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The mini excavator thread

Tmackcj5

Tmackcj5

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Figured we could use an all things mini X thread.

I'm looking to pick up a used low budget machine in the 6-10,000 lbs range. I was planning to rent a machine but started adding up what I would spend on rental by the time I'm finished with property development and house buildng and I decided I'd be better off buying some old junk to cause me more work. :homer:

I have very little experience in this category, so any recommendations?

My criteria
-6-10K lbs for easy towability
-max budget $20K but really prefer to stay under 15K.
-a thumb would be plus
-Intended use is- expanding a pond, general building a house uses, and farm shit

FB marketplace has popped some options like:
-2002 IHI 25X $12,400
-2008 Komatsu PC35MRX $15,000
-2014 Kabota KX713 $16,500
-Komatsu PC78-6 $17,500

All of the above appear pretty clapped out, but I expect that to be the case with most machines in my price range.

Anything special I should be looking at on these little machines? How many hours is considered a lot?

Picture- We threw a construction equipment themed bday part for my oldest and a nephew when they turned 3. I borrowed a Bobcat E35, from work, for the party. My kido was sad when I took it back. He thought he was going to get to keep it. :lmao:
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Hours isn't a great way to know. Looking at it is better.

I've seen machines with under 2,000 hours completely clapped out, and others with 20,000 and in decent shape.

The Kumatzoo is an 8 ton machine. I'd be leaning to that, but I'm used to a 200 and 330, so the little guts are quite discouraging trying to use.

I have a 40, about 10k lbs. and it borderline feels like a kid's toy.
 
Only input I have is watch for grey market machines. My buddy bought a Komatsu grey market and when it started having hydraulic issues it was a nightmare finding anyone who knew the machine let alone get parts. He ended up taking a bath on it after it continually broke down and was costing him $5k a whack. That said hes not mechanically inclined at all so to what extent repairs were needed I dont know, I dont really fuck with heavy machinery either.
 
I've got a grey market yanmar b37 and love it. Perfect size for what I need it for. It's grey, but the major components are all over ebay/ali.
The planetary seals are shot on mine so I have to keep the finals topped off but I bought it knowing that. Entire new finals are $1k or so with motor. Look for leaky finals, open the fill port and see that the level is good, and it's gear oil not grease or 00.
Also check to see if the swing bearing is loose.
Check for locked track rollers. The bearings are replaceable as long as they haven't bee worn flat.

Mine has a blade, thats a must have for me and is hard to add. Thumb is also a must, but can be added.
 
Alpine4x4 said:
Only input I have is watch for grey market machines. My buddy bought a Komatsu grey market and when it started having hydraulic issues it was a nightmare finding anyone who knew the machine let alone get parts. He ended up taking a bath on it after it continually broke down and was costing him $5k a whack. That said hes not mechanically inclined at all so to what extent repairs were needed I dont know, I dont really fuck with heavy machinery either.
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If you're used to the luxuries of new machines with availible service parts and literature gray market is not great.

If you're coming from the land of obsolete shit where parts just don't exist anymore then it's just normal to you.:laughing:
 
Had good luck with the kubota machines. Both in that weight class. One old open cab clapped out and one new enclosed cab. The old one I put about 1,000hrs on and only did some hoses.

That's the only one on your list I have experience with.
 
The Kubota must have a ton of hours at that price, but if it’s not completely hammered, probably the easiest to get your money back out of when your done with it Because new + orange fanboys.

I’m envious though as a running non-antique mini ex under $20k isn’t extremely rare in my market.

I’ve been watching the market for years and have arrived at the conclusion that for my near term project needs, I’d probably be better off just renting a machine a weekend at a time.
 
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I work in commercial excavation, so take that for what you will. But the Kubotas I have seen are garbage compared to nicer machines. Komatsu are much better.
 

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That the kubota? Looks like an ex rental that the thumb was taken off to run a breaker.
Check it over, seems like a decent deal
 
IHI has a shitty market presence.
Kubota will always get you parts
Non gray market Yanmar is well supported. As is Takeuchi, Gehl / Manitou.

