Which 8 tonner? Volvo ECR88 vs Kubota KX080-3 vs CAT 308 vs Other?

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

 

I don't think there's much wrong with Neuson products

 

Eddie.

 

They have that chinese look though dont they!

 

How you can take it seriously against the kubota is beyond me

[LGP Eddie]

They have that chinese look though dont they!

 

How you can take it seriously against the kubota is beyond me

 

I did see quite a number out in Sweden at the big plant show there, and they do seem to have a broad range of models plus some unusual specs.

They are a tidy looking bit of kit and their small Rubber Duck is certainly an impressive bit of kit.

 

Perhaps the fact that they make the smaller CAT excavators for them now says something of their credentials?

 

I suppose price would be the factor that has people looking at them, but I really don't know where they sit in the marketplace?

 

However for me I'll take a look at the Takeuchi tb285 just to settle my mind, but I really hope to get one of the very first Dash 4 8 tonners into the UK, before sending it to Scotland for some reworking.

 

Eddie.

[NI Tree]

eddie i am looking for a simular under carriage set up to yours as we got a lot of old mud flats but second hand, and simular size machine in the 5t to 8t range for the farm

[LGP Eddie]

eddie i am looking for a simular under carriage set up to yours as we got a lot of old mud flats but second hand, and simular size machine in the 5t to 8t range for the farm

 

 

I'd suggest you go for an Hitachi ZX70 on steel tracks if this is within budget or an nice late EX60 will be a cheaper option otherwise.

With one of these it is a simple operation to bolt on wider pads up to 800mm which will give plenty of floatation as the Hitachi is quite a light unit anyway.

I do believe it's possible to even squeeze 900mm pads on without mods but without measuring I couldn't confirm this.

 

You can easily fabricate bolt on blade extensions so it will all go back to standard if you move it on.

 

The only mod you would really need if you run this configuration longer term is to replace the single top roller with two bottom rollers on fabricated mountings.

Again very easily done which will help carry the weight of the pads and keep the track more retained as it runs along the top.

 

Hitachi's are brilliant machines and I've never had any issues with them at all. To be perfectly honest they would be my first choice excavator most of the time, but in the 8 tonne class they lack a large diameter slew ring (hence easy to put big pads on) and are a lighter build than the Kubota in some important areas.

 

Eddie.

[NI Tree]

thanks eddie

[LGP Eddie]

No problem, I've dug a few pics up that hopefully show what I mean about the top roller mods and my 900 pads over standard.

 

You'll perhaps note the extra clearance the widening gives by raising the machine.

 

Eddie.

[NI Tree]

thanks eddie they simple enough too do and how much did you rise it up by

[LGP Eddie]

It's hard to say how much the mods raised the machine but I suspect approx 100mm?

When it was widened, the angle of the track frame means the widened portion is actually pointing downwards hence lifting the machine up slightly.

 

With an Hitachi there is no need for any of this extra work just bolt the pads on and go, but the top roller mods are worth doing for longer term or heavier applications.

 

Eddie.

 

Some pics that will show better how much it's raised and also follow the angle portion of the track frame to find the join?

 

The standard track pad is sitting on the new pads and if that won't pull her out she's not coming!