School me up on buying a 4 to 6 ton excavator and mulching head

[npaden]

So how much difference is there between a 4 ton machine and a 5.5 ton machine?

The Kubota KX-040 seems pretty popular and has a lot of neat features.

Should I get the biggest I can safely move on my own or would I be happy with a 4 ton machine? They are quite a bit cheaper and easier to move. There are a few mulcher heads that will work on the smaller machines.

Seems like a lot of difference in a 25 or 30 hp machine and a 45 or 50 hp machine though.

 

[LopeHunter]

He could also learn a valuable skill.

I was routinely operating much bigger stuff than a mini-ex by the time I was 16.

I was driving tractors at 10 on slopes and using chain saws by 12. Operated riding lawnmowers around kindergarten age. Hunted with shotguns alone at 9. Maybe was lucky to come out of that alive and no injuries. I was coachable on safety issues so if you told me once that was enough. I was a good student. Liked to stay busy at manual labor.

I had friends that were idiots and they had issues with not being careful in life and work as kids and some as adults. May depend on the temperament of the young person when are embarking on an inherently dangerous activity that could lead to death in an instant of distraction or horsing around.

 

[gonhunting247]

It is hard for me to compare accurately due to age and brand differences, but the reach and the power of the bigger machines would be my choice if I could afford and haul it. My Bobcat (4 ton) seems a little small at times, but I got a good deal and couldn't resist the opportunity(It has done a ton of work though). The Kubota and the CAT(both 5.5 ton)I used both could reach a lot higher and farther. Granted both were a lot newer machines than mine though!
IMO which may not be worth much , I think with the amount of property you have, I'd pay the extra now and get the bigger one.

 

[Nick87]

I'd get the bigger one as long as you Can move it. The only time a smaller machine is gonna be better is in tight spots. Like inside a low ceiling building or between a building and a retaining wall etc don't think you'll be troubled with much of that.

 

[Redman]

Kids getting in trouble and tight spots....I have the pleasure of dealing with the aftermath day in and day out!

 

[Steiny77]

If I was purchasing an excavator with brush mower or forestry mulcher, I'd be sure to get something big enough so you have some decent reach.
Problem with the mini's and these tools is lack of reach.

 

[Addicting]

So how much difference is there between a 4 ton machine and a 5.5 ton machine?

The Kubota KX-040 seems pretty popular and has a lot of neat features.

Should I get the biggest I can safely move on my own or would I be happy with a 4 ton machine? They are quite a bit cheaper and easier to move. There are a few mulcher heads that will work on the smaller machines.

Seems like a lot of difference in a 25 or 30 hp machine and a 45 or 50 hp machine though.

With a mulcher you can never have enough HP.

 

[seeth07]

My only experience is with a 27d deere.

That is a great little machine that can do a whole hell of a lot. It's not really fantastic at anything but has the capability to do a lot. It's power will be maxed out on heavy stuff. I had some huge rocks that although I could grab them with the bucket/thumb the machine couldn't pick them up. Easily could dig them out and you could push them though. Same experience with logs when we have used it to cut fire wood. Can easily grab some large trunks but can't pick and move them.

What's great about it is you can easily trailer it as a 3 ton machine (my car trailer does just fine) and it will go anywhere such as I can drive it across my lawn without damage

 

[Nick87]

My only experience is with a 27d deere.

That is a great little machine that can do a whole hell of a lot. It's not really fantastic at anything but has the capability to do a lot. It's power will be maxed out on heavy stuff. I had some huge rocks that although I could grab them with the bucket/thumb the machine couldn't pick them up. Easily could dig them out and you could push them though. Same experience with logs when we have used it to cut fire wood. Can easily grab some large trunks but can't pick and move them.

What's great about it is you can easily trailer it as a 3 ton machine (my car trailer does just fine) and it will go anywhere such as I can drive it across my lawn without damage

Next time pinch the Boulder or logs pinch then between the teeth and the blade and carry it that way.

 

[seeth07]

Next time pinch the Boulder or logs pinch then between the teeth and the blade and carry it that way.

Yes, I've done that and it does work. Just pointing out the lack of power to pick it up and swing it out of the way or where you need it.

 

[npaden]

I have thought about picking up a larger well used excavator with the thought of just leaving it on the property in Colorado, but the trails/roads that are already built would make moving a larger one around on the property a challenge. The used market for those 30 ton machines is crazy that you could buy a 30 ton machine for not much more than a 5 ton machine of the same hours and year model. The problem would be getting them moved from place to place. Most of the trails/roads on the property would probably qualify more as ATV trails than roads and just to get a larger excavator around would require a lot of improvement to them that a smaller one wouldn't require. A couple of them are a bit sketchy even on an ATV. Not sure improving them would be that useful as the steepness of them would make them impassable even on an ATV with any moisture.

