Compact excavators

[js5020]

Thanks for your comments Blake,,,,, I have access to a full sized hoe for anything "heavy", just don't want to wear out the welcome so to speak, it's an old 530 industrial, but it works. This started out with a visit to the local Kubota dealer with my wife along,,, she wanted to drag home a bx series tlb, she called it a digger bucket and seriously wants one, well I already have a tractor larger than a bx, so I could put a hoe on it, but don't want to tie it up, or constantly have to remove the hoe. Renting as you pointed out would be a good option,,, except it is just a hassle,,, can't get one when you want it, when you can get it it rains, have to haul it back and forth,, nah I'll pass. Now if I needed a D6 different story. Just gonna use it for landscape projects and ditch maintenence, if I need any footers for building projects they only need be 42" to meet code. If I get to the point where I just don't use it anymore, I can sell it, as I said in a previous post it's gonna replace my shovel,,, hate that shovel!!

Really interested in the high maintenence comments by some, are these units failure prone? Or are we just talking grease oil, filters here?

 

[coopers]

Wayne County Hose, lol, you are correct in stating I am not married...haha, but in my current relationship I gave her a short list of things that I WILL HAVE and if she doesn't like it then don't think of marrying me and if we do get to that point of talking marriage, it's not negotiable. I'm very gifted at arguing and she knows that so it won't do any good to backtrack on her agreement. lol. Plus my side business (excavation) requires machines to make money, key word money, and she could care less. As long as she can buy that pair of shoes or extra purse she doesn't need. hahaha.

JS- I must have read over or forgot that your wife was on the same page as you like Wayne County Hose stated. In that case, go for it! Like I said, if you want a 1-2 ton machine, KX 41-2 is a good choice. I must be blind because I am not seeing any "high maintenance" words in the posts by anyone unless your referring to other locations. Any machine is going to be somewhat high maintenance in my opinion. That is if you're good about keeping the machine in good working condition. I wish I could comment more on the mechanical aspects of an excavator but I never paid attention to that when I worked for a rental company and I rent all my machines (for now) when I do my side jobs.

I think that general weekly, monthly and yearly maintenance is key to any machine and most don't do weekly checks and services to their machines like they should. I wouldn't worry too much about "high maintenance" with an excavator.

 

[js5020]

I had said earlier that I had run 2 different machines, both were rentals and we were so pressured to get the job done so we could return the machine I don't even remember the model numbers and for the same reason I never looked at the things that make it tick. vetteman posted high maint on page one, and I though maybe these machines suffered from high wear/failure due to the nature of digging and their size or general component failures. I just don't have enough experience with the workings of the machine.

 

[coopers]

I though maybe these machines suffered from high wear/failure due to the nature of digging and their size or general component failures..

No, they don't.

Blake

 

[snowboss]

Some real informative sites you have posted,,, basically I just need to replace my shovel, hate that thing, never could find one that fit right!! I will be looking for a smaller one, if I could find one that will dig 4-7' it will suit me fine, I have run a yanmar b27 or 37 didn't pay attention to the model and a kubota, once again I didn't pay attention to the model but I think it was a 161 it was real nice cab air heat. Both were beyond what I would need for projects around here in my opinion.

I inderstand replaceing the shovel, BUT please take this advise into consideration - -like barns, shops and garages . . .you can't get an excavator big enough,lol on a more serious note, I am running a Kubota KX-71, I was looking at the small U-15 model and for a little more money I bought the 71....absolutley a flawless machine for me...she has done everything I've asked her to, and more in some cases, BUT two seasons with her and I'm already wishing I had a bigger one....good luck

P.S. 760 hrs on her and other than regular schedualled maint. all I've had to replace is the paint on the blade and running gear, good grease and a quality pressure washer go a long way