Sunward Mini Digger
- Thread starter Fragonard
- Start date
Lincs Lass
Member
- Location
- north lincs
Limited back up ,,local firm tryed pushing them ,,they had them at YAMS 3 years ago ,,no interest so they got rid of them ,shame really as Sunward are massive in the eastern countries .
Ive seen another brand now in the country through Solis dealers ,,Carter ,maybe out of the same factory
https://www.facebook.com/CarterdiggersukandIreland/?__tn__=,d,P-R&eid=ARDCfSTz-wwBhlbpHuhf5PcfWQFMTc8z2HYW8qwIj_ZW48ZtBrAzRosWwMRE0H9Xi-j1LAag2kjem_AW
Ive seen another brand now in the country through Solis dealers ,,Carter ,maybe out of the same factory
https://www.facebook.com/CarterdiggersukandIreland/?__tn__=,d,P-R&eid=ARDCfSTz-wwBhlbpHuhf5PcfWQFMTc8z2HYW8qwIj_ZW48ZtBrAzRosWwMRE0H9Xi-j1LAag2kjem_AW
Finn farmer
Member
A man in Finland drove from Hanko to Kuusamo (~750km's) in one, that's all i know about Sunward.
It only had one rubber track fail, nothing else. Probably a decent machine.
- Location
- south norfolk
Most of these cheap Chinese machines use established manufacturers for engines,pumps and hydraulics and then put them together.id never buy one as I don’t like China’s human and animal rights.im sure they will do the job but not aswell as established brands but will be a lot cheaper.im pretty certain digger manufacturers the world over mostly buy in the engines,pumps etc and put them together.a few will get sold but resale will be very poor as may be the back up.really no differant to most tractors with maybe Cummins or ftp engines mounted to zf transmission and axles with Bosch hydraulic controls and just assembled by the manufacturers.
Nick...
Nick...
Lincs Lass
Member
- Location
- north lincs
I looked at the ones at Yams ,they had Yanmar engines which was a good start,the build quality looked strong ,,it was just the parts back up that was bad ,only one distribution centre in Birmingham , it was intended to sell the machines through franchised dealers ,my local one tryed hiring them out but there is far too much competition from a dozen other places with better brands.
The one they did sell blow the hydraulic pump after a few weeks and it was 6 weeks waiting to get fixed ,,even the dealer wasn't impressed and got rid of them
The one they did sell blow the hydraulic pump after a few weeks and it was 6 weeks waiting to get fixed ,,even the dealer wasn't impressed and got rid of them
- Location
- Co antrim
I worked on new road project for 2 years and 1 o the other subbies arrived with 2 new sany diggers. A 21 to and a 4 ton if memory serves right. I asked him why he bought them as he had a fleet o case diggers and his answer was i got the 2 sany diggers for same price as 1 case 21 ton so its a no brainer and when they reach 12000 thers not gonna be much difference in resale as ther all worth bugger all at that stage.
Lincs Lass
Member
- Location
- north lincs
My local quarry have two 30tn Sanny,s ,,they said the same ,half the price ,no fancy computers to go wrong ,no ad blue ,strong engineering
- Location
- Co antrim
Think are they not similar to older komatsu?
Lincs Lass
Member
- Location
- north lincs
Could be or Sumitomer ,,they were a major player in the digger world not so many years ago
- Location
- south norfolk
At the end of the day people pay for a whole to be dug and material moved.the larger Chinese machines are making inroads into fleets but can’t see the mini diggers being the same.there is just too much competition.cant see plant hirers buying them as the reliability may not be there and owner ops won’t either.make sell to self build people though.time will tell.just had a friend who been selling case for 25 years pack up his job as he can not compete with the cheaper Chinese machines
Nick...
Nick...
H200GT
Member
- Location
- NORTH WALES
There are many good manufacturers in the far east, its just that the brands are not known or popular in western countries.
As others have said, parts backup would be my main concern, as well as resale value.
Some of these brands are here today, gone tomorrow. DETANK being a prime example a few years ago. Big write-ups in the digger journals, huge marketing push, but not sure they sold many as a fleet of new diggers ended up in euro auctions and sold for next to nothing. If you had bought one heaven knows where you would get parts or the knowledge to fix one now.
www.agg-net.com
A safer bet would be a used machine from a manufacturer that's popular here for the same price.
As others have said, parts backup would be my main concern, as well as resale value.
Some of these brands are here today, gone tomorrow. DETANK being a prime example a few years ago. Big write-ups in the digger journals, huge marketing push, but not sure they sold many as a fleet of new diggers ended up in euro auctions and sold for next to nothing. If you had bought one heaven knows where you would get parts or the knowledge to fix one now.
Detank set to take on the UK
A safer bet would be a used machine from a manufacturer that's popular here for the same price.
Last edited:
Lincs Lass
Member
- Location
- north lincs
I've killed two jcb mini diggers ,both were brand new,,I wont hire one ever again ,they are going down the build it cheap route ,,less weight in chassis ,cheaper pumps ,just rubbish quality all round
Lincs Lass
Member
- Location
- north lincs
Only have to look at Watts plant auctions , they always have some Chinese machines ,,Rhino,,I think .
They look like a DIY kit build ,,boom is fixed ,no king pin pivot ,they really do look cheap
They look like a DIY kit build ,,boom is fixed ,no king pin pivot ,they really do look cheap
- Location
- Larne, Northern Ireland
Sumitumo still are a big player. They make the 8ton and above diggers for case. They also are still sold a lot in Aus and NZ etc.
As for Sandy being half priced of the better brands, it ain't true. Priced up 2.6t minis before Christmas and Sany was same price as Hitachi, Case, JCB, Kubota. A full spec 13t was £65k, Hitachi, Kobelco and Hidromek of same spec were £82k. A good difference but not half the price.
Lincs Lass
Member
- Location
- north lincs
I was told that sun ward poached engineers fitters and management from every major construction machine companies world wide and then basically set to and designed everything from the ground up ,,yes they do use established engine brands but everything else is their own design.
As I said ,in the gulf states and further east ,they are huge ,
As I said ,in the gulf states and further east ,they are huge ,
Don't buy one I have an 18 u and I'm on my 4 th month waiting on a slew motor which at first they said was unavailable still waiting ,only 700 hrs on machine ,,,,,crap and I'm dealing with good people it's all China,,,
- Location
- East Anglia
Liu Gong have for years been supplying until recently one of the biggest names in construction with excavators to be branded by said major manufacturer.
- Location
- south norfolk
I’ve been in the game for close on 40 years and never heard this.can’t imagine Liu Gong supplying one of the premium brands to be honest
nick…
- Location
- Larne, Northern Ireland
Wouldn’t have thought it tbh, although Sunward supply mini diggers to Atlas so I guess could be possible
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