 

[npaden]

A friend did a print on his 3d printer of the property in Colorado for me. The color changes for each 100 feet of elevation. You can see the property line etched in as well. I think this helps show that the property is pretty steep. I own pretty much all the higher stuff, the low valley on the bottom right isn't mine.

I wouldn’t be using the excavator on the steep stuff but would be selectively picking out some of the flatter spots (mainly ridges and saddles) and doing the pinion/juniper abatement there to allow for more usable forage for wildlife.

 

[Tradewind]

Nick87....

 

[Nick87]

Nick87....

View attachment 284002

I've never been fired...but I also refuse to comment.

 

[Dave N]

Nick87....

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I've been known to do some drifting in a D10 and others on the test pad at work! Sliding one sideways wide open coming around a corner tends to wake people up. Then when you think you are just right, you let up so it drives straight into a parking space.

 

[Addicting]

View attachment 283995
A friend did a print on his 3d printer of the property in Colorado for me. The color changes for each 100 feet of elevation. You can see the property line etched in as well. I think this helps show that the property is pretty steep. I own pretty much all the higher stuff, the low valley on the bottom right isn't mine.

I wouldn’t be using the excavator on the steep stuff but would be selectively picking out some of the flatter spots (mainly ridges and saddles) and doing the pinion/juniper abatement there to allow for more usable forage for wildlife.

To me that is too steep for an excavator you own. I would try it with a rental machine and plenty of insurance.

As far as the bigger machine, I owned a Komastu PC128 and the maintenance and expense for any broken part was outrageous. No way I would ever own another.

Personally, I would save the money of a machine and hire that out to a professional mulching company.

 

[npaden]

To me that is too steep for an excavator you own. I would try it with a rental machine and plenty of insurance.

As far as the bigger machine, I owned a Komastu PC128 and the maintenance and expense for any broken part was outrageous. No way I would ever own another.

Personally, I would save the money of a machine and hire that out to a professional mulching company.

Thanks for the input on the bigger machine not being a good choice. I'm not the best mechanic in the world either so that part was a concern for me if I got an older machine.

That's like saying to save the money and rent a rifle instead of having your own. I keep coming across reasonable deals on Kubota's. There is a KX-080-4 under 1,000 hours with a mulcher head and hydraulic thumb for $89K down the road a bit. That is a bigger machine than I can haul but I have heard that size machine is a easy deal for a hot shot type hauler and not super expensive to get them hauled. That would throw out probably ever having it at the house though as I know I would be too cheap to pay to have it moved very often.

There is a very low hour Kubota KX-040-4 here in town at a pretty price and one of the YouTube guys uses one of them and seems to do some pretty amazing stuff with it. That would be very easy to haul around. I double checked and it is a 40hp machine but only 17 gpm auxiliary hydraulic flow which is right at the minimum flow for most of the heads.

Curious what the market is going to do on these gently used machines in the next year or so. Right now I would have to borrow money to buy one so the interest rates aren't my friend there either. In a year I might be able to scrap up the cash for one so interest rates won't matter as much but hopefully the prices stay low as well.

The other thing is that these are supposed to hold their value pretty well and other than the money out of pocket aren't supposed to really cost a lot to own vs. renting. I doubt I'll put 100 hours a year on one so I don't think I will be wearing it out for a long time if I buy one.

 

[Nick87]

We just got an 80 at work awesome machine. For what it would cost you to move it back and forth you could probably rent a mini if it's only a days work or something like that back at home. Sounds dumb but cheaper in the long run.

 

[npaden]

Just did an online quick quote at it was a little more expensive than I thought. $2,500 for 350 miles one way for a 20,000 pound load.

 

[noharleyyet]

View attachment 283995
A friend did a print on his 3d printer of the property in Colorado for me. The color changes for each 100 feet of elevation. You can see the property line etched in as well. I think this helps show that the property is pretty steep. I own pretty much all the higher stuff, the low valley on the bottom right isn't mine.

I wouldn’t be using the excavator on the steep stuff but would be selectively picking out some of the flatter spots (mainly ridges and saddles) and doing the pinion/juniper abatement there to allow for more usable forage for wildlife.

Man, that is cool...