# Case 780 Backhoe



## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

Have decided to take on a project and then see if I want to buy it. Currently needs water pump. Going to get it running and try it out before I commit. Owner purchased it with bad water pump and "supposedly" everything else is good. He never got around to it and is now selling, asking $3000.

I have never been around anything like this, am I crazy to be considering?? Wife is offering no resistance and our project list keeps going up as we think of things to do with it. She also knows how I take care of things and figures over time can resell for more than we purchased for. Have done lots of research and not much out there on these as they are the largest model of the series and either everybody is holding on to them or not many were built to get an idea on current prices.

Would like any opinions/experience with this backhoe or backhoes in general. I am also looking for owners/parts/service manual for it as well if anybody has one to get rid of, I have found them reasonable else where. (after current owner purchased the previous owner said for another $100 you can have the manual, $35 for it from the Case site.)

Serial Number # 5500896


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## Ox76 (Oct 22, 2018)

I bought an old 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons backhoe and loader for $4500 maybe 15 years ago. It's got actual semi truck tires on the front (11.00-22s), factory, and is likely one of the biggest hoes available back then. Roughly $6k or more bucks later it's still not done but quite usable and I use it frequently. These things can kill you slowly, but once all the stuff has either been replaced or rebuilt it's good to go for many more decades usually.

Engine rebuild, all cylinders rebuilt, too many hoses to count, tires, gauges, wires, brakes, etc. There's a lot of moving parts and so each one must fail sometime.

All that being said, if you're handy and can even rebuild an engine, this machine you're looking at will probably be worth it in the end. Just be ready for the huge amount of crap headed your way. Of course, you might get lucky and not have to do much.

I highly recommend getting any manuals you can find for it.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

$3000 for an (other than water pump) backhoe is pretty hard to beat. I owned a 3 different backhoes over a 20 year period and they are very handy. Dont underestimate the new group of "friends" you'll get with the backhoe wanting all sorts of odd jobs done. 
I have been saving money casually looking at either an older used skid steer or backhoe for my next purchase to do a number of projects I would have to rent a machine or pay someone to do. 
For $3,000 bucks, which isn't even a 1 week rental of a full size backhoe and a full conversation with oneself :lol: that there probably are another 1/2 dozen problems other than the water pump to fix, I think its a good decision. 
Only other thing I can think of is It's a very large backhoe. That does have some drawbacks which may or may not affect you. I had a Case 580 Super M + model and then a graduated to a New Holland LB115, which is a stupidly huge backhoe with 4 equal size tires. The LB115 dipperstick would ocasionally pull down branches and even a few cable TV wires :huh: (This may not be a problem for you if staying on the farm). I had to "road" mine constantly for snow removal contracts and local excavating projects. I hated towing it behind my dump truck because it was so high. Should have stayed with the Case 590 Super M. 
I almost bought a Volvo backhoe a few weeks back-couldnt agree on a fair price though. Then I found out they are not good backhoes. Wheewwww

5 hours drive for you, but I had my eye on this. has new tires and a smaller size https://baltimore.craigslist.org/hvo/d/coal-township-case-580b-backhoe/6994112378.html


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I bought a minihoe cheap in 08 when the economy busted. The plan was to fix it and sell it and make some $$. I fixed it, used it, and am still using it. Man its handy. Neighbor has a case backhoe and it gets used a lot. It will lift WAY more than a typical loader tractor and the big hoe is pretty darn handy.

Once you use this thing and get the kinks worked out I would recommend either a thumb for the hoe or a grapple on the bucket. Its amazing how handy that can be. Being able to "pinch" something with the hoe or bucket is amazing. Move logs, move stones, pinch a round bale and haul it to a feeder, move firewood, grab scrap metal and load a trailer..the list never ends.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

PaMike said:


> I bought a minihoe cheap in 08 when the economy busted. The plan was to fix it and sell it and make some $$. I fixed it, used it, and am still using it. Man its handy. Neighbor has a case backhoe and it gets used a lot. It will lift WAY more than a typical loader tractor and the big hoe is pretty darn handy.
> 
> Once you use this thing and get the kinks worked out I would recommend either a thumb for the hoe or a grapple on the bucket. Its amazing how handy that can be. Being able to "pinch" something with the hoe or bucket is amazing. Move logs, move stones, pinch a round bale and haul it to a feeder, move firewood, grab scrap metal and load a trailer..the list never ends.


That's a great idea. I know I would like to find a trenching bucket in the future. The one on it is a little over kill specially for tile line work.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

My buddy aquired some sort of "claw" for his rear hoe. Removed the bucket and the claw went in its place then there was a matching claw for a thumb. Worked amazing for grubbing fence rows and clearing brush.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

PaMike said:


> My buddy aquired some sort of "claw" for his rear hoe. Removed the bucket and the claw went in its place then there was a matching claw for a thumb. Worked amazing for grubbing fence rows and clearing brush.


It's harder to find, but if you can find a hoe with aux hydraulics on the dipper stick, it opens up a lot more versatility than just digging.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

Had to pass on the backhoe. Got it up and running and it was pumping out antifreeze and it was not from the water pump. It was a good experience working on it and a fun challenge.


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## Ox76 (Oct 22, 2018)

Some things are just not meant to be. That's a shame, really. I like the big backhoes.


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