Best size digger for 5 acres

[farmer2009]

Sounds good. Let us know what you do. Someone said something earlier about no difference in rubber or steel tracks. IIRC you said you have swampy land. I have seen rubber tracks slip on themselves when they really wet like mud and water flowing through them. Steel tracks don't now I think there are some steel linked rubber tracks now but know nothing about them.

Can you give us some detail on the 442? Also see if the dealer could add the auxiliary hydraulics for you if that is something you want. Clean sheet metal doesn't make one run any better but does make it look nicer. Good luck.

 

[graecole]

I ended up getting the Kubota. Everything I read about them indicates owners and operators are pleased. So, they are pulling it from the rental fleet and going to give it a full service so I should get it next time I am back in BC. It is a 2010, thumb, steel tracks 2 buckets (I am going to get a third 18" bucket for drainage trenching). I liked the Kubota because it seemed less massive compared to the 442. And newer (the 442 was 2005). It is at least 6" narrower than the 442 and I like that. In some ways I suppose that is not really important as the narrower the tracks so the greater the tail swing. It has dual aux hydraulics (one for the thumb and one for an attachment). I took your advice and checked for signs of hammer use but the second aux does not look like it has ever been used.