Thanks for putting this video up. Very informative. I think your most valuable comment was to not "over push" the machine. I looked at towable back hoes for years. Finally settled on this one. I now have over 20 hours on mine and am very happy with it so far.
Thank you for the kind words James. Yes, the most important thing is to listen to the trencher. It will let you know if you are going to far. I am in year 4 digging in hard, rocky, mountain clay and still no breaks. Good luck with yours and keep me posted on how it does.
Very well stated. I have an HF trencher with about 30 hours, and I have issues with it so far. I was reading one place that "Chinese tight and American tight must mean different things" and I agree with his assessment. I also have a few caveats for new HF unboxing - all along the same lines as "the best value for the least money". 1. It comes dry - no fluids. Invest immediately in 4 gallons of Hydraulic fluid, 1 quart of 10-30 oil, and your low alcohol content gasoline. 2. As you put it together, do so with a grease gun handy. The Chinese fittings - Zerk and needle point - are not the best of quality. Even a used grease gun may click on and not click off - but break the zerk! So especially as you are configuring the boom, make sure the fittings are tight - or better yet, change them all for stronger and more durable products. 3. All the cotter pins are durable, but I prefer linch pins. I've lost two in the first 30 hours - the huge pins are just not long enough to put a "fender washer" style buttress for the linch pin to rotate with or against, the joint pin will move with the joint and the linch pin has likely been dragging against the brackets. Otherwise the linch pins would not fall off on me! But I like linch pins. 4. Improvements - if you are annoyed at the slow hydraulic action, there are 3 things that can be done. First - a higher GPM pump - the little number is rated at 2.7 gpm. If you upgrade the engine, you won't get more hydraulic flow, just a stronger pumper. Some people say 3-4 gpm is max - it is the combination of the working pressure and the gpm, do not exceed the valve body relief valve pressure range! Your lines and valves are protected from maximum pressures if the relief valve is working. The valve body is rated to 10 gpm, but the hoses are all 1/8 inch diameter connections. So a 5 gpm flow will roast your hydraulic fluid. If you want more of a pump, you need to upgrade the pump to valve body line and return to at least 1/4 but I'd go to 3/8. Let the valve body be the tightest link. If you find your hydraulic temps are high, you can purchase an automatic transmission cooler which may handle the pressures - check with manufacturer. You can mount an oil radiator (tranny cooler) on the side of the reservoir behind the filter and below the seat depending upon model you find. 5 Changing the pump may lead to a desire for larger hoses all around. If so, consider staging your lines. There is no need for flexible hoses the entire length - you can mount hydraulic piping along the boom sized & threaded to length. So your hoses become shorter and can be upgraded from 1/8 ID connections to larger - but the valves and the cylinders will still set your limits. More gpm means faster action, it won't make the cylinders stronger or improve the valves control - fine control valves are expensive and the HF is not manufactured with the most expensive components. 6 The HF is strong for its size, and you will ride a bucking bronco if you are digging wet clay. Invest in means of ballasting the hitch/engine/small axle end of the trencher when working. Another 200 lbs may require installing a hand crank on the trailer tongue to make towing easier - along with all M&M farms has done to their trencher, a hand crank is an easy addition. Keep it lubed, greased, and check all your pins - and you should be pleased with a light duty dependable trencher. Ignore all M&M farms has said and you may find the HF is a easily broken POS. I have found it useful - under sized yes, but it gets the job done eventually. Thanks for letting me add my 2 cents - I wish I had learned this when I was comparing trenchers - it is what it is, but it can be a little better with little changes along the way! Enjoy!
When I worked on the railroad signal gang, we would occasionally have “backhoe appreciation day”. We’d dig all day with picks and shovels while our Case backhoe just sat there. Then we’d get back to normal and that was the best maintained backhoe in North America lol.
My uncle-in-law recently purchased this machine and was kind enough to let me borrow it for our pool project. This was my first time I've ever operated any kind of machine like this. I have to say, It's super easy to learn on. Within 10 minutes, I went from jerky / clunky movements to smooth and steady (my 14 year old son learned to operate it as well, so we share in the fun haha). I only have 1 issue with it and that's the plastic handles. They keep spinning off, even after super gluing them on. I'm going to fix that real quick (with a custom made set from some car gear shifter parts I have laying around) as a "thank you" for being able to borrow this machine from my in-law. We also live in the Blue Ridge Mountain area (on top of a mountain actually) and our ground is nothing but big rocks, red clay, and thick rooted grass. So far, this little machine has done amazing work for us and I plan to use it to install a drainage system around the footers of our house as my next project. Just these 2 projects alone, it'll have paid for itself ,if I had bought it. To anyone reading this and is hesitant about buying this machine .... At the time of writing this comment, they are sold out online on the Harbor Freight website with no "return to stock" date. So if you see one for sale somewhere, I'd buy it in a hurry!
Yea, I had the same problem with mine. I put some thread lock on them and it has worked well. You are also right, mine has more than payed for itself with all the projects I have done with it. Thanks for watching.
Looks like they're back in stock again. I saw a price around $3k. I am buying some land. I might get one of these for general landscaping, but this video is telling me that it can do a bit more. If I break it, it won't be so bad. $3k is not an arm or leg.
@@thetruth45678 it really can do a lot for the money. If I remember right, the next closest piece of equipment like this (from anywhere else) is $8,000+. Also, you can spend $200 on an upgraded hydraulic pump for it and it'll operate 2 times as fast, literally.
I agree on everything you said, for the money it’s a great piece of equipment. You can do anything you want with it. Keep up the good work on the pond.
Great review from a Sandhills, NC native. Was thinking about buying a 40 HP tractor with a backhoe attachment but after looking at your review and others I think this is the way to go. This is a MUCH cheaper way to have a small backhoe. Then I can have my 3-point tractor hitch readily available. Thanks for creating this video.
Good video! I love my trencher. Bought it used and worked it hard. Couple problems I've had is nuts backing off inside cylinders. But they're a simple rebuild. Got enough o-rings to rebuild 3 for under $20. And hate to say I broke a weld loose yesterday. Partly my fault. From getting it in a bind. Still love it . Keep em up!
I agree it's the best for the money. At the price if hiring the job out, mine has paid for itself 2-3 times over, in just the first 2 years I've owned it. Plus, I get the satisfaction of saying I did it myself. My only regret, is not buying one years ago.
Congratulations on your choice! We have a "facebook" page of HF trencher owners, you can learn a lot about them there as well. Thanks for watching and keep me posted.
I agree these trencher machines are worth the money. They have their limits and one of the biggest is they don't swivel right round,but I've learnt to compensate for that but does take longer to do a job. I have a kellfri trencher and yes I've broken a part of the swivel which holds the cylinder underneath. But a friend welded together and made stronger. Where I go with mine would be suicide in a track machine. I've had mine digging on a slope with one wheel in the air and felt as safe as standing on Flat ground. The worse bit I digging face down I have gone over the front once needs seat belt otherwise it's brilliant and just won't give I when trying get roots out yesterday I was clearing an overgrown pond area and it lifted up a tree roots and all Inc about six sucker's which had rooted in the pond. If wanted to dig something I'd recommend these machines and I'm 71 and cleared 100feet of overgrown stuff on edge of pond in around 3hrs no sweat. Great videos wish I could do them
All of my machines are vintage American Iron that are loved and will last me the rest of my life. I also build my own implinents that are ALLWAYS stronger and don't fail in typical areas because of inherent weaknesses like King Cutter. Old is better. I have a FMC Husky H 14 garden tractor with live PTO and hydraulic lift front and rear that you will never find on these modern yuppy toys. It does everything. Snow blower push blades drag blades mini box blade heavy tiller drags etc. Year round workhorse. I live in the mountains above the snow line. Vintage American steel well cared for. Listen to your machines. Dandahermit
Thank you Karen for watching and for the kind words. Let me know when your's comes in and if I can answer any questions or help in any way, feel free to ask. Remember what I said in the video, most breaks come from "operator error" so take it slow and give yourself time to learn the machine. You'll love it.
Good information. I've been looking at this machine for quite awhile and finally broke down and ordered one. I haven't received it yet but I have several projects planned for it. Most of the videos I've seen about things breaking were from abuse not use.
You're right Woodrow, most breaks are due to operator error. LOL I've been hearing that HF is having a hard time keeping up with demand and many are on back order. Hope your's comes in soon. Thanks for watching and keep me posted.
I can tell an honest man from a dishonest one with a relatively high degree of accuracy, but you, sir, make it easy. You are blatantly honest. Great info. Thank you.
