mini digger operating weight. oh and bateson trailers

[Matthew Storrs]

My current bee in my bonnet is getting my mini digger and trailer to scrape under 3.5ton.

The digger is plated at 2790kg which according to Takeuchi is its operating weight, does anyone know what they mean by this? Kubota say operating weight is standard bucket, fully served and a 75kg driver. Not sure if this is standard definition

 

Moving on, I see Bateson now do a plant trailer which can have a 2900kg load on it. (Could this be the answer to the problems many of us face trying to transport machines of this size?Anyone use Bates on in general?

35PM Plant Trailer High Carrying Capacity | Bateson Trailers

[dig-dug-dan]

Had a bateson auto tilt. Was superb. Looking at brian james at the moment.

bear in mind with that operating weight, you cannot have any mud on the tracks or on the bucket, as that can add 50kg.

That trailer looks good though, if you can stay legal

[Matthew Storrs]

Or even a quick hitch will put me over the weight! Not to mention the empty coke can and crisp packet in the cab.

What I was hoping is that the operating weight included 75kg operator so that would give me a fair bit of leeway. The trailer I linked to has quite a bit of leeway at 2900kg capacity but I think that trailer is more designed for crushers etc not diggers. The reason being the draw bar is shorter so there may be complications with the digger arm coming in contact with towing vehicle. I'll ask bateson.

[LGP Eddie]

The solution may or not be here? I have an open mind about them, and as they are only up the road from me would like a look sometime, but the claims are bold and the trailer impossibly light?

 

Should put you well on the legal side?

 

Excavator Plant Trailer, Digger Trailer,3.5t Gross (Trailer 500kgs ONLY) | eBay

 

Eddie.

[SteveA]

Attach a bunch of helium balloons to the mini-digger cab?

[JimE]

I know Hazlewood Trailers over in Evesham can do a digger trailer that only weighs 500kg.

But that one on ebay that Eddie linked to looks a good price!

[Justme]

The solution may or not be here? I have an open mind about them, and as they are only up the road from me would like a look sometime, but the claims are bold and the trailer impossibly light?

 

Should put you well on the legal side?

 

Excavator Plant Trailer, Digger Trailer,3.5t Gross (Trailer 500kgs ONLY) | eBay

 

Eddie.

 

 

That trailer & the company are getting a right pasting on a British construction machinery forum HERE

[Peter]

The only way to know for sure is to weigh the machine.

 

What are you towing with? Can you put the buckets etc in the towing vehicle?

 

Bateson trailers are excellent, used to work a few miles from the factory and ran about 5 Bateson trailers. They do make a model with a longer draw bar anyway,but if you wanted one with a bucket rest they will make you one, they make a lot of custom trailers. Alternatively with a shorter drawbar could you load the machine facing the ramps and put the boom between the ramps?

[LGP Eddie]

That trailer & the company are getting a right pasting on a British construction machinery forum HERE

 

They may be getting a pasting about their spelling, but I'd rather take a look and make my own mind up? A call to a few who've purchased and are current users would be the way forward I'm certain?

You simply cannot go on looks alone, but I'm the first to admit your mind simply doubts its ability from a first look, but I'd be happy to be proved wrong.

 

Eddie.

[Matthew Storrs]

Well if that trailer gets approval from VOSA then that's one worry dealt with. How well it stands up to long term use is the other question. I must admit it does look wrong, but I'm sure theyv'e done their homework and fair play for making a go of it. There's no reason why it should be any weaker then a heavier Ifor its all in the design and the fact that its stripped down to the teeth.

I tow with a landrover defender (hi cap) so I put the buckets and other attachments in the pickup bed which does help with ballast anyway.

I can actually fit the digger on a 10ft ifor flatbed quite well with the boom pointing out the back, even distribution over the axles and hitch. But I think with the added ramps it goes over 3500kg by 40kg or so and because its a flatbed the digger sits up high which isn't a problem but it does tend to dwarf the landrover making me more attractive to being pulled over I think.