Any comments about likes or dislikes of this machine versus Kubota 057-5 or Takeuchi TB370. Am looking at them and would like to hear about any problems. Fairly well built from what I see. Thanks for any input. Simon
I would look at dealer support first and foremost, they all have lots of electronics and some form of emissions. I know the Tak 370 is a "new" model and is too wide to fit on a trailer with fenders, so a deckover trailer would be needed, plus I'm not even sure if dealers have them yet. The best way to really see which one works best for you is to demo each machine, if it's possible to have them all at the same site you'll get a good idea by running each one doing the same tasks.
That 370 sure looks good on paper. The new interior on the 300 Taki's is nice. This the first machine to get that new interior. The downside in my opinion is the Kubota motor. I haven't run the 370, as stated its brand new. I think without a glance it will out dig the Deere and the Kubota. It is a bit heavier than both I believe so there is that.
I would being taking a hard look at the work you do and if that extra width is going to be an issue, going from most being 6'7" to 6'11", only 4" but when working in tight spaces it can be the difference between fitting and not fitting. I would say comparing it to a 60 isn't fair, it's more like a 7 ton machine now.
They claim that the aux. hydraulic output is 120 Liters/min. where as Deere claims theirs to be only 92 Liters/ min. Takeuchi's auxillary is only at 200 Bar, ( 2900 PSI ) but Deeres is at probably 36-3800 psi. Deere is only 1 Big piston pump. Deere"s engine is 53 hp. where as Takeuchi"s is 56 horsepower. Quite a difference in Aux. Hydraulic output for 3 hp. difference. Of course Deeres output is at higher PSI. Could the Takeuchi gear pumps last very long at maximum pressure running a Mulcher versus Deeres Piston pumps from Hitachi or whoever makes them. I want to be able to run a FAE Mulcher that runs in the 17-31 GPM. Wonder how it would run on the takeuchi that is rated at less than the mulcher that can withstand 5075 psi., ( 350 ) Bar. Maybe piston pump might be better. Any thoughts. Simon
Another way to look at this is to pick out the Mulcher model and examine its weight. Then look at the reach of the machine and the weight to see if the machine will get tippy when extended all the way out especially if the machine is not on a flat surface. A newer good Deere 60G "long Reach" may be a best value. I like Takeuchi, I have three of them and they are all great machines. I don't see anything great on the new 370 unless you like all the newest software monitor stuff. I have a TB 240 and I don't use the monitor much. I get worried about getting the interior dusty and the monitor getting scratched and tarnished. The dealer and the local rep here in Seattle are not much help in the monitor help. I had questions on setting the flow for a Hydraulic breaker. I like my older TB153FR open cab. Your choices are all great machines though.
How is the open cab model you bought for dust in your face. For mulching I could forsee sawdust in the eyes unless I wore mono-goggles. Open canopy is about $20000 less than a cab with air. Harder to sell afterwards probably but depends on people. It is hard to get service info for example where to hookup the plumbing for extra functions. Do you think you would get way more life out of the piston pump instead of gears pumps that are working wide open at maximum pressure all the time. The mulcher weighs around 790 LBS. Would probably rock a little if boomed out far but depends how fast you move it. Not heard too much bad stuff about the Yanmar 4TNV98C Engine yet. Waitng for some more final prices.
I would think you would be best to get the enclosed cab if you are going to do a lot of mulching and working in dusty conditions and if the weather in your area gets real hot, and real cold and you plan on using the machine a lot in those months. An advantage of the open cab is if you are getting in an out of the machine a lot, and don't want to worry about the glass cracking and door getting damaged when open, plus I prefer to operate with no glass for best view. I would think about a Deere long reach, enclosed cab and 4-5 years old with just 1200-1800 hours on it or so. I would also look at the Takeuchi TB260 used, closed cab. Do you need zero turn and tight access? Do you have a truck with air brakes to tow?