That trencher is a better design than the one that I had a few years ago. Biggest difference is that this one actually have some lift height and the wheels/support legs seems better designed. Ants Pants sent me here and I like what I see! Keep up the good work!
Thank you Nils. Yep, I really like the HF trencher. The price is great and with a few minor mods it really does a great job. I just subscribed to your channel thanks to Ant's.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead I had the Kellfri digger, thinking about doing a review about it, I wasn’t super pleased with it but it all depends on your expectations and the work you need to do with it. Cool that Ants connect channels the way he did! And thanks for subscribing!
That's serious worthy advise and quite a testimony. I've got A Kelly brand one that is set up for ,a.3 point hook up as well. It cost over $6,000 bucks. That's a really better price. There are a few more features like hydraulic actuated out riggers. All dimensions are bout the same. That Harbor freight looks good. A strong competitor is from Northern Tools. Dandahrrmit
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead During normal,sensible operation this thing is a beast. Except when I was having a battle of egos with that boulder, I’ve never broken a thing on it. Now that it’s fixed I’ll know better next time. I hear all these people talking about breaking the bucket. Wish I had some forensic footage on those jobs. Lol.
Well thanks. For the info about this machine. On breaking rock use the bucket not the arms. That will help me a lot. FYI at 8 inches to 2 foot i have a solid layer of layered rock. It's over 500 foot deep of solid cracked layered rock. The layers are on top of each other. Each layer about 2 to 4 inches thick I've dug a 10x10 hole 8 foot deep a few years ago with pick and shovel. Its no speed operation. Honestly a real backhoe wouldn't have much of a problem. But it would still be slower then other grounds. And the rock is limestone. Not a hard rock. I've dug in dry clay before. Its about the same. For a better picture. Think 2 inch cement layers. On top of each other. For over 500 foot. Also in this situation, don't expect to even get a quarter bucket of material. Its just not going to happen.
I thought I was going to buy a tractor, with a bucket and a backhoe, until I hit calculate, and $30000 came up on the screen. The backhoe for the tractor wasn't any bigger, looked almost exactly the same (I know it's not, so relax, tractor guys), had less reach, and cost more than twice what HF backhoe's going for. It certainly looks like a decent machine to me.
You're right John. This unit is very close to the size of a tractor mounted unit. It has better reach, depth, mobility and will not be putting the wear on your tractor. Plus the hassle of mounting and removing from tractor. And then there is the cost. LOL
Totally agreed! i had one of these (EU model, Jansen MB300) and it was really good for the price. You have some good content out there, i will subscribe and hoping to see more
You were my Saturday night binge. I’ve been drooling over this piece for a while. You have me sold. And my favorite part is that you mean what you say. I’m 13 years behind you living in in East Texas Crawfish colonies. In other words, I got some land shaping and drainage to work on. Got my Mhindra Emax22 used last week and I think they will make a great team on my little 2.4 acs. I appreciate your narrative and I’m subscribed because my biggest ambition is excavating a series of pond-lettes to use the soil and manage run off and maybe even elevate it to idyllic someday. It’s just hard to push that order button after the $9400 for the tractor, and $2500 for the trailer. I’m sure to loan it out, barter style. I need this workhorse, but I’m get some cleanup done on the land first.
Wow Bartz, thanks for all the kind words. You are right, I do "mean what I say", that doesn't mean I'm always right but I always try to tell the truth as I see it. Sounds like you have a lot of projects and are off to a good start. I know what you mean about placing that order. I also struggle sometime when it comes to spending money. I don't have an unlimited supply to spend so I have to make the most of it. That's why I bought the HF trencher, I truly do believe it's the best for the amount of money spent. Good luck, keep me posted and thanks for watching.
Thanks for doing this video. I'm trying to decide if I should buy one or go rent one from Home Depot to finish digging out my 16x10 pond and water fall. I'm going to go watch your other video on digging out the ponds you did to see if it can reach out 10ft from one spot.
Ten foot will be a hard reach. Eight (sometime nine) is about the best I can do. Let me know if you have any questions, I'll try to answer the best I can.
Just bought one, so far, we're happy with it. I will say, I have to get a set up for a second set of wheels, those stabilizer arms weigh almost as much as I do! LOL
I added a thumb 2 weeks ago and I attempted to remove a green, fresh cut 12" dia. stump and twisted the machine too much and broke the left leg. As you say, it was probably operator error. Needless to say, it won't dig up green stumps. It's just not strong enough. Wait until they rot out or get an excavator. Thanks for the video.
Sorry to hear about the trouble. I have dug several "green" stumps and found the secret to be digging all the way around the stump making sure to get all roots before working on the stump itself. You are right, the older the stump the easier it will come out. Now weld up that leg and enjoy some more digging. Good luck.
Been looking at these for a few years. Have a project that will take a few weeks, renting the equipment or buying a backhoe attachment for my Kubota loader would cost me around $8-9,000. I looked them up and found on sale for $3,000. Watching your videos talked me into it. Thanks Double M, my order is in
Thanks Robert, I did the same thing when I got mine. Just made more sense to buy than rent. Saved money, and the amount of jobs this thing has done around my place over the last 4 years is amazing. Just please remember, this thing is very strong. It will break itself in half if you do not "work smart". Let me know when it comes in and how it does for you.
I used to work selling Kubotas, the nice thing is there are companies that can fit right up to Kubota's mounting specs. For the money, the Tractor Supply Bush Hog is great.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead I have been pondering buying one as well, but only had a truck to move it around and I would be backing up to access a drainage ditch over two of the 3 neighbors septic fields with a 5000lb truck turning wheels,.back and forth, you get the picture. I just bought a quality Hustler Zero Turn and put a hitch on the back (factory option) for a garden cart/utility cart. no hills and one slow incline for access, what is your thoughts? I'm thinking easier to move, much lighter footprint....no angry neighbors. (probably the best neighbors I've ever had)
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead oh and I bought mine used for 1600$ it was like new the only problem I had was couple cylinder blead off so I took them apart and tightened the packing nut and they been working fine
As of April 2022 the HF at 9hp is $3500 and the Northern at 15hp is $3500. The build is very similar in the two, the most difference is the HP. True that only work the tool to ITs ability and not try to make it more than it is. goes for any tool. I would love to see a head to head comparison of those two.
I have heard that Northern is going to discontinue theirs when the inventory is gone. Don't know if that's true. All China items are going to go up with the current state of the economy. Glad I got mine when I did.
I had been wanting a Harbor Freight Trencher for quite some time now. I had watched many videos, including all of yours. I even commented many times asking many questions... I really didn't have the extra money to purchase one, until one day afew months ago I randomly looked for one on marketplace and actually found one for sale that was only about 15 miles from my house. The guy was selling it because it was owned by his father inlaw who had passed away and all of his belongings were being sold in an estate sale... I ended up purchasing it for only $1700 dollars. (A GREAT DEAL). It was in really good condition. I've worked the little digger for the past 2 months and it has amazed me at what all it can do... It's def' a work horse and built very well...
I bought my trencher when they first sold them, close to 20 years ago.Ihave never regretted purchasing it. it will go where larger ones cant.It isnt perfect,but is worth the money. it will pay for itself. the main thing is to use a high quality hydraulic oil. if you can keep it out of the weather that will save you headaches later on. This thing will dig like you cant believe. if i can find another used one for the right price i would buy it for a stand by.
First of all let me say thank you for your videos. You are a big reason that I bought the Harbor Freight backhoe. After assembly I used it around 1 hour at least until my hands started hurting from trying to push the leavers. Is it normal for the controls to be this stiff?
Thanks for your video.. it's very informative!! I would definitely buy one if I can mount an auger attachment and upgrade the hyd pump to handle it.. has anyone out there tried that modification that you know of!?!
May 2021 was when my father and I received our harbor freight backhoe! We bought so that we could dig shallow trenches along 3 sides of my property to plant lilac bushes to hopefully act as a natural fence. After the first day of usage we noticed we were losing hydraulic fluid from the pistons...so we had a shop replace the seals...400 buck job there...went back about a week later and dug a 2nd trench for the lilacs and the backhoe seemed to work just fine and no leaks. We at some point forgot about the safety latch near the bottom of the main boom and that bent the heck out of that solid peg where you put the pin in after the swivel latch or whatever you want to call it...don't know how we're gonna fix it...so far we have a large washer on that peg with a gold-ish colored pin being used (forgot what hardware grade that is). Used the backhoe again this year to dig another trench for more lilacs and we looked over the machine and the piston that actuates the bucket itself the seal nearest the bucket is now leaking... I mean the machine is pretty awesome all in all for the price! Makes planting trees or trenching for bushes a heck of a lot easier! I can also scoot around the property pretty well with the backhoe but the downside to that is the outriggers tend to tear up the grass a good bit... Anyways thought I'd leave a comment! Sorry it turned out to be an essay! Oh and the leaks are just slow leaks nothing gushing out yet haha!
