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Large backhoe $50k or less with the fewest emissions problems. What years should I be looking at?

Willie B

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Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,039
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
A case is a great machine, but hoe hydraulics are very jerky.
Never owned a Cat, but they are HEAVY to be hauled behind smaller trucks.
I can attest to the jerkiness of their BH bucket movements. Figured it was due to en longed pin hole usage & poor maintenance. She was a rental that was well kept but used hard you would think[/QUOTE]
The two rental companies I have experience with don't do lubrication at all. Machines get sloppy. Only when they won't function, do they get attention.
Case 580K was not exactly jerky, its plumbing gave priority to the first functions in the valve bank. Very common to use three functions at once. Digging, you curl the bucket, crowd the dipper, raise the boom. When the bucket clears the ground, you begin the swing. As the other functions are released, a surge of oil hits the swing valve & swing takes off suddenly. This is not the case with pilot controlled machines & my 580Super N is the smoothest hoe I've ever run. Even 580K (1988) took steps to correct the trait. Later models had flow restrictors in the swing valve ports & some had bigger cylinders requiring more oil to move, slowing the swing. The worst in my opinion were the foot swing models. I wouldn't want to thread a needle or other very dexterity needed activity with my feet. Foot swing requires both feet to initiate, then feather off the swing. I don't like that.
 

joe--h

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Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
1,259
Location
Utah
Looks like Compressionignition went to Colorado and never returned.
End of story?
Joe H
 

Compression-Ignition

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Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Messages
109
Location
Corvallis , MT, USA
4Rivers Equipment found an ear broken off on the transmission. So it was essentially being held on/up by 3 out of 4 ears. The case was $5000 and back ordered to boot. The work if performed by the shop was over 12k. The guy had someone else coming to look at it the next day. I asked him to call me if the guy didn't take it so I could make my offer, but I never heard back.

I'm about to spend the morning calling rental places.
 

Compression-Ignition

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Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Messages
109
Location
Corvallis , MT, USA
I'm looking at this one really hard.
https://www.mideastequip.com/for-sale/2014-caterpillar-430f-it-backhoe-11269612
Comes with a hammer and an aggregate crusher.
Backhoes-Caterpillar-430F-IT-28039015.jpg


The original property we were looking at didn't work out, and the one we have secured has quite a bit of bedrock under it. I definitely need to hammer through some of it so that the driveway can have a more gradual grade than what is currently there. I figure if it works out the aggregate crusher that comes with the machine could end up saving me a little scratch in gravel costs. I called the company that makes the unit, and to refurbish it would only cost about 5k. A new crusher is 40k, so seems like a safe bet. Local rentals that have a hammer are slim pickings. I got a quote of nearly 17k to rent a CAT 323 with a hammer for a month. I'd rather risk it on a used machine and hope it treats me well and needs nothing.

It has new front tires and everything works. Guy is 65 and arthritis is slowing him down deciding to move it along. They lowered the price from 77k recently. If this were for sale near me, they would be asking 90k I bet. It does have 6000 hours, but I'm pretty much tired of looking. If it doesn't cost more than 10 grand to get it over here I think I'm gonna buy it.
 

NH575E

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Dec 30, 2015
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North, FL
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Retired Machinist
You're getting way over your original price range. I bet that hammer action does a number on wear and tear. I would think long and hard about that and definitely have a professional look it over. That just saved your ass on the other deal.
 

Swetz

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Oct 31, 2019
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1,360
Location
NJ/PA
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Electric & Gas Company
$70k + $10k to ship, and then $5k to overhaul the crusher. I cant help but think that for that money you could pay someone to do the work, and have enough money left over to buy a 30 pack of beer to drink while you watch them work!

As most of us here know, when you buy a used machine, there is always money to spend on it getting it back to 100, or at least 90%. You wouldn't know what that is until you start to use it and find the quirks.

As NH575E said, if they used this machine for extended periods with the breaker banging away, there is a good chance the bushings are shot in the hoe.

Also as NH575E said....spend the $$ and have it checked out!
 

