Why I bought a Harbor Freight Towable Backhoe…… Paid for already?!

Why I bought a Harbor Freight Towable Backhoe…… Paid for already?!

The reasons I made this purchase are discussed quickly.

#harborfreight #equipment #cheap

[DoubleMFarmHomestead]

Well said and well done!! My HF trencher paid for itself in the first month and now 6 years later it's still going strong.

[dodgemetruck]

I will be rebuilding mine soon as it has a few cylinder pin hole issues (common after several years of hard use in glacial till)... But the best mods I have found are... The stock tires are horrible for anything other than hard pack/gravel/road towing... A set of 22x11-10 high load 4ply atv tires on 10x10 4on4 lug trailer rims is the best off-road tire setup, an adjustable thumb on the mast is another amazing add on, upgrade the pump and install a predator 13hp engine with external alternator and electric start this way you can add work lights on the mast, adding led mast lights for those off season uses, dusk to dawn work, or inclement weather uses...another mod is a sun/weather canopy. Another mod to consider is a set of bolt on foot pads for use when working from a paved surface such as digging while it's sitting on a concrete or asphalt surface (I needed these when digging a tree stump that was causing a drainage issue from between my parents neighbors driveway and my parents garage after the tree fell in a storm on my parents garage with the only access to the stump being my parents neighbors asphalt driveway).

[ztl]

I've got plenty of use for one of these! I didn't know this was a thing and it'll save me hours if not months of work. If I can get my electrical to my shed done it'll be a big enough win. It'll also benefit getting some of the thorn bushes around the property.

[movaughn]

I've been trenching a waterline on old city flag lot with mine. Hard pack with cement mixed in gravel over the decades. I ripped apart the bucket first using a thumb pulling up carport pad, welded it, ordered another. Had to find a Kubota bucket to modify during the 2 month wait. Meanwhile outrigger joint ripped apart. I've seen people gusset the joint, but I eliminated the elbow with 1/4 wall tubing. Bent one cylinder, week delivery from HF. 300ft to go... Collecting pictures of each repair. Maybe I'll learn how to make a video of the first years work. I should have rented a big boy for a week, but so many projects spacing em out.

[buddyh]

You see, I look at that a little different. I also had to put a light Pole in and dig a trench to do that. However, I went and rented a mini excavator and cost me about $300 for the day, so spending 3500 I think that I'd be 3200 in the hole until i have to used it over and over again to amatize out the $3500 cost.

[howman]

I watched two of your videos been debating buying one for my property I think I'm going to buy one thank you very much

[bernardwilliams]

I'm about six months late seeing this video but I suggest replacing all your angled hitch pins with straight pins. The angled pins will egg-shape all your holes and create a lot of excess slop in your machine. Pins can be had at any Tractor Supply or Lowes, or hardware store.

[sctraveler]

I just found out about this on here. I’ve been in the process of prospecting a family property that was mined for gold in the 1800’s. We have been hand digging a lot of old prospect pits for testing. We are trying to minimize the damage to the area. This would be perfect because I could get it pretty much anywhere on the property without leaving a large trail.

[effthegop]

Personally, I would have rented a tractor/loader/backhoe and used it to dig and fill.
In my area they are about $300 a day. I have acre plus properties so I just bought a used BX and it was the best purchase ever. It is a reliable compact workhorse.

[JerryFletch]

I have a Jensen mb 300 very similar but quality and speed kicked up a notch or 2 .Covid stopped me from getting a hf so Jensen it was …..im very very happy with its performance but still this guy speaks truth here hf is well worth the cost. .. but it may have trouble with the bucket if your not careful with it they will tear out if you force it to hard.

[k.r.f.j.b.]

Think it would be a good machine for digging out around a bad basement foundation for repair?

[Todd-on]

I would not try to rent one from Home Depot. They require you to have a smart phone to rent from them.

[TNGUNGUY]

wiating on one toc tic IT ON A TRUCK ALREADY!!

[michaelsnell]

If you want to learn small engine repair, watch Chicanic, Steve's Small Engine Saloon, or Donnyboy. The Marty T channel is a guy that rebuilds and repairs equipment.