Glad you're enjoying it. Don't feel bad about forgetting to remove that safety latch, I've done it and know several others who have as well. It's a great little machine. Don't worry about the "essay", I love talking and reading about our little trenchers. LOL
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead but that peg that latch goes around...we bent it pretty good haha! Dont know if it would be possible to straighten it out or not...
@@lilredwagon5311 Yea, I did the same thing. I've seen many people say these things are made with "cheap, soft steel", well I beat that peg with a sledge hammer and still could not bend it back, but the latch still goes over it so I just gave up and left it bent. LOL
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead yeah...we couldn't get it to bend back either...so when the latch goes over it we put a big washer in between the latch and the pin that goes in the hole
With a machine like this. Don't get in a hurry. It takes time. Like it was explained to me the cheaper it is the longer it will take to do a job. The more you spend the faster you can do a job. It is what it is. Lol this is a lot cheaper then the small tractor I bought. And it's about the same size digging.
All of us machine people fully know what you're talking about the machine talking to you. Listening becomes instinctive and how you have a non abused machine working in reasonable parameters LasT for years. Abuse is the most common reason for mechanical failures. I'm an 80 yrs old trucker farmer blabla.Dandahermit
As a former track hoe excavator operator, I have to say that the heavier machine you have, the more ripping force you have. This machine has no weight to it. My neighbor bought one of the harbor freight backhoes to dig up his water line at his gas station. It does not have enough weight and ripping force to dig through the hard dirt. He ended up having to hire a contractor instead. What a waste of $3200.
Well, you are entitled to your opinion, but you are totally wrong. I also have run large excavators for many years. I live in the Blue Ridge mountains and have been digging in this hard clay and rock for 5 years with this excavator. Has nothing to do with the weight, it's all about the leverage between the bucket and the "outriggers". There are hundreds of videos on you tube showing what it can do. For me it's some of the best money I've ever invested. Thanks for watching.
At 2.7gpm it's much better than a shovel, but is there any way to get the gpm up up a bit? Not looking for 10-14+ but about 6 puts it below most tractor mounted units but for a standalone hoe in that class it would be near perfect. I'm trying to figure out if I can buy a pump and reuse my 13hp Honda or just mod the pump.
There are several bigger pumps that you can adapt to this trencher. Many have done it but many have also broken something after doing it. I'm sure if you are careful you can get by with a bigger pump without doing damage to the trencher. Good questions and points, thanks for watching.
good morning, start this off with great videos man. so i have a few for you if you dont mind. one is would you tow this down the road to job to job going around 70mph or would you trailer it? aslo where would you go to get accessories for this as harbor freights didnt seem to have any for it. thank you again for the video and hopefully the feed back.
Hi Jacob, thanks for the kind words. I never tow mine over 50mph. I just think it's to much stress on the joints, bouncing on the highway. If going a long way I would trailer it. Not a lot of accessories out there. I have some videos on the thumb I put on mine. Got it off e-bay. If you can cut and weld then you can make most small buckets work. Keep me posted on how it goes. Good luck and thanks for watching.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead thank you i appreciate it. Yea i just started this year a construction company always wanted to start my own business... as i go i have picking up things to make my job easier and faster haha.. i think this would make a great addition to the business, plus a wright off lol
For the average small property owner a towable trencher is a better buy than getting a mountable one for your small tractor. Most people think you just hook it into the three point and pto and you are ready to go. I have seen videos from equipment dealers that it is not the best way to go, your 3 point is your weak link. If you do not have pressure down on your three point then you have only the weight of the backhoe to give to stability. For the system to work the best your need to mount an additional frame to your tractor, and then mount the backhoe to that. If I want a backhoe and a tractor that I can use that does not require time to uncouple everytime I need to use my tractor with other implements, than a towable unit is the way to go.
Yes you can. Several people have done that, but you have to be careful because that can cause the fluid to over heat. The safe way to do that is to also change the hoses to a bigger size. Personally I have no problem with the stock speed. I'm old and slow too so me and the trencher get along fine. LOL Thanks for the comment and for watching.
I have a yanmar 20. And it’s almost not enough.picks up a Chevy engine. But ground is frozen forget it.. you never dug in ground and moved boulders lol. Good to move your lawn mower around. Takes twice as long, like filling a sand box with a teaspoon.
Thanks for your opinion, I totally disagree but thanks anyway. You also don't have any idea what I have done in my life as far as digging. I have owned and or operated diggers from this little guy up to massive track hoes. I've dug more ponds, ditches, roadways and etc. than I can even count. Again, thanks for watching but don't be so quick to assume you know so much about me. Oh, and I stand by everything I said in this video.
#1: The FIRST thing that you have to tell your self when useing a towabul backhoe like this and you find your are getting impatient and want to get in a hurry is how long would it take me to do this job by HAND WITH A SHOVEL? Becouce when you break you WILL be useing that SHOVEL? #2: The 2nd. thing that you have to ask your self is HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO FIX IT after I BREAK IT? #3: The 3rd. thing that you have to ask your self is: CAN I EVEN GET THE REPLACMENT PARTS after I BREAK IT?
I have a question that i thought you may have a suggestion...i need to add a lift or hydraulics to one of my garden lawnmowers so i can use a small box blade to keep drive way level ..
Wow Charlie, I'll have to think about that. It will take a lot of "rigging" LOL. Try doing a "search" on you tube and see what comes up. I'm sure someone out there has done it.😆
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead Im thinking of buying a harbor freight backhoe like yours,,,i will only ne using it on my small farm and it would prevent me going in debt 30k...how hard is it to move this thing around...with its reach could i dig a 3ft pond or ditch
@@charliesmith9528 Very easy to move. I pull mine with my compact tractor or Japanese mini truck. On job site you can crawl it around. I live in the foothills of the blue ridge mountains and have found my HF trencher is safer to use on these hills than a tractor or track hoe. I can crawl it up and down steep hills without worry of tipping. You do have to get use to changing from tow mode to dig mode. (Moving tires from one end to other and putting on "outriggers"). But there are many ways to make this part easier. I have several videos showing how I do it and many others do as well. Like you I needed a "digger" for my "hobby farm" (7.5 ac) but didn't want to spend a lot of money. I could not be happier with this trencher. As for what you can dig, I have ditched all my roads, buried water and power lines, dug up stumps and even dug a 1/4 ac. pond. I have many videos of these on my channel. The mane thing to remember is to take your time with this machine. It is very strong and if you push it to far things can break. I have learned to listen to the machine and know when to back off and when to push. In 5 years I have not broken anything. I'm sure my time is coming. LOL Good luck and keep me posted on what you decide and don't hesitate to ask any questions.
It is called towable, but I assume that you cannot take it on the road. What is the smallest footprint of a trailer that will haul this (set up, not in the crate)?
I have towed mine on the highway and it tows good but over time it would put a lot of wear on all the joints. For a trailer I would use nothing smaller than a 6'x12'. I did put mine on a 5x10' but it was a tight fit. Boom was sitting on tongue of trailer. Not fun. LOL
It would take a lot of cutting and welding. This is built as a "stand alone" product. I pull it with my tractor a lot. I like it better than a tractor mounted hoe. They put a lot of stress on a tractor and this unit is much easier to move itself into tight places.
For the $ and u have to consider the tasks ur doing with it. It’s probably not the best for everyday 40-50 hours plus a week construction outfit. That’s uses a backhoe everyday. No this ain’t it. But for around house or farm , small Business that not going be everyday 10 hours a day on it. Be good piece of equipment for you. And all come down to like he says. Don’t over work it. Take it easy keep it greased and maintenance up on it. It will do u good. Beats a shovel any day.
Im thinking about buying one for a few jobs around the house my question is how deep will it actually dig? I've wacthed a lot of video but none show how deep they dig
The hard part for me to be able to get attachments for the tractor or a stand alone piece of equipment is the women in my family says 'we don't need that we got you'. I'm ready to dig my own grave and just finish up the process
LOL, well I've been called a lot of things, but never a preacher! I was however raised a southern Baptist so I guess all those times Mama drug me to church must have done some good.😁
It's a "trencher" made for *digging trenches* for drain and sewer pipes and similar work. You can do more with it, but that's not what it was designed for.
