Goodbye Kubota, hello EarthForce

[Woodbeef]

Brush Brute

Hey man,

Give the people at Brush Brute a break eh!! They are a very small family run company,and it is farm show season up here! Maybe also take into consideration that this is RURAL ONTARIO,not the mega populated east coast of the USA!! If you've left messages,do not worry the Scissons will get back to you. Yes,the implement is worth waiting for!!

 

[MChalkley]

Re: Brush Brute

Well, that's comforting. I'll pass that info on to my dealer. He's a bit torqued because of trying to get all the prices and info together (and I need a lot of info /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif), and they're the only folks he hasn't been able to get hold of yet. I tried calling to leave a message, too, just in case, but the three times I called, there wasn't even an answering machine, so I guess it's on the fritz, too - or full, most likely. Thanks for the insight. I'll give them until the 15th of this month - if we haven't heard from them by then, I'll do something else.

It may be too expensive anyway, from what I've heard. Do you know what I should expect to pay for one about 78" wide? It would need to be a HD model, able to withstand use on a 5,000 lb class loader. Do they make more than one grade?

MarkC

 

[hoghead]

Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...

Mchalkey,
Wow...I never new such a beast existed !!! Sounds like this machine will do almost any thing you ask of it..Although I haven't a need for such a machine, one could see where you could use one..One thing that caught my attention, though,was that the machine was made in the Czech Republic.The reason this interests me is an experience that I had with a Allis 5040 tractor that I owned.This tractor was made in Romania.. It seemed that every time I need parts for this tractor, they were available, but at such a price that was 2 to 3 times what normal tractor parts prices were..For example, a starter solenoid was over $300, and a clutch was $2500.Now you can see why I sold the tractor! Which brings me back to my earlier observation, made in the Czech Republic.My first instinct tells me that parts for this machine, which everyone knows you will eventually need, may be available , but may come with a high price tag. But after reading some of you earlier posts, you probably have already checked this angle out.But one other problem that I can see is that you will have to make a new color coordinated cup to adhere to the fender!!!!!!!!!!!Other than that I think you made a fine decision!!!!!!!!

Hoghead

 

[kcook]

Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...

What a great piece of equipment, but for my needs to big! I like many others need a mower first and the other attachments second! The power Trac is still my first choice!
KCook

 

[Woodbeef]

Re: Brush Brute

Yes,it will handle your loader,there is only one model of each width,all are very HD. I've had one for 5 years now,it is around 7' or so.I paid $1800 CDN for it delivered with special brackets for an odd-ball loader on my Steyr. We've used it on a Case 580K with no problems. Only problem I've found is that when used on a farm tractor,you usually run out of hydraulic lift first!!

 

[MChalkley]

Re: Brush Brute

Well, I'm definitely looking forward to finding out the availability and cost of a Brush Brute, then. I've sure got the need, and I'll definitely have the power to use it. As of this afternoon, they still had not responded to the three messages my dealer has left them. I'll keep you posted.

MarkC

 

[JATO_RaT]

Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...

Mark one of the things that makes this machine very appealing to me and to most any other contractor is that it is backed up by Ingersol. They are a teriffic corporation. Regardless of your dislike of skidsteers, they make other really superb products like their excavators. Parts are a snap to get and I think rather reasonable. Certainly knowing that this machine has IR to back it up is a bonus. Would love to try the EF5 or EF6 sometime. I spoke with a JCB backhoe owner once and he mentioned that JCB experimented with hydrostatic drive but never brought it to fruition, Rat...

 

[MChalkley]

Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...

Rat - I agree - the EarthForce acquisition by I-R and it's affiliation with the Bobcat name is a huge success for the product line. It's also a huge bonus for the typical equipment dealer who manages to acquire the opportunity to represent the EarthForce line. Before the EarthForce, there was very little alternative to skid steers in the light to medium duty construction equipment market. There's really very little competition in this size class, and none at this price point, as far as I can see.

The EarthForce seems to be pretty much exactly what I was looking for, though I had to make considerable adjustment in my preferred "form factor". As I've said, I really wanted to stay with the removeable backhoe/three point hitch capable type of machine, but it just doesn't scale well.

Now, on the other hand, the ability to put skid steer type implements on the front, and mini-excavator style implements on the back, simultaneously, is what swung the deal for me. My EF-5 is going to be the first one to have the hydraulic version of the skid steer-style quick-attach. It was strange. It just so happened that when I was visiting the distribution center in SC, the president of the Superstav, the man who created the company in the first place, just happened to be there. I told him I thought they really needed the hydraulic quick-attach, and he said "done". And so it is, it seems. I also told him I thought it needed power tilt, and that's being worked on, he said. There's already an attachment that will accomplish this, but it would be nice to have it built in.

I was extremely impressed with the quality of the hydraulic controls. The loader, 4-in-1, and backhoe joysticks are as smooth as any I've ever used, truly professional quality.

Tractive power was excellent, I thought. My test was to push the empty machine up against the loading dock. At about half throttle, I was able to creep all four tires on rough concrete, not asphalt. Of course, the real test will be in actual usage, but I'll be able to report on that before too long.

I think what I'm looking forward to most of all, though, is being able to perform most work looking forward instead of over my shoulder all day long.

MarkC

 

[MChalkley]

Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...

Hoghead - I think there are a couple of relevant factors, as far as parts pricing is concerned. I expect the pricing of the cylinder parts and frame to be higher than typical tractor prices, both because it's built in the Czech Republic, and because construction equipment is a lot more expensive, anyway.

As for the rest of the machine, though, the Kubota engine stuff is the same as any other Kubota part, the Rexroth hydraulics are common in the U.S., so they'll be priced similarly to other stuff in the same class. The Carraro axles are also used on other equipment, like Case, for example. Finally, the fact that they're now owned by Ingersoll-Rand should make a huge difference in parts availability and pricing. At least, I hope so.

MarkC

 

[MChalkley]

Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...

Rick (of TiltMeter fame) -

Ok, so I'm getting a new TLB, right? Now, everyone (well almost everyone) knows that TLB stability is a mixed bag, right? You've got this massive backhoe assembly that raises the center of gravity quite a bit, which in turn, reduces stability. On the plus side, you can swing the assembly to the uphill side when working on slopes to negate this to some extent and (according to Ober's TLB safety and techniques book), in some cases, make it more stable than a similar piece of equipment without a backhoe. This is probably even more true of a machine with a sideshift backhoe, like the EarthForce. Nevertheless, this means added understanding and attention on the part of the user, namely me. So, as you can imagine, I'm going to be very interested in an excellent TiltMeter setup. I'm just not sure yet how I'm going to want to do it, and where I'm going to want to put it. I'm thinking about combining the weatherproof model #51 with a single-axis warning module. I'm thinking I'd like to be able to switch the warning beeper off, though, because, if I get into a 20-degree situation, for example, but I've compensated by moving the backhoe, I don't want the beeper continuously going off. Do you offer a limited duration beeper? It's no big deal, if you don't. I can just put a switch on it. The only problem with that, of course, is remembering to turn it back on.

Question: Have you ever heard of anyone offering a means of monitoring the relative weight on the wheels? I guess it could be very complicated, but I'm not talking about anything extremely precise, just something that would give you feedback about the relative weight distribution of the machine. The result, of course, would be a 100% accurate (at that moment) indication of the stability of the machine, wouldn't it? Maybe it could be done by monitoring the air pressure in the tires, but that would require a lot more precise instrumentation as far as the sensors goes. I don't know - I haven't thought it through at all - I was just rambling and wondering.

MarkC