r/miniexcavator

Earlier this year I bought a well-used Kubota U17 for maintenance and projects around my property. This is the pacific northwest, so some time in October it's going to start raining and not stop raining until June. I doubt I'll be able to do much work with the excavator when the ground is as wet as it's going to be, so it's going to sit for months.

What should I do to prepare for long periods of inactivity? For gasoline engines I'd drain the gas or at least put in a good stabilizer, but this is literally the only diesel engine I've ever owned and I don't know what you're supposed to do to keep it happy. It'll be under a lean-to, so no direct rain, but it will have to deal with ambient humidity. Should I just go out there and throttle it up for a while every week or something?

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I'm planning to buy an excavator for production work, primarily for removing muck from a dump site, as well as for rental work. I'm a drill-and-blast contractor by profession, so this will be my first excavator.

What parameters should I look at when selecting the machine, and how should I monitor my owning and operating costs?

Dealer price made me look around, but I am still trying to prove what actually failed. I've got a water pumpsitting in a FridayParts cart for now, not ordered. I check the thermostat, cap, and radiator flow. My 303.5 is running warmer under sustained digging but stays below the red. The radiator is clean, coolant level is stable, and the water-pump weep hole is dry. The upper hose gets hot while the lower hose stays much cooler than I expected, though I know some temperature drop across the radiator is normal. I don't have a flow number yet, just hose temps and what I can see externally. Before I order a pump, I am going to verify the thermostatopening temperature and check radiator flow. Is an infrared temperature spread across the core useful on these, or should I start with a pressure test and cap test?

I'm looking at buying either a used Kubota or a huayee SHY20, so somewhere between $25-$35k. Definitely not something I want to not have insurance on. So far, the only real option I've been able to find for personal use is adding it to a homeowner's policy, but that only covers the machine on that property. I need insurance that will cover it in transport, and when being used on another property I own as well as family members.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Hi Everyone, I'm currently in the market to buy a mini excavator for some land I own near the Austin, TX area. I have never owned one before and I'm curious to what equipment brands/models you guys would recommend based off ease of use, efficiency and overall power. I will need to transport this so I need to stay under CDL weight territory, but want to get the largest model possible. If you guys could give some recommendations along with pros and cons of each one it would be greatly appreciated!

I’m looking for a used 3.5–5 ton excavator and would like to import one into the EU.
I’m mainly looking for something reliable with a strong hydraulic system where you can use multiple functions/ both joysticks smoothly at the same time, at least a 3-cylinder engine, and preferably a brand where parts are easy to get in Europe.
I’ve been looking at Kubota, Takeuchi, Yanmar, CAT, Volvo etc., but I’m open to anything that’s proven and reliable. Any particular models in this weight range you’d recommend or avoid?
I’m also considering buying through auctions. Which auction sites or companies are actually good, and which ones should I avoid? Anything I should watch out for when it comes to fees, condition reports, sellers or bidding?
The main problem is that I probably won’t be able to see the machine in person before buying. How would you guys handle that? Is it worth paying someone local to inspect it? What videos/photos or tests should I ask for before bidding?
What are the biggest things to check on a used excavator like this — hydraulics, undercarriage, pins/bushings, slew ring, final drives, cold start, blow-by, hours etc.?
Budget is roughly €15–18k.
Any advice from people who’ve bought excavators remotely or through auctions would be really appreciated.