That's the point, you can do just about anything you want with it if you work wisely. I have dug hundreds of stumps, ditched roads, buried pipe and electric, buried dead farm animals, built and graded woods roads and even dug a 1/4 ac pond. That's in the first 4 years and haven't broken anything on it. Not bad for a $3000.00 dollar investment.
I dug trenches with my backhoe to plant a row of bushes on the boarders of my property. And then used it to dig holes for planting trees. Works really well for that!
I know what you mean, I thought the same thing. I'm 69 and don't like pulling a cord. HF offers a 13 hp engine with electric start that is a direct bolt on for this trencher. I was going to get one but the 9 hp on this thing starts so easy (one pull every time) that , after 5 years ,I still haven't made the change.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead my brother pulled a cord on a dead generator so much he ended up getting back surgery and a $2000. recliner. Even though it was his own fault, I swore I would never pull a rope again. I'm 65, in excellent physical health, and I intend to stay that way! In this day and age, I can't imagine anybody yanking a rope to save a few bucks.
@@johnpapa8681 Good point. LOL If you decide to get one of these the engine swap is very easy to do and you could sell the 9 hp so you wouldn't be out much. I may still do it one day, it's just not high on my list right now.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead good idea. There's a video on upgrading the pump. A little bigger engine with a little bigger pump might make a real digger out of this machine! I'd pay another $500.
@@johnpapa8681 Problem is most people who have done the bigger pump have wound up breaking something. I'm OK with the speed (or lack of speed LOL) of this trencher. It's fun to use and I'm in no hurry. Going faster doesn't make it dig any better. Going slower means I'm to busy for my wife's "honey do list". :-)
Did you listen to the video? I said "In my opinion this is the best of the towable", and then went on to give my reasons. I also said many will not agree and that is fine. That's why it's called an "opinion". As I stated this is the only towable I have ever used. It is not the only excavator I have used. I've owned and used everything from tractor mounted diggers to large track hoes. As far as "towable" diggers I still believe the HF is the best for the reasons given. Thanks for watching.
Yeah even with a " real backhoe" you don't dig a 6 foot hole off the bat. You dig length wise. And go down over time. Mind you the time is nothing. I've never used one of these. But I have used backhoes I'm sure these take longer. But, I'm looking at shoving vs using one of these. A backhoe is way out of the budget. Since these are about 1/10 the price of a decent used backhoe. I'm sure it will take longer then a backhoe. Im sure a backhoe will dig better in rock. After all a backhoe has more hp. But its faster and less work then digging with a pick and shovel.
Oh though I'd add. Now once a backhoe is at your 6 or 8 foot. Then you can continue digging at that depth. And I don't see why this wouldn't as well. Plus most the time you are not digging 8 foot hole. You are digging 1 to 2 foot holes 20 foot or more long. And really if you are digging multiple wide and deep holes. You should be using something else. Even a backhoe is just a trencher. Excavator is a different story. Lol. You don't use a spoon when you should be using a dozer.
@@baddog9320 Well said. Any "backhoe" is really just a "trencher" because, unlike a "track hoe" with a 380 degree spin, a "backhoe" is limited to where it can put the dirt it's digging. I did dig a small (1/4 ac) pond with mine but the biggest problem was moving the dirt out of the way. As far as depth, I dug my pond 7 to 8 foot deep with no problem. And that was in hard, mountain clay and rock. These things are strong. Thanks for watching.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead lol that a benefit of a " real backhoe" Moving the dirt you piled. But even then it can be a hassle. Nothing against digging a pond with one of these or a backhoe. But a dozer or track loader would do better. However, one must weight the hassel and money to rent one. Or worse buy one. Over the extra work of doing it with a backhoe or towable. BTW my grandfather. Which was very familiar with heavy equipment. Dug his pond with a backhoe. Its about what you have and can use. But a grip I have, not against you, and you will understand. 1st our roads are private and only maintained by the people that use them. And they are 2 to 30 miles long. My grip. I have this nieghbor that keeps saying he is going to get a backhoe and fix the road. What is needs is a D3 or less grading dozer. A grader could be used. But the grading dozer is what is needed. Unfortunately I don't have 30k to spit out for one. And have yet to rent one. On the otherhand if people stopped using meaty tread tires that look disco good. The road wouldn't need repaired. Best tires are regular street tread with a good ply. Ie 6 or better. See the limestone dust is like cements when it not dug into. But when it ripped up. It's terrible. Really wish the monsoons would hit, so I can see thier 4x4 with it very aggressive tread get stuck. As I drive by in my 2x4 with street tires.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead I've been hengeing to get one or not. I've heard bad stories of them. But wondered also if people are thinking they have a 100k excavator ( trackhoe). Imo. Its a mechanical shovel. Since I've never used one of these I can't say more. And frankly, I'm tired of digging with a shovel.and pick. I'm not in my 70s but in my 50s and can't do things like I use to. I find I'm hurting myself often now. which inturn makes me stop.
Thanks for putting this video up. Very informative. I think your most valuable comment was to not "over push" the machine. I looked at towable back hoes for years. Finally settled on this one. I now have over 20 hours on mine and am very happy with it so far.
Thank you for the kind words James. Yes, the most important thing is to listen to the trencher. It will let you know if you are going to far. I am in year 4 digging in hard, rocky, mountain clay and still no breaks. Good luck with yours and keep me posted on how it does.
Very well stated. I have an HF trencher with about 30 hours, and I have issues with it so far. I was reading one place that "Chinese tight and American tight must mean different things" and I agree with his assessment. I also have a few caveats for new HF unboxing - all along the same lines as "the best value for the least money".
1. It comes dry - no fluids. Invest immediately in 4 gallons of Hydraulic fluid, 1 quart of 10-30 oil, and your low alcohol content gasoline.
2. As you put it together, do so with a grease gun handy. The Chinese fittings - Zerk and needle point - are not the best of quality. Even a used grease gun may click on and not click off - but break the zerk! So especially as you are configuring the boom, make sure the fittings are tight - or better yet, change them all for stronger and more durable products.
3. All the cotter pins are durable, but I prefer linch pins. I've lost two in the first 30 hours - the huge pins are just not long enough to put a "fender washer" style buttress for the linch pin to rotate with or against, the joint pin will move with the joint and the linch pin has likely been dragging against the brackets. Otherwise the linch pins would not fall off on me! But I like linch pins.
4. Improvements - if you are annoyed at the slow hydraulic action, there are 3 things that can be done. First - a higher GPM pump - the little number is rated at 2.7 gpm. If you upgrade the engine, you won't get more hydraulic flow, just a stronger pumper. Some people say 3-4 gpm is max - it is the combination of the working pressure and the gpm, do not exceed the valve body relief valve pressure range! Your lines and valves are protected from maximum pressures if the relief valve is working. The valve body is rated to 10 gpm, but the hoses are all 1/8 inch diameter connections. So a 5 gpm flow will roast your hydraulic fluid. If you want more of a pump, you need to upgrade the pump to valve body line and return to at least 1/4 but I'd go to 3/8. Let the valve body be the tightest link. If you find your hydraulic temps are high, you can purchase an automatic transmission cooler which may handle the pressures - check with manufacturer. You can mount an oil radiator (tranny cooler) on the side of the reservoir behind the filter and below the seat depending upon model you find.
5 Changing the pump may lead to a desire for larger hoses all around. If so, consider staging your lines. There is no need for flexible hoses the entire length - you can mount hydraulic piping along the boom sized & threaded to length. So your hoses become shorter and can be upgraded from 1/8 ID connections to larger - but the valves and the cylinders will still set your limits. More gpm means faster action, it won't make the cylinders stronger or improve the valves control - fine control valves are expensive and the HF is not manufactured with the most expensive components.
6 The HF is strong for its size, and you will ride a bucking bronco if you are digging wet clay. Invest in means of ballasting the hitch/engine/small axle end of the trencher when working. Another 200 lbs may require installing a hand crank on the trailer tongue to make towing easier - along with all M&M farms has done to their trencher, a hand crank is an easy addition.
Keep it lubed, greased, and check all your pins - and you should be pleased with a light duty dependable trencher. Ignore all M&M farms has said and you may find the HF is a easily broken POS. I have found it useful - under sized yes, but it gets the job done eventually. Thanks for letting me add my 2 cents - I wish I had learned this when I was comparing trenchers - it is what it is, but it can be a little better with little changes along the way! Enjoy!
When I worked on the railroad signal gang, we would occasionally have “backhoe appreciation day”. We’d dig all day with picks and shovels while our Case backhoe just sat there. Then we’d get back to normal and that was the best maintained backhoe in North America lol.
