It is most interesting to read everyone's replies. As Robbie mentionned, it seems there is indeed a good market for the 8- or 9-tonne excavator-mounted brushcutters...
As you might know, we come from making excavator-mount brushcutters on larger machines. We started with models that were installed on 20- to 30-tonne class excavators (+/- 44000 lb to 66000 klb), and went down to smaller sizes only in the past 5 years, with the new DAH-080C this month...
So, if I had to recommend something in the past, I would have said go to a 22-tonne machine. They are often close in size to the 20-tonne, but with more power and hydraulics. Of course, going up to the 25-tonne class, you'd get even more power, but that difference in productivity might not be worth the difference on the price tags.
However, I realize that this recommendation would have been ok mainly for large-scale land-clearing contractors. For more normal-scale/semi-industrial/commercial operations (tell me what term you prefer), hauling the excavator is a major concern and that may decides what size of excavator to go to. As I'm not familiar with DOT requirements, I guess you're better listen to Robbie's comments
On the skid steer vs excavator question, if you want to compare them strictly on productivity, then you have more or less to send the same hydraulic power to the head of both carriers to get same production. Nice thing about the skid steers is their power/weight ratio is so high, so a lot of its mechanical power is actually converted to hydraulic power. On the excavator, you gain some reach but loose on the power/weight ratio.
If you compare them on production cost however, if I talk for our machines, based on feedbacks of our customers, you can expect to triple the life of your blades with an excavator (from +/- 100 hr on front-mount to 300 hr and more on excavator-mount). And that brings along less downtime to change the blades. And that gives better hourly costs.
Actually, we did some calculation here on the detailed costs of operation of our heads alone (short-term replacement parts, long-term term replacement parts, depreciation and financing costs). We didn't went as far a putting that in perspective with the operating costs of the complete carrier though. I think I'll try to work on that with Robbie during the next weeks...
But first, I'll let him try the DAH-080C and shot some nice video of it
Fred
Marketing, Sales, IT, and others...
DENIS CIMAF Inc.