Go Bottombackhoe for a JD790
 | Tonyd99
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 14 Folsom, CA 
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2003-04-02 52493
Hi all,
Well after spending several hours of seat time in my recently acquired JD 790 (having a great time I might add) I'm now on the hunt for a backhoe.
What's confusing to me is whether to get a hoe with a subframe or one that just mounts to the 3pt. Mine doesn't have rear hydraulics so that's something to think about too. Essentially I want something I can use to dig trenches, a retaining wall foundation, and excavate a hill behind/under my house. So what's the best brand? And how much is reasonable to pay? $3K? $6K? I passed on a used JD Model 7 because of cost ($4K plus shipping and the need to add hydraulics). The Mazzoti seems pretty high too. Anyone know much about the Prairie dog? Any other recommendations or words of wisdom from the guru's out there? Thanks for any help or guidance!
Tony
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
 | jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
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2003-04-02 52495
Prairie dog is great and I have a new one. Get it with the Caproni PTO Pump and get a subframe from Wood's to fit Wood's 7500 backhoe. That sub frame will fit perfectly to the PD. You will need to modify the seat angle though. ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
 | AC5ZO
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 928 Rio Rancho, NM 87144 
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2003-04-03 52535
Definitely get the subframe. It is easy to abuse a compact tractor with a backhoe and the subframe distributes the load over a longer portion of the frame. Heavy backhoe work can wear/damage the 3PH otherwise.
Also, do not move your tractor with the backhoe. Lift the stabilizers and drive it a few feet. ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| Tonyd99
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 14 Folsom, CA
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2003-04-03 52549
Thanks Jeff/AC! The specs look pretty good on the Prairie Dog. Thanks for the recommendation. It's a heavy beast, however (over 1000 lbs sans bucket) which I guess the frame helps with. Cost for a Model 7 1/2 is around $3800 plus $500 for the pump, $900 shipping, and I'm guessing $500 or so for the frame. Grand total $5700. Gulp... seems high?? Are there better deals out there? Anyone?
Tony ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
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2003-04-03 52551
Tony, Run don't walk to someone who has a trailer and pick up the back hoe yourself. 900 bucks is unbelieveable for shipping. Or call the Praire dog Manufacturer in Grand Blanc, Michigan for a dealer close by. ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada 
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2003-04-03 52552
That shipping thing is always a problem out here on the Left Coast.
A buck a pound for heavy truck freight to California?
Not too bad really. You ought to see the freight rates to Alaska. I bet it would cost a cool $2K to get that hoe to Anchorage.
Just the other day I called Northern Tool to ask about a 100 gallon plastic water tank. The retail was $149.95 and the shipping to Nevada was $139.80 It weighs 43 pounds!
I passed. Gotta be a plan B out there somewhere. ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
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2003-04-03 52553
I see you live in California. Well......if you pay 900 bucks for a 6000 dollar Woods's 7500, Bushhog, or Kelly, that put the BH at 7000. Praire Dog with shipping is still way cheaper at 4500 plus 900 shipping. Bottom line is...shipping will be 900 for ANY 1000 pound hoe. ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| Tonyd99
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 14 Folsom, CA
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2003-04-04 52557
Excellent advice guys.. I'm kicking myself because I recently found a used hoe (with pump) for $2K here in Northern California. THAT I could have driven to and picked up. I knew it was a good deal, but I hadn't yet bought the JD and didn't want to get the Hoe-rse before the cart... Oh well. But a drive to MI is a bit too far for me. I'll give the guys at Grand Blanc a jingle to see if there's a dealer close to me here in the crazy state. ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
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2003-04-04 52559
Tell them the guy in Burton Michigan with the Praire DOG BH painted Kubota ORANGE subframe mounted on a cherry Kubota B-2150 sent you. The yard foreman stopped over to my house to check out my seat modification. You will have to re-weld the seat bracket since it sits back and too low as it is intended for 3 point mounting. The seat is real NICE since it is adjustable for the weight of the operator with the back adjustable too.
Jeff ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| Herb
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4 Pulaski, NY
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2003-04-06 52662
Be a dvised a subframe mount will require taking off your 3 pt hitch arms. At leasst the Woods and Bush Hog will. I recently bought a 1996 Bush Hog 760H for my JD 790. It had low hours, and was within driving distance. I am presently using it on the three point hitch but plan on being careful while moving it.
Herb ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| Tonyd99
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 14 Folsom, CA
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2003-04-06 52700
Thanks Herb... I suspected that I might have to remove the 3 pt to mount a subframe. I would rather just put the hoe on my 3pt. So... other than just being careful in moving around on just a 3 pt, what else can't you do if you don't have a frame? I know that I need to be careful and not use the hoe to pickup and move the tractor backwards... anything else?
As far as getting the Prairie Dog... well there isn't a dealer out this way. They said they might start a dealership up somewhere in the midwest, but...well that's probably still too far away. Maybe they'll let me be a dealer? Hey.... ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
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2003-04-07 52701
Taking off the 3 point arms will take you less than 3 minutes. IT IS NO BIG DEAL. I even replaced and re-drilled the hairpin clips with cat 0 quick cleviss pin clips to make it even quicker. I can have my Wood's subframe mounted BH on and 3 point arms removed in less than 5 minutes. I challenge anybody to mount or dismount my subframe mounted BH quicker than their 3 point mounted BH. ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-04-07 52706
I guess it's the lower link arms that are removed, and it should be no big deal. If the rock-shaft arms (often called lift-arms) also had to be removed that's not much more of a deal. However, many rock-shaft arms are splined and can be replaced in different orientations around the shaft. If the lift arms are removed, it's good to make an index mark with a cold chisel so it's easy to remount them in the same positions.
I'm not sure what I'd call a 'quick-clevis pin.' If they're what I call lynch pins, I would keep in mind that lynch pins used on 3ph implements do get caught in brush and can be pulled off. I've never had one pull off but they regularly loose their tension and have to be replaced. I don't know if the clevises ae any less secure than the hair-pins, but having a link arm come off wouldn't be a good-time.
....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
 | plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 563 mo 
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2003-04-07 52711
might be a good idea to look into renting larger unit as hoes for compacts are really big bucks.i was wanting to get one for my 790 but opted to rent 310se deere for some pond work. i think it worked far better than my 790 would have anyway, plus daily rental was priced far.but thats just my apprentice opion. ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
 | marklugo
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 281 Tifton, GA
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2003-04-07 52716
Tony, as far as the mazzotti being, high can you tell me how high and what size? Don't forget they include the pump. Someone may be gouging you. Suggested list is 4495 for model 200, and 5695 for 230. Every dealer should have plenty "working room" if you know what I mean. ....
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Add Photobackhoe for a JD790
| marklugo
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 281 Tifton, GA
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2003-04-07 52718
After talking with people and friends in the know about the Prarie dog, talking to the manufacturer himself, inspecting the hoe personally, I would be very careful. It doesn't have the quality and fit and finish of others. Although it is fairly beefy,you will find that some is overkill and some places it isn't enough. The quality of the cylinders and control valves are not what you would find on other hoes of equal design. The way to tell is in the operation. Smoothness and feel are substituted many times with jerkiness and clumsiness with cheaper cylinders and valves. There's more to consider than just price. ....
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