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Find a model →Pit up to four models against each other. Engine, hydraulics, hitch, weight, warranty.
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Read articles →A real working session using a John Deere 270 backhoe and a wide 20-inch aftermarket smooth-blade bucket from Mud's Customs to dig holes for six balled-and-burlapped trees at a neighbor's property. Shows actual digging, depth and width adjustments, maneuvering a Bobcat with forks to set heavy root balls, and a candid comparison of backhoe versus mini excavator for this type of job. Best for owners curious about using a backhoe for tree planting or that specific wide bucket.
An owner-operator channel where the host documents real projects on his own and neighbors' properties, with no apparent dealership or manufacturer affiliation.
The backhoe was better for this project because it could drive all over the yard and hay without the grass damage a mini excavator's spoils pile placement would cause.
A 20-inch aftermarket smooth-blade bucket from Mud's Customs was used, wider than the tractor's standard buckets, meant for working in softer soils.
A smooth blade bucket makes it easier to see the overall depth being dug and creates a much cleaner hole, though it would not work in harder soil.
| John Deere 2038R | John Deere 1025R | |
|---|---|---|
| PTO horsepower | 30.4 hp | 18 hp |
| Loader lift capacity | 1,949 lbf (at pivot pin) | Not Published |
| 3-point lift capacity | Not Published | 1,177 lb |
| Hydraulic flow | 5.3 gpm | 3.5 gpm |
