What can your Mini excavator do?

[Bob Rooks]

Can a backhoe do this? :laughing:

YouTube - Liebherr

Why on earth would you want to do something like that with a backhoe anyway??? I'm just sayin'....

 

[Duffster]

Are you over or under 15 yrs old?

off topic.

.............

 

[Duffster]

Why on earth would you want to do something like that with a backhoe anyway??? I'm just sayin'....

Same reasons for doing it with an excavator?

 

[Builder]

Why on earth would you want to do something like that with a backhoe anyway??? I'm just sayin'....

Exactly. I guess people get bored and have nothing better to do with their time.....:confused2:

 

[Bob Rooks]

Same reasons for doing it with an excavator?

In other words; no good reason. :laughing::laughing:

 

[tlbuser]

Can a backhoe do this? :laughing:

YouTube - Liebherr

I think this is the ultimate one. Especially the ending credits. YouTube - Caterpillar Water Skiing.wmv


Yes, I am legally "of age", but I try not to let that get in the way of having fun once in a while. Besides, my old self can get the stuff my parents wouldn't let me have

 

[davygp38]

I purchased a rubber tracked KX-91 (~ 7200 lbs, 24" bucket ) just for clearing personal land, not for commercial use. I recently fabricated and installed a thumb. I can tell you what I've done with it, but can't compare it to a 580 because I've never operated one, its also smaller than you mentioned, but close. I too have a small TLB, and the mini beats it hands down for any digging job.

Yesterday, I had two piles of 18" to 36" diameter 11' long logs that were sitting on the ground, I wanted to raise them up off the ground to prevent the bottom logs from rotting before I got them to the sawmill. I placed some trash logs along side the piles to stack the lumber logs on. I turned the cab sideways, reached out and grabbed a log, picked it up, keeping the cab sideways scooted the machine to the new pile and set the log down on the the trash logs, I did this for 38 logs. No other machine I know of could have accomplished it so easily. I wish I had some pictures, but was preoccupied. Some of the logs were too heavy for it to lift over the side at full or partial extension, so I had to work them in close where it would lift them.

I can scoot it right up next to a building and dig parallel to the building within a few inches using the boom swing and turning the house.

I haven't dug out many stumps with it, I usually attack the entire tree and use its own weight to being it down. The mini does not have the pushing power of a full size backhoe, so I usually have to dig on all four sides of a large tree - not just three sides - which is a little risky. Yes it will dig out big stumps, but getting them out of the hole could be a challenge.

I can get it in between closely spaced trees, and use the boom swing and turning the house to get at the trees to dig, its very maneuverable in tight spaces and can turn in its own length. Note that the cab sheet metal dents easily. Dragging them out and to the burn pile is another story, a tractor is probably best suited for that. The thumb is a must have for lifting logs to the top of the burn pile so they can dry, pushing up the pile while burning is probably better left to a track loader.

The front blade can do almost anything a full size dozer can do but on a much smaller scale, I've used it to cut drainage swales, scape back mud, and to back fill holes from removing trees. I also always lower it to help stabilize the machine when digging.

Yesterday I was operating in mud to the top of tracks, I was worried but no issues. obviously in the mud it could not push large amounts of mud. I've also operated over stumps and logs, no problems. The trick I learned driving tracked vehicles in the military is that when operating in any rough stuff is to make gradual turns if possible and avoid locking the tracks, the tracks will clear themselves of debris in most cases if they are allow to turn.

It really does not like wet metal ramps with the rubber tracks, the first time I loaded it my trailer in the rain I almost s**t myself because it started sliding sideways off the ramps. I ended up welding metal cleats every 4 inches on the ramps so the tracks would have something to grip.

Travel speed, even in high range its slooooow, not going to win any drag races.

Sorry to be so long winded! A few pictures below, the picture with the log is from last month. The others are after I scrapped off most of the heavy crud this morning-- awaiting pressure washing and servicing...

Thanks for the reply, This is what I am looking for. By the way, I was a Bradley Gunner, so I know about not using pivot steer in Gravel the hard way.

 

[20 20]

I guess I'd be impressed too if I was 14 yrs old. :laughing:

Ahhhhh come on Builder, we can be older and still be impressed by crazy stunts, geeeeze didn't ya ever watch smoky and the bandit

 

[20 20]

I think this is the ultimate one. Especially the ending credits. YouTube - Caterpillar Water Skiing.wmv


Yes, I am legally "of age", but I try not to let that get in the way of having fun once in a while. Besides, my old self can get the stuff my parents wouldn't let me have

LOTS OF BEER :laughing:

 

[mike69440]

I guess I'm a little spoiled. I own a big LB115 backhoe What a beast:thumbsup:
Used to own a 580 SuperM. That's a really NICE smaller backhoe. Never be afraid to get a 580.
I'll probably pick up a 580 SuperM+ one of these days.

