"Here in the Prescott Valley area, the terrain changes dramatically. In about 15 miles there are many different applications for the backhoe," he says. "We have everything from hillsides to rock to flat prairie ground. It's really very unique."

It's in severe conditions that backhoe-loaders prove their worth.

"Backhoe-loaders shine in extreme situations, such as steep side slope work or in uneven, rocky conditions," Tyler says. "On a side slope, the operator can lower the downhill stabilizer and rotate the backhoe boom uphill for extra stability when grading or removing material with the loader. An excavator may also be more limited when traversing more severe undulations if digging with rocks underfoot."

Consider the specs

Operating performance is one of the greatest differentiators between backhoe-loaders and comparable equipment such as compact excavators and skid steers.

If you compare the loader function of a backhoe-loader versus a comparably sized skid steer, the backhoe-loader will have more breakout force and lifting capacity. For example, the loader boom breakout force of the John Deere 332 skid steer (the company's largest model) is 6,650 pounds compared to 8,100 pounds with the John Deere 310G backhoe-loader or 10,210 pounds with the 310SG. Similar differences can be found in lifting capacity - 3,525 pounds for the 332 skid steer versus 5,800 pounds for the 310G.

Compact four-wheel-drive loaders fare better than a skid steer when compared to a backhoe-loader's performance. For example, a 65-hp John Deere 304H has a loader breakout force of 10,199 pounds-more than the 310G, but comparable to the 310SG.