As far as cab and mulching. I wouldn't mulch without one. Aside from dust, bee hives, yellow jackets and so forth. I can imagine mulching without a cab. There would not be any downside to running a gear pump at its max rated capacity. Piston pump is more efficient. As far as the 370, the ability to adjust the flow rate is pretty important if you have multiple attachments requiring different flows. What impressed me most was the capacity of the machine 14.5K bucket breakout, 6K plus arm pull, tractive effort at 16K. Thats a lot of mini ex weighing in at about 15K. I didnt look at the lift specs, but it is wider and heavy, I would think it would do well with 800 pounds at full extension. As far as Yanmar engines, I think their outstanding. Don't often hear complaints about them. I have had three of them in Taki 153's and have yet to spend one dollar on repairs.
I agree with dealer support as an important detail. I also think that if you are really going to buy a new 60K plus machine you would be well served to rent one of each or demo or whatever to get a more informed idea. As far as the weight of the mulcher head, I have a 920 pound steel sheet that my 35G can handle with blade up in any direction at full reach. I think any of these 6~7 ton machines will have no problem with the weight of it, only the flow needs will matter.
I have a difficult time understanding how 3 more horsepower can make this machine so much more powerful in hydraulic flow , bucket and arm performance, and overall lifting power. Speed is increased by flow but pressure is what gives ultimate power or so I was taught. Maybe somone is overstating their specs. Wish I could compare side by side.
Considering you're in Alberta I wouldn't even consider a open cab, can you imagine running that machine on a day like today? My enclosed cab is cold enough with the tak's awful hvac. Even in the summer having the glass there for safety is huge. I guess if you never used it in the winter and didn't care you could stick a piece of glass in there for a windshield. I can't say i've seen many if any mini ex's that size with a open cab around here, it's generally the 2-3 ton max which are pretty much useless once the frost is in the ground. I know my 153 with a heaping bucket of wetish gravel will tip full extension over the side. Guessing bucket is about 250lbs and gravel maybe 500? I think the machine being wider and heavier though would be fine.
Is the RPM they make the power at the same or close? I can't speak for the Deere's mini ex's but my CTL runs really high rpm's. Maybe Tak is making the HP at lower rpm? But it's not really based on HP, look at how much more powerful a mini ex is compared to a CTL and it's a way smaller engine, I think it's more based off the pumps and the pressure. A 100hp excavator will have a lot more hydraulic power then a 100hp ctl.
Deeres 60G horse power is at 2000 rpm. Takeuchi must be at higher rpm. Think the piston pumps on Deere woul outlast gear pumps 2-3 times but probably cost 2 times.
I can't speak for the new machine but i've been nothing but impressed with my Tak. It's not fancy, the cab is archaic but it's a simple machine with a lot of power, and I would be surprised if they put a pump in that wasn't made to last a very long time. One huge draw back is SMS equipment is the dealer in Alberta, they are an absolute joke. None of the guys at the Edmonton branch know anything about Tak. I don't expect them to know a ton, simple things like getting the right filters it's like pulling teeth. Doesn't matter what I order it's slow and wrong, rush shipping is still at least a week if it's coming from the states (that was before covid), it's got to the point I won't order anything even a filter without giving them the part number. They stock nothing for parts either, not even the basics like air filter, belts, etc. I blew a belt and figured they'd stock it like they should, nope, and had no idea the size. Makes a simple job more difficult when you gotta guess, then go buy a smaller belt because you got one too big. If you are on the fence between Deere and Tak the dealer support here for Brandt is a million times better, Brandt isn't the best to deal with, but at least they stock parts and know more. I would have a very hard time ever buying another Tak piece, and it's why I didn't buy their CTL.
Thank you so much for your honesty. I built a lot of Komatsu motors and transmissions and torque convertors in the past and it was a nightmare to get the correct parts. They use to talk the talk, but could not walk the walk. There are probably 10 Deere mechanics totally experienced with their excavator systems for every Takeuchi one. Once it is sold you own it. They all charge huge sums of money for service if you need help, but parts availability will definitely be better with Deere plus the 60G has been out for a while so the problems if any must be sorted out by now , not like a new model such as the TB370. Once again thanks. Where are you hiding in Albeta? Simon
that definitely puts the tilt towards the Deere IMO.
