Pros and cons of 5 ton excavators vs. 3.5 ton

[ltrmc02]

I'm interested in a small excavator mainly for personal use on a couple different properties. I've been focusing on the 3.5 ton machines 7,500 to 9,000 lbs but just ran across a Kubota KX 161-3 which I guess would be in the 5 ton class as it weights around 11,500 lbs.

I really would like the portability advantage of a 3.5 ton machine but for the two most demanding tasks I'll be using this machine for maybe the 5 ton machine will be better but I just don't have experience running these so looking feed back from you guys that do have experience with these size machines.

I'd really like to get a mower attachment something like a US Mowers EX30 flail to keep limbs cut back that over hang my fields and to cut some ditch banks.

The biggest challenge will be stumps of various sizes. I'm sure stumps are a real pain and challenge for anything but the largest of excavators so will a 5 ton machine be a great advantage in tackling a stump over a 3.5 ton?

What are the pros and cons of 5 ton compared to 3.5 ton excavators?

Keep in mind I'm looking a decent used machine for personal use that I can move between properties. I'm not currently looking to use it to make money with so productivity isn't as important to me as it would be with a contractor. I currently have a trailer that could move a 3.5 ton but would be a bit over loaded with a 5 ton so would need to trade up trailers for the 5 ton so I'm just wondering if the advantages are worth it to get the larger machine?

Thanks for sharing any of your experience and recommendations.

 

[Ironguy]

I can't speak about the stumps but you should keep hydraulic flow in mind as well as operating weight. That EX30 will run on 8 gpm but will run a whole lot better at 20.

 

[norite]

A rule of thumb I learned a long time ago is that the cost per yard to move dirt goes down as the size of equipment goes up. Of course this is limited by the ability of the equipment to fit, and not be so large as to hinder operation.

 

[CM1995]

A 5 ton will obviously outperform a 3.5 ton unless space is a consideration. The bigger issue is moving it.

How often will you move it and what do you have to move it with truck wise?

 

[Tags]

Whichever machine you decide on do yourself a favor and spend the money to buy a rippertooth for it. You will be amazed at the size stumps you can remove by using one tooth instead of five....

 

[code54]

Just for a reference, I recently bought a Kubota KX91 and with a 12" bucket on it (my stump bucket) I was able to dig out a live oak stump that was around 22" 4' off the ground and it took a hair over and hr to dig out, and fill the hole. This was cut down a week before and solid - just figure it could give you a time reference (my machine is a hair over 7K)

 

[Georgia Iron]

I have owned both. The 5 ton is the way to go. More reach and stronger . Only draw back is its heavier and requires more room to operate. I hated the smaller machine...

 

[413wedge]

A 5 ton will obviously outperform a 3.5 ton unless space is a consideration. The bigger issue is moving it.

How often will you move it and what do you have to move it with truck wise?

this is it right here. 5 ton in CA youll need a CDL to move it, a 3.5 ton you can tug with a class C and a 10000# trailer

 

[CM1995]

this is it right here. 5 ton in CA youll need a CDL to move it, a 3.5 ton you can tug with a class C and a 10000# trailer

I can move a 5T machine on our 14K trailer behind my 11K GVW F350 and be under class A requirements in AL. I've hauled 305.5's with that setup and it's heavy, about all one needs to bumper pull behind a SRW truck.

 

[clintm]

I have two kx121-3ss looked at a couple 161 's I have the 7 axle lowboys to move almost any thing. the 121 is about all you want behind a pick up by the time you add thumb, a mower and ripper and few buckets you will be adding 1-2,000 pds more to your trailer weight. I have a mower for mine from lofting attachments in denton nc. They do steal hydraulic flow from other functions you can't travel and mow at the same time because you are using the same hydro pump. but does a good job for what it is. Be careful of used machine's from the utility co's check to make sure that the air hose coming from the air filter to the intake they seem to be bad about breaking or cracking and falling down onto muffler (unfiltered air into engine) also the oil dip stick reads kinda funky make sure to keep it to the very top full mark.

 

[Tommo]

I had a very similar situation with choosing a machine for my property, only having a 3.5 ton capacity truck, i ended up getting a 3 ton partly because it was a good price.
I've done a huge amount of work with it and has been very useful.

That being said, I could have done all that work with a 5 ton a lot quicker, and a lot of the time i wish i have one, for the amount i transport the machine (around once per month), the man hours i would save having a 5 ton would well and truly offset having to pay someone to move it every time.

But now i have been using the machine 'off and on' for work, landscaping jobs that sometimes have tight access, So for me it hasn't been worth up sizing, but in your case, i think if your time is worth some money and your not retired, the 5 ton is a lot more faster, just no good if you cant fit it in a backyard.

I think you would find the 5 ton more stable with its extra width over the 3.5t and i don't know much about mowers, but i 'think' the 5 ton would be a lot better for that.
I can get any stump out with my 3 ton, (with the ripper) but maybe a really big stump might take me 1hr, but with a 5 ton 'maybe' that same stump would take 0.5hr and if you have a hundred to do, that's quite a big saving.

