What digger

[paul&mandy]

Maybe looking for a smallish machine. 5-8ton zero tail.
Be for ditching,fencing and tree work.
Attachments would be a hyd thumb, tree sheer and post driver so it needs to have good hydraulics.
Anything to look at that would suit this work better than others. Ie for hydraulics and pipe routing vulnerability etc.
Used Hyundai, jcb, Kubota, Hitachi in this size before.

 

[L P]

Maybe looking for a smallish machine. 5-8ton zero tail.
Be for ditching,fencing and tree work.
Attachments would be a hyd thumb, tree sheer and post driver so it needs to have good hydraulics.
Anything to look at that would suit this work better than others. Ie for hydraulics and pipe routing vulnerability etc.
Used Hyundai, jcb, Kubota, Hitachi in this size before.

Much of a muchness, buy it on condition. JCB probably least popular. Takeuchi is my choice here, doosan are pretty good and one to add to the list.

 

[Wesley]

You’ll wish you never asked. Everyone seems to have a different preference. Sit in several & twiddles the levers. See what you feel most comfortable in.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Volvo . is what we hire regularly, and its great little tool. easy to drive , simple, starightforward , reliable.

 

[HarryB97]

Defiantly go for an 8, 5 is to small for ditching and tree shearing

 

[Lakesdigger]

Avoid a zero tail machine especially if you're intending on using attachments like post knocker tree shear etc, far more stable machines with a bum on them.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

As a TB175 owner for the past 16 years mine has been almost faultless.
A multiple-way hydraulic block failed but because there is a newer model out there I got this particular part half price. The other big fail was the fail safe ignition solenoid on the fuel pump. Costly and probably the most difficult thing I have ever had to access on a machine. As ever, right in the middle of a job
A pair of batteries, a pair of tracks and that removable front lower cab glass that wasn't removed when sledge-hammering lumps of concrete prior to going in the crusher, broke that
I have a timber grapple on the extra service but would suggest that you probably need two more for shears & etc. Doable but I wouldn't know how.
A TB285 may suit as it is a newer machine and would have more external services and the 175's are getting a little long in the tooth now.
I'd strongly suggest replacing all rubber fuel lines as I nearly lost mine early on in my ownership due to a split & fuel spraying everywhere.
Go, play on some.
Mine came from here;https://www.proctorplant.com/invent...=8697331&settingscrmid=8697331&keywords=MIDEX
SS

 

[AndrewG]

I’ve a Volvo ecr88 for similar jobs seems a strong machine and Volvo use bigger pin sizes than others, do quite like the zero tail swing especially when working in tight spots, put an oriel hydraulic thumb on it, got a protec knocker that I had when I had a 4t digger but it’s so much better on the 8t.
Next upgrade will be 600mm steel tracks as it’s on rubbers just now which are pretty useless in the wet.

 

[ste stuart]

How much do you want to spend? I’ve a Volvo 88 which will be finished with before Christmas and will be sold.
It’s a 2016 but only done 2.5k hours. Machines tidy, comes with a fixed grapple and 3 buckets.

 

[Dave6170]

Avoid a zero tail machine especially if you're intending on using attachments like post knocker tree shear etc, far more stable machines with a bum on them.

And much easier to work on!

 

[Hilly]

Anything other than jcb .

 

[IOW91]

Not going to say anything that hasn't already been said but for what my 10 cents is worth..........

Hitachi, Takeuchi, Volvo, Hyundai, Kubota, Doosan, Komatsu, Case. Take your pick of these really, much more to do with condition, hours and previous owner rather than brand. Wouldn't put JCB on the same list really unless you happend on a really smart one, that you knew the history of.

Unless you need the smaller machine I'd go for an 8 over a 5.

 

[sheep boy 3000]

You cant go wrong with a Takeuchi TB 290.
Its just an all round nice package.

 

[paul&mandy]

Thanks I'll take a look are the ones suggested. Noted about zero tail. For what I'm planning it will be ok I think. Not planning on world domination.
Just wanted some of your input into a digger that has got good auxiliary hydrolics, something I have no experience with really.
Not even looked at what dealers I use sell. I'll come back with some suggestions once I've looked as I'll know what there backup is like already.

 

[valtra]

Volvo

 

[benny6910]

If your planning on being in fields then definitely get steel tracks rubber are not so good in fields.

 

[Robt]

I’ve driven them all. Been on this Takeuchi past week. It’s another lever. Bearing in mind anything over 3 ton will be lorry or plant trialer so go biggest. This a 9 ton machine

 

[mf7480]

We had a 14 tonner for a while, but sold it again. It was never the right size for the job in hand, too small for slogging work and too big for yard work so we just hire whatever we need now. There’s loads of hire companies about and it’s cheap, a 3 tonner is £190/ week, 8 tonner £600/ week. If you get the work lined up for it you can get a lot done in a week, and there’s zero maintenance/ repair bills.

 

[Runs Like a Deere]

Another vote for Takeuchi

To be fair I have a TB175 so its an older machine, but pound for pound in its day it was the best in terms of performance and still holds its own today too in my opinion.

Not sure on the newer versions TB285 and TB290 but don't hear horror stories and from the comments above the seem to be solid too!

At the 5-9 Te size I wouldn't be too fussed about ZTS they don't have massive overhangs and the stability from a conventional counterweight is better than ZTS, also sounds like the majority of your work is outside in fields so shouldn't be too much to constrain you?

 

[organicguy]

I've a Doosan 85 R.
Zero tail swing, hnady, not been an issue with a tree.
knuckle, is brilliant as you can track tight to a ditch to see what you are doing and throw the spoil over the ditch into the hedge bottom so no spoil to deal with.
Rubber tracks not a problem here except you can't track in nasty stuff. Ok for our own dug ditch cotswold soft stone. pleasantly surprised how cheap to replace, cut track from when purchased with 6000 hours.