Is the backhoe loader a thing of the past?

[JD450A]

Currently as it stands with all the toys + backhoe I would not be chopping stuff for a backhoe as a standalone.
I am contemplating chopping the two 175's, axing the lorry and moving up tonnage to a 10t class machine..... However theres not much to gain.

 

[DaveDCB]

I always ran a 3cx with a 2.5ton mini … I completely forgot about that part
Will stick with what I’ve got and treat her to some new tracks and maybe a shiny 6ton dumper to keep her company!

 

[Simon edwards]

I mentally recofigure my fleet on a weekly basis( my best thinking is done on a Saturday evening after a shandy!) , currently contemplating lorry,no backhoe,newer 6 tonner,less dumpers.

 

[JD450A]

,less dumpers.

I am currently on 5 wheeled, 3 tracked dumpers...... Need a cull

 

[Simon edwards]

That’s a lotta dumpers mate.

 

[DaveDCB]

I mentally recofigure my fleet on a weekly basis( my best thinking is done on a Saturday evening after a shandy!) , currently contemplating lorry,no backhoe,newer 6 tonner,less dumpers.

@Furniss leads the way with the ultimate midi hooker setup!
I see dumpers as a lifetime asset.. as in if they aren’t being used they will just last forever if kept undercover. I just need a sub 500hr non dpf(pre 2019) 6ton straight tip!

 

[doobin]

This is my thinking, except it’s not for hire work just purely for use on my own sites, since retiring my last 3cx 10years ago I’ve just amassed aload of extra kit to do the same job I once did with one machine

I didn’t run a backhoe for very long, so I’m nowhere near as good on one as you or probably Ollie.

But I found that although it did everything, it was slow and cumbersome compared to dedicated machine for the task.

For most of my scratching around, a 3 ton with tilty along with a Multione was far faster and most importantly, neater.

Even a little job with the backhoe in slightly damp conditions made more mess than I care to remember.

 

[Furniss]

@Furniss leads the way with the ultimate midi hooker setup!
I see dumpers as a lifetime asset.. as in if they aren’t being used they will just last forever if kept undercover. I just need a sub 500hr non dpf(pre 2019) 6ton straight tip!

As you know id like to add a 6t dumper- the 3t is the weak link, i always look at where I could save time make life easier on our jobs and 3t to 6t is about all thats left i reckon ...apart from me getting better which is definitely possible.

 

[hiluxman]

This is my thinking, except it’s not for hire work just purely for use on my own sites, since retiring my last 3cx 10years ago I’ve just amassed aload of extra kit to do the same job I once did with one machine

If I only did my own work then my 432 would not of gone....but I do alot of day rate jobs where it became stood longer than it should.

If you've gown up on a 3cx then you know it's capabilities over than anyone else. Lots who say they can't do x y z with them have only played at been a jcb driver. When it's what you've started with you know the true limits...they go many a place...you've just got to get used to the wobble of it all.

 

[Smiffy]

@Furniss leads the way with the ultimate midi hooker setup!
I see dumpers as a lifetime asset.. as in if they aren’t being used they will just last forever if kept undercover. I just need a sub 500hr non dpf(pre 2019) 6ton straight tip!

In France at the moment and their lorry game trumps ours a million to one. From the 5t sprinters to the all singing all dancing hiab/hook loader/ drawbar setups.
However there health and safety is eye wateringly bad.
Pedestrian street in the middle of a large town on market day today. They where stripping the tarmac and loading into a lorry with a 15t komatsu duck with tiltrotator and leveling the type one ready for resurfacing, with the road completely open. All shops open public Wondering around the machine. Pules of type 1 everywhere. And obviously council contractors. Not even a single solitary men at work sign. If they had flip flops on you would think you where in Africa

 

[Furniss]

In France at the moment and their lorry game trumps ours a million to one. From the 5t sprinters to the all singing all dancing hiab/hook loader/ drawbar setups.
However there health and safety is eye wateringly bad.
Pedestrian street in the middle of a large town on market day today. They where stripping the tarmac and loading into a lorry with a 15t komatsu duck with tiltrotator and leveling the type one ready for resurfacing, with the road completely open. All shops open public Wondering around the machine. Pules of type 1 everywhere. And obviously council contractors. Not even a single solitary men at work sign. If they had flip flops on you would think you where in Africa

Vive la France !

 

[V8Druid]

In France at the moment and their lorry game trumps ours a million to one. From the 5t sprinters to the all singing all dancing hiab/hook loader/ drawbar setups.
However there health and safety is eye wateringly bad.
Pedestrian street in the middle of a large town on market day today. They where stripping the tarmac and loading into a lorry with a 15t komatsu duck with tiltrotator and leveling the type one ready for resurfacing, with the road completely open. All shops open public Wondering around the machine. Pules of type 1 everywhere. And obviously council contractors. Not even a single solitary men at work sign. If they had flip flops on you would think you where in Africa

sounds ideal

 

[Furniss]

I did a quiet road crossing for the commune albeit a while ago now, no signs just got on with it and bloke came out with a beer for everyone....nobody died.

 

[Smiffy]

I did a quiet road crossing for the commune albeit a while ago now, no signs just got on with it and bloke came out with a beer for everyone....nobody died.

I hate barriers they are an absolute pain trying to get lads to keep them linked together and sandbagged. Lift them up every time it's windy. You even look at them after it's rained and you are soaked.
But regardless of that in a town center how the hell they got anything done is beyond me. Especially when they will have there nose bag strapped on promptly at 12 and I doubt they wonder back for at least an hour.

 

[Furniss]

I hate barriers they are an absolute pain trying to get lads to keep them linked together and sandbagged. Lift them up every time it's windy. You even look at them after it's rained and you are soaked.
But regardless of that in a town center how the hell they got anything done is beyond me. Especially when they will have there nose bag strapped on promptly at 12 and I doubt they wonder back for at least an hour.

Shame the "plat de jour" is becoming a thing of the past really kept the village resto's afloat, lots of guys taking sarni's now.

 

[Simon edwards]

@Furniss leads the way with the ultimate midi hooker setup!
I see dumpers as a lifetime asset.. as in if they aren’t being used they will just last forever if kept undercover. I just need a sub 500hr non dpf(pre 2019) 6ton straight tip!

I reckon his set up is just about perfect,I am very torn on a hook loader and am looking to a beavertail asI can get a bit of work for it as well.Big jump on cost for an 18t hook over a 12-13 ton beavertail with the same capacity.

 

[Furniss]

10t payload on ours because we are allowed 19t - but you should get a good 9t + and they handle it so well
Beavertail is just transport though and hookloader is versatility, im going to make a bit of a record of the different ways its useful in the course of a week
Its a lot easier than how its started

 

[DaveDCB]

10t payload on ours because we are allowed 19t - but you should get a good 9t + and they handle it so well
Beavertail is just transport though and hookloader is versatility, im going to make a bit of a record of the different ways its useful in the course of a week
Its a lot easier than how its started
View attachment 74450

Agreed that loading shovel was abit excessive for driveway jobs!

 

[Furniss]

Agreed that loading shovel was abit excessive for driveway jobs!

Should of seen it on the trailer

 

[CPS]

Should of seen it on the trailer

You need a 4 axle