Most difficult heavy plant to drive/operate well - Bulldozer, grader, jcb, etc

[lutonlagerlout]

my pal john used the takeuchi after using pel-jobs for years he recommended them to a hire firm and the hire fella has bought 17 in the last 3 years
AFAIK they dont break down much
and his 3 tonner can at a push dig 2.9 M down,i know this because we had a footing that deep recently
the only thing is all our jobs seem to be at the rear of houses with 600mm footpaths
get the bulldog out,its the only time when being 16 1/2 stone comes in handy
the fork goes in easier
LLL

[Rich H]

I'm not in youse fellas' league as I only ever need a 3.5t at the most. I'd rate the Takeuchi the best, closely followed by Kubota. I don't like 3/4t JCB. The bucket can only get to within about 18" of the blade on level ground.

I've got a jap import K008 doorway digger which I've had for a year now. Fantastic machine but I just discovered today as I went to buy all the parts for an overdue service that the European parts don't always fit the jap machines! Air filter is completely different fer fecks sake.

[Dave_L]

Why the hell do they do that? Japanese import cars are the same, subtle parts differences.

Just to make our lives difficult I reckon!

[dig dug dan]

've got a jap import K008 doorway digger which I've had for a year now. Fantastic machine but I just discovered today as I went to buy all the parts for an overdue service that the European parts don't always fit the jap machines! Air filter is completely different fer fecks sake.

How old is the machine. I know they changed the design on the "blue" k008 after a couple of years or so and added expanding tracks, and a toolbox, which mine has. are you sure it's just not an early machine?
besides, any Kubota dealer should get the parts. Try leach lewis

[Rich H]

It's the old blue one before the expanding tracks. I use Grant Plant in Maidenhead, and have had them direct on the 'phone to Kubota. The K008-3 is a global product, but the K008 wasn't and apparently used different air filter bodies to suit local manufacturers of spares. Right pain in the arse it is.

[dig dug dan]

perhaps sell it on ebay to an unsuspecting person, and buy a kubota u-10. Its slightly heavy than a k008-3, and cheaper. £10,500 with four buckets!

[Rich H]

That's the zero tail jobby isn't it?

[dig dug dan]

indeed it is. with expanding tracks, and its only 50mm wider than the koo8



Edited By dig dug dan on 1193160915

[Dave_L]

I feel a new section coming on "Digger Talk"

[Rich H]

Don't. The missus is convinced I only do this job to use the big boys' toys. Doesn't complain come pay day, though

[GB_Groundworks]

my dads foreman spent his youth working for a civils company drag lining ponds out and re puddling them with clay, he swears the old drag lines where the hardest things to operate. nowadays i would say a pilling rig or one of those soil stabilisation machines.




re the 2cx all but the latest jcb 3cx have the old back hoe pattern controls which are almost opposite to a servo 360 machine, always takes me 5 minutes to readjust when i've been on the 360's for a while then have to use our 3cx or cat.

[Dave_L]

Pain in the arse those old controls!

I was so pleased when I did my test on a 180 degree wheel digger, we hired a Cat in from Hewden and it had ISO controls for the backhoe! Result.

[Dave_L]

Doesn't time fly! Can you believe it is almost a year ago since this thread was started by Ted? :0