Best mini Excavator for the money

[MG84]

We owned a Kubota kx-040 from new to about 700h. Really nice hydraulics; smooth, powerful, really fast. Great dealers here as well.

Just didn’t like the dpf….

So I think a U27-4 would be my pick, no emissions to worry about.

We have owned a couple of 27’s and have done a lot of work with them. Really easy to transport as well.

Takeuchi dealers here are extremely sparse. Have run almost every brand except Takeuchi: seem to hear a lot of really good things about them.

I like my U35-4 for the same reasons, it's also the largest machine Kubota makes without emissions. Big enough to do some meaningful work, small enough to work in tight spots with zero tail swing.

I also really like Takeuchi excavators, but the dealer network just isn't the same as the rest. There is one about an hour away, next closest is 2.5hrs.

 

[PeterG]

I’ve just read though all these pages as I’m in the market for something between 2-3 ton

Takeuchi is a good brand. Mine have been very reliable. If you're in the UK (England), there seems to be always good used smaller Takeuchi's available. A used TB216 2 ton model is a nice small machine. What I like about used ones in the UK is they are always sold with multiple buckets which is fantastic! I have a TB016 with Thumb. I also have some bigger Takeuchi machines.

 

[BC Placer gold]

I like my U35-4 for the same reasons, it's also the largest machine Kubota makes without emissions. Big enough to do some meaningful work, small enough to work in tight spots with zero tail swing.

I also really like Takeuchi excavators, but the dealer network just isn't the same as the rest. There is one about an hour away, next closest is 2.5hrs.

Sounds perfect, in hindsight would have definitely went for the U-35.

I really like a zero tail swing in a mini….we have to thread our way through tight bush/trees for exploratory test trenches (have to minimize environment disturbance under mining permit) zero tail swing allows this.

 

[PeterP9]

Sounds perfect, in hindsight would have definitely went for the U-35.

I really like a zero tail swing in a mini….we have to thread our way through tight bush/trees for exploratory test trenches (have to minimize environment disturbance under mining permit) zero tail swing allows this.

We found ours to be a really good machine for initial testing, but as always in a mini sometimes you wish that you have a bit more weight. A guy can do a lot of work with a machine that size, you just need patience haha.

 

[BC Placer gold]

We found ours to be a really good machine for initial testing, but as always in a mini sometimes you wish that you have a bit more weight. A guy can do a lot of work with a machine that size, you just need patience haha.

I agree, we did a lot of work with our 27, even pioneering road repairs through some pretty nasty landslide sections.

 

[nicky 68a]

I thought about what you chaps here said and what my man back at base advised and went shopping for either a Takeuchi or a Kubota.I took the plunge at auction after a fair bit of scrutiny and chose 2 Tak’s and 1 Kubota to bid for.
I ended up winning a little Tak TB23R I think it is.
The market was much stronger for the Tak’s and Kubota’s but I feel I’ve got a decent machine.
Who knows,time will tell.I’ve had deceant luck at auctions before.
I’m on the case of a complete service kit for it from my local Takeuchi dealer and will tinker with it in due course.

 

[PeterG]

Congrats on your new machine! Thanks for the update. I have not heard about that model in the US. Post some images please!
So is it a cab version or canopy version? What buckets come on it?

 

[nicky 68a]

Peter G .
Here is the machine.It’s one of those zero tail things.3300 hours and appears to be looked after.There’s evidence of lots of old grease in awkward to reach places and the machine hadn’t been cleaned.It has the usual play in the kingpin and quick hitch,but nothing too dramatic.Tracks appear deceant and track tension is sound.Cab is mint with the operators manual and service manual still there.I’ve studied both books.All the lights,heater,radio,wipers etc all work.No tares in the seat either.

 

[nicky 68a]

 

[nicky 68a]

A few more pics

 

[nicky 68a]

And some more

 

[nicky 68a]

So far, I’ve put it to work for 8 clock hours in 2 days.I’ve stuck the boot into it for about 3 hours moving heavy wet clay.It holds its operating temperature and I haven’t had to top water or engine oil up yet.No apparent leaks and drips under it.
However,I do have a concern over the engine.When it starts from cold,you it cranks over and fires up immediately,but it does smoke and smell of diesal.I let it idle for 5/10 minuits and it clears itself up to run sweet.When it’s working flat out,there’s no smoke at all and it runs clean close up and from a distance.
It does lug down the engine though and labours abit.Having said all that,I’m impressed with the speed it works out and it gets a lot done fast.
If it go no worse,it would suit me for years.
I also pulled the dipstick during idle and got sprayed with oil abit.Oil shows no condensation in the filler caps etc,but I can’t seem to find an engine breather to clean.
I read the book,it it did suggest it needs starting up and leaving at idle until it’s cleared the smoke.I’m not familiar with machines this small and this maybe is how they are expected to run?
Anyway,as soon as I get a minuit,I’m buying the full service kit and having all the oils out of it.I’ll also get my chap in to pull the rocker cover off and set the valves etc.
I also have 3 buckets with it and it has some sort of manual quick hitch that I need to look at soon.

 

[nicky 68a]

And some last pics

 

[PeterG]

Looks like a real nice machine in very good condition. I especially like the wide grading bucket and the middle size digging bucket. Not sure about the smallest bucket. Does it have teeth? Maybe think about adding a thumb at some point. Do any of the filters have hours on them when they were last changed, or is there any maintenance paper work?

 

[nicky 68a]

The middle size bucket has teeth.I can see me using all 3 at some point.
No paperwork maintenance with it and no written hours on filters,so hard to tell.
I’ll have a better idea when I service it.