Digger Upgrade

[Pond digger]

I have a JCB 8060 and it’s a simple and reliable machine, that does the job. My only complaint is the poor paintwork on the cab: you’ll find all the JCB machines suffer in this regard.

I prefer the off-set (front mounted) boom, it’s particularly useful when ditching, as it allows you to off-set to the left and look out of the door opening. This reduces the boom projection which can be useful if ditch has a hedge on the far side. It also means you can position the machine closer to the ditch, so maintaining good visibility.

The main pivot point on off-set machines is susceptible to wear, and the JCB 8060 is particularly good in this regard, generally showing far less wear than younger machines of other makes. However, the pin has no replaceable bushes in the main casting.

Also worth consideration, is that the JCB uses the same buckets as the 3cx, so s/h buckets are in plentiful supply.

Of all the 6 tonners, the Kubota KX 161-3 would probably be considered the best machine, if you can find one in your price bracket. They often come equipped with a second hydraulic service, and have proportional control. This is a useful feature if you want to operate tilt buckets etc, and something I would certainly be looking for in a machine up-grade.

 

[Digester Man]

@Pond digger thanks for the detailed reply, sounds like you really like the front mounted boom. Everyone seems to have their own preference, I should maybe try to find some machines to test out before I take the plunge on the wrong thing. Do you have rubber or steel tracks on your 8060? Nearly everyone seems to prefer steel for sticky ground

 

[Pond digger]

I h

@Pond digger thanks for the detailed reply, sounds like you really like the front mounted boom. Everyone seems to have their own preference, I should maybe try to find some machines to test out before I take the plunge on the wrong thing. Do you have rubber or steel tracks on your 8060? Nearly everyone seems to prefer steel for sticky ground

I have rubber tracks, and my neighbour who runs a new JCB machine for contract work- ditch and drainage work, is also on rubber. I’ve not found it wanting, but I suppose it depends on your needs.

Incidentally, the next JCB up in weight to mine is the 8080, which has a poor reputation in comparison. If I wanted a bigger machine than mine, I’d be giving the Takeuchi tb175 a good looking at. Unfortunately, there’s few machines available in between the 6 & 8t class.

Nothing wrong with Hitachi machines in my view (v smooth on the joystick s), and I doubt you’d be disappointed with any of the main players.

Incidentally, there is a Cat 307c in Euro Auctions that seems to have v low hrs. I really like the look and feel of these machines; it might be worth your consideration. Euro Auctions is certainly worth a visit as you can get a good comparison between makes, and you can start and operate most of what you see. However, it’s not necessarily a cheap place to buy.

 

[Digester Man]

Another question, what size digging bucket for a 7 tonner? 2ft or 3ft or somewhere in between? Prob going for a 5ft sheugh bucket and a 12” bucket but not sure what size digging to go for

 

[Mouser]

Another question, what size digging bucket for a 7 tonner? 2ft or 3ft or somewhere in between? Prob going for a 5ft sheugh bucket and a 12” bucket but not sure what size digging to go for

Surely be at least 3', tb125 (3t machines) has a 30 inch digging bucket

 

[ollie989898]

Don't know much about diggers but I am reliably informed that the smaller they are the more likely they are to be stolen.

 

[Hesston4860s]

Surely be at least 3', tb125 (3t machines) has a 30 inch digging bucket

Yes you can have a 30” on a 3 tonner, I have one for my TB135 (3.5 ton) and unless it’s soft or just rehandling stuff there imo to much for the machine digging with it.
I generally use the 600mm with teeth on for digging, and have a 5 foot grading bucket I use for ditching. I also have a 2m weed basket but it’s full plenty big enough for the machine really, it drives it ok and your alright with it so long as you know what your doing !.
But I won’t hire it out with the weed basket as it’ll be upside down in a ditch somewhere lol.

 

[ollandroverman]

Another question, what size digging bucket for a 7 tonner? 2ft or 3ft or somewhere in between? Prob going for a 5ft sheugh bucket and a 12” bucket but not sure what size digging to go for

That depends upon what you are digging.
Peat, soil, gravel, rock?

 

[Joe S]

Another question, what size digging bucket for a 7 tonner? 2ft or 3ft or somewhere in between? Prob going for a 5ft sheugh bucket and a 12” bucket but not sure what size digging to go for

general digging, bulking bucket would be at least 3 feet have a 3 & 4 footer to go on the one at work. They should all swing a 3ft aboot no bother.

