Something Bigger

[bsekf]

We looked at and played with the 1 ton mini's and decided we need and want something bigger. Something more stable with a bigger footprint. What is available in the 3 to 6 ton market? We want to move and dig a little faster. Bobcat, Kubota, John Deere, what's out there and how do the prices escalate?

 

[319Quahog]

Subscribing as I'm casually looking at 4-5 ton new machines from nearby dealers. Seems that Deere holds an almost 10K premium over similar Bobcats.

 

[bsekf]

Upon further study, what can a small excavator do that a 40hp 4wd back hoe /FEL do? Maybe a little faster and more comfortable, but much more expensive.

There is a Japanese excavator with super reviews, can't remember the name.

 

[319Quahog]

Tracked vehicles have a lower ground pressure and are much less likely to get stuck than a TLB.

 

[4570Man]

Upon further study, what can a small excavator do that a 40hp 4wd back hoe /FEL do? Maybe a little faster and more comfortable, but much more expensive.

There is a Japanese excavator with super reviews, can't remember the name.

I used to have a L3240 with a BH90 backhoe and I’ve had a few diggers in between but I currently own a KX-040-4 excavator. The difference between the tractor and the excavator is about the same difference between the tractor and a shovel.

 

[kenmac]

Upon further study, what can a small excavator do that a 40hp 4wd back hoe /FEL do? Maybe a little faster and more comfortable, but much more expensive.

There is a Japanese excavator with super reviews, can't remember the name.

you have limited swing with a TLB. A mini ex can swing 360 deg which is an excellent benefit over TLB.. You can't get it into some tight spaces like you can a mini ex.
I just bought a Takeuchi TB235 with thumb, and love the machine. Sometimes, I wish it were a little larger but, I wanted to stay away from DPF and the next size up TB240 has DPF

 

[snowninja]

I have both TLB and a MiniX, the Mini gets the nod everytime. In fact I have BH75 for sale. cheap!

 

[Equatorial Malaise]

I have a Hyundai 60cr-9 which I bought used. So far it has been excellent and surpassed my expectations.

It has a Yanmar engine and I suspect it's pretty much a copy of a Yanmar excavator in general. The hydraulics are not as smooth as a Kubota but they're fine for me.

They're not very popular here in the states but since I saw them all over SE Asia I was familiar with the brand. As a result, there isn't a huge dealer network so you'd most likely need to order parts and do the work yourself. Which is what I do.

I probably saved $10k vs buying a more recognized brand and that allowed me to get a bigger machine with a cab and AC. For me, that was the right call.

As for the size, the 6 ton has been a good sweet spot. Big enough to tackle anything I've thrown at it but small enough to put a track on by myself. It's all about weight with these things.