Backhoe replacement
- Thread starter Fools Gold
- Start date
- Location
- Darlington
New Holland / Hitachi are / were always a better built machine I found when buying / using them. Plus might be a revelation to jcb users 
you can see the front bucket and past the back actor as well, plus the back actor had up to 2.5 ft more reach with the extenda hoe dependant on model. Mind my experiance was a lot of years ago. things may or may not have changed.
you can see the front bucket and past the back actor as well, plus the back actor had up to 2.5 ft more reach with the extenda hoe dependant on model. Mind my experiance was a lot of years ago. things may or may not have changed.
fermerboy
Member
- Location
- Banffshire
I would vote for a NH. I have a NH95 here and its a good loader, parts not to expensive.
It can dig like hell on the back actor, lift plenty on the front loader, but I do admit the geometery on the front is rubbish compared to a MF/Fermec, they have the front loader sussed.
Only issue with the Fermec is the stupid crowd ram, tons of power but a genius idea for taking a lintel out mucking out a shed.....
I was at a farmer/contractor the other day and he has about 5-6 NH digger loaders but he bought a near new really low hour Case equal wheeled one. They are same as the NH but he was a lot less money. Must admit it looked the business.
But to be honest, buy a Loadall, keep your old digger for digging, it will be a revelation to you. Wouldn't go back to a digger for everything now.
It can dig like hell on the back actor, lift plenty on the front loader, but I do admit the geometery on the front is rubbish compared to a MF/Fermec, they have the front loader sussed.
Only issue with the Fermec is the stupid crowd ram, tons of power but a genius idea for taking a lintel out mucking out a shed.....
I was at a farmer/contractor the other day and he has about 5-6 NH digger loaders but he bought a near new really low hour Case equal wheeled one. They are same as the NH but he was a lot less money. Must admit it looked the business.
But to be honest, buy a Loadall, keep your old digger for digging, it will be a revelation to you. Wouldn't go back to a digger for everything now.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
But has the longest reach.
case or nh will both be better than a 3cx in every department bar possibly road speed. Case will have a nicer cab finish NH will be a bit cheaper JCB will be the most expensive spec for spec
You can get a jcb hitch to fit a nh or case so don't listen to them we had one at work
wheel diggers will be in the 60000+ range possibly more not heard of prices since last spring when a case 695 was 67000
You can get a jcb hitch to fit a nh or case so don't listen to them we had one at work
wheel diggers will be in the 60000+ range possibly more not heard of prices since last spring when a case 695 was 67000
- Location
- south norfolk
The guy who runs planttalk forum specialises in backhoes.his name is Ross.have a chat with him if you’re looking
nick...
nick...
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
JCB 3CX's of the age yours is were the last reliable ones from what I've heard. That's from spending plenty of time around plant workers and hire companies too.
Current 3CX's are seem nice so long as you change them frequently, before the faults start.
Current 3CX's are seem nice so long as you change them frequently, before the faults start.
Ali_Maxxum
Member
- Location
- Chepstow, Wales
We run Terex here. TLB890, biggest of the conventional wheeled machines, 4yr old, would pull a house down, immense digging/pushing power. Few niggles but nothing serious. They've been bought by French firm Mecalac now. Should think you'd be looking between 60-70k if you wanted a new one though!
We would have considered a Case if we hadn't found our last one.
We would have considered a Case if we hadn't found our last one.
Cheers all, very interesting!
the thought of buying new was to get a decent warranty so any issues could hopefully be sorted, have found with tractors that getting to 1500-2000hrs without major drama usually means 6000hrs is easily achievable on the same basis, was looking at newish second hand machines online last night and all seem very overpriced.
mid I was to go for a handler what would be a good simple machine that would match the diggers lift performance? And what would I expect to pay? Have never really looked into them much other than a demo of a manitou 629? Which I wasn’t fussed about
Cheers
the thought of buying new was to get a decent warranty so any issues could hopefully be sorted, have found with tractors that getting to 1500-2000hrs without major drama usually means 6000hrs is easily achievable on the same basis, was looking at newish second hand machines online last night and all seem very overpriced.
mid I was to go for a handler what would be a good simple machine that would match the diggers lift performance? And what would I expect to pay? Have never really looked into them much other than a demo of a manitou 629? Which I wasn’t fussed about
Cheers
- Location
- south norfolk
I hope you find what you want but the backhoe market is dead in the uk.I sold my last one 8 years ago du to very little call for them and I’ve not had a single enquiry since.used to do 5/6 days a week 15/20 years ago.all 360 work now.assuming digger land is still running they often sell of machines that have just been played with.I think he services own digger land but I stand to be corrected.
nick...
nick...
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
Yet I see backhoe diggers go past here often heading to/from jobs. I often see them on council work doing paths and such (although I admit there are more being done with mini and midi 360's now). For major site work I definitely agree, even quite small sites you now see a 15 or 20 ton 360 moved in.
fermerboy
Member
- Location
- Banffshire
Good luck with finding a digger.
The guy I was at, that had the Case digger got a nearly new one with a few hours on for about £2k more than his local NH dealer wanted to swap his old one out. No brainer really.
Think he got it from Warwick Ward
https://www.warwick-ward.com/
The guy I was at, that had the Case digger got a nearly new one with a few hours on for about £2k more than his local NH dealer wanted to swap his old one out. No brainer really.
Think he got it from Warwick Ward
https://www.warwick-ward.com/
H200GT
Member
- Location
- NORTH WALES
Its a shame as backhoes are so versatile on a job site or farm. Great at popping down the road to dig a post hole, or accross a few fields to move a boulder. You just don’t get that versatility with an excavator.
This week I have used the 3cx at the quarry to do a few small jobs, graded an area for some concrete, opened a blocked roadside ditch, cleared a couple of spillages and today I sorted a few boulders for a customer and loaded there truck with it using the 4in1. All jobs perfectly possible with our 210 excavators, but so much quicker and easier to do these small jobs with a backhoe imo. Its the swiss army knife of the job site and it still my preferred weapon of choice for these small tasks
- Location
- Cheltenham
Has the mini and midi 360 digger market killed the traditional 3CX type market then Nick?
- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
Having a backhoe AND a telehandler is perfect. If I could only have one it would be the backhoe though because it does almost everything the TH does but things the TH definitely can't do.
- Location
- south norfolk
Yes i think it has.along with the fact that as the old operators retire the youngsters struggle to use them.a good man on a 180 is worth his weight in gold and they are very versatile machines as mentioned above
nick...
- Location
- Cheltenham
Thought so. All roadworks these days I pass it’s ok 360’s. Can’t remember when i saw an old type back actor and front bucket one to be honest!
- Location
- Darlington
And then a telehandler to do the lifting and carrying.
- Location
- Cheltenham
Exactly right!
- Location
- Darlington
Construction is like farming, cyclic.
Different methods drift in and out of fashion.