Show us your Arb Diggers please.

[Matthew Storrs]

I’m in a real dilemma at the moment. Money is useless in the bank and I want to invest in another machine- my choices as it stands are between a Kubota KX080-3 very tidy on 600mm steels OR a Case 590 Super backhoe in servo controls. Obviously totally different machine but that’s half the trouble. I’d sooner the Kubota any day on the job- but no getting away that the logistics and expense of getting it moved to a job which may only be a few days work whereas backhoe just turns up under its own steam but limited when it’s gets there. main works is dry stone walking with big rocks, erosion/bridleways, ditching and usual rural groundwork’s like ponds, landscaping, scrub clearance etc...
 

can’t make my mind up!

[Ilex]

Great equipment! Couldn’t be without it.

[Matthew Storrs]

12 minutes ago, doobin said:

Same hours as my Hyundai at the time- 900 ish. Hire machine so most likely bog standard. Hyundai probably half as much power again- much bigger rams. Despite all the problems the Hyundai gave me with the undercarriage, the hydraulics are bob on.

 

Each to their own though! I guess it's what you're used too as well. The new Bobcat E27 doesn't seem as nice to grade with as the Hyundai, but I'm probably just not dialled in with it yet at 80 hours.

 

17 minutes ago, doobin said:

Same hours as my Hyundai at the time- 900 ish. Hire machine so most likely bog standard. Hyundai probably half as much power again- much bigger rams. Despite all the problems the Hyundai gave me with the undercarriage, the hydraulics are bob on.

 

Each to their own though! I guess it's what you're used too as well. The new Bobcat E27 doesn't seem as nice to grade with as the Hyundai, but I'm probably just not dialled in with it yet at 80 hours.

Yeah- the TB216 does need quite high revs to get the best from it I’ve found. When I jump on it going from my TB125 I don’t like it but after an hour or so I get used to it’s idiosyncratic s! It’s mainly the slew I have issue with- very easy to overswing. But it lifts up the same post knocker as the TB016 did without any difference and it has better reach so cant be any lesser machine in that department.

[doobin]

20 hours ago, Matthew Storrs said:

I’m in a real dilemma at the moment. Money is useless in the bank and I want to invest in another machine- my choices as it stands are between a Kubota KX080-3 very tidy on 600mm steels OR a Case 590 Super backhoe in servo controls. Obviously totally different machine but that’s half the trouble. I’d sooner the Kubota any day on the job- but no getting away that the logistics and expense of getting it moved to a job which may only be a few days work whereas backhoe just turns up under its own steam but limited when it’s gets there. main works is dry stone walking with big rocks, erosion/bridleways, ditching and usual rural groundwork’s like ponds, landscaping, scrub clearance etc...
 

can’t make my mind up!

I reckon the backhoe would start to really you off the third time it got stuck. 

Edited November 6, 2019 by Stephen Blair
Swearing

[skc101fc]

Yep, agree with the incessant getting stuck bit, but also had a 590 extradig on it's side twice on one job, just trying (as we all do) to reach that little bit further whilst lifting at what was thought a safe load. Once you exceed it, really tippy. - Tracks everytime.

 

 

[Marc Lewis]

I'm starting to get the hang of ours now after having other people on it for a couple of years, biggest advantage for us has actually been having it on a postknocker but it's mostly been on a grab or tmk tree shear.

What size machine is that gdh?

[Stephen Blair]

20 hours ago, Matthew Storrs said:

I’m in a real dilemma at the moment. Money is useless in the bank and I want to invest in another machine- my choices as it stands are between a Kubota KX080-3 very tidy on 600mm steels OR a Case 590 Super backhoe in servo controls. Obviously totally different machine but that’s half the trouble. I’d sooner the Kubota any day on the job- but no getting away that the logistics and expense of getting it moved to a job which may only be a few days work whereas backhoe just turns up under its own steam but limited when it’s gets there. main works is dry stone walking with big rocks, erosion/bridleways, ditching and usual rural groundwork’s like ponds, landscaping, scrub clearance etc...
 

can’t make my mind up!

I was sitting in a new 5 toner the other day thinking ‘ this will do !’

  Then I thought about moving it, relying on a haulier, no flexibility with customers juggling jobs around or having to invest in a big tractor and low loader then constantly worrying about being stopped.

 

All I can say is I’ve never been stuck in the 3cx or thrown a track!?

  the back actor has more power than my old 9 toner.

[doobin]

I wouldn't mind a go in your machine Steve, but I can't imagine doing arb work and not being able to spin round with a grab full of brash, or relying upon wheels to get me in and out again. Then again, it must be lovely to grab a proper full bundle with a grab on the front of the machine.

 

[Matthew Storrs]

2 hours ago, Stephen Blair said:

I was sitting in a new 5 toner the other day thinking ‘ this will do !’

  Then I thought about moving it, relying on a haulier, no flexibility with customers juggling jobs around or having to invest in a big tractor and low loader then constantly worrying about being stopped.

 

All I can say is I’ve never been stuck in the 3cx or thrown a track!?

  the back actor has more power than my old 9 toner.

It’s a hard one for sure- I can see real advantages of the backhoe route for all the reasons you mention. I’ve just sold my tractor and it’s not really a route I want to go down again simply to move a machine from A to B. Tracked machine would be splendid for jobs longer than a week or two. But to add £300 or so in haulage for a few days work I can see will kill many of the smaller jobs off... and that is a fair proportion of my workload. Is it greedy to have both!

The backhoe as well has hellish lift power on the front bucket Plus pallet forks etc which will come in handy a lot I reckon plus will save hiring small dumpers in on many jobs...

If only my thought process wasn’t 360 I’d have made a decision by now!

how many hrs is your JCB on Stephen? I have a budget of around £25-30k but most backhoes have done over 5000hrs at this price range if I want servo controls..

 

 

[Matthew Storrs]

44 minutes ago, doobin said:

I wouldn't mind a go in your machine Steve, but I can't imagine doing arb work and not being able to spin round with a grab full of brash, or relying upon wheels to get me in and out again. Then again, it must be lovely to grab a proper full bundle with a grab on the front of the machine.

 

Agree, and same when your digging out a banking and want to swing it round into a dumper etc- but I guess you just have to think r he job out differently. Plus having a 3 tonner already kind of gives you best of both worlds when coupled with Backhoe. 3 tonner for intricate space restricted stuff- fast and nimble, backhoe for brute force speed moving material accross sites etc.