Great story, thanks for sharing.
My uncle-in-law recently purchased this machine and was kind enough to let me borrow it for our pool project. This was my first time I've ever operated any kind of machine like this. I have to say, It's super easy to learn on. Within 10 minutes, I went from jerky / clunky movements to smooth and steady (my 14 year old son learned to operate it as well, so we share in the fun haha). I only have 1 issue with it and that's the plastic handles. They keep spinning off, even after super gluing them on. I'm going to fix that real quick (with a custom made set from some car gear shifter parts I have laying around) as a "thank you" for being able to borrow this machine from my in-law.
We also live in the Blue Ridge Mountain area (on top of a mountain actually) and our ground is nothing but big rocks, red clay, and thick rooted grass. So far, this little machine has done amazing work for us and I plan to use it to install a drainage system around the footers of our house as my next project. Just these 2 projects alone, it'll have paid for itself ,if I had bought it.
To anyone reading this and is hesitant about buying this machine .... At the time of writing this comment, they are sold out online on the Harbor Freight website with no "return to stock" date. So if you see one for sale somewhere, I'd buy it in a hurry!
Yea, I had the same problem with mine. I put some thread lock on them and it has worked well. You are also right, mine has more than payed for itself with all the projects I have done with it. Thanks for watching.
Looks like they're back in stock again. I saw a price around $3k. I am buying some land. I might get one of these for general landscaping, but this video is telling me that it can do a bit more. If I break it, it won't be so bad. $3k is not an arm or leg.
@@thetruth45678 it really can do a lot for the money. If I remember right, the next closest piece of equipment like this (from anywhere else) is $8,000+.
Also, you can spend $200 on an upgraded hydraulic pump for it and it'll operate 2 times as fast, literally.
I agree on everything you said, for the money it’s a great piece of equipment. You can do anything you want with it. Keep up the good work on the pond.
Wow that's the most positive testimony they could hope for. I was hoping you would demonstrate it. Enjoyed your comments. Dandahermit
Thank you for the honest assessment. I'm beginning my journey of possibly purchasing this type of machine, so your input for me is highly valuable.
Glad you found this helpful. Good luck with your decision and let me know if you get one.
Thank you! This is the best video I have seen on this machine.
Thank you for the kind words and thanks for watching. You can check out my channel for more videos on the HF trencher.
Great review from a Sandhills, NC native. Was thinking about buying a 40 HP tractor with a backhoe attachment but after looking at your review and others I think this is the way to go. This is a MUCH cheaper way to have a small backhoe. Then I can have my 3-point tractor hitch readily available. Thanks for creating this video.
Thanks Donald. Sounds like you're thinking just like I did.
Thank you for your video i was thinking the same thing people over working them braking stuff !!
Thank you for this great and honest review!
Thanks for watching
Nice review. Just purchased one with the Easter 15 percent discount. Already on its way.
Thanks. Informative and I think you are right. Wish I had a farm. Don't like being a city slicker.
Thank you I appreciate the no nonsense honest review.
Thanks Russ, for the kind words and for watching.
A great well explained video, thank you!
Thanks for the kind words and for watching.
Good video! I love my trencher. Bought it used and worked it hard. Couple problems I've had is nuts backing off inside cylinders. But they're a simple rebuild. Got enough o-rings to rebuild 3 for under $20. And hate to say I broke a weld loose yesterday. Partly my fault. From getting it in a bind. Still love it . Keep em up!
Yea, they are really simple to work on. Thanks for watching.
I agree it's the best for the money.
At the price if hiring the job out, mine has paid for itself 2-3 times over, in just the first 2 years I've owned it.
Plus, I get the satisfaction of saying I did it myself.
My only regret, is not buying one years ago.
Yep, you said it better than I did. LOL
Thank you! you have helped me make my decision! Going to get one too.
Congratulations on your choice!
We have a "facebook" page of HF trencher owners, you can learn a lot about them there as well. Thanks for watching and keep me posted.
Thank you for your honest review
I agree these trencher machines are worth the money. They have their limits and one of the biggest is they don't swivel right round,but I've learnt to compensate for that but does take longer to do a job.
I have a kellfri trencher and yes I've broken a part of the swivel which holds the cylinder underneath. But a friend welded together and made stronger.
Where I go with mine would be suicide in a track machine. I've had mine digging on a slope with one wheel in the air and felt as safe as standing on Flat ground. The worse bit I digging face down I have gone over the front once needs seat belt otherwise it's brilliant and just won't give I when trying get roots out yesterday I was clearing an overgrown pond area and it lifted up a tree roots and all Inc about six sucker's which had rooted in the pond.
If wanted to dig something I'd recommend these machines and I'm 71 and cleared 100feet of overgrown stuff on edge of pond in around 3hrs no sweat. Great videos wish I could do them
Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching. People who have never used one of these machines just don't believe how powerful they are.
I'm about to buy one. Thanks for the review and advice.
Good to hear. Let me know when you get it and what you think after using it. Thanks for watching.
I think you're right on the price and quality I can't wait Im gonna get one of those I like them I think their badass
All of my machines are vintage American Iron that are loved and will last me the rest of my life. I also build my own implinents that are ALLWAYS stronger and don't fail in typical areas because of inherent weaknesses like King Cutter. Old is better. I have a FMC Husky H 14 garden tractor with live PTO and hydraulic lift front and rear that you will never find on these modern yuppy toys. It does everything. Snow blower push blades drag blades mini box blade heavy tiller drags etc. Year round workhorse. I live in the mountains above the snow line. Vintage American steel well cared for. Listen to your machines. Dandahermit
hello thanks for your great videos i think ive watched most of them anyway i ordered mine today.
Thank you Karen for watching and for the kind words. Let me know when your's comes in and if I can answer any questions or help in any way, feel free to ask. Remember what I said in the video, most breaks come from "operator error" so take it slow and give yourself time to learn the machine. You'll love it.
Good information. I've been looking at this machine for quite awhile and finally broke down and ordered one. I haven't received it yet but I have several projects planned for it. Most of the videos I've seen about things breaking were from abuse not use.
You're right Woodrow, most breaks are due to operator error. LOL I've been hearing that HF is having a hard time keeping up with demand and many are on back order. Hope your's comes in soon. Thanks for watching and keep me posted.
Great review
Great video man, i plan o. Getting one in the future. People need to realize whay they gave and how to take care of it.
I can tell an honest man from a dishonest one with a relatively high degree of accuracy, but you, sir, make it easy. You are blatantly honest. Great info. Thank you.
Thank you for the kind words. After your first sentence, I was worried. LOL
That trencher is a better design than the one that I had a few years ago. Biggest difference is that this one actually have some lift height and the wheels/support legs seems better designed. Ants Pants sent me here and I like what I see! Keep up the good work!
Thank you Nils. Yep, I really like the HF trencher. The price is great and with a few minor mods it really does a great job. I just subscribed to your channel thanks to Ant's.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead I had the Kellfri digger, thinking about doing a review about it, I wasn’t super pleased with it but it all depends on your expectations and the work you need to do with it.
Cool that Ants connect channels the way he did! And thanks for subscribing!
@@NilsKall Yea, I like the Kellfri but I think the HF has stronger "legs". Yep, Ants did good. LOL
Excellent review. Thank You
Thanks for watching.
That's serious worthy advise and quite a testimony. I've got A Kelly brand one that is set up for ,a.3 point hook up as well. It cost over $6,000 bucks. That's a really better price. There are a few more features like hydraulic actuated out riggers. All dimensions are bout the same. That Harbor freight looks good. A strong competitor is from Northern Tools. Dandahrrmit
Cheers. I am in 100% agreement with your assessment. The only repairs ever required on mine were because of my own ineptitude or impatience.
Yep, and every time I say it I piss someone off.😁
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead During normal,sensible operation this thing is a beast. Except when I was having a battle of egos with that boulder, I’ve never broken a thing on it. Now that it’s fixed I’ll know better next time. I hear all these people talking about breaking the bucket. Wish I had some forensic footage on those jobs. Lol.
Just purchased one .Nice video good observations.
Glad to hear you got one. Let me know how you like it and thanks for watching.
Good info, thank you
Well thanks. For the info about this machine.
On breaking rock use the bucket not the arms.
That will help me a lot.
FYI at 8 inches to 2 foot i have a solid layer of layered rock. It's over 500 foot deep of solid cracked layered rock.
The layers are on top of each other. Each layer about 2 to 4 inches thick
I've dug a 10x10 hole 8 foot deep a few years ago with pick and shovel. Its no speed operation.