Question?
You went from an L39 to a 580M to that beast LB115? Why did you get rid of the Case?
The Case hoe is about in digging force to my Komatsu PC75, but that LB115 is like a 12-14 Ton excavator and a front end loader combined.

Bet it is really awkward though.

Are you limited to one machine, because the Case and a 12 Ton excavator would get a heck of a lot of work done much faster.

 

[mike69440]

Let me clarify my needs. I like the digging speed, and maneuverability of the Mini excavators. However You can pick up a very nice 580m used for around 25-30K A used Mini, in very nice shape in the 10000-15000 pound range, is 30-40K. I need to be digging out stumps, and digging ditches, and fixing roads. I find that the older backhoes I have used are very slow to maneuver. My tlb is very good for small stuff, like footings etc. But It wont handle the bigger stumps. I want to know from you all if a mini will dig say a 15 inch stump out, in a reasonable amount of time. So price, and transportability with a 1 ton truck are issues, but at the end of the day will a respected name brand Mini be able to handle the occasional bigger job, like a larger rock, or stump? I guess, I am trying to get the perfect all around "digger," at a reasonable price.

$10,000 in favor of the Case. That being said I think the BH wins, unless you are jobing from site to site and have a lot of work lined up. The Ex will be faster and earn more money. The KX161 or PC50 are the size you need and still can haul (slowly and very carfully) with a HD PU. If the majority of work is on your property, and ocasionally you need to Road a machine the BH is better. Another consideration is how big your property is. I hate tracking my my PC75 1/4 to 1/2 mile or more for a small job if I can do it with my L39, even if it takes 4-5 times as long.

Also if something breaks on a TLB, it is big money. On an excavator it is bigger money.

 

[Builder]

I am trying to get the perfect all around "digger," at a reasonable price.

If an "all around digger" is what is needed, then a backhoe wins because it is a more "all around digger" (I take "all around" as versatile).

 

[TonyF]

Thanks for the reply, This is what I am looking for. By the way, I was a Bradley Gunner, so I know about not using pivot steer in Gravel the hard way.

Glad you got some useful information out of this thread, besides the entertainment value

Couple things to add...

For getting big stumps out of a hole, I usually build a little ramp, then roll it out with the bucket. it only takes a few minutes to cut the ramp with the bucket.

Something someone showed me is to start back filling the hole with the stump still in it, then wiggle the stump around, the dirt will work its way under the stump and very slowly raise it up. ( I don't have the patience for this)

I've been stuck 3 times with it, each time the mud was just the right consistency to allow the machine to sink until the mud hit the bottom of the frame and support the machine. Each time I was able to get some logs under the tracks and use the bucket to help push it out. Learn to use the foot controls.

Some of the parts between models (Kubota) are interchangeable, for example the track rollers are the same between the 71 and 91. Do your homework and you may be able to get parts cheaper or quicker when the time comes.

You mentioned speed, you can drive right up to a tree, dig it out out and move on to the next one pretty easily. With my TLB, its back up to it,turn the seat around, put down the outriggers, dig, raise the outriggers, flip the seat, drive to the next one, repeat. It got tedious after just a few trees, not to mention slow.

If I had to do it over, I'd determine what size machine I think I needed, then go one size larger -never enough power -- but mainly for the motive force.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[Builder]

Question?
You went from an L39 to a 580M to that beast LB115? Why did you get rid of the Case?
The Case hoe is about in digging force to my Komatsu PC75, but that LB115 is like a 12-14 Ton excavator and a front end loader combined.

No you've got it all wrong.
First (late 90's) I had an L-35 and a Ford 555. Then I traded the L-35 on an L-39 in ~2006 and kept the Ford backhoe for a while. Then I sold the Ford & L-39 and bought the Case 580 SuperM. I loved the Case, but unfortunately work (I use these machines to make a living) slowed to almost nothing. In anticipation of the slowdown, I sold the Case and luckily made a nice profit. I'm not the kind of guy who has barns full of paid off toys to brag about. :laughing:

The best course of action for me was to pay cash for the '00 LB-115. I got a great deal on it with lots of buckets and a compactor. I also leased a Yanmar vio excavator.

"Bet it is really awkward though"

Heavens no......It's more agile than my Case was. Ever heard of 4 wheel steering? :thumbsup:

Are you limited to one machine, because the Case and a 12 Ton excavator would get a heck of a lot of work done much faster.

Well it's good to hear you know so much about what I need. Last time I told someone what they needed, they insinuated I was an alcoholic. :laughing:
I couldn't use a 12 ton excavator for for much of anything. Even with my CDL and truck to pull it, I wouldn't get much use from it. I use the LB-115 for all around work and snow removal. I use the Yanmar for tight jobs.