The small units of the big names are usually just a repaint of someone else's junk.
 
gray market no good unless you can find or fix stuff yourself. kubota is decent for occasional use. I was after a kubota til my buddy sold me my john deere. the deere is much smoother than a kubota. deere was made by hitachi until this last year. most of them are pretty good, its mosty about getting parts.
 
Like any other machine, check condition... Look at all the cylinders for leaks, check condition of hoses, lift it the bucket off the ground and wiggle it side to side to see how tight the pins are, pull the oil cap off the engine while running and check blowby, look at the tracks for cracks and wear. Just some of the high points when looking at a used machine.
 
There is a member here that bought about 6 of them from Chy-nah for re-sale. I cant find the thread. :flipoff: Thanks Lance :mad3: He brought one out, out of its wooden box into the daylight into action and it has drawn first blood. I mean utility line rip :laughing:
 
I make a living with a 6 ton Kubota U-45. I'd say buy a name brand so you can get parts.

You didn't mention your skill level. The smaller machines take more skill to run competently and get anything done. Get one with a thumb or plan on putting one on. The thumb helps bridge the skill gap.
 
arse_sidewards said:
If you're used to the luxuries of new machines with availible service parts and literature gray market is not great.

If you're coming from the land of obsolete shit where parts just don't exist anymore then it's just normal to you.:laughing:
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My excavator is the newest thing I own. It's a 2013 🤣 oldest is ~1960s.
 
Are we gonna discuss dumb trailering options too?:flipoff2:

Here’s my toy.. Bobcat 331.. about 7000#

I use this hoopty 10k trailer that came with the machine, towed with a Ram 3500.

Machine gets moved between 2 locations about 150 miles apart once or twice a year.

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The only Kubota I own is my 040 mini, local Deere dealer didn’t want to deal with a homeowner for a sale. It’s just under 10k lbs, and does everything I need. I can borrow full sized machines from work if needed. Most hardscape companies up here run Kubota minis, other site contractors run a mix of Takeuchi, Cat, Kubota, and Deere.

Hours don’t tell you much on a machine, look at slop in the pins, tracks for rips and wear, rollers, sprockets, and the underside of the machine. A beat machine will leak all over, and be easy to see from underneath, people forget to clean there.

At work the minis are Takeuchi machines, except the JD 027’s that were gifts. They get run hard for 5 years and traded in somewhere between 9k-11k hrs on them. The machines at work that are 4-5 yrs old look better than most you see for sale on CL or FBMP, except the seat, they are always worn.
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Auction finds... lathe under the yellow tarp.
Kept it under 55, was scared the tires would blow. They were doing
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Want to get some pipe bent to put a front bar like most have. The roof shakes like crazy when tracking and is annoying.
Its a steel track machine with bolt on rubber pads
 
We have a sany sy35u at work that's a peach. Been on its side a couple times and it just doesn't seem to care. Gets towed behind 2500 dodges most of the time.
 
I've run quite a few, but the rentals are always cat or Deere because they're abundant and they work.


Used to run a Kubota 121x? It was a good machine even if the cab bounced on the turret and it had worn out cylinders that couldn't even pick it up anymore unless you were at the limits.

It also once went about 5 years without an oil change until someone noticed it was rather loud with no oil. Still running last I saw it at the old bosses house. :laughing:

The cat stuff is what I prefer for control feel. Most likely because I have a ton of hours in one. 305 or 306 are handy size machines. Big enough to dig a decent amount, run a 24-30" bucket, or stick a 12" and cruise when you only need a conduit trench.

We have rocks here, so trenchers don't work. Everything gets dug with a mini no matter how big or small.

I drag an old worn out JD 27D out to just pothole for broken underground fixes because it fits in people's yards and I'm allergic to a shovel.:smokin:




The problem I found is pre def machines are worth their weight in gold, or garbage. I can get a newer dpf and def equipped one for cheaper, but I refuse.

No laws here and nobody checking on emissions on or off highway. I imagine if that changes there will be a flood.
 
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