Honestly a real backhoe wouldn't have much of a problem. But it would still be slower then other grounds.
And the rock is limestone. Not a hard rock.
I've dug in dry clay before. Its about the same.
For a better picture. Think 2 inch cement layers. On top of each other. For over 500 foot.
Also in this situation, don't expect to even get a quarter bucket of material. Its just not going to happen.
I thought I was going to buy a tractor, with a bucket and a backhoe, until I hit calculate, and $30000 came up on the screen. The backhoe for the tractor wasn't any bigger, looked almost exactly the same (I know it's not, so relax, tractor guys), had less reach, and cost more than twice what HF backhoe's going for.
It certainly looks like a decent machine to me.
You're right John. This unit is very close to the size of a tractor mounted unit. It has better reach, depth, mobility and will not be putting the wear on your tractor. Plus the hassle of mounting and removing from tractor. And then there is the cost. LOL
Totally agreed! i had one of these (EU model, Jansen MB300) and it was really good for the price. You have some good content out there, i will subscribe and hoping to see more
Thank you for all the kind words and for subscribing. I'll have some new content soon of my wife learning to use the trencher. Should be a lot of fun.
Great information, thank you.
Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching.
Agree, great value, even when paying in Canadian dollars.
Good video
Thanks
Wow... Why haven't I heard about this before? I'm buying one soon as I get home.
Thinking about getting one myself
You were my Saturday night binge. I’ve been drooling over this piece for a while. You have me sold. And my favorite part is that you mean what you say.
I’m 13 years behind you living in in East Texas Crawfish colonies. In other words, I got some land shaping and drainage to work on. Got my Mhindra Emax22 used last week and I think they will make a great team on my little 2.4 acs. I appreciate your narrative and I’m subscribed because my biggest ambition is excavating a series of pond-lettes to use the soil and manage run off and maybe even elevate it to idyllic someday.
It’s just hard to push that order button after the $9400 for the tractor, and $2500 for the trailer. I’m sure to loan it out, barter style. I need this workhorse, but I’m get some cleanup done on the land first.
Wow Bartz, thanks for all the kind words. You are right, I do "mean what I say", that doesn't mean I'm always right but I always try to tell the truth as I see it. Sounds like you have a lot of projects and are off to a good start. I know what you mean about placing that order. I also struggle sometime when it comes to spending money. I don't have an unlimited supply to spend so I have to make the most of it. That's why I bought the HF trencher, I truly do believe it's the best for the amount of money spent. Good luck, keep me posted and thanks for watching.
Thanks for doing this video. I'm trying to decide if I should buy one or go rent one from Home Depot to finish digging out my 16x10 pond and water fall. I'm going to go watch your other video on digging out the ponds you did to see if it can reach out 10ft from one spot.
Ten foot will be a hard reach. Eight (sometime nine) is about the best I can do. Let me know if you have any questions, I'll try to answer the best I can.
Thank you for your review.
Thank you for watching.
I just got a used one with 5 hours on it for 2500 and i love it
Congratulations, that was a great deal!
Just bought one, so far, we're happy with it. I will say, I have to get a set up for a second set of wheels, those stabilizer arms weigh almost as much as I do! LOL
Good luck, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Keep me posted on how it does. I just subscribed back. Thanks
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead I'll definitely have some videos going up. Hopefully, soon. ;) 👍
I like the way you talk your voice sounds like a racecar
I added a thumb 2 weeks ago and I attempted to remove a green, fresh cut 12" dia. stump and twisted the machine too much and broke the left leg. As you say, it was probably operator error.
Needless to say, it won't dig up green stumps. It's just not strong enough. Wait until they rot out or get an excavator. Thanks for the video.
Sorry to hear about the trouble. I have dug several "green" stumps and found the secret to be digging all the way around the stump making sure to get all roots before working on the stump itself. You are right, the older the stump the easier it will come out. Now weld up that leg and enjoy some more digging. Good luck.
Been looking at these for a few years. Have a project that will take a few weeks, renting the equipment or buying a backhoe attachment for my Kubota loader would cost me around $8-9,000. I looked them up and found on sale for $3,000. Watching your videos talked me into it. Thanks Double M, my order is in
Thanks Robert, I did the same thing when I got mine. Just made more sense to buy than rent. Saved money, and the amount of jobs this thing has done around my place over the last 4 years is amazing. Just please remember, this thing is very strong. It will break itself in half if you do not "work smart". Let me know when it comes in and how it does for you.
I used to work selling Kubotas, the nice thing is there are companies that can fit right up to Kubota's mounting specs.
For the money, the Tractor Supply Bush Hog is great.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead I have been pondering buying one as well, but only had a truck to move it around and I would be backing up to access a drainage ditch over two of the 3 neighbors septic fields with a 5000lb truck turning wheels,.back and forth, you get the picture.
I just bought a quality Hustler Zero Turn and put a hitch on the back (factory option) for a garden cart/utility cart. no hills and one slow incline for access, what is your thoughts?
I'm thinking easier to move, much lighter footprint....no angry neighbors. (probably the best neighbors I've ever had)
@@jmearley4872 With no steep hills it should move it fine. The trencher is around 1400 to 1500 pounds. Let me know how it does.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead Hey Double M
thank you nice
I have had one for 5 years and still uses it
They are great little workers. Thanks for watching and stay tuned, I have some new vids coming on a big project.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead oh and I bought mine used for 1600$ it was like new the only problem I had was couple cylinder blead off so I took them apart and tightened the packing nut and they been working fine
As of April 2022 the HF at 9hp is $3500 and the Northern at 15hp is $3500. The build is very similar in the two, the most difference is the HP. True that only work the tool to ITs ability and not try to make it more than it is. goes for any tool. I would love to see a head to head comparison of those two.
I have heard that Northern is going to discontinue theirs when the inventory is gone. Don't know if that's true. All China items are going to go up with the current state of the economy. Glad I got mine when I did.
I had been wanting a Harbor Freight Trencher for quite some time now. I had watched many videos, including all of yours. I even commented many times asking many questions... I really didn't have the extra money to purchase one, until one day afew months ago I randomly looked for one on marketplace and actually found one for sale that was only about 15 miles from my house. The guy was selling it because it was owned by his father inlaw who had passed away and all of his belongings were being sold in an estate sale... I ended up purchasing it for only $1700 dollars. (A GREAT DEAL). It was in really good condition. I've worked the little digger for the past 2 months and it has amazed me at what all it can do... It's def' a work horse and built very well...
Holy cow!!! You did find a great deal! Welcome to the "HF trencher family" and thanks for watching our videos.
Double M got me a predator 9000 watt generator love it form harbor freight to day
I have heard good things about those. And we already know the predator engine is good. I may get one as well. A good thing to have on hand.
I bought my trencher when they first sold them, close to 20 years ago.Ihave never regretted purchasing it. it will go where larger ones cant.It isnt perfect,but is worth the money. it will pay for itself. the main thing is to use a high quality hydraulic oil. if you can keep it out of the weather that will save you headaches later on. This thing will dig like you cant believe. if i can find another used one for the right price i would buy it for a stand by.
Well said, great points! Thanks for watching.
That's great points,Rich.We are backhoe factory,if you have demand on new,pls contact with us,thank you,
First of all let me say thank you for your videos. You are a big reason that I bought the Harbor Freight backhoe. After assembly I used it around 1 hour at least until my hands started hurting from trying to push the leavers. Is it normal for the controls to be this stiff?
It should get better with use.
Thanks for your video.. it's very informative!! I would definitely buy one if I can mount an auger attachment and upgrade the hyd pump to handle it.. has anyone out there tried that modification that you know of!?!
Tank you Lerman for the kind words. I have not seen that mod done but anything is possible. LOL
May 2021 was when my father and I received our harbor freight backhoe! We bought so that we could dig shallow trenches along 3 sides of my property to plant lilac bushes to hopefully act as a natural fence. After the first day of usage we noticed we were losing hydraulic fluid from the pistons...so we had a shop replace the seals...400 buck job there...went back about a week later and dug a 2nd trench for the lilacs and the backhoe seemed to work just fine and no leaks.
We at some point forgot about the safety latch near the bottom of the main boom and that bent the heck out of that solid peg where you put the pin in after the swivel latch or whatever you want to call it...don't know how we're gonna fix it...so far we have a large washer on that peg with a gold-ish colored pin being used (forgot what hardware grade that is).
Used the backhoe again this year to dig another trench for more lilacs and we looked over the machine and the piston that actuates the bucket itself the seal nearest the bucket is now leaking...
