A digger suitable for site clearing and housebuilding digger.

[difflock]

As above, our daughter and son in law, who is a mechanic,  are intending to build on a derelict outfarm, we were up there today and the SIL said that he intends to buy a digger to clear the site and be there for the build. Which makes sense.

Something about 8 tonne (ish) and at the rougher cheaper end of the spectrum.

So what to look for, or what to avoid?

I am entirely out of touch.

Marcus

[swinny]

I've just bought a digger sight unseen 😆 but was cheap and got a bit of a spanking 😆 

 

If it was me I'd be proper anal from now on on checking things.

 

Pins and bushes play. King pin play. Slew ring play. Any leaks..... tracks, chains, sprockets all costly... tip up either side and check idlers.... 

 

Make sure all hydraulic functions work seamlessly and smooth.can it pick itself off the floor... 

 

Tracks well, 2 speed works if got it. 

 

Check antifreeze, engine oil etc. Radiators for condition and if clean... something rarely cleaned and shows! Run it with rad cap off and make sure coolant not circling all the time as in no stat in place.

 

Id even ask if you could check the final drive oil levels to make sure it has bloody oil in! At 2k a pop or so on an old machine that can take shine off things.

 

Take a bloody good torch... look into the diesel tank and into the hyd tank for milky oil.

 

I know your probs looking at an older machine so will get some of the above problems but everything within reason is fixable!

 

I was looking at machines recently and even when spending 8-14k you were getting 18 year old machines plus with big hours ... all with play in things and most with issues. 

 

Good luck 👍 😮

 

One thing can be said though.... if you bought a right machine and spent more money and looked after it you'd probably recoup the brass better.... 

 

Buy and old beater... stuff breaks and you pile a fortune into it and maybe recover the brass if lucky? 

 

Hard decision to make

 

Ohhh and keep main brands if possible for parts avaliablity!!!!!

[Tree monkey 1682]

2 hours ago, difflock said:

As above, our daughter and son in law, who is a mechanic,  are intending to build on a derelict outfarm, we were up there today and the SIL said that he intends to buy a digger to clear the site and be there for the build. Which makes sense.

Something about 8 tonne (ish) and at the rougher cheaper end of the spectrum.

So what to look for, or what to avoid?

I am entirely out of touch.

Marcus

Just hire one 

[swinny]

13 minutes ago, Tree monkey 1682 said:

Just hire one 

Nah... come on. Man may need it for 18 month -2 years or so

 

Hire money is pissing it away. Money in an asset is still there

[Tree monkey 1682]

1 hour ago, swinny said:

Nah... come on. Man may need it for 18 month -2 years or so

 

Hire money is pissing it away. Money in an asset is still there

F me ,but if you dont have a clue about excavators  ,you'd be better hiring one , no problems no asset deprication,  no problem if its the wrong size ... 

You'd probably get a decent rate for 18month 

Or failing that you could get someone that knows what there doing and have it done quicker 

[difflock]

Thank you Swinny, for that comprehensive list, and also TM, and not in the slightest offended by that hire suggestion, but there is quite a bit of rough shurbs and bushes, semi dead trees, with many big old Ash, never mind an largeish overgrown pond to resurrect,  plus the old buildings to clear away, then there would be work for a digger here where we live after, plenty of sheaughs to clean and roddens to maintain. I had toyed with the idea of buying a digger myself a few times in the past, but figured I would either overspend on a buying a better fresher digger, or buy a bag o shite. So  I wisely bought nothing. I am sure Marcin will know a bloke that knows his diggers and take their advice. And I would be more than happy to chip in to get a better machine.

cheers

Edited 12 hours ago by difflock

[topchippyles]

20 minutes ago, difflock said:

Thank you Swinny, for that comprehensive list, and also TM, and not in the slightest offended by that hire suggestion, but there is quite a bit of rough shurbs and bushes, semi dead trees, with many big old Ash, never mind an largeish overgrown pond to resurrect,  plus the old buildings to clear away, then there would be work for a digger here where we live after, plenty of sheaughs to clean and roddens to maintain. I had toyed with the idea of buying a digger myself a few times in the past, but figured I would either overspend on a buying a better fresher digger, or buy a bag o shite. So  I wisely bought nothing. I am sure Marcin will know a bloke that knows his diggers and take their advice. And I would be more than happy to chip in to get a better machine.

cheers

I would look at the local plant auction website's and see what is coming up for sale in the next month or two. Son in law is a fitter after all so should know his way around an engine. Pins and bushes is one of the main things to look for trouble 

[difflock]

TC,

I am a cynical, critical  judgemental barstewart, wrt too far many blokes that call themselves tradesmen, or indeed mechanics!

But the SIL is one of the finest men I have ever come across, and in all respects, breadth of knowledge,  skills, morality, standards, work ethic, etc etc etc. 

Which was a long winded way of saying, that yes, he will know his way round an engine. 

Cheers,

Marcus

[sime42]

He sounds like the SIL every father would wish for!

 

 

[spuddog0507]

Swinny has just about said it all in his post,, but i will add that there is some crap out there for sale that is described as in good working order and TBH some of it is not fit for purpose and they are just money pits, i was looking for a digger before covid and TBH i thought no just hire one in when i need one as its one less machine for me to look after, 

8 tonner wont be as easy to sell when you done with it either, and personally i think the 2,6 2,7 2.8 tonne machines are much easier to sell, 

Another thing to think about as well is theft a 2.7 will walk as much easier to move on a ifor trailer thane a 8 tonner is to move,,