I currently own a TK135 and do a fair bit of riprap work along are shore line of Lake Winnipeg.I feel there is enough work that I can get another machine working.I am looking at 2 machines right now a TK53fr for $21000 in MD with no thumb,I imagine it will cost about $4000 for transport and $2500 for a thumb.The other machine is a TK145 for $32000 with a thmb and only a 1000 mile away ( funny everything I want must be at least a 1000 miles away).Other than price is there something else that makes one of these machines better than the other?
I think the zero tail swing is a must have and the swing boom is really nice. It would be nice to have a thumb but they can be added.
The TB series is hands down more productive. If you can find one to demo that will convince you. If your interested I will sell you my 153 with coupler and thumb (1600 hours). I want to upgrade to the new one that makes more aux. flow to run a brush mower.
tag's thumb kit was like $1300 last year when I got mine w/ my tb053. Its an awesome boom set up, prolly the best out there for a mini excavator. One word of caution, replace the main bucket pin if your using it in conjunction with a thumb. The factory pin is hollow and drilled in like 5 places for greese, making is weak and the last holes don't get the greese they should. Put a solid pin in place of it and drill and tap your stick for lube. Or get a thumb of a different design that uses a separate lower pin.
We had a FR 153, now have a FR 138 and FR 180 all excellent machines, the front radius and zero swing will let you work in place the TB will not. I'd say the FR machines are worth extra cost.
tb135 we also have a tb135. its a decent machine but the main complaint i have is the bucket pins and bushings...not sure what they are made of but i personally changed all of them last winter...new seals and cord rings...made a point to see the machine was well greased daily and now 7 months later and i dont think more than 600, hours they are allready worn to the point of excess slop. this is i believe the 3rd time we have replaced them. we run a small hammer on the machine from time to time and the dealer stated the machine is rated for the hammer . or vice versa. not sure if the hammer causes it but the cat 304.5 is going on 5k hours with the original bushings and pins
I'm pretty convinced that the TB series is where it's at. Do you know what the differences are between the 53 153?
The geometery on the dozer was changed on the 153, it was lengthened to make it easier to doze with. The track power was increased in the 153. The breakout was increased by 500 pounds although I could never tell the difference betteen my 053 and 153. The cooling package was changed. The 153 cross flows across the engine and dumps air behind the door. The 053 had a tendency to run a little hot on hot days, the cross cooling elliminates that on the 153. There might be other changes but these are the ones that were most significant between the two as I remember.
Thanks!
Iam going to purchase either a takeuchi tb 138fr or a cat304D the money is almost the same, I do run a hammer alot and iam worried about wear on the swing frame on the the take, I know the cat dealer will support me however I am worried about the take dealer taking care of me seeing how it is also a bobcat dealer Any thoughts on which machine is better
demo both, if you do any ammount of close quarters work or dumping into dump trucks the fr will win hands down
If the vast majority of the time, the mini would be used with a breaker, there is really little benifit to the FR machine. The side to side boom is more complicated than is a typical swing boom and so if your just running a breaker I would go with the conventional swing boom machine. If your digging, dumping especially in tight areas, the FR machine shines and the more complicated swing mechanism is well worth it.