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Read articles →This video follows one operator using a John Deere 2038R with a 270B backhoe to dig out a play area, working mostly alone. It's a real-job episode rather than a spec review, covering practical lessons: spoils management, moving the tractor with the hoe in neutral, swapping to the loader bucket for finish work, and a direct comparison of the 270B versus the smaller 260B in reach and speed. Best for owners weighing compact backhoe usefulness on small property jobs.
An owner-operator channel focused on compact tractor projects; the 2038R and backhoe were provided under a sponsored rental from a dealership, which the host discloses on camera.
Put the tractor in neutral. If it is in gear, either low or high, it is much harder to push the tractor forward.
Buckets are the same size and interchangeable, but the 270B has a slightly longer boom reach and operates faster and a bit smoother than the 260B.
The operator says this project shows the 270B handles this soil well, doing the job despite its small size and relatively low cost.
He had trouble getting his spoils pile far enough away from the hole, causing dirt to fall back in while digging alone.
