch (with a piviot point) the tractor would give the hoe a firm backend support without putting any excess strain on the tractor, the box blade or plow has to put no less stress on the tractor. I would also have the advantage of being able to move it without using the hoe bucket to 'drag' it around, like I have heard it must be used. I think i'm going to get it, will send pictures....

 

[Kubota_Man]

I understand wanting a BH as I have one myself. However I don't understand (nor do I have to) why you are bound and deturmined to make it a 3pt rather than use it as intended as a towable unit behind your tractor.

Anyways looking forward to seeing how it works for you. My church has looked at trying out this type of equiptment rather than buying a tractor.

 

[Bulldog]

I noticed the description and the specs don't match up on everything. One says 2" ball and other says 1 7/8", trench depth "in." is 7ft. I think they were confused. I also noticed they build their buckets with the shanks welded on upside down which makes the teeth upside down as well.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Looking at it and putting thought behind it there is going to be alot to undergo to make it a 3pt. Not only do you have to make up a hitch you also need to add out riggers for support when digging. Then your getting into addition hydraulic cylinders hoses and fittings. It's starting to get expensive real quick to make it work.