Kubota KX080 Anybody have one?

[DCsouth]

I do most of the installs dealing with our smallest DAH-080C head. Most of the units have been Kubota kx080's. They are well built and good performing machine's.
A few high points.

1. They have twin hydraulic circuits out the boom. One low flow and one high flow. So what this means is you can run the head with the high flow circuit and the return line of the low flow as the case drain. Add a remote filter on the case drain line and your done.

2. Next they put out 26 gpm @3500-3600psi which is pretty good.

3. You can mulch most of the day on a tank of fuel.

4. Reach is good. I would add a counter weight just to make it as stable as possible. It is fine stock but better countered.

5. The Tak 175 is right there with the Kubota. The one thing I did like about the Tak is it has a conventional tail which is alittle better balanced. Would be equal to the Kubota with a additional weight. We have checked and Kubota does offer an additional counterweight.

6. I guess the deal breaker would be availabilty in your area and pricing for each.

7. One other thing Kubota offers a 36" bucket as an option, that is stout!

Hope this helped.

 

[Eddiebackblade]

Digger Dan my wife's face looked exactly like this when I suggested an early trip to the airport via a few laps on a Kubota!
I hope the Olympics come good and are a real success, as the UK will endeavour to make a complete disaster of the 2012 summer ones!

Canadian Digger you are absolutely right about 'Thumbs' on UK machines, and I for one can see the countless applications you probably all take for granted.
I'll probably start a new thread to see what would be the best set up to integrate with 'pin grabber hitch' from the likes of Miller and Geith as these are the most common in the UK.
We are all converted over here to the ability to turn the bucket around face shovel style, so a 'pin grabber' is a must.

Dc South, I am glad you have mentioned the DAH-080c head as I've been looking into something more than my current flail and this keeps coming up.
I am assuming it is the Denis -Ciamf (think that's how it goes) head?
I don't suppose you know if anyone in the UK distributes them, or even if any have made it across the water to our shores.

It has suddenly dawned on me why I am sceptical about previous balance comments, and that is I'm not comparing like for like.
My machine is running 36" steel pads, extended blade and a huge chunk of hydraulic winch opposite end of the blade.
It feels Bolted to the floor at all times, and I've never used a Flail on a standard one to comment any different so I'll take the advice on the Takeuchi as it would make perfect sense being a conventional tail machine.

There is definately an additional counterweight available for the Kx -080, it is a bolt on item especially for the 'Two piece' boom version.
Some very lucky owner of one of these versions may post us a picture.

 

[DCsouth]

The name is Denis Cimaf ,close. That is who I work for. As far as I know we have not sold a head in the UK but I will ask. And if not there a first time for everything. Our heads can pickup where the flail's leave off. It is pretty wild what our heads can cut. Have you ever seen the video's on you tube of them running? take a look and see what you think.
The Kubota (reg 080 not split boom) have a big blade as well. We have hung tractor weights on the blade and tunred the blade to be out back and used that setup as a counterwight as well, crude but it worked. I will try ti get some pics of a split boom, the Kubota place I deal with has one.

 

[Eddiebackblade]

DC south, it is always amazing just who and what turns up on this forum.

I have studied the Denis Cimaf (I was close ) head and was very impressed by the principle and performance on the video.
Other forums seem to give high praise of the units.
I fully understand the idea of actually trying to cut the wood instead of thrashing it into submission with a hammer, and the fact that you have to spend 10 minutes sharpening a day is no issue at all.
I always end the day cleaning off the mower, greasing and checking all the flails anyway so it would become routine.

The only downside I see is the fact that you can't get down onto the ground to mulch a little into the soil, but obviously the much improved performance on standing timber counteracts this.

I am currently looking for a head to tackle Rhododandrons, and obviously this will entail contacting the ground, so I assume your head not be suited to this and I'm swayed towards a fixed tooth Forestry Flail.
However there is a definate need for a high performance head that will eliminate most of the standing timber on sites effectively.
Anything up to around 8", especially Hawthorn which is extremely dangerous for the Tree Lads.
Clients are extremely impressed by how effectively the flail can open an area up to enable the Tree Lads to work more safely and effectively, but by being able to then switch and take out all the smaller awkward stuff would be a huge advantage.