I mean the machine is pretty awesome all in all for the price! Makes planting trees or trenching for bushes a heck of a lot easier! I can also scoot around the property pretty well with the backhoe but the downside to that is the outriggers tend to tear up the grass a good bit...
Anyways thought I'd leave a comment! Sorry it turned out to be an essay!
Oh and the leaks are just slow leaks nothing gushing out yet haha!
Glad you're enjoying it. Don't feel bad about forgetting to remove that safety latch, I've done it and know several others who have as well. It's a great little machine. Don't worry about the "essay", I love talking and reading about our little trenchers. LOL
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead but that peg that latch goes around...we bent it pretty good haha! Dont know if it would be possible to straighten it out or not...
@@lilredwagon5311 Yea, I did the same thing. I've seen many people say these things are made with "cheap, soft steel", well I beat that peg with a sledge hammer and still could not bend it back, but the latch still goes over it so I just gave up and left it bent. LOL
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead yeah...we couldn't get it to bend back either...so when the latch goes over it we put a big washer in between the latch and the pin that goes in the hole
@@lilredwagon5311 We do what we have to do. LOL
Just landed one today with a 25% off coupon and 10% off first credit card purchase. A little over 2600 bucks. DEAL
That's a great deal! I paid 2700 for mine 5 years ago. Let me know when it comes in.
With a machine like this. Don't get in a hurry. It takes time. Like it was explained to me the cheaper it is the longer it will take to do a job. The more you spend the faster you can do a job. It is what it is. Lol this is a lot cheaper then the small tractor I bought. And it's about the same size digging.
I agree, this machine is the same size as my old tractor mounted backhoe and I like it better. Thanks for watching.
All of us machine people fully know what you're talking about the machine talking to you. Listening becomes instinctive and how you have a non abused machine working in reasonable parameters LasT for years. Abuse is the most common reason for mechanical failures. I'm an 80 yrs old trucker farmer blabla.Dandahermit
As a former track hoe excavator operator, I have to say that the heavier machine you have, the more ripping force you have. This machine has no weight to it. My neighbor bought one of the harbor freight backhoes to dig up his water line at his gas station. It does not have enough weight and ripping force to dig through the hard dirt. He ended up having to hire a contractor instead. What a waste of $3200.
Well, you are entitled to your opinion, but you are totally wrong. I also have run large excavators for many years. I live in the Blue Ridge mountains and have been digging in this hard clay and rock for 5 years with this excavator. Has nothing to do with the weight, it's all about the leverage between the bucket and the "outriggers". There are hundreds of videos on you tube showing what it can do. For me it's some of the best money I've ever invested. Thanks for watching.
At 2.7gpm it's much better than a shovel, but is there any way to get the gpm up up a bit? Not looking for 10-14+ but about 6 puts it below most tractor mounted units but for a standalone hoe in that class it would be near perfect.
I'm trying to figure out if I can buy a pump and reuse my 13hp Honda or just mod the pump.
There are several bigger pumps that you can adapt to this trencher. Many have done it but many have also broken something after doing it. I'm sure if you are careful you can get by with a bigger pump without doing damage to the trencher. Good questions and points, thanks for watching.
good morning, start this off with great videos man. so i have a few for you if you dont mind. one is would you tow this down the road to job to job going around 70mph or would you trailer it? aslo where would you go to get accessories for this as harbor freights didnt seem to have any for it. thank you again for the video and hopefully the feed back.
Hi Jacob, thanks for the kind words. I never tow mine over 50mph. I just think it's to much stress on the joints, bouncing on the highway. If going a long way I would trailer it. Not a lot of accessories out there. I have some videos on the thumb I put on mine. Got it off e-bay. If you can cut and weld then you can make most small buckets work. Keep me posted on how it goes. Good luck and thanks for watching.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead thank you i appreciate it. Yea i just started this year a construction company always wanted to start my own business... as i go i have picking up things to make my job easier and faster haha.. i think this would make a great addition to the business, plus a wright off lol
You know what they say if you cant fix it with a hammer, its an electrical problem haha
For the average small property owner a towable trencher is a better buy than getting a mountable one for your small tractor. Most people think you just hook it into the three point and pto and you are ready to go. I have seen videos from equipment dealers that it is not the best way to go, your 3 point is your weak link. If you do not have pressure down on your three point then you have only the weight of the backhoe to give to stability. For the system to work the best your need to mount an additional frame to your tractor, and then mount the backhoe to that. If I want a backhoe and a tractor that I can use that does not require time to uncouple everytime I need to use my tractor with other implements, than a towable unit is the way to go.
Yep, totally agree. Thanks for watching.
That was my reason for buying towable as well
You could speed up the movements with a more powerful pump/ bolt on
Yes you can. Several people have done that, but you have to be careful because that can cause the fluid to over heat. The safe way to do that is to also change the hoses to a bigger size. Personally I have no problem with the stock speed. I'm old and slow too so me and the trencher get along fine. LOL Thanks for the comment and for watching.
I have a yanmar 20. And it’s almost not enough.picks up a Chevy engine. But ground is frozen forget it.. you never dug in ground and moved boulders lol. Good to move your lawn mower around. Takes twice as long, like filling a sand box with a teaspoon.
Thanks for your opinion, I totally disagree but thanks anyway. You also don't have any idea what I have done in my life as far as digging. I have owned and or operated diggers from this little guy up to massive track hoes. I've dug more ponds, ditches, roadways and etc. than I can even count. Again, thanks for watching but don't be so quick to assume you know so much about me. Oh, and I stand by everything I said in this video.
#1: The FIRST thing that you have to tell your self when useing a towabul backhoe like this and you find your are getting impatient and want to get in a hurry is how long would it take me to do this job by HAND WITH A SHOVEL? Becouce when you break you WILL be useing that SHOVEL?
#2: The 2nd. thing that you have to ask your self is HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO FIX IT after I BREAK IT?
#3: The 3rd. thing that you have to ask your self is: CAN I EVEN GET THE REPLACMENT PARTS after I BREAK IT?
Yep, when people tell me "It's slow." I tell them "It's faster than a shovel." LOL
YOUNG MAN ,
WAS GREAT REVEIW ON HARBOR FRIEGHT BACKHOE / U ARE COMPLETE RIGHT ABOUT BEING CAREFULL ON ANY MACHINE !
Trying to explain that to somebody is next to Impossible,
your machines are alive they are talking to you.
Lolol Good job kids ✌🇺🇸✌🤠🍻🍻🍻
👍
Even the big ones break. Ur John deer,cats,fords,Massey,all of them and they cost 1500-2000$ for about any part on big brother tractor baclkhoe.
I have a question that i thought you may have a suggestion...i need to add a lift or hydraulics to one of my garden lawnmowers so i can use a small box blade to keep drive way level ..
Wow Charlie, I'll have to think about that. It will take a lot of "rigging" LOL. Try doing a "search" on you tube and see what comes up. I'm sure someone out there has done it.😆
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead Im thinking of buying a harbor freight backhoe like yours,,,i will only ne using it on my small farm and it would prevent me going in debt 30k...how hard is it to move this thing around...with its reach could i dig a 3ft pond or ditch
@@charliesmith9528 Very easy to move. I pull mine with my compact tractor or Japanese mini truck. On job site you can crawl it around. I live in the foothills of the blue ridge mountains and have found my HF trencher is safer to use on these hills than a tractor or track hoe. I can crawl it up and down steep hills without worry of tipping. You do have to get use to changing from tow mode to dig mode. (Moving tires from one end to other and putting on "outriggers"). But there are many ways to make this part easier. I have several videos showing how I do it and many others do as well. Like you I needed a "digger" for my "hobby farm" (7.5 ac) but didn't want to spend a lot of money. I could not be happier with this trencher. As for what you can dig, I have ditched all my roads, buried water and power lines, dug up stumps and even dug a 1/4 ac. pond. I have many videos of these on my channel. The mane thing to remember is to take your time with this machine. It is very strong and if you push it to far things can break. I have learned to listen to the machine and know when to back off and when to push. In 5 years I have not broken anything. I'm sure my time is coming. LOL Good luck and keep me posted on what you decide and don't hesitate to ask any questions.
It is called towable, but I assume that you cannot take it on the road. What is the smallest footprint of a trailer that will haul this (set up, not in the crate)?
