Volvo vs Kubota vs Bobcat mini excavators

[Boondox]

When I have to carry large rocks, or whatever, further than I can place before moving the machine. I pull the rock into the blade, then pinch and lift with the blade and bucket enough to just clear the ground. What this does is give you a low center of gravity, less stress on the arm,boom, bucket, turning circle, etc., having only one thing to concentrate on(driving), no fear of tipping as the bucket is close to the ground and in front of you, as well as a little more carrying capacity.

That's exactly how I handled the large boulders but the rear still came off the ground. As I backed down the slope the rig rocked front to back a bit, bouncing back when the bottom of the bucket or blade touched the ground. So I wasn't worried about tipping...just had the feeling that wasn't the best thing for the excavator.

Was I overloading the rig, or are they designed tough enough for that level of occasional abuse? I can afford a KX91-3 WITH a cab, or a KX121-3 WITHOUT. I'd like the smaller unit with a cab, but not if it means overworking it.

Pete

 

[nobull1]

Well here is my opinion: just remember this is only my opinion and others may disagree.
I believe that moving rocks as you and I have spoke of will do no harm, so long as it is occasional and common sense is used. I see people picking up rocks and swinging them over the side of the tracks daily and almost tipping the machine over and it doesn't appear to do no immediate harm. This has to be ten times harder on the machine than just holding the rock in position. However I must say that steel tracks make it less possible, if not impossible to cause track damage. If you have rubber tracks and are doing what we talked about, all it will take is one slip,spin or slide on a piece of shale,root or sharp rock and you might be looking for a new track.

Not to beat the track issue to death, but when I purchased my machine the steel tracks were sold by Kubota Canada at a discount to new machine purchasers. The price was less than the cost of replacement rubber tracks, so it was a no brainer as I got to keep the rubber as well. One advantage with Kubota over Bobcat was to switch between steel and rubber was only an inexpensive couple of guides and reducing idler spring pressure. This is something that could be done in your yard in a afternoon if you wanted to switch over. I helped them at the dealer switch them over and it took about 2 hours. Bobcat requires a few more parts and was not something that made economic sense as I remember. If you do buy steel tracks and don't get the rubber tracks you can take a couple of days vacation and come up and visit Nova Scotia and I will sell you a new set of factory Bridgestone rubber tracks never installed(for a fair price ). I have these in my garage and I can never see a reason to install them on my machine.

 

[coopers]

If you bundle up working without a cab and with open ROPS isn't that bad.

 

[toy1]

If you are going to buy a machine I would stay with a cab unit it will extend the season, allow you to work in conditions that many people will just stay in doors and watch TV.It was 12 degrees with wind chill of 5 degrees today and my son in law was out in the woods from 9:00 am till 5:00 pm with the excavator cutting trees and he quite comfortable.

 

[Boondox]

If you bundle up working without a cab and with open ROPS isn't that bad.

I'm a New Englander. Trust me, we know how to bundle up!

If I get the cab it will be to protect the controls from the elements, not to protect me. I just worry about the effects of all that rain, snow and ice (and sunlight for those 30 days it actually comes out) on the controls, seat, etc.

Pete

 

[toy1]

It no different then if you left your tractor out in the elements. As far as the cab goes when i was in my twenties and thirties nothing bothered me I be out all day and my wife would say it 9:00pm when are you coming in, as I got in to my forties and fifties I find I didn't stay out as long, as I approach Sixty I now no why tractor and excavators have cabs it allows us the ability to attempt to do what our brain thinks we can do but our bodies don't have a clue of what the brain is thinking about. Food for thought.

 

[coopers]

Well put Toy1.

Blake

 

[Boondox]

Still looking over my options here. I'm very impressed with the Volvo EC35, a 3.5 ton machine with a cab, heater, and stereo for creature comforts. Capacity wise it has less bucket breakout force than the Kubota KX91 but 1200# more force on the dipper and the same for lifting. That seems to me (for ditching, moving boulders, etc) the more important ability. It also heavier and has most of its counterweight WAY back, actually incorporated into the protective wraparound for the engine compartment. Since much of what I do involves lowering landscape boulders below grade, that extra weight in back sounds awfully nice. The cylinders are much larger than the Kubota's, the controls for the hydraulic thumb are foot pedals instead of the electro-hydraulic joystick switch on the Kubota, and since it's targetted at the construction industry the Volvo seems like a more rugged machine. I'm just not sure as a homeowner with a lot of land all that extra durability is necessary...

There is no truly comparable Kubota mini. The Volvo falls between the KX91 and the KX121 in most of its specs which makes a direct comparison difficult. Both have nice cabs and the operator controls are very similar. I'm familiar with the Kubota but would quickly get used to the Volvo. The Kubota has slightly better visibility over the right side as the service compartment cover slopes while the Volvo, like all Volvos, is boxy. Routine maintenance is easy on both. Both dealers are great, and both have fantastic reputations for service after the sale.

Jeez, I wish I had the option of bringing them both home for a side by side comparison in the actual conditions I'll be using them in!

Pete

 

[coopers]

Oh I have faith in you that you'll go orange!

Blake

 

[Haoleguy]

Boondox - I echo the previous poster that as you get older the cab comfort is increasingly more important. As far as real life testing, and you're not able to locate a dealer willing to let you do so or a rental company, see if you can't reach a regional manager for each company and ask for suggestion to resolve. One point I wanted to make on my experience in testing was that I found significant differences in the integration of power with control use in the same manufacturer line. Just because you like one model doesn't mean that another in that line will be similar. I think you got it right that weight and how it counter balances is an important consideration. Personally I like hand control for the hydraulic thumb use. This past weekend I spent up in Burlington and found it to be absolutely frigid with windchill -26F. Luckily Marcia Ball and Buckwheat Zydeco warmed things up a bit. To me the cab feature seemed like a necessity during my time up there. Stay warm and all the best in your choice.