LGP Eddie

Very interesting thread here, and I've got a friend who's just gone this way with a reasonable size Mus-Max to hopefully compete on higher chip quality plus the ability to sneak just under the big guys. He's fitted a Kesla Crane to his chipper and runs her behind a 7810 John Deere that's otherwise utilised in his business. I have always wondered how a Tracked Bandit 18svc would stack up in a site clearance/biomass crossover, bearing in mind it can be loaded by pretty much anything, plus access difficult sites. Eddie.

What would be the price difference between similar models though?, Like I say in reality some consider what is a bit of heavy flail work to be mulching, when those who are mulching doing it day in day out in real conditions can kill even the very best machinery fairly rapidly. Eddie.

Gregor Mc Arthur knows his stuff and the FAE is a good product. I did look over the Seppi from Lambhurst Engineering, and would certainly demo one myself. A lot comes down to budget and ultimately the severity of the application. People have different perceptions of mulching, one could see it as mulching, the other nothing more than heavy flail mowing. Certainly the equipment required to mulch professionally on a daily basis is far removed from what could be considered more occasional scrub removal or site cleanup. I fully agree the Denis Cimaf has always been top of my wish list, with the big bonus in us now having a UK distributor, Total Plant Solutions Exc@v8. Fantastic Avatar TCD Eddie.

Do you need a full 15 tonne machine, and do you require it operated? What's the application? Eddie.

This has come up before about getting the lightest possible trailer, and this guy who is very local to me claims to have the solutions? I'd really like to have a look over one sometime to make my own mind up, but he certainly seems to be very confident he's using materials that make them up to the job. One thing is for certain they are very light, and he can make you pretty much any solution you want which is a real bonus. 500kg for a full size plant trailer is seriously light? Plant / Excavator Trailers With regard to the actual Tractor purchase on Thread, I'd just like to add my own experience. Basically I would have rushed headlong into a Valtra N163 with Direct CVT box and all the trimmings, but basically couldn't afford at the time. I took the opportunity to hire from my local Valtra Dealer for two reasons, the first was obviously to try different models, but secondly to see how they performed plus more importantly how it was backed up? The outcome was I found the Dealer to be nothing short of brilliant, and the actual Tractor poles apart from what I actually required on a daily basis. I needed more HP, the CVT gearbox wasn't for me, plus I found the 'T' series much better for my needs. I know to every last option now exactly what I need, and the whole exercise done in the winter months has provided me with top notch tractors at realistic hire rates, with full backup to do my learning on. I suggest you find a local dealer of your favoured brands and try a few different ones out on hire to see what fits your needs? At this time of year there should be a good choice of new/used in their yards that could be hired at reasonable rates. Eddie.

You can get a 3.5 tonne trailer to carry that Telehandler at approx 500kg unladen. More an ideal tool for a 7.5 tonne Hookloader or the like, and as the Alpines do ok with a CAT1 linkage, I'd think a winch or small chipper would be ok? It wasn't really on thread so to speak, but I did think it could have a place in someones fleet? Eddie.

How about one of these Baby's! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n816GZsk04o]Kramer Allrad 1245 Mini Telehandler - YouTube[/ame] Ridiculously compact, impressive lift capacity and reach, plus at 2.7 tonne just about trailer legal? There is a 40hp version with the 3 point linkage and PTO that will do your log splitting, and probably a small chipper? They are available on 31x15.5x15 flotations too! Eddie.

Plenty in the press about the soon to be launched 'T' series Valtra. I had a quick look and it looks like it may be a completely different proposition to take into the woods, with a lot of expensive curved glass and pretty much every detail screaming if you break me I'm going to cost a lot! It will be interesting how quickly Wilsons can come up with a new frame for a Botex roof mounting and guarding to protect this new style cab. It does look fantastic, I wonder there will be a deal or two on the current model as they run out? Valtra - New T Series Eddie.

A nice base for a project! https://customer.jcb-finance.co.uk/assets/asset_details.jhtm?q=226165 Eddie.

Loving the TB016, they really are a classic machine, and I'm on one myself at present doing drainage around a house. Is it really possible to get so much work from so little diesel? Just a video of the Menzi Muck Walking Excavator I had hire in from Sean Hughes of All Terrain Manx, on an awkward Rhodie Clearance job. Sadly Giles who does the Video's was let down with his purchase of a Drone, so he missed the best action of the week, and was only able to film what was the final fairly flattish section for the Menzi as it finished off. It had been an interesting one, as we had the Menzi safety winch tethered to a 24 tonne Komatsu for safety, but it also greatly assisted the Menzi getting about on what could be really soft in places slopes. I must say Giles really has got some stunning camera/video kit, and puts together some great video, plus he finally took delivery of a really trick drone that should be ideal for some of the big crane takedowns etc some of you guys get up to. The location was simply stunning to work in. Eddie.

If you can move it ok, Kubota KX161-3 would absolutely be my first choice, and would be within your budget. I have a mint, really trick Kinshoffer Nox Timber Grab and Rotator coming up for sale in a week or so that would suit it perfectly? Eddie.

I believe its 100km from base? Read into it more as there are plenty of restrictions still to keep you from being at the wheel 24/7, but they are far more sensible for someone like myself than the full driver hours rules that obviously apply to professional drivers earning their living at the wheel. Eddie.

