Kubota kx-41

[reb78]

Does anyone have any experience of the Kubota KX41 1.5 ton digger? Just looking for advice on what to look at on one i have seen or whether they should be avoided for some reason. Looking for something decent to do small jobs that take a day with a spade but will also fit into small spaces around the place. My neighbour has a wheeled New Holland digger that we can use for the larger stuff but I cant keep pestering him for small jobs!

 

[cocker]

I don't know about that model , but all our diggers under 10 ton are Kubota . Really good machines , We've not had any problems that weren't down to dim or lazy operators .
Just check the state of the grease gun on the machine .
Covered in grease and we'll used is good .
Brand new or not there , not so good .

 

[Barking Mat]

Can't comment on the digger side of things, but I manage a hire fleet of 13 Marinised kubotas, and it's not the engines which give us trouble.

Good engines.

 

[8ob]

The general consensus with Kubota tracked excavators is they will run for 3000 hours before having to attack them with the spanners, most hire machines get sold off at around that time.

Bob

 

[frank horton]

I'd have one in a heart beat.....

 

[sako243]

How small a space do you need to get into Rich / how steep are you going up down?

Guess it depends on the New Holland you can borrow but I wouldn't be without my JCB 2CX - yeah there have been situations were the backhoe setup and not being able to swing a full 360 is a pain but it's so much more versatile with the front loader. I reckon over 90% of the time I'm using the front loader (either with the 6 in 1 bucket or the pallet forks I made). They're not that easy to come by but the 2CX is a powerful yet compact (for a backhoe) machine. 12ft reach on the backhoe and 2t lift on the front.

Noticeably bigger than the 1.5t machine but much more versatile, but less stable than a tracked machine. You'd be surprised at how often you'd be using it around your yard.

Incidentally most of the serious guys down here run Komatsus, smallest being 1.8t that I've seen, up to 45t.

 

[reb78]

Truth is Ed that I am not really sure. I was looking at Ford 555/655 models - cheaper than the JCB equivalent and parts seem cheaper too. I dont mind something that looks a bit tatty as long as it works. BUT - any work round the back of the house in the gardens would be impossible with something that big. Also, some of the fields are very steep - nearly got the 110 stuck down one slope and you couldnt turn at the bottom so I cant help but wonder if something with tracks and a lower centre of gravity would be a safer bet.

 

[reb78]

This could do the job at the price its set at but its the wrong end of GB

Ford digger

Ford 555 Starts and digs like it should, no oil leaks, starts first turn off the key. Will ho straight to work. Any questions please call 07525258827 Delivery can be arranged anywhere in uk

www.facebook.com

But I could be annoyed when I cant do something ag the back of the house.

 

[Brad93]

As above. Ditch around 3000 hours unless you want to start footing the more expensive bills.

 

[Mikes]

Not scientific but if you look at Kubota mini diggers for sale then they generally hold their value very well and don't hang around. I've done a few jobs on some in the past and they are generally well built but some genuine spares can be a bit dear.

 

[willie.macleod]

Does anyone have any experience of the Kubota KX41 1.5 ton digger? Just looking for advice on what to look at on one i have seen or whether they should be avoided for some reason. Looking for something decent to do small jobs that take a day with a spade but will also fit into small spaces around the place. My neighbour has a wheeled New Holland digger that we can use for the larger stuff but I cant keep pestering him for small jobs!

I used to own a small Kubota wheeled loader with backhoe and whilst it was a very handy machine to have I'd think very carefully before buying another one if I didn't have enough work to use it every week. Hiring big plant like diggers on a daily rate means you can get the machine you need rather than have to use the one you have and the cost of machine plus operator is often pretty cheap as well. Doesn't take long for bits for your own machine to add up - hoses, oil, bushes, storage etc. The £75 a day for a machine when you need it is pretty good value and forces you to crack on and complete the project quicker!

 

[indy4x]

Also, some of the fields are very steep - nearly got the 110 stuck down one slope and you couldnt turn at the bottom so I cant help but wonder if something with tracks and a lower centre of gravity would be a safer bet.

Not sure if a tracked machine would do it either, not used them much myself on slopes but I did get called out to help a contractor get some radio equipment up a steep field in my 4x4 that all of the tracked vehicles failed to do.

The 4x4 was on muds and had front, centre and rear lockers

 

[reb78]

I used to own a small Kubota wheeled loader with backhoe and whilst it was a very handy machine to have I'd think very carefully before buying another one if I didn't have enough work to use it every week. Hiring big plant like diggers on a daily rate means you can get the machine you need rather than have to use the one you have and the cost of machine plus operator is often pretty cheap as well. Doesn't take long for bits for your own machine to add up - hoses, oil, bushes, storage etc. The £75 a day for a machine when you need it is pretty good value and forces you to crack on and complete the project quicker!

Its the little jobs though Willie. I wouldn't hire in for half of them but if something was in the shed then it would save so much time. Redoing/putting in new gateways, tidying up the pile of horse **** that seems to get messier and messier as the year goes on, looking for leaks in my ridiculously long water supply pipe, eventually putting a sand school in to keep someone else happy (ok, I could hire something for that), ditches, running the log splitter without bothering my neighbour every time etc etc.

 

[reb78]

Not sure if a tracked machine would do it either, not used them much myself on slopes but I did get called out to help a contractor get some radio equipment up a steep field in my 4x4 that all of the tracked vehicles failed to do.