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,039
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
I'm looking at this one really hard.
https://www.mideastequip.com/for-sale/2014-caterpillar-430f-it-backhoe-11269612
Comes with a hammer and an aggregate crusher.
Backhoes-Caterpillar-430F-IT-28039015.jpg


The original property we were looking at didn't work out, and the one we have secured has quite a bit of bedrock under it. I definitely need to hammer through some of it so that the driveway can have a more gradual grade than what is currently there. I figure if it works out the aggregate crusher that comes with the machine could end up saving me a little scratch in gravel costs. I called the company that makes the unit, and to refurbish it would only cost about 5k. A new crusher is 40k, so seems like a safe bet. Local rentals that have a hammer are slim pickings. I got a quote of nearly 17k to rent a CAT 323 with a hammer for a month. I'd rather risk it on a used machine and hope it treats me well and needs nothing.

It has new front tires and everything works. Guy is 65 and arthritis is slowing him down deciding to move it along. They lowered the price from 77k recently. If this were for sale near me, they would be asking 90k I bet. It does have 6000 hours, but I'm pretty much tired of looking. If it doesn't cost more than 10 grand to get it over here I think I'm gonna buy it.
It's a lot of money for a 6000 hour machine. Hammer might mean it has taken a real beating, or it could mean it has received extra care, more frequent lubrication. It isn't hours that kill a machine, it's neglected maintenance.
 

Compression-Ignition

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Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Messages
109
Location
Corvallis , MT, USA
You're getting way over your original price range. I bet that hammer action does a number on wear and tear. I would think long and hard about that and definitely have a professional look it over. That just saved your ass on the other deal.
The machine was used primarily on one little island in the state of Rhode Island. The guy would use the hammer on say a foundation or driveway and then crush it and reuse it on site.

I honestly think the other Machine I looked at in Colorado would have been just fine. The way the ear was broken it still had some holding force. The casting could have cracked at install and then busted off after delivery. The rust may have been there for the last 13 years. I just couldn't see paying what he was asking after I found out about the transmission housing.

All used things come with some amount of risk. Having them look at the machine could have cost me the $750 plus a deal on a machine that I think would have worked well for me.
 

Compression-Ignition

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Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Messages
109
Location
Corvallis , MT, USA
$70k + $10k to ship, and then $5k to overhaul the crusher. I cant help but think that for that money you could pay someone to do the work, and have enough money left over to buy a 30 pack of beer to drink while you watch them work!

As most of us here know, when you buy a used machine, there is always money to spend on it getting it back to 100, or at least 90%. You wouldn't know what that is until you start to use it and find the quirks.

As NH575E said, if they used this machine for extended periods with the breaker banging away, there is a good chance the bushings are shot in the hoe.

Also as NH575E said....spend the $$ and have it checked out!
I do not think the crusher needs to be overhauled. I just called and got the information so I had an idea of what it might cost me.

Sure I could pay someone. But then I won't have a swiss army knife piece of equipment that I own will I.

Septic system
Tree removal
Road building
Pad prep for a home and then a shop
Snow removal
Irrigation
Load and unload trailers
Makeshift hoist
Future projects I haven't even thought of

If I lost an engine or trans in this thing I'll still be money ahead of paying someone to do all the work I have planned.
 
Last edited:

Compression-Ignition

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Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Messages
109
Location
Corvallis , MT, USA
It's a lot of money for a 6000 hour machine. Hammer might mean it has taken a real beating, or it could mean it has received extra care, more frequent lubrication. It isn't hours that kill a machine, it's neglected maintenance.
They say it has been well maintained. I'm about to do a facetime call/inspection deal in just a few minutes.
 

Willie B

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Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,039
Location
Mount Tabor VT
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Electrician
As I've said, my 2014 Case 580 Super N cost $55000. last fall. I had some issues with all the computer controlled components.
Mine was right at 2000 hours. Front bucket had some wear, the cutting edge had been turned around, both edges were worn out. I'd guess moving snow. Rear bucket had nearly no wear.
 

Compression-Ignition

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Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Messages
109
Location
Corvallis , MT, USA
Just got done with the call. Machine looks good. They ran some concrete through the crusher. Actually went a little faster than I thought. They were only crushing down to 3" minus though. He only had to replace the top plate on the crusher once so far in 8 years. For some reason I thought it wasn't an E-Stick (extend a hoe) but it is. Point is in great shape on the hammer guy said it's a bit of a chore to replace that, but it's good to go for a long while. Quote to ship the machine is just under 10k so that's it....done.

Oh bonus, no DEF. Still has the DPF and emissions garbage, but I'm glad to see I won't have to put DEF in it.
 
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