I definately see a Three head system for the Kubota (Flail mower/Denis Cimaf Head/ForestryMulcher) giving the ability to tackle anything from grass to 10" trees on difficult/sensitive sites with minimal input from Manual labour.


I was honestly at the point of contacting the company anyway to see if any units are in the UK, failing that it looks like a trip across the pond to see one in action.
The Kubota was always intended to be a high profile machine, so it could be a good place for one of your units anyway.

If you wish to get any of my contact details or can give me a rough indication of the price of a unit/options and teeth prices then please PM me.

Thanks
Eddie

 

[Eddiebackblade]

How do I get rid of that angry face on my last post because I never put it there?:beatsme:Banghead:bash

 

[DCsouth]

I can narrow down the list from 3 style heads to 2 and maybe even 1. With knives we can cut grass as well. Fixed knive verses a swinging knife means a more constant cut. A very expensive lawn mower but a great one.
You can get into the dirt with our head without damage, but as you said the more you do the more wear on the blades. But from my operating and training customers on there machine's the advantage of more productive cut, increased capacity of what you can cut, quality of finished product, and shear speed outway the increased wear on the blades. For example you look at the job and if you forsee alot of ground contact then include a set of blades into the price of the job. You price by the job, cover your extra blade expense, still get done in half the time compared to using a carbide or damaging a flail due to engaging material that is too large for the flail.
I'm not knocking a flail, when I was mulching a ran one and it served my quit well. But while sitting there cutting you can easily see where a high production planier head would really shine.
PM sent.

 

[DCsouth]

Hey Eddie I just saw the pics of your excavator. Well done work and thought into improvements. I know some customers who could use them here.
For a counter weight, I think the blade has a hollow spot in it and you could fill with concrete or like. Or just add some steel to it and you would be set and just run it with blade outback. But with those tracks you may not even need it. Well done.

 

[Eddiebackblade]

Dcsouth, sorry I didn't know you hadn't seen the 'sneak preview' thread, it's probably due a name change but I just keep adding to it as the story unfolds.

I am glad you appreciate the mods, and believe it or not it actually feels happier working blade out front. I usually lower it to around 6" from the floor for better vision and away she goes.
I don't need to tell you that nowhere in the working envelope troubles it with the big pads on.
The winch weighs around 200kg without the rope! and is a monster! so that helps considerably.

I hear you with the use of a 'Denis' head for ground engaging, and had not considered the option of just trashing a few more blades as they are cheaper anyway.
The work I have in mind is very high profile on sensitive sites, and cost is not always the main consideration so it could indeed replace 2 heads and the extra blade cost factored into the quotes.

As for the current Osma mower I have, I seriously couldn't be happier with it as it has a good 4ft 2" cut and produces a great finish on everything I have asked of it so far.
I am very keen to get the second head though to prevent me being too greedy with the flail and using it on things it was never designed for.

I will PM you with a little more info, If there are no units in the UK then it looks like I'm coming to you!

 

[Timark80]

I would go TB175 over 080 the TB175 is conventional tail and in a mulching or heavy lift app it is better balanced than they 080...I have one and love it and wouldnt trade it for anything...it costs about $300 to install the necessary parts to run a mulcher on the TB175 Timark

Thanks,
Still got alot of research to do before I stroke a check

 

[WCX_Josh]

Looking to re kindle this conversation if I could. I have been looking at purchasing a kx080 to primarily run a mulching head. Currently I am running a Tak TB290 on a lease plan and love the machine but its time to own one. Question I have to you guys is that the Kx080-3 that im looking at seems to only have proportional control on the high flow circuit. I will like to run a thumb as well and it would be nice to have that on a proportional control valve. Anybody set up a 080-3 with both a one way flow cutting tool and a thumb?