retirement and new excavator

[toy1]

I just purchased a new excavator to replace my kubota kx161, a kx080-3. 18000 lbs the machine arrived at the dealer 2 weeks ago, he has asked me if I could postpone dilivery until 2nd week of Feb. he wants to show the machine at a show. I will tell you that this is one nice machine from a users point of view the cab is very spacious. it has two seperate hyd output circuits.with proportional flow controls. The service side is made easy by all the panels move out of the way 3 panel on the 080. it also has it own hose and pump system so you can fill it up with fuel from ground level nice feature when you are out in the woods. The key on the machine has a built in code so it is difficult for someone to come and use your machine or worst steal it. I retired on Jan 2 so I now have the time to start some bigger projects. I will take some pictures of the machine as soon as it is dilivered. my luck it will snow that day and the ground will finally freeze.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

That looks like a great machine. We contemplated buying a Kubota mini a couple years ago but decided to spend the money elsewhere. They do make a great excavator though and one of these days I hope to be as lucky as you are to get a toy like that to play with. Have fun.

 

[Haoleguy]

Toy1 - Congrats. I have been in the hunt for a 12K lb excavator and have not yet had the chance to test drive the Kubota kx-161. What year and submodel did you have? How many hours clocked and was it trouble free? Did you order this excavator locally from a dealer that provides good sales and support? You probably saw the rubber vs steel tread discussion in another thread and I was wondering what your experience says since you mention woods above and your CT location probably places you in a terrain not much different than mine? What type of projects are you planning? Congrats on retirement...I look forward to that day when one changes focus and pursues other interesting vocations/hobbies/interests. Good luck and I look forward to the pics.

 

[Montana_Jack]

Hey Toy1
Congrats on that new beast. It sounds like a great machine. What projects do you have lined up & what do you use to move that big boy? How did you like the 161? Did you buy new or used & what does something like that go for? Hope you get many safe & productive hours from her.

 

[Boondox]

Ah, that's my dream! I have 155 hillside acres full of stone walls to rebuild, dams to create, and ponds to rim with boulders. In the past I've harvested firewood with my logging winch, but this past summer a borrowed KX71-3 gave me the opportunity to discover the joys of harvesting wood with a hoe. Just pick up a log and hold it waist high near the splitter so I don't have to bend over when using the chainsaw!

Because so much of my land is forested I'm looking at a smaller excavator better able to manuever between trees, probably a KX91 or KX121, but the dream is the same.

Pete

 

[toy1]

Hi all the 161-3s has about 360 hours on it. it has been a supper machine it is just to small for the projects we have in store. The high points of 161 is all around super machine it has steel tracks and in this part of CT I would not have it any other way. the negitive aspects is the cab is small I wish it had a little more hyd flow Gallons/min to the aux circuit. Other wise I would buy another if my projects needed a smaller machine. The kobota machines are bullet proof.

Some of the projects in store , building new home for my daughter on six acres, just finished (more landscaping needed) building home for my other daughter on her 6 acres. I need to rebuild a crosway on the back side of my property for access requires rerouting a stream and then building up flood control banks. once that is done we will begin clearing another 20 acres for more planting,(blueberrries).

 

[ccdck20hst]

Toy1 that machine sounds like a lot of fun and able to do some serious work. You can't dig much in most of Goshen without hitting large rocks - I guess Goshen is where a lot of rocks came to die so to speak. Does it have a thumb? I saw a nice used Kubota excavator over in Torrington at the dealer a while back and if I had a barn instead of a garage I might of bought it. NOAA is saying it will get down to 6 degrees here on Wednesday night so the ground may freeze yet. Fog and rain here in Goshen today made outside work less than desirable. Be really surprising if the gound is not frozen solid and deep by February. Enjoy that new machine!

 

[Haoleguy]

Toy1 - What aux flow will you get out of the kx-080? With higher flow hydraulics are you looking to run a hydraulic hammer, post hole digger, or other? Have you had good experience in working with a CT Kubota dealer?

 

[toy1]

ccdck20hst we do have some good size rock in Goshen. where in Goshen are you? The new machine will have a thumb I believe a excavator without one is like a Corvette with a 4 cyc.motor.

 

[toy1]

Haoleguy the new unit has two circuits one with 26.4 gal and the second with 17.7. I run a brush cutter on the boom at 17 gal it does fine at 26 it will be much better. plus I can have the thumb operational at the same time. As far as local Kubota dealer R&S I think that are one of the best I have ever dealt with. I think if they were a JD dealer I have more green then orange.It's all about the dealer in the final analysis most of the equipment built today regardless of color are very comperable while I truly like Kubota you will always need the dealer.