USED MACHINERY: Kubota mini excavators: Kubota shipped in its first mini excavators from Japan in the late 1970s, when the initial reaction to these dinky diggers was rather mixed: Some found them useful, while others regarded them as little more than toys. Today, 25 years on, these diminutive workhorses have won over many a sceptic and, amongst them, a number of farmers, too
Tracked mini excavators come in a range of capacities and colours, although for the purposes of this second-hand machinery article we focus primarily on Kubota models of nominal 1.5-5.0t capacities. Why a Kubota? Because the firm has been around since the beginning, is well served by a strong dealer network and it arguably offers the greatest selection of models to choose from. In addition, OEM/spurious parts are readily available for even the earliest machines, and this is an important point to consider. Entry levelbuys may well be pretty long in the tooth, even if they are quite serviceable, so it’s reassuring to know that parts should be relatively easy to obtain at sensible and affordable prices.
On this point, many of our readers are probably asking: ‘Why not just invest in an old backhoe, such as the ubiquitous JCB 3CX?’ And it’s a reasonable argument. Our counter case, however, would be that the traditional backhoe is heavier, not as manoeuvrable and, altogether, is less productive as a pure digger than a dedicated 360.
The reality is that, if the sole aim is to dig holes or clean out ditches, a 5t mini will outperform a 7t capacity backhoe, and is much handier when working in tight spots. The excavator also benefits from an integral levelling blade, so is suitable for grading, a useful point when preparing tracks and floors ahead of laying concrete. In terms of size, a machine of 3-5t capacity is ideal for ag work. Most 3t capacity Kubotas reach to 3m, which should be sufficient for farm ditching and clearing the sides of a typical tipping trailer.
A 5t machine stretches further, but this may be irrelevant because building footings only measure a couple of metres deep. In short, any model should cope if this is the sole requirement. Where a backhoe does score over the tracked mini is in its ability to move swiftly between various sites. That said, a mini will scale a steep set of ramps to gain safe access into a trailer, with the small units weighing within the legal maximum that can be towed behind a 4×4.
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