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Read articles →This is an owner's hands-on impression after about 20 hours running a John Deere 485A backhoe on his 4052R, not a spec-sheet walkaround. He compares it to a previous 370B/3032E setup, demonstrates hookup speed, stabilizer setup, and digging out a small tree, and gives candid opinions on control smoothness, the overpriced hydraulic thumb, and reach limitations versus an excavator. Best for shoppers weighing a backhoe attachment against a mini excavator.
Posted by an owner-operator sharing personal experience with his own equipment, not a dealer or professional reviewer.
The 485A has a lot more power than the 370B, able to lift 300 plus pound rocks without a problem.
No, the owner says it ain't no excavator and would buy a used mini excavator if he did it again.
The owner does not think it is worth what John Deere is asking and plans to get a mechanical thumb instead.
It sets up fast and can be disconnected from the 4052R in just a few minutes.
