Best towable excavator (over next 10 -20 years)

[Brendan]

2021 full spec minus air con
Twin lines
Hydraulic hitch
Hydraulic thumb
Carpet in the cab

Same shape as the one above or previous gen?

 

[Storrsy]

Don't forget the next gen cat minis will soon be pushing 6 years old. So your already a good way into the 10 years.

If they were that problematic they of been superceded by now.

I'll admit I'm pretty anti china. I know I know my phone I'm using now is almost certainly Chinese made as are probably some of the clothes I'm wearing and all the rest of it. But with an investment as major as a digger I'd sooner spend my money elsewhere.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

I'll admit I'm pretty anti china. I know I know my phone I'm using now is almost certainly Chinese made as are probably some of the clothes I'm wearing and all the rest of it. But with an investment as major as a digger I'd sooner spend my money elsewhere.

Do we know which bit of bobcats / Takechui / kubotas etc are made on china (if any?)

 

[hiluxman]

I'll admit I'm pretty anti china. I know I know my phone I'm using now is almost certainly Chinese made as are probably some of the clothes I'm wearing and all the rest of it. But with an investment as major as a digger I'd sooner spend my money elsewhere.

It may be made in China. But not designed in China. There's a difference from cat to dax mini diggers lol.

 

[bobthebuilder]

My wife got 5G on her phone the other day. Holy WOW!

was she able to make a call ?

 

[Storrsy]

It may be made in China. But not designed in China. There's a difference from cat to dax mini diggers lol.

Shame the same wasn't said for my lumag pate compactor , designed in Germany, made in China. Still almost unusable due to vibes

 

[Storrsy]

Do we know which bit of bobcats / Takechui / kubotas etc are made on china (if any?)

I know. But it says made in Japan which makes me feel better even if they are a cruel race


Edit that last bit was a quote from Bridget Jones Diary before I get accused of something.

 

[DaveDCB]

I'll admit I'm pretty anti china. I know I know my phone I'm using now is almost certainly Chinese made as are probably some of the clothes I'm wearing and all the rest of it. But with an investment as major as a digger I'd sooner spend my money elsewhere.

Guarantee every digger on the planet has a good 20%+ of its parts from china in one form or another! No getting away from it anymore!

 

[Hg2702]

Same shape as the one above or previous gen?

Same shape mines the 302 not the 302.7 that’s the only difference

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Same shape mines the 302 not the 302.7 that’s the only difference

Wow, looks completely different on the RHS..

 

[doobin]

Shame the same wasn't said for my lumag pate compactor , designed in Germany, made in China. Still almost unusable due to vibes

Same, I sent mine straight back.

I've always said Lumag are Chinese through and through- the German bit is just marketing spin.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Here is one with expanding tracks. Must be the biggest footprint of any towable uk machine?

 

[DaveDCB]

Are they much heavier with the expanding tracks? The cat range is top of my list for any future purchase

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Are they much heavier with the expanding tracks? The cat range is top of my list for any future purchase

You would assume so, but cant find much on it. Standard spec is 2800kg so you would want to be careful about where and when you are towing :-/ Similar weight to KX 030-4 I think

 

[JerryRtilt]

Are they much heavier with the expanding tracks? The cat range is top of my list for any future purchase

I don’t think they are towable in that spec. Certainly not when you’ve put a decent counterweight on it, unfortunately.

 

[DaveDCB]

You would assume so, but cant find much on it. Standard spec is 2800kg so you would want to be careful about where and when you are towing :-/ Similar weight to KX 030-4 I think

I know my cat 302.5 was on the absolute limit on a gx106 trailer.. abit of mud and afew buckets would of been a good 100kg+ over 🫣

 

[Stroppymonkey]

I know my cat 302.5 was on the absolute limit on a gx106 trailer.. abit of mud and afew buckets would of been a good 100kg+ over 🫣

Time to spend some SERIOUS money and go 5th wheel plant trailer. Then you could have full fat / 250kg counterweight / long stick / expanding tracks / steel tracks / tilty and a set of buckets and still be legal! (and more manoeuvrable)

 

[Furniss]

Time to spend some SERIOUS money and go 5th wheel plant trailer. Then you could have full fat / 250kg counterweight / long stick / expanding tracks / steel tracks / tilty and a set of buckets and still be legal! (and more manoeuvrable)
View attachment 63800

Get a little truck and do a bit of muck away / agg in for a fraction of the price of all that crap.
I know you need a restricted o and all that but ffs thats a lot of money and hassle to tow a little digger.

 

[Furniss]

Remind me... whats attracting people to the new gen cats apart from all the gadgets ?

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Remind me... whats attracting people to the new gen cats apart from all the gadgets ?

Allegedly (from what I can see and understand) is the ease of access / servicing due to cab up design (because of electronic pilots) and fully reconfigurable/adjustable controls. Stick Steer + Blade float as standard spec. Extendable warranty upto 7 years. Bigger heavier machine than anything in its class. Can be specced for Tilt/rotate from dealers with Cat parts all under warranty.... (assume that is the same for all the makes though)