# backhoe vs. pusher



## ford6.9 (Aug 17, 2006)

So I have done a lot of reading, And am aware this has been discussed several times on here but I have a bit of a twist on it. I have looked high and low for a wheel loader for snow work only to put a 12' pusher on it. I am having a hard time finding a unit that is in good condition, all I am finding are loaders with 20,000 plus hours and in the $10,000-18,000 price range. 

Now as I am looking I'm running into a good deal of used backhoes in the 25k price target. Which is the cap of what I would like to spend. From what I've read on here ill be much happier with a loader vs backhoe, but can someone that knows heavy equipment chime in here. I am afraid that any loader I buy might just be a scrap pile for the price and hours on it vs the backhoe which would be in the 4-7,000 hrs range. Do I buy an older loader and hope it doesnt break down? or buy a newer backhoe and deal with the fact it won't push as well. 

Loader is looking like a Cat 916 
Backhoe is looking around a case 590
These are just samples of the used machines and the size of the machines I am looking at.


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## SNOWLORD (Aug 10, 2007)

I personally would go for a wheel loader over the backhoe, much heavier and will get alot more done, also the hydraulic pivot of the machine means when your boxplow is full you can still turn, that being said the heart of every wheel loader is the tranny (it is also the most expensive thing to replace) if you can find a wheel loader in your price range which will be tough, get all the info on the tranny, ( whats been done to it in the loaders life if it has been rebuilt, if so did it get a new converter at that time how many hours since then) you know the more info the better. Just my two cents

www.procutfirewood.com


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## JohnRoscoe (Sep 27, 2010)

We ran a Cat 416B backhoe with a 12' pusher for years and it did fine. As pushers go, 12' isn't so huge that a backhoe can't handle it. I will say that I appreciated 4-wheel drive and did use the left and right brakes independently at times to assist with steering. 

The HUGE plus for us is that the backhoe is so much more useful to have around the rest of the year. It's also pretty straightforward to work on, easy to fit inside to store, trailerable, and still holds its value well.


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

I just went through this. You probably read some of my posts,lol. Everybody said, loader, loader, loader vs. a backhoe, but if there isn't and loader around what do ya do. Luckily the loader we just bought came in on trade the day I was starting to look and the salesman kept it on the "down low" for a few weeks until we figured out what we were doing. The day we got approved he called and said there were two or 3 other guys looking to buy it. I know zero about them except they seem to hold their value, we paid 22k for ours. There are a few on ebay that are in the 20's-30k range if that helps. I would say if there is no loader within your price range or just no loader around your going to have to look into a backhoe. Guys arouind here use them all the time in big parking lots. There is a company here doing our mall which is probably 20+ acres and they were using 2 or 3 CAT backhoes with 14' and 16' push boxes. One guy said they had trouble and couldn't take a full box of snow, usually 1/4 to 1/2 swipes.
I plowed with another guy who used a Case 570 skip loader with a 12ft push box and he did fine in large parking lots with straight pushes.


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## samjr (Mar 18, 2008)

*well said*



JohnRoscoe;1085571 said:


> We ran a Cat 416B backhoe with a 12' pusher for years and it did fine. As pushers go, 12' isn't so huge that a backhoe can't handle it. I will say that I appreciated 4-wheel drive and did use the left and right brakes independently at times to assist with steering.
> 
> The HUGE plus for us is that the backhoe is so much more useful to have around the rest of the year. It's also pretty straightforward to work on, easy to fit inside to store, trailerable, and still holds its value well.


We use both 966 cat and 416 4X4 with 12"er onit and with the right guy running it u can move some snow http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=97533


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## samjr (Mar 18, 2008)

*and i cant forget*

the new 420E with the new guy onit lol http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=94756


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## DGODGR (Nov 30, 2008)

I would think that a backhoe could handle a 12' pusher unless you have a lot of heavy/wet events. Straight runs are handled much easier than if you make a lot of turns. If you are not pushing straight the loader will really be an advantage. I am not sure I would consider a 7,000 hour backhoe to be solid as a rock. These days $25k should by you a good 2500 hour bachoe. If it were me 4,000 hours would be nearer the upper end of the scale (as far as hours go). When you start pushing snow in cold weather, and in the middle of the night the bugs will begin to surface. Loader or backhoe won't matter if it's broken. I won't tell you that you can't buy a good high hour TLB to move snow with (I have one with over 12,000, hours that works perfectly, but I have had it since it was new). To find one you will either have done your homework really well or you should have bought a lottery ticket (instead of a TLB) that day.


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## purpleranger519 (Jan 1, 2006)

Wow, wheel loaders out here aren't near the price you guys are talking. Here are 2 that just came through the auction here that I looked at. I think there were about 10 wheel loaders at this auction.

The JCB has 5,000 hours and sold for $26,500. It had a new motor with only 50 hours on it.

The Case had 3,600 hours on it and sold for $22,000.


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## Mr.Freezzz (Sep 17, 2010)

purpleranger519;1085685 said:


> Wow, wheel loaders out here aren't near the price you guys are talking. Here are 2 that just came through the auction here that I looked at. I think there were about 10 wheel loaders at this auction.
> 
> The JCB has 5,000 hours and sold for $26,500. It had a new motor with only 50 hours on it.
> 
> The Case had 3,600 hours on it and sold for $22,000.


Ya look around more such as usediron.com, ironplanet.com, wheelers used equipment , etc. This is not a question that you are going to get much out of. A loader vs a backhoe (HOE). A loader is made to load and scoop, backhoes are smaller multi task units. They really don't have much incomon other than one can load some material and the other can do two at lower quantities. Also snow is light, there for they can both push but neither are made to push or pull! Look at what you want to use it for job size and summer use than decide. Obviously the loader will win.


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## agustofson (Dec 10, 2009)

just a though, but look into some midsized telehandlers. i have use a NH lm430 and it worked well. pretty good on fuel and the 4 wheel steering is nice. and it works pretty good for stackinghttp://cid-1d9eb92d350abe13.photos.live.com/embedphoto.aspx/snow/Image051.jpg http://cid-1d9eb92d350abe13.photos.live.com/embedphoto.aspx/snow/Image050.jpg


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## charlefoxtrtot (Oct 26, 2003)

*Backhoe v push box v wheel loader v push box*

I have two komatsu wheel loaders. One is a WA120-3 and the other a WA 200. We use 
12' boxes on them. Why get a 14 or 16 and then with a heavy snow you can only push a half a box width at one time. That makes little sense. The 12' boxes, full width pushes each time We also use a New Holland LB75B Backhoe with a 10' box. Straight runs no problem, turning, you have to take the weight off of the box. It's just a small learning curve.


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## PLOWTRUCK (Sep 25, 2010)

We have used a 416 and a 420 cat with a 10 or 12' pusher all the time with no problem unless you get a reall really heavy snow. We also have a 544 deere loader with a 14' hd pusher on it. Both ways are fine and will work. A Backhoe can move plenty of snow with a pusher on it and they are very versatile during the rest of the year.


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