Smallest feasible digger for tiltrotator

[Maxus]

I would be very interested to know what people think the smallest machine that a tiltrotator can feasibly be attached too. The reason being my work is primarily landscaping private gardens so larger machines are not suitable.... yet I can see how useful one would be.

 

[Gunners]

A 1.8/9t with a full counterweight. Anything smaller will be severely compromised with the weight and build height. Maybe a direct mount on a 1.8t zero tail would work too.
Spec the right size buckets too, a lot of people overlook this but buckets can make or break a tilty setup especially at the smaller end of the market.

 

[doobin]

A 1.8/9t with a full counterweight. Anything smaller will be severely compromised with the weight and build height. Maybe a direct mount on a 1.8t zero tail would work too.
Spec the right size buckets too, a lot of people overlook this but buckets can make or break a tilty setup especially at the smaller end of the market.

What he said.

Make sure you spec short dipper too- this is very important as all UK standard specs are silly long dippers. I run an E19 with top hitch and a tilty, short dipper and four pipes so no control system needed. You simply don't need a control system on such a small digger- keep it cheap. Mine has been a fantastic asset on the 1.9t- I didn't think it would be that good, and bought the tilty mainly for the 2.7t. But I've been greatly surprised how much easier it has made things on the 1.9t.

If I were buying again I'd probably look at a compact radius machine with additional counterweights. That way if access was really tight, you could remove the extra counterweight and just accept that it would be noddy for that job. Worked well on my old Hyundai.

I'd certainly keep the top hitch though. Extra power when bulking or ripping (and little machines need all they can get). Plus then you can run a breaker too.

if you fancy a bit of a trek to just over the West Sussex border you'd be welcome to have a play on mine.

 

[Maxus]

What he said.

Make sure you spec short dipper too- this is very important as all UK standard specs are silly long dippers. I run an E19 with top hitch and a tilty, short dipper and four pipes so no control system needed. You simply don't need a control system on such a small digger- keep it cheap. Mine has been a fantastic asset on the 1.9t- I didn't think it would be that good, and bought the tilty mainly for the 2.7t. But I've been greatly surprised how much easier it has made things on the 1.9t.

If I were buying again I'd probably look at a compact radius machine with additional counterweights. That way if access was really tight, you could remove the extra counterweight and just accept that it would be noddy for that job. Worked well on my old Hyundai.

I'd certainly keep the top hitch though. Extra power when bulking or ripping (and little machines need all they can get). Plus then you can run a breaker too.

if you fancy a bit of a trek to just over the West Sussex border you'd be welcome to have a play on mine.

That's really helpful advice, i would very interested to take a look, I'm south Gloucestershire but will PM if I am passing, thank you.

Selecting the right machine is the first step, quite like the look of the CAT 302 CR

 

[doobin]

That's really helpful advice, i would very interested to take a look, I'm south Gloucestershire but will PM if I am passing, thank you.

Selecting the right machine is the first step, quite like the look of the CAT 302 CR

I wasn't impressed by the lack of flow sharing on the 302.7 I tried.

I was even less impressed when the saleman told me the 302 would probably be the same, as it 'has a single pump'. Surely all mini diggers are three stage pumps?

Make sure you get a very thorough demo would be my advice.

 

[Storrsy]

I wasn't impressed by the lack of flow sharing on the 302.7 I tried.

I was even less impressed when the saleman told me the 302 would probably be the same, as it 'has a single pump'. Surely all mini diggers are three stage pumps?

Make sure you get a very thorough demo would be my advice.

I reckon the salesman hasn't a clue what he's talking about! @Hg2702 has a 302 and rates it highly I think, but guess that depends on application.

 

[doobin]

I reckon the salesman hasn't a clue what he's talking about! @Hg2702 has a 302 and rates it highly I think, but guess that depends on application.

That was my thought also, but I was surprised he agreed with me that it didn't flow share nicely.

The 302.7 i tried wouldn't do anything with the arm whilst tracking.

The 302 was high on my shortlist for an e19 replacement, but with canopy and short dipper 24k is too much when the new hyundai with the same spec is 19k.

 

[Gunners]

Most manufacturers are going down the single pump route sadly. It’s cheaper to manufacture. It’s not better for machine performance, although on paper you can’t tell the difference. It’s only when you drive it you realise that as a single function, you have all the power. Do more than one thing at once however and the same oil is split between all the functions and sure enough there’s a big compromise

 

[Storrsy]

That was my thought also, but I was surprised he agreed with me that it didn't flow share nicely.

The 302.7 i tried wouldn't do anything with the arm whilst tracking.

The 302 was high on my shortlist for an e19 replacement, but with canopy and short dipper 24k is too much when the new hyundai with the same spec is 19k.

So you couldn't be tracking along with feet and slew around at the same time?

 

[Brendan]

Wasn't there a guy running an ec02 on a takeuchi micro? No idea how it managed it though

 

[Furniss]

Think most stuff will slew and track - lifting the boom seems to biggest culprit (never flailed) wacker is o.k and better than the 8t kub in so much as it does its best without banging like that did as you ask for more, in my work at least I find I usually only want to creep along while shaping up or maybe track back with the last pull on grading.

 

[V8Druid]

Most manufacturers are going down the single pump route sadly. It’s cheaper to manufacture. It’s not better for machine performance, although on paper you can’t tell the difference. It’s only when you drive it you realise that as a single function, you have all the power. Do more than one thing at once however and the same oil is split between all the functions and sure enough there’s a big compromise

my little Manor Micron is a single pump and it takes a lot of practice to be able to operate two functions simultaneously - and very steady hands - I know it's a 'primitive' little tool, but it is possible with practice, but far from easy and I'd not want to be having to do it with anything much bigger, or on a daily basis