Advice on equipment

[Bigstroke]

I’ve recently purchased a quarter of ground and I have a number of dirt and tree projects I’d like to accomplish over the next 2-3 years:
- remove a couple thousand trees with trunk diameters averaging 6-12” (mostly honey locust and some Chinese elm)
- Build about a mile of driveway
- Dig post holes for fencing and corrals
- Clean out a pond
- Transplant trees with a large tree spade
- Build a bridge across a creek (if I get permission from ACE)
- Misc dirt work

All I’ve had is a tractor with a loader, so I can’t decide what combination of equipment I should buy to accomplish all/most of these items. Also, admitting that I just want to buy equipment and recognizing that I’m pretty busy as it is and it may be smarter to hire some/all the equipment work out and not buy anything. I am not (yet) skilled enough to work on much of the equipment myself but I do have a couple mechanics that I trust that are reasonably priced.

I’d put money down but have to get a loan for any equipment I buy. With interest rates where they are, it’s less appealing but I still think I’d be able realize some value if I buy the equipment right and do the work myself.

Thank you in advance!

 

[ianjoub]

Was there a question in there I missed?

 

[Welder Dave]

I'm guessing he's wanting suggestions for the best machine(s) to accomplish these tasks.

 

[KSSS]

If you have the time, and sounds like you want to justify owning a piece of equipment anyway, most of those jobs could be done with a backhoe. I would find a 580 WT or 590 SN with a thumb and I would buy a post hole auger , a grapple bucket, a 1', 2' 3' bucket and clean out bucket. Make sure the BH has a front and rear QC and aux. hyd. to the front and rear. As far as moving trees, hire that done, I doubt you could justify owning one. The pond, maybe you could reach with a 590 extendahoe or hire that done if its too large and you need a long reach excavator. If you can run a backhoe you could do the rest without much renting of other equipment. You would need a roller to compact your driveway, and while a grader would be nice, you can do it with a backhoe or again hire the final grade on the road.

 

[Keith Merrell]

Hard to give advice on only one piece of equipment. With the clearing, I'd be tempted to get an excavator with a thumb.

 

[MG84]

I’ll second the backhoe. 4wd is a must for what you want to do, extendahoe and 4 in 1 front bucket would be nice but not mandatory, a set if flip over forks would be nice too. It will do everything you mentioned except maybe clean out the pond and transplant trees, unless the subject(s) are small enough. Just remember, a machine is only as good as the operator. A backhoe isn’t a difficult piece of equipment to run, but will take many hours of seat time to master, especially grading.

 

[chidog]

You say you "just want to buy equipment" the most important question is how much are you willing to spend? If you want machines to use then you don't want old antiquated project machines.
If you have a $300,000 budget there should be some nice choices out there.

 

[terex herder]

A 12" Siberian (I doubt they are Chinese) elm is a lot of work with a TLB. I know, I've taken out quite a few before I got a 200 hoe. The root ball is very large. Honey locust like to resprout from every root left in the ground. A better choice for them would be a tree saw at ground level, and then a shot of remedy and diesel fuel. Put a little spray dye in as well so you know where you have been. You can pull out the stumps pretty easily in a couple of years after the smaller roots rot.

It also depends greatly what type of soil you have. 2' of good loam allows a TLB to do what a 200 hoe struggles doing in heavy clay. Sand is better yet. Moisture levels matter as well. If you are in the part of NE that is in exceptional drought just wait for moisture, no matter how many years.

 

[Bigstroke]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I have a follow up question-
There is a 4x4 Unimog for sale locally that has a good sized backhoe on the back. I know very little about Unimogs. Does anyone have knowledge on pros and cons of a Unimog with a backhoe vs a TLB?

Thanks Terex Herder. That was one of thoughts I was wrestling with - whether a skidsteer with a tree saw (and sprayer) might be a better bet in this situation.

 

[Vetech63]

Why don't you rent a few different things first and find out what works best for you? Then you can go buy something if you like.

 

[KSSS]

A Unimog with a backhoe? Dude....really? The idea of a BH/TLB is that one machine, outfitted correctly, could do all but the tree moving and maybe pond cleaning. Buying specialized equipment for each aspect of the project, while it might give you the best solution for each part of the project, you will spend a ton more money. Your not making money on this, it just your time, so pick a piece of equipment that cover most of the project and sub out what you can't.

 

[Vetech63]

There is a 4x4 Unimog for sale locally that has a good sized backhoe on the back.

Not sure if serious

 

[Bigstroke]

This isn’t the exact one but this is what I’m talking about. I can buy one in good shape for $17,000 30 miles away.

With some of the responses, I’m wondering if this and a good sized skidsteer would be my best bet. And I’ve actually seen a tree spade on the back in lieu of the backhoe.

 

[Vetech63]

LOL......go for it.

 

[Welder Dave]

Where would you get parts? Looks like a Case backhoe and an oddly configured loader. I can't see it being very good at anything and painfully slow if you have to use the backhoe and loader on the same project because you'd have to get in and out of the cab all the time. Also don't know how the transmission would work for heavier loading and pushing. As far as a tree spade you'd have to find one first. Hire the tree moving out. Also be aware that large tree's will die if not enough of a root ball and tap roots are taken. When I subdivided I said the first purchaser could have 10 spruce tree's. Of course he picked the biggest and best looking tree. It was replanted in a bit of a low spot so should have got lots of water but it died because not enough root ball and tap roots were taken.

Get a dedicated TLB if that's what you want. A skid steer and midi excavator could be a good combination but a tractor with a 3pt. hitch has lots of possibilities for different attachments and is a machine that could be used for maintenance of the property long term.

 

[IceHole]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I have a follow up question-
There is a 4x4 Unimog for sale locally that has a good sized backhoe on the back. I know very little about Unimogs. Does anyone have knowledge on pros and cons of a Unimog with a backhoe vs a TLB?

They suck as a Unimog and suck as a backhoe... and a backhoe kinda sucks as a loader and an excavator.
And they are quite expensive for what they are.

Imagine a 100hp, 45mph max machine with several tons of high COG crap added to it.

Parts are $$$ too. I got cab mounts for my MB4-94 (406), 3 mounts were more than ive paid for some running/driving trucks!
About the only thing available from Napa, Schucks, etc is a few filters and fluids.

 

[Vetech63]

Go ahead and buy that dam thing. We have been aching for a new, multi-month repair thread.

 

[DMiller]

Buy a Excavator, Median Weight and have it hauled in. ANYTHING with inflated tires will be crap on flats around Honey locust. Thorns fall off in Clusters like child toy jacks, DO NOT Organically degrade, stay spears for YEARS.

Something On tracks and be ready to purchase GALLONS of Tordon. Spray EVERY expose root, every section of stump cannot get out of ground. Will need Pasture Clear for a year or two until roots die off.

NOT telling me anything I have not run into.

 

[Bigstroke]

Okay, so no Unimog. Got it.

DMiller, definitely noted. Thank you.

I’ve heard that if you spray the locust trees to kill them before you remove them that the thorns will be softer/decompose faster. Anyone else verify this?

 

[Vetech63]

Okay, so no Unimog. Got it.

Awwwww dam! Which one of us screwed that deal for you?