Show us your Arb Diggers please.

[Slicer Dicer]

18 hours ago, swinny said:

I have a hankering for a 6t machinenin the new year. I like older stuff usually so mid to late 90' or early 2000's. Any makes or models worth a shout at this age? Budget maybe 10-12k. 

 

Nothing set in stone yet but been looking at some machines and seems achievable. 

 

Would be for a grab and shear. Maybe a flail at some point. Thanks

At that age bracket probably more 5 tonners about than 6. 6 seems to be relatively new size bracket- overgrown 5 tonners.

Early 2000s probably have to be Takeuchi TB145 or Kubota KX161-2 or -3 if you go later 2000s.

 

Personally I'd not go too old here. The operating experience is alot nicer with more modern machines. Something around mid 2000s should be pretty decent with auxiliary hydraulics etc. 

Edited December 22, 2023 by Slicer Dicer

[doobin]

2 minutes ago, Slicer Dicer said:

At that age bracket probably more 5 tonners about than 6. 6 seems to be relatively new size bracket- overgrown 5 tonners.

Early 2000s probably have to be Takeuchi TB145 or Kubota KX161-2 or -3 if you go later 2000s.

I wouldn’t fancy beating that vintage about with a grab and flail personally. 

[swinny]

3 hours ago, doobin said:

I wouldn’t fancy beating that vintage about with a grab and flail personally. 

I am what I am 😂 

 

Nothing wrong with working machines of that age. My 2.7t is a 2000 model and I've no issues. I like it's robustness.  

 

Maybe 2000-2005 ish then. Will see whats about. 

 

With regards to age, everything breaks and wears regardless of age and hours. So it's much of a muchness to me. I take pride in running older gear and earning money esp  over those who are highly leveraged

[doobin]

18 hours ago, swinny said:

I am what I am 😂 

 

Nothing wrong with working machines of that age. My 2.7t is a 2000 model and I've no issues. I like it's robustness.  

 

Maybe 2000-2005 ish then. Will see whats about. 

 

With regards to age, everything breaks and wears regardless of age and hours. So it's much of a muchness to me. I take pride in running older gear and earning money esp  over those who are highly leveraged

Running a mixed fleet I hear you. But there’s limits, and grab and flail work is some of the hardest work you can put a machine through. You’ll blow a pipe every day on a thirty year old machine once you get the oil hot with a flail. 
 

I don’t regret any of my finance purchases but I’m in a rich area, so at the rates around here and when interest rates were on the floor, it was a no brainer. 

[doobin]

With 1800 hours and over four years hard graft under her belt, I’m still going to keep running this old girl to allow me to finance other kit- a new alpine tractor. I’ve decided that if you have the work for it, a new machine is a no brainer, and I’ve the whole of January booked on nature reserve cut and collect works. Here she is hard at work on yesterdays job- I’m especially amazed at the lumps she managed to lift over that hedge at full reach! A few 3.8s to feed the mill. 

 

Wind stopped play yesterday so back to the yard today to fit a new clamshell grab I bought for her- have a lot of cut and collect waste to handle in the spring. 

Edited December 23, 2023 by doobin

[doobin]

Clamshell grab looks good on her. 

[swinny]

Using my digger the other week to get logs to the roadside so timber trailer could get to them. Then for shoving the grinder about on site. Good setup as once I had ground a few and was facing the other way the digger could back fill the other holes and tidy up as we went

 

Vintage rules  long live the old girls !

Edited December 24, 2023 by swinny

[billpierce]

Having lovely time with the thumb I went for appreciate the advise. I have lots to learn but so far so good.

[Stephen Blair]

No longer in the gang but brought my mate in for a tidy up on Friday 

[BunyipBen]

On 22/12/2023 at 03:01, swinny said:

I have a hankering for a 6t machinenin the new year. I like older stuff usually so mid to late 90' or early 2000's. Any makes or models worth a shout at this age? Budget maybe 10-12k. 

 

Nothing set in stone yet but been looking at some machines and seems achievable. 

 

Would be for a grab and shear. Maybe a flail at some point. Thanks

 

I am really happy with the purchase of my Hyundai CR60-9, I wouldn't swap to 5.5t from the other big name brands.

 

Edited February 4 by BunyipBen