The 4x4 was on muds and had front, centre and rear lockers

Maybe. I do worry about tipping a tall wheeled machine though. Like
i say, its hard to decide what would be most useful. If I could afford both that would be ideal!

 

[sako243]

The main reason I say a JCB is that I've not really seen a competitor to the 2CX and it seems JCB have ditched it as well for the 3CX compact which is a tad bigger.

2m wide and 5.5t so not a small one but with the extra dig it'll out dig a 5t 360 machine if that matters. The downside is my age of machine is permanent 4WS which makes side slopes lethal. If you think the slopes are too steep then make them less steep - you have a digger


If you can get a Land Rover into the spots then you'll get a 2CX, in fact it'll fit in tighter spots because of the 4WS.

On price, you'll find any machines that aren't towable by a 4x4 a hell of a lot cheaper so if you can jump up to a 3.5 or 5t machine you'll save a hell of a lot.

I honestly think you'll probably find something with a front loader far more useful day to day around your place. I was all set for buying a 5 or 13t 360 for here but so glad I didn't. For hogging out ground yes a 360 will be better in most scenarios but a backhoe style machine is a jack of all trades while not quite mastering them all.

I would say unless you want a project be prepared to pay a bit more. I spent probably half again on what I was planning to with the 2CX but apart from servicing and the odd hydraulic hose it's been fine. Half the lights even work which is astounding for an ex farm machine!

Not sure if a tracked machine would do it either, not used them much myself on slopes but I did get called out to help a contractor get some radio equipment up a steep field in my 4x4 that all of the tracked vehicles failed to do.

The 4x4 was on muds and had front, centre and rear lockers

That sounds very much like an inexperienced operator. I help out a mate with his heavy plant and that's all he's done all his life and I wouldn't even walk some of the stuff he takes the machines up and down. I filmed a bit of them taking the new dozer into a job with my drone, the farm track was too narrow so they had to make their own path from a neighbouring farm. Technically the flattest bit of the path was horizontal, at the bottom of the valley, the rest was a 1 in 1 with the start probably being about 50°.

 

[addjunkie]

Ive had an old Kubota tractor and now have a newer bigger better kubota tractor. Its good quality kit, and a loader that can lift over a ton is very handy.
Much of whats said about the 2 cx I agree with, but those with a back actor are like rocking horse poop.

I also have a 1.5 ton Case digger awfully similar to the new holland pictured a few weeks ago on here. Ok has its limitations but is also very useful. I use it for ditches, drains, various tasks when converting my barns including lifting steels In awkward spots inside. It gets used to run log splitter and mucking out sheds too. Very handy, but Im very careful with mud, especially on a slope. Its also a far quicker way to shift piles of hardcore into wheel barrows etc when required than a shovel. I also do the initial dig or the raised beds with it each spring.

you get what you pay for, there is some real rubbish out there. Id have no hesitation buying a kubota mini digger, the few Ive hired before I bought mine were grand. But Id buy on condition rather than brand.

 

[sako243]

Much of whats said about the 2 cx I agree with, but those with a back actor are like rocking horse poop.

Yup - and it's a real shame because they really are a gem of a machine. The only thing that would make it better (but unless it was done well) is a telehandler boom on the front like the Manihoe

 

[addjunkie]

Yup - and it's a real shame because they really are a gem of a machine. The only thing that would make it better (but unless it was done well) is a telehandler boom on the front like the Manihoe

But thatll cost a few quid less than a 100k rather than 6 or so for a mini digger.

 

[mtt.tr]

The main reason I say a JCB is that I've not really seen a competitor to the 2CX and it seems JCB have ditched it as well for the 3CX compact which is a tad bigger.

2m wide and 5.5t so not a small one but with the extra dig it'll out dig a 5t 360 machine if that matters. The downside is my age of machine is permanent 4WS which makes side slopes lethal. If you think the slopes are too steep then make them less steep - you have a digger


If you can get a Land Rover into the spots then you'll get a 2CX, in fact it'll fit in tighter spots because of the 4WS.

On price, you'll find any machines that aren't towable by a 4x4 a hell of a lot cheaper so if you can jump up to a 3.5 or 5t machine you'll save a hell of a lot.

I honestly think you'll probably find something with a front loader far more useful day to day around your place. I was all set for buying a 5 or 13t 360 for here but so glad I didn't. For hogging out ground yes a 360 will be better in most scenarios but a backhoe style machine is a jack of all trades while not quite mastering them all.

I would say unless you want a project be prepared to pay a bit more. I spent probably half again on what I was planning to with the 2CX but apart from servicing and the odd hydraulic hose it's been fine. Half the lights even work which is astounding for an ex farm machine!

That sounds very much like an inexperienced operator. I help out a mate with his heavy plant and that's all he's done all his life and I wouldn't even walk some of the stuff he takes the machines up and down. I filmed a bit of them taking the new dozer into a job with my drone, the farm track was too narrow so they had to make their own path from a neighbouring farm. Technically the flattest bit of the path was horizontal, at the bottom of the valley, the rest was a 1 in 1 with the start probably being about 50°.

Local guy to me has one he loves it he does loads of work with it, drives it between jobs

Great great machine

 

[reb78]

My budget is £5k. £6k max at a push.