They are all going to have pros and cons. Although Taki makes good stuff, I'm never a fan buying something that's just come out. That's just me though. My local rental yard runs all taki machines and they've been good. No issues with the 60's. If you need lots of lifting power that's prob. the machine to get. Both the Kubota and JD have been out for a while and haven't heard anything bad about either. I'm a fan of the Yanmar power so would probably go with the JD. Bigger dealer networks for parts availability. I have the orange version of the last year of the JD 60D and it's been a good machine. One thing to consider is the AUX flow if you're going to run attachments.
I don't know that I would stress about pump life regardless of what type it is. They don't often fail. I would also prefer the Yanmar in the Deere. You might get a hold of FAE and ask them which excavator they feel would be the best host for their attachment. They likely wont know first hand how the Taki runs their attachment, but they can look at the configuration of the Taki system and offer thoughts on it. Their preference would mean quite a bit to me, since it appears that is the primary use of the excavator.
Re. the 60G. Not sure how often you use the thumb, but in my opinion, the factory deer thumb on that size machine isn't very good. If I were to ever order a new machine, I would definitely go aftermarket/heavier duty.
I figured Tak was the forgotten step child at SMS and they would actually be good for Komatsu, but I heard they only care about the big mining companies. I was happy when they got the dealer from Scott equipment who wasn't great, but SMS is way worse, it's been like 3 years now and their knowledge hasn't improved one bit. I know they blamed Tak for slow parts, they said Tak would ship items with their account not SMS's and that's why it was so slow. But Strongco can get me a part from anywhere in North America next day for under $10, I don't know why SMS/Tak cannot do the same or even get in the ballpark. Yea Brandt has so many dealers and there is a lot of the machines around parts would not be an issue i'd imagine, and guaranteed better parts availability then Tak. They've got humbled in the last few years, when I had my Deere track hoe before they were awful, but awhile ago a salesman came to my yard and basically admitted they screwed up ignoring the little guy and were trying to earn their business back. I'm in Edmonton.
@Canuck Digger yes that is a good thought. At that size, having a thumb with progressive linkage would be like night and day.
What Brand of Progressive Link would you recommend? Have seen Werk Brau, and AMI on Internet. Waiting on prices. Any suggestions.
No input for you there. I have a CWS on the old 120, and it is a good setup. It has a wedge mount QC. Plumbing in a pin grabber will add cost, but if you are changing buckets several times a day it is probably worth it. I just found this one, it shows a mix of simple and progressive thumbs in the pictures. https://equipmentland.com/product/hydraulic-excavator-thumb-powerclamp/
Thanks I will check it out.
The shared pin style thumbs are going to have the longest articulation. When the bucket and thumb move on different axes, they only match up nicely over a portion of the operating range.
I have a HPF Pro link on my Taki. It is excellent. Very heavy duty, great articulation, I will replacing this Taki for a new one this year and it will have another HPF thumb. There made in Wash.
Thanks for the brand and where you bought it.
here is their site, they are relatively local to me. https://www.hpf.com/excavator-products.html
Their website doesnt do their product justice. If you want some pics, I can show you some.
Yes I looked at their site and was not great for pictures or info. Phoned them today and gave them my email. Waiting for an answer back. They are suppose to send me a quote. Thanks Simon
If you could post some pics that would be great.
Re. the thumbs I sure miss the pro link that was on my old JD50... I think all the main steam brands make pretty good products. Thinkin anything US will be $$$$ due to the exchange rate. I did purchase couple of buckets from an on-line dealer that was based/made out of ON. Awesome quality product, and was 30% less than my local dealer, delivered to my door. Might be an avenue to explore.
