6 Ton (ish) excavator choices

[Canuck Digger]

I'm starting to look around for a 6 ton (ish) mini/mid size excavator. There seems to be a lot of 5 and 5.5 ton machine from the different manufacturers, however, once you get to the 6 to 6.5 ton mark, the choices seem to be pretty limited. I currently run a JD50C, which has been a pretty good machine. It's a bit slow, but very reliable. The main goals I hope to accomplish by getting into a 6 ton machine (with a long stick) as oppose to to 5 or 5.5 ton are as follows longer reach, better dig depth, and mainly more lift weight. I'd like to keep it to a reduced tail or 0 tail swing as we quite often work in pretty tight areas. The machine will be doing landscape construction type jobs, building access roads, small demos, pool digs, small foot print brush clearing, stacking rock boulder walls etc. I'm set up to tow a 6 to 6.5 ton machine on my own. I also have a 3.5 ton machine, and other than the lift capability there is no difference between the 3.5 ton and the 50C. My choices seem to be a JD 60 D or G or a Wacker Neuson 6003. I'd welcome constructive feedback on those two machines as well as suggestions for any other ones that would fit the bill. Must haves are: reach over 20' dig depth over 13ft. and dump height over 13ft. Look forward to your comments

 

[Tags]

I just purchased and received a Takeuchi TB260 this past Thursday, it weighs out around 13000lbs and change with a cab, angle blade, and rubber tracks. I've been a Kubota guy forever, had a 161-3 with 5000+ hours on it without any major issues, barely replaced any hydraulic hoses for that matter. I was split between the Tak and a Kubota 057. I ran a 260 for a week before making my decision and feel it's a better machine than the Kubota. I would demo before you buy for sure, and make dealer support a top factor in your purchase. If you're happy with Deere stick with em, but it won't hurt to look around a bit either.

 

[Canuck Digger]

I was looking at the 260, but it is not a zero tail swing machine. Guess they call it a reduced tail swing machine. How much does the rear end overhang over the tracks when you're digging from across the tracks?

 

[Tags]

You are right, it is not a zero tail machine, something I need to get used to as well since my old machine was. I do pretty much the same kind of work you do, hopefully too many things don't jump out and bite the tail....it has about a foot of overhang.

 

[Canuck Digger]

Sweet. Thanks. They're so pretty when they're new! For me the overhang isn't as much of a concern when I'm running it more so my guys!

 

[RockBreaker82]

Huge fan of the kubota U55. Great over the blade weight lifting capacity. I just ordered one for a startup I'm trying to get into.

 

[suladas]

I like my Takeuchi (except for this stupid starting issue i'm continuing to have), but the biggest reason i'd never buy another one is terrible dealer support here. There is only 2 dealers within hours, and both are the same owner and they know nothing about the machines. Other then those two things, it's been a great machine.

 

[RockBreaker82]

Takeuchi has a great reputation. But like you say dealer support is hard to come by. Even here in southern California it's limited at best. Kubota has good support most places.

 

[Tags]

A KX057 was my other choice....after running the Tak for a handful of hours now I'm sure it's a bit faster than the Kubota, also, this is a very petty issue, I HATED that I had to push a button to energize the aux/thumb on the Kubota every time after the safety lever was lifted or the machine was shut off and started again....isn't that what the safety lever is for, I don't think you need a safety,safety button as well

 

[RockBreaker82]

That is a downside but minor to me. I also like the tak's aux flow at 27gpm vs Kubota 19.8. Kubota has just enough to run a hydraulic drifter I need but the Tak is a great machine.

 

[Canuck Digger]

I did look at the taks. Here as well the dealer support isn't the greatest. Luckily my local rental yard runs all tak excavators. They know more about the machines than the dealer. However, the biggest they have is a 235. They did have a few issues with couple of the machines.

I did run a u35 and yes, the safety button for the thumb drove me insane as well. Sure wish a yanmar made a true 6 or 6.5 tonner. It would look good beside my 3.5 ton. Looking at the U55 looks like it doesn't even make 12ft. dig depth... Still looks like a 60D/G would make the most sense. for now.....

 

[RockBreaker82]

U55 Makes 11' 10" kx057 makes 12ft 8 little short. Just depends on what is best for you. I ran a JD 50d for a month I liked it for the most part. The U55 is what fits in my trailer weight wise so that was a big factor in my case.

 

[suladas]

Also as far as the wackers, dealer gave me a 8003 when they were trying to fix my tak (failed miserably), but the thing was garbage, despite being 2 tons smaller then my tak, my tak would out dig it all day long, the thing wouldn't dig it's way out of a paper bag. Only had 2,000 hours on it, my tak has 3,000 the controls were so sloppy it took awhile to get somewhat comfortable loading into truck, I felt like I had to stop slewing, then a minute later the machine stopped. I have ran a volvo 8 ton also, as well as a smaller deere, all ran quite similar, the wacker was just terrible in comparison to any of the others. Maybe the machine was just abused or something wrong, but I was not impressed. I was demoing a garage and digging out for weeping tile when I used it, man did I ever miss my side to side boom, the point one does not even come close. That is one thing that I absolutely love about my tak. I don't look forward to ever replacing any of it's parts which is why I grease them religiously, but it is a very nice design.

 

[suladas]

That's unfortunate that the Tak dealers suck in other places. It's more unfortunate that the older dealer here was such a good one, but stopped carrying them when Case started making their own machines, when I called them once looking for help on my Tak's issue they were more helpful and knowledge then the Tak dealer. Even calling Tak themselves denied the issue i'm having was common, weren't very helpful.