Has anyone purchased a lbx160-4 excavator. I am looking for a excavator to dig cellar holes and install residential utilities. I am also interested in a sk170-11. Thanks
I bought a 2020 160 X4 last year.
I know the 145 Spin Ace i rented seemed pretty decent, but nothing special. But I also rented a Cat 315, now that was a sweet Hoe.
Thanks for the info. With regards to the 160 Linkbelt: What size bucket due you run and what kinds of work are you doing? Years ago I owned a slightly larger machine( cat) and I am wondering if the 160 size excavator will work. Also I am trying to decide if I need the next size up machine which will require a much larger investment In Massachusetts which is where I am working the soils are rocky and hard. I have a friend who owns 2 link belts( 2800 and 330) and he has high praise for the fuel efficiency and reliability of the linkbelt machine.He says the dealer service has been OK. Please comment Thanks very much
I have a 42" dig bucket, 73" clean out bucket and a 2' dig bucket and a 3000 pound breaker. Its a long stick version with a progressive link thumb and hyd. coupler. I dig foundations with it, demolition, and other typical dirt work. I really like the machine. Very tight on fuel, I mean really tight. Great breakout force at the bucket. Love the controls, its fast and smooth. Ergonomics are good, couple things that could be better but still very comfortable. It's my third Sumitomo machine. I would have bought a CASE simply because the dealer is closer, but couldn't find a 160 set up the way I wanted. The Link Belt has a 5 year warranty and its the same machine, so I can get parts and service from CASE. Our digging conditions are rocky, mostly cobble but the higher in elevation you go the bigger and harder the ground gets, even with the flared teeth I have on the 42" bucket, it digs through, no problem. If I changed the teeth it would be easier but I like the grading ability of the flared teeth for basements. I considered a 210, however the long stick 160 gives me a near similar reach. A 210 could handle a 48" dig bucket but the 42" is still pretty damn productive and 160 is easier to move. These 160's take the 80mm, 210 size pins so bucket selection is easier. I looked at Kobelco, there were a couple 170's available. One at auction that went at a good price, and one at a dealer in the midwest. I didn't because there is no dealer close, and I really couldn't wrap my head around Hino engine. Short of a dealer, who works on that? I like running Kobelco excavators, but owning one didn't make sense for me.
Thanks very much for the information. You have answered a lot of my questions and concerns. Good luck with your 160!
Ksss what size pads do you run? And with a long stick and progressive thumb how is the balance? I can imagine a bit tippy? In future I’d love this size machine but they are hard to come by in Au, they’re either 14t or 21t. Did you buy it new? cheers
Pads are 24". Its not bad on being tippy, but its not a 210. It had 1100 hours on it when I bought it.
That is something about a smaller hoe, is that they are a lot less stable on rough uneven ground.
Yea that can the case sometimes. The thumb on this machine is heavy and I think making it a more tippy than the CASE CX160 that I had before. It was a long stick, coupler prolink thumb, but not as HD on the thumb as the one on the Link Belt. The CASE was rock solid. Took me a little bit to change my operating style on the LB. I feel good about it now. I rented a Volvo 305 from a buddy for a couple weeks last year. That was the most unstable machine I have ever run. Powerful and all that but very unstable. So sometimes at least in that case, even the bigger machines can be unstable.