Plenty of thoughts on here on this issue? I just hoped it may be a route to allow me to use a 7.5 tonner to take fuel, attachments, machines etc to site on a more suitable vehicle probably with a small Hiab, than a Defender Ifor setup. I don't want all the hassle involved in Tacho use, as basically you're just gathering evidence for someone to pick through and try to hang you with. I have friends running Trucks and they have more than enough hassle with it all, as even a tiny mistakes can prove costly. I also don't want to be told what time to have a break or what hours I can drive over what days etc. I'd have no issue keeping records of driving and other work done in a simple form. 100k from base would do me nicely and I'd be happy to get a decent truck and keep it properly maintained if I can simply use it in the way I wish with minimal hassle? I had considered a small Mog for the role, but that's another can of worms! Eddie.

What sort of weight class are you looking at? Do you have the ability to move it yourself? Also a realistic budget guide are key points to recommend on? Eddie.

I'm probably opposite in having no issues with the restricted operators licence or the maintenance etc, as I'd want to know all was ok with the truck anyway. I simply want to drive it to and from site with my kit basically when I like without all the associated hassle of a tacho and the restrictions they bring. I think that there is forming a straightforward path now for use up to 100k from base as long as it's not your main work, and that includes the cpc? I know exactly what you're saying and it's obviously business use, but if you simply go to/from site then professional driving is not your main line of work? I already keep a diary of my work, so if a simple log is all that's required of the driving plus other work it would be no hassle at all? I would get it all professionally checked out beforehand though, as I'm fully aware what a minefield it is and the cost of getting it wrong? Eddie.

Been advised a Daf can get on or very close to 4 tonne payload if you go the alloy body route? Plenty of decent machines available for such a payload? I'll certainly be finding out more as 100k radius is plenty for me most of the time, and I certainly don't want it for hire/reward haulage type work. Eddie.

You'll do just fine with the crane levers I think? I had just got to the point of playing with the Harvesting Head, as it's a used unit purchased through Wilsons that John simply did the controls etc for me, but the Kubota started giving me other hassle so I've got no further? I hope to try again shortly to see if I can master working it my way with the Engcon controls, and if I can I'll get the head fully checked over before putting it to work. Eddie.

Don't quote me, because I'm no Trucker, but I think some 7.5 toners can get up to around the 4 tonne payload? I assume the trade off is you need a certain strength in the body to carry the weight, plus the rams setup, and that all goes against you? I've never seen it done except on a 3.5 tonner, but I assume for max payload you could have a bare minimum skeletal body of 2 alloy channels for the tracks plus a little alloy platform for the attachments? I think something at 3 tonne with a healthy range of attachments would be well legal? Eddie.

He's got my Kesla Stroke Head to run through my Engcon Joysticks on the Kubota. Not only that, how he got it to run through the Ec Oil system so I can fit it from the cab and have it fully operational in around 15 seconds was a pretty fair achievement. I'd have thought a Joystick was easily possible, but the one I had was just a row of levers and Greg ended up getting pretty handy on it after a few days. Eddie.

Couldn't agree more on letting people get on with work. I suspect you're going to be very happy with the results, as I had a brief conversation with John about this, and he was completely in the zone with getting this all up and running. If John gets the bit between his teeth on a project, you can be assured, it will not only work, but it'll certainly last the distance. He really can turn out some stunning work. Eddie.

John been working his magic for you then? Sounds interesting? I'm really not up on the 7.5 tonner job now? I assume I'd still need a restricted Operators Licence, but not the driver CPC as it's not my main occupation? It would be to take attachments or at worst a Mini Excavator to and from site, and without all the Tacho hassle within 100k from base would work for me? Eddie.

Apologies if anyone has covered this, but it seems it could be positive news for once with regard to owning a 7.5 tonner? https://movingon.blog.gov.uk/changes-to-tachograph-rules-for-local-journeys/ I'd be interested in one myself if it meant being able to take tools/kit to site and ditch the Defender Ifor setup. Eddie.

Go for it on the Takeuchi TB016, spend enough money to get a good one and it will repay you very well I'm certain. This is the 1.5 tonner I pretty much recommend to everyone, as it really is bombproof, plus in reality punches well into 2 tonner territory. Buy well and if it's not for you they are extremely sought after so you will be pretty assured of most if not all your money back. I'm actually operating one for a few days at present doing the drainage for a house, and the example I'm using the guy has owned for approx 4 years now. It gets absolutely no love apart from when I have it, and it simply shrugs all the punishment off and gets on with it. Yes it could do with a few pins and bushes here and there now, plus a general tidy up, but in reality it wouldn't be an expensive job to get it really tidy again. Well worth searching out a good TB016, and as the saying goes 'it'll be the cheapest man on the job!' Eddie.

Tommy you have similar taste to me if the 7840 is referring to a certain tractor and you own an 814, but please please don't go down the JCB mini route, unless it's for some specific reason like incredibly cheap or come from a fantastic home. There is so much better out there that can give you almost assured trouble service and a set in stone residual value. Tell us a bit more about what your intended applications are, what attachments you have on your future wish list and what you have to move the machine around with. Plenty of contacts to find you something nice to fit your needs. Eddie.

Kubota is the rolls royce of mini's in my opinion especially for Owner Operators, but for this type of work, the simplicity and ease/low cost of repairs to the Takeuchi can sway it in their favour. The fit/finish and reliability of the Kubota is hard to beat. The Takeuchi TB016 is just about bombproof and will punch well above it's weight, I'm out on one for the next couple of days and it never fails to impress. Not much mention of Komatsu on here, but their Mid size mini's are seriously good. Eddie.