 

[pafarmer]

5 ton machine would be best in my opinion. Loads more capability with the larger machine. If you have the truck to move it. I can move our 5 ton machines around fair easy. We use Chevy 2500 and 3500 diesel trucks with 14 ton trailers. It's really nice when you can use your pickup to move around. I own much larger equipment and the biggest PIA and costs are associated with moving equipment around the country side. Pick the 5 ton , you will be very happy you did ! Look at it this way, the 5 ton mini can do everything the 3.5 ton machine can do but not visa versa for relatively the same cost used.
Good luck and happy hunting. We need a picture when you buy .....

 

[MX45]

G'day,

Weekend warrior with grey market MX45 (5 ton machine) on 20 acres in OZ. Owned it for about 7 years. Done a couple of hundred hours I guess. Model with offsetting boom. Used for trench digging, rubbish moving, digging roots of trees, stumps, clearing waterways of gravel and flood debris, trees, etc, electrical trenches, assembling Solar Trackers, etc.

Anything smaller would mean some jobs that were important could not be done and all jobs would take longer. I don't have to transport mine.

I know someone with something smaller and he tipped his over more than once. I would not want something less stable than mine!

Only my 5c worth though, good luck,

MX45

 

[ltrmc02]

I finally pulled the trigger after finding a fair deal on a 2004 Kubota KX121-3 that seems to be in pretty fair shape. I guess it falls into the 4 to 4.5ton class. I haven't dug anything with it yet but spent a few hours on it already ripping limbs off trees that have been trying to swipe me off my tractor when mowing around the field.

It does have a hydraulic thumb, manual quick coupler and I got a 12" and 24" bucket with it.

I had thought before buying one that a ripper would be the ideal stumping tool. Has any of you guys compared a ripper to using a 12" bucket for stumping? I'm certain the ripper would free up some power demand but how much better is what I'd like to know before buying a new one, I'll keep an eye out for a decent used ripper anyway.

 

[Tommo]

I finally pulled the trigger after finding a fair deal on a 2004 Kubota KX121-3 that seems to be in pretty fair shape. I guess it falls into the 4 to 4.5ton class. I haven't dug anything with it yet but spent a few hours on it already ripping limbs off trees that have been trying to swipe me off my tractor when mowing around the field.

It does have a hydraulic thumb, manual quick coupler and I got a 12" and 24" bucket with it.

I had thought before buying one that a ripper would be the ideal stumping tool. Has any of you guys compared a ripper to using a 12" bucket for stumping? I'm certain the ripper would free up some power demand but how much better is what I'd like to know before buying a new one, I'll keep an eye out for a decent used ripper anyway.

Good to hear, I think those kx121 look like good machines and its great you have a thumb, I have seen some for sale with over 7000hrs! So they must last.

You can still stump with the 12 inch bucket and sometimes you might have a big stump that you won't reach the deep roots and have to dig it out with a bucket anyway, but its worth having a ripper in my opinion. Its easier on the machine and quicker when stumping.

Also there has been many times when I have hit rock while trenching and need the ripper to bust through a section of rock. Its not as good as a breaker but if you don't have one like me I would be lost without it, in that situation.

Hard to say how much faster it would be, if I used my ripper as apposed to my 12 inch, but as a guess I would guess maybe 1.5 times longer with the 12 inch, but I do recall a couple of big dead trees in real hard rocky ground that i didn't have the power to break the roots with the bucket so I put the ripper on and got them out many times faster than trying to use the bucket.

 

[KSSS]

My first mini was a 3.5 T IHI 35J. Great machine, helped get me established. I bought a 6 ton machine in 2003 Taki TB53FR. I am now on my third 6 ton machine (still a Taki TB153FR), everything is better. When I upgraded to the bigger machine, my income went up considerably. Everyone's situation is different, but if you can move it, get the bigger machine.

 

[code54]

Good to have a ripper and I am going to build one this year but been using the 12" bucket a bunch recently for stumps. It works well for our soil and deep rooted stumps (really have to dig some soil away to get to them) so the 12" does the job. I bought a 12" first and will do the ripper as money permits and so far this has worked out for me.
Good luck

 

[Ironguy]

You could also look at a 24" root rake. Obviously it will be more money but it will get rid of the smaller stuff a lot faster.

 

[easymoney]

in our soils a 3 ton machine is simply to small for anything. in spots we have a layer of clay only a couple feet down that the 3 ton machines cant push the bucket through. but going to a 5 ton machine like a 305 or the big Kubota is a big difference.

taking out stumps the 3 ton machines are a joke. you can get a pretty big stump out, and with quick tach you can make a couple tools to make them easier. but it doesn't take much of a root to stop the smaller hoes.

as far as moving them around, a good pickup and trailer to move the 3 ton will move the 5 ton.