I have towed mine on the highway and it tows good but over time it would put a lot of wear on all the joints. For a trailer I would use nothing smaller than a 6'x12'. I did put mine on a 5x10' but it was a tight fit. Boom was sitting on tongue of trailer. Not fun. LOL
Do you think the back hoe could be mounted on a jd420 garden tractor on a sub frame
It would take a lot of cutting and welding. This is built as a "stand alone" product. I pull it with my tractor a lot. I like it better than a tractor mounted hoe. They put a lot of stress on a tractor and this unit is much easier to move itself into tight places.
how is the comfort factor on this thing? does it make you feel hunched over when you run it?
Not at all. It's a lot like running a "backhoe" on the rear of a tractor.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead thanks
For the $ and u have to consider the tasks ur doing with it. It’s probably not the best for everyday 40-50 hours plus a week construction outfit. That’s uses a backhoe everyday. No this ain’t it. But for around house or farm , small
Business that not going be everyday 10 hours a day on it. Be good piece of equipment for you. And all come down to like he says. Don’t over work it. Take it easy keep it greased and maintenance up on it. It will do u good. Beats a shovel any day.
Was it a lot of trouble to Assemble ?
No, eaiser with two but I did it alone and I'm an old man. LOL
Im thinking about buying one for a few jobs around the house my question is how deep will it actually dig? I've wacthed a lot of video but none show how deep they dig
I can get 7' easy.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead wow i did not think it would go that deep thats great
when the engine on a small motorcycle bogs down you dont just push it you let off to let the engine adjust its rpms to develop required power
They 3500 now still good deal
The hard part for me to be able to get attachments for the tractor or a stand alone piece of equipment is the women in my family says 'we don't need that we got you'. I'm ready to dig my own grave and just finish up the process
Been there!! Sometime they just don't understand.
It has been suggested that you should not show the women in your life how to operate this machine, because it can easily dig a grave.
What’s the deepest trench you could dig with this?
Hi Gray wolf, I've dug down to 7'. The manual says 8' but that is more of the total reach than actual digging depth. Thanks for watching.
Are you a preacher? You sound like a good southern Baptist preacher
LOL, well I've been called a lot of things, but never a preacher! I was however raised a southern Baptist so I guess all those times Mama drug me to church must have done some good.😁
Long Winded.
Just don’t abuse any equipment and it usually will do it’s job for what it was engineered for!
Well said!
Harbor freight machine is now 7,000 just looked this morning
No, right now (3 PM eastern time, 5-15-'23) it's $3,499.99
It's a "trencher" made for *digging trenches* for drain and sewer pipes and similar work. You can do more with it, but that's not what it was designed for.
That's the point, you can do just about anything you want with it if you work wisely. I have dug hundreds of stumps, ditched roads, buried pipe and electric, buried dead farm animals, built and graded woods roads and even dug a 1/4 ac pond. That's in the first 4 years and haven't broken anything on it. Not bad for a $3000.00 dollar investment.
I dug trenches with my backhoe to plant a row of bushes on the boarders of my property. And then used it to dig holes for planting trees. Works really well for that!
@@lilredwagon5311 Yep, it's amazing the things you can find to do with it. Thanks for watching.
How was it delivered?? To your house??
Yes, came to my house in an 18 wheeler. Large, heavy crate. Slid it out onto my trailer with the winch on my truck.
Dear DMF,we are trencher/backhoe manufacturer,if you have new demand on it,you can contact with us,thank you and have a nice day.
I want one of these, but with electric start. I tefuse to yank a rope to start an engine.
I know what you mean, I thought the same thing. I'm 69 and don't like pulling a cord. HF offers a 13 hp engine with electric start that is a direct bolt on for this trencher. I was going to get one but the 9 hp on this thing starts so easy (one pull every time) that , after 5 years ,I still haven't made the change.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead my brother pulled a cord on a dead generator so much he ended up getting back surgery and a $2000. recliner. Even though it was his own fault, I swore I would never pull a rope again. I'm 65, in excellent physical health, and I intend to stay that way! In this day and age, I can't imagine anybody yanking a rope to save a few bucks.
@@johnpapa8681 Good point. LOL If you decide to get one of these the engine swap is very easy to do and you could sell the 9 hp so you wouldn't be out much. I may still do it one day, it's just not high on my list right now.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead good idea. There's a video on upgrading the pump. A little bigger engine with a little bigger pump might make a real digger out of this machine! I'd pay another $500.
@@johnpapa8681 Problem is most people who have done the bigger pump have wound up breaking something. I'm OK with the speed (or lack of speed LOL) of this trencher. It's fun to use and I'm in no hurry. Going faster doesn't make it dig any better. Going slower means I'm to busy for my wife's "honey do list". :-)
Can u pull it with 4 wheeler
Oh yea, pulls great and easy.
Is this highway towable?
Yes, but with no suspension it puts a lot of stress on joints. I use a trailer if going far.
You sound like Lewis gizzard
That may be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. LOL
Beats a shovel
Posible to get one in canada thank you
Yes, Princess Auto has them.
Is it possible to get smaller bucket
@@denisarbique6763 They only make the one bucket but many people have adapted smaller buckets with a little cutting and welding.
Thank you I'll receive mind in 2 week from princess thank you for your video
@@denisarbique6763 Thank you for watching and keep me posted on yours.
How can you say the H.F. back-ho is the best when you have never used any other?!!
Did you listen to the video? I said "In my opinion this is the best of the towable", and then went on to give my reasons. I also said many will not agree and that is fine. That's why it's called an "opinion". As I stated this is the only towable I have ever used. It is not the only excavator I have used. I've owned and used everything from tractor mounted diggers to large track hoes. As far as "towable" diggers I still believe the HF is the best for the reasons given. Thanks for watching.
Yeah even with a " real backhoe" you don't dig a 6 foot hole off the bat.
You dig length wise. And go down over time. Mind you the time is nothing.
I've never used one of these. But I have used backhoes
I'm sure these take longer.
But, I'm looking at shoving vs using one of these.
A backhoe is way out of the budget. Since these are about 1/10 the price of a decent used backhoe.
I'm sure it will take longer then a backhoe.
Im sure a backhoe will dig better in rock. After all a backhoe has more hp.
But its faster and less work then digging with a pick and shovel.
Wild thing is, these things are as strong as some "backhoes". I love mine, it does things I wouldn't believe.
Oh though I'd add.
Now once a backhoe is at your 6 or 8 foot. Then you can continue digging at that depth. And I don't see why this wouldn't as well.
Plus most the time you are not digging 8 foot hole. You are digging 1 to 2 foot holes 20 foot or more long.
And really if you are digging multiple wide and deep holes. You should be using something else.
Even a backhoe is just a trencher.
Excavator is a different story.
Lol. You don't use a spoon when you should be using a dozer.
@@baddog9320 Well said. Any "backhoe" is really just a "trencher" because, unlike a "track hoe" with a 380 degree spin, a "backhoe" is limited to where it can put the dirt it's digging. I did dig a small (1/4 ac) pond with mine but the biggest problem was moving the dirt out of the way. As far as depth, I dug my pond 7 to 8 foot deep with no problem. And that was in hard, mountain clay and rock. These things are strong. Thanks for watching.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead lol that a benefit of a " real backhoe"
Moving the dirt you piled.
But even then it can be a hassle.
Nothing against digging a pond with one of these or a backhoe.
But a dozer or track loader would do better.
However, one must weight the hassel and money to rent one. Or worse buy one. Over the extra work of doing it with a backhoe or towable.
BTW my grandfather. Which was very familiar with heavy equipment. Dug his pond with a backhoe.
Its about what you have and can use.
But a grip I have, not against you, and you will understand.
1st our roads are private and only maintained by the people that use them. And they are 2 to 30 miles long.
My grip. I have this nieghbor that keeps saying he is going to get a backhoe and fix the road.
What is needs is a D3 or less grading dozer. A grader could be used. But the grading dozer is what is needed.
Unfortunately I don't have 30k to spit out for one. And have yet to rent one.
On the otherhand if people stopped using meaty tread tires that look disco good. The road wouldn't need repaired.
Best tires are regular street tread with a good ply. Ie 6 or better.
See the limestone dust is like cements when it not dug into. But when it ripped up. It's terrible.
Really wish the monsoons would hit, so I can see thier 4x4 with it very aggressive tread get stuck. As I drive by in my 2x4 with street tires.
@@DoubleMFarmHomestead I've been hengeing to get one or not.
I've heard bad stories of them.
But wondered also if people are thinking they have a 100k excavator ( trackhoe).
Imo. Its a mechanical shovel. Since I've never used one of these I can't say more.
And frankly, I'm tired of digging with a shovel.and pick.
I'm not in my 70s but in my 50s and can't do things like I use to. I find I'm hurting myself often now. which inturn makes me stop.