350B Dozer VS Backhoe

[Engine One Eight]

Ive got a 350B Dozer that I use around the ranch mainly pushing up brush piles and dragging cut down dead trees around. I'm thinking a Backhoe could do the same work as the dozer plus I could put a thumb on it and use it to load logs into the dump truck to haul to brush piles. currently I cut them into chunks, roll into a farm tractor front loader then load into the dumptruck. Any thoughts? Is a backhoe more useful around the ranch?

 

[Bob Bancroft]

Definitely a TLB is much more versatile than a dozer. Before I had the luxury of owning a dozer, the TLB was it. First it was a farm tractor/loader with a three point backhoe hanging on it. It was amazing what that would push. Then it was a little IH 3444 TLB. Great machine. Rip it out, dig it loose, then push or load it away! Now it's a Ford(NH) 655A TLB w/ext. hoe, and a FiatAllis(NH) FD5 dozer.
I wouldn't sell the dozer, but you'll never regret getting a TLB.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I don't know all your needs, and you have a tractor loader, so what about an excavator? Once you use one you wonder why you had a backhoe except that front bucket of course. I have one about 5 tons not to big not to small works great. But slow to go from place to place so you have to decide what is best for your needs. Good luck

 

[BCnT]

i got a 350B also...i wish i woulda thot about my choice a little more...woulda prob wound up with a backhoe instead or a bigger dozer...at the time i had property spread out all over Texas and wanted to stay small so i could transport it myself...does the job but simple projects are turning into a lifetime job.

 

[Billy NY]

There are some things you may prefer a crawler/track type tractor for, ie; larger slope work, grading jobs like roads or top soil, lower ground pressure, + others I'm forgetting. You can grade with a backhoe, may take longer, not as easy without tilt, my preference is still a crawler for that, but could always work around it if that is all I had.

I think a rubber tire backhoe is a very handy, productive, versatile machine to have at ones disposal. Sounds like you may be on flat ground, no question about doing some of the things your 350B does and with a thumb on the bucket or say a front bucket with a grapple, or even just forks.
I like to cut my firewood logs to 6'-8' lengths, haul em out, to either buck em up or stack with some cover, hack em up some other time.

I have run 350's, one place had an older one, little tired, always ran, slow for topsoil, light grading etc., friend in the excavation business still has one from sometime in the 70's, did my house then with it,finish grade. Some of these newer backhoes are impressive, I have run all kinds of em, years back, Ford 555-655's, Case 580's forget how many and early to late C' to... JD' 310, one of those had a direct drive (std.) trans. JCB's, Dynahoe 190 ?? 194 forget now, CAT, 416, 426, and those were all pretty good, I did not like Case w/ footswing controls. Fast forward to more recent times, I ran a new 420 D CAT,nice machine, fuel consumption was impressive, well balanced, very productive, did several jobs with it. It kind of makes you see how different they are today. Not great for slopes, they are a little tippy, but would take a lot to go over. You can do more tasks with a rubber tire hoe, than a dozer, no doubt, nice to have that thumb, front grapple, forks etc.

 

[VaTom]

My progression was from a pair of Cat loaders, track and rubber tire, plus a compact tractor (with hoe). The trackloader went to a new home, I don't miss it. For most of my needs, this rubber tire loader is perfect. No thumb, but 4-in-1 works great.

Gotta be careful about over-working a backhoe front bucket, same risk as a farm tractor. Industrial loaders are designed totally differently, ready for heavy work. And have 4 wheel brakes, important to me on this mountain.