 

[Half Pipe]

It's not just width off bucket, but depth and shape makes big difference.
Our 1st ex60 had a quick hitch to suit 3cx buckets, so we just used our 3cx buckets, 2nd ex still has a hitch to suit 3cx buckets but came with a Scott 3' digging bucket. Holds fair bit more than JCB bucket, but still digs well.
It also had rubber tracks which we liked at the time as handy about yard etc. But didn't last that we'll when we extended a farm track, so have since put a set of steel on and wish we had done that before wrecking the rubber set.
Noticed steel had better grip on greasy ground and definitely carry better on soft, they 600mm instead of 450 rubber.
So track type really depends on the work you have planned and the jobs it will probably get that haven't been thought of yet.

 

[holywell farmer]

@Pond digger thanks for the detailed reply, sounds like you really like the front mounted boom. Everyone seems to have their own preference, I should maybe try to find some machines to test out before I take the plunge on the wrong thing. Do you have rubber or steel tracks on your 8060? Nearly everyone seems to prefer steel for sticky ground

Rubber get stuck in sticky ground

 

[Digester Man]

Booked flights etc for Euro Auctions next week, registered there to bid.. hopefully find something half decent

 

[Digester Man]

Well Euro Auctions was a failure and still searching. Apart from Hitachi EX60/ZX70 and Cat 307, are there any other brands with mono boom models out there?

So far I’ve looked at 9 diggers, the majority of them were rough as hell and the only 1 I bid on in Euro was sold to someone else in the room who must have bid at the same time as me even though the spotter on my side of the ring took my bid!

 

[Half Pipe]

Case cx75
New Holland sr 70
Kobelco sk70 (same as new Holland)

All machines about that size seem hard to find

 

[Joe S]

Well Euro Auctions was a failure and still searching. Apart from Hitachi EX60/ZX70 and Cat 307, are there any other brands with mono boom models out there?

So far I’ve looked at 9 diggers, the majority of them were rough as hell and the only 1 I bid on in Euro was sold to someone else in the room who must have bid at the same time as me even though the spotter on my side of the ring took my bid!

Case cx75 range
Kebelco sr75
New Holland e75 (which is a kebelco)
Hitachi ex60, zaxis Zx70lc and zx85us
Cat 307 c and d series
Think that’s aboot it! Don’t think there’s a bad one in the bunch

 

[KB6930]

Well Euro Auctions was a failure and still searching. Apart from Hitachi EX60/ZX70 and Cat 307, are there any other brands with mono boom models out there?

So far I’ve looked at 9 diggers, the majority of them were rough as hell and the only 1 I bid on in Euro was sold to someone else in the room who must have bid at the same time as me even though the spotter on my side of the ring took my bid!

Are you on Facebook if you are there's a page called Excavators for sale uk and irelIreland there's some good looking stuff at times comes up

 

[Pond digger]

Well Euro Auctions was a failure and still searching. Apart from Hitachi EX60/ZX70 and Cat 307, are there any other brands with mono boom models out there?

So far I’ve looked at 9 diggers, the majority of them were rough as hell and the only 1 I bid on in Euro was sold to someone else in the room who must have bid at the same time as me even though the spotter on my side of the ring took my bid!

Do you know what the Cat 307C went for?

 

[kej81]

I’m also looking for a decent 6-7 tonner if anyone knows of anything up to about £20k. Tidy ones are hard to find or I’m not looking in the correct places!

 

[Digester Man]

Sorry don’t know what the Cat made, it came up just after the digger I had unsuccessfully bid on so I wasn’t paying any attention while I tried to work out why my bid hadn’t been accepted!

Anyways, Looks like I’m sorted with an EX60, hopefully lifting it middle of this week

 

[Pond digger]

Sorry don’t know what the Cat made, it came up just after the digger I had unsuccessfully bid on so I wasn’t paying any attention while I tried to work out why my bid hadn’t been accepted!

Anyways, Looks like I’m sorted with an EX60, hopefully lifting it middle of this week

Sounds good, there’s nothing wrong with the EX60.

Just curious; the machine you bid for isn’t on here is it -www.proctorplantsales.com .I suspect they’d give priority to dealer bids.