Here is the HPF thumb. Its got 4500 hours on it, primary diet is concrete removal. Its held up really well.
don't know if you've had any dealings with these folks, but they're in your province and my cat 304 came from Finning with their buckets and thumb.. no complaints with either.. http://efiattachments.com Bernie
Yes they have moved out of where they were. A company out of Ontario makes pretty good stuff called Factory Direct Attachments. They are about 3 Thousand less than HFK for price. EFI did make great products but fairly expensive. Still cheaper than the dealers. The pictures of the HFK unit are nice but very dear because of the Canadian Dollar, and freight. Heard that EFI went under, bankrupt, not sure if true. Simon
Canuck Digger. Was the Ontario company you bought from called Factory Direct Attachments? Thanks Simon
What are you going to replace it with? I still have my 153FR and am loathe to get rid of it because of its unique abilities.
The new 257 is now available which is the replacement for the 153. I just came from the dealer and was playing around with it. It just got done with PDF. A lot of improvements are evident. Greasing is easier ( which is a good thing)., hyd coupler, three aux hydraulics. The interior is like the 200 series Taki machines. If you have a 153, it makes going back to regular swing boom mini ex difficult. What these things can do is amazing. A buddy of mine who's company has three of them got his 257 a couple months ago. He says its better in every way. Faster hydraulics, more flow, more push power. Mine is the one I was playing with today. Cant wait to pick it up.
Oh wow I was unaware that there was finally a replacement! Thanks for the heads up!! I very much agree that it's difficult to go back to a standard swing machine. I'll be taking a serious look at the 257.
If your wanting one, you might want to get your name on one soon. They are taking the slow boat from Japan (Mine was supposed to show up before the end of December but was stuck in port for months), and a lot of the big companies that run 153's are snagging all the ones that are coming into the US as soon as they show up. I had to call in some favors to get mine so soon.
That's a nice machine, guessing they went back to the boom design because people wanted it? Can't believe they still offer them with a wain roy coupler though.
Yes the Wain Roy is a travesty IMO. Okay for rental yards but for anyone else, terrible.
Good to know. I'll call in tomorrow to our dealer.
those are slick, I have never worked around an STS boom like that. Now I am wishing we had gone that way with the next smaller size the 138FR instead of the 35G Johnny I have now.
You can get Strickland couplers and buckets instead of the Tag with Wain Roy. Thankfully. I was looking at the Strickland 2' bucket that ordered with it. It looks like it has less capacity than the WB on my 153, I should have probably compared that before ordering it. Hopefully I am wrong and it just looks smaller. The down side of running them is once you do, you cant go back to a swing boom machine! I mean you can, but you wont want to.
The issue was the engine with emissions. The 138 and the 280 were able to keep going. It was the 153 that they had to stop until they figured out what engine to put in it. The 153 has a Yanmar and the new one is Kubota. I am not thrilled with the Kubota but it wont stop me from buying it.
Anyone out there with real experience on the TB370? Seems like this machine is too good on paper. I did find a discrepancy in there specs however, on their comparative spec sheet the bucket breakout force is much less than the specs they list on their brochure. I am debating between the TB370 and the Cat 306.
The 370 looks like a beast on paper (never ran one). The 306 is also nice. It is a significant upgrade from the 305.5 which I thought was a mediocre at best excavator. The 306 lifts a lot more, has a great control system. A really nice machine in my view. Where are you at in Idaho?
Coeur d'Alene, AKA God's country. I can say that freely now that our beautiful small town has now been taken over by Californians to a level never thought of. Can't put that cat back in the bag. I digress. Looking at a brand new TB370 with metal tracks and pads with a couple of buckets , thumb and a manual coupler for around $117k or a year old 306 <200hours for $96k. I can't get rubber tracks to last more than 500 hours in my line of work so I would need that upgrade on the 306 when they break.
I have owned several Takeuchi TB-290s and have almost purchased a Kubota 57-5x The Takeuchi has more room more hydraulics the 370 is a great machine I currently bought a Deere 60G and was lied to by the Dealer that the hydraulics would lock out and now find out that it will not and I run A mower who can hold their hand on the button all the time Will never buy another John Deere it is far behind the competition
I just bought a 60G to mulch with and it is junk you can't lock the hydraulics going to sell it as soon as I can and never buy a Deere again and I bought millions of dollars of their equipment going back to Takeuchi