I'm thinking about buying an excavator for clearing my property and would like to know what type/size you guys who are experinced would recommend. I have about 70 acres in east Texas that I would like the clear in stages. The timber was cut on half about 5 years ago and the other half about 20 years ago. I have a 2010 F450 and 32 ft gooseneck trailer, I'm thinking something that can be hauled with this set-up would be sufficient. Perhaps something around 28K pounds. Please share your opinions about size, weight, models, engines, horsepower and any other advice that you might have. Thanks in advance.
Don't think an F450 would be good for pulling a 28,000lb. machine plus the weight of the trailer. What axles are on the trailer?
Yea, I'm sure something in the 18K range will be better for my set up. I would only be moving it 6 miles from one property to the other.
The trailer has 16K axles and weight about 7500lbs empty.
Safely and reliably your truck can probably haul a 6-ton class machine, maybe a 8-ton but that would really be pushing it IMO. Sounds like you are looking at 120 size (12-ton) machines. No way in the world would I even consider towing that with an F-450, not even just a few miles. A machine that size is a decent load behind a tandem dump with a 20-ton air brake trailer. How often do you need to move it and could you hire it hauled?
I would not move it often. That would not be an issue my brother-in-law has a semi. I was mainly seeking advice on the equipment, general advice comparing the 28k lb machines to the smaller sizes.
I have been taking out cedars for over a year now. They are bid and all sizes. I bought a middle size 240 LX (Link Belt) it weighs 52,000#. I could not ever get the work done with anything smaller as they are slow movers. They are made to dig not travel like a dozer. But, my excavator does three times the work in a populated area than a dozer. By that I mean I get under the backside of the trees running my bucket under the root ball and the pop right out. I can’t imagine using a smaller hoe because it’s all my 240 can do on the larger trees. Be sure and get the biggest you can afford or you will hate it. Don’t worry bout the mule, load the wagon! Good Luck Honky Cat
To add to the excavator, I am adding a caterpillar track loader to speed up this project which is under contract. From advice on this forum I was going the wrong way thinking about buying a dozer. Many knowledgeable operators on this forum advised me to get a 377L or 365 or a 363 track loader and after studying this idea a light came on and I witnessed why they said this. It’s a no brainer utilizing the front bucket on a track loader sliding under the root ball of cedars then popping them out like dominoes! You may want to look at a track loader also because they are reliable and cheaper than anything I own. Just my 2 cents Honky Cat
If you wanted a machine that could move the trees and do some dozing. The 160 Kobelco blade runner would be very handy on a project like this. They have a legit dedicated dozer blade. You would need someone to mob it. Honky Cat, in my view, you don't need a 240 to move trees that size, even twice the size of the tree in the pic. Great you have a machine that big for such small trees, and I am sure its quick, I just don't agree that you couldn't do it with anything smaller. If you wanted to move it with a F450, I think a 9 ton excavator would be very capable. The Takeuchi 290, Wacker Nueson ET90 something along those lines.
Thanks Sir for the advise. You may be right but those trees you see are the smaller end. We have large solid plots of 20-30 footers and my excavator takes 4-5 digs at them instead of 1. I hook from the backside and the bigger ones will lift my 240 off the ground in the back and I ease it dow and hit a different area surrounding the tree. Filnally here it comes. A small one would take too long to snatch them out by the roots. Some of the water holding roots are big around as a large sweet potato and when I swing it around to stack it it slings water all o er my windshield. I lucked out on my hoe. Wouldn’t change a thing. However we have requests to do other ranchers pastures because we get the root and all. I am looking for a Track loader to really double up on them. Thanks Honky Cat
KSSS I have a takehuchi TL12 and it is a beast in my books but doesnt compare to that 240 LX especially on the large ones. I thought it was all I needed, not. It got parked when the excavator arrived. I had a big clam shell (hydraulic on it) didnt do well as I thought it would in those rolling Sandhills. I agree some places it would be the cats meow. But not up at the Moad Ranch. It’s the best at lifting my big 3x4 1650 lb bales of hay. Takehuchi is the best brand skid steer I have ever owned. Period. Honky Cat
honky cat, I sent you a PM
We have taken down many sizeable Douglas fir trees with a Hitachi zx120. A prolink thumb allowed easy handling at full extension. We now have a 210 sized excavator and while the extra power/weight/reach is handy it is usually not necessary. When we have to move the 210 (not often) we hire out tractor/lowbed. The 120 was nice in that it was easily transported with a tandem dump truck/tag trailer.
Thank you sir! That is all great advice. Thats what I was looking....someone who can speak from experience.
Thanks, thats all great advice.
I'm documenting all the models you listed. The larger machines in the 52K pound range like Mr. Honky Cat mentioned seems to be less expensive than the smaller models.
I'll play the other side of this. Why do you care if you can haul it? Get it delivered and march across the 70 acres laying waste to all that gets in your way. Don't hobble yourself with a machine based on your truck. A 200~300 gets so much more done and your time is worth something. I've knocked trees down with everything you can think of, and bigger is far more better. Like way better. Edit: I see this has been suggested. Yes, dollar for pound for unit of work, the larger machines are often better values because those smaller machines are in high demand for contractors who have to shuffle it around with a smaller truck. They drive the prices up on the used ones.
From what Ive seen the larger machines in the 50k lb range are less expensive than the midsize units. I assume thats because they are harder to move.
Thank you sir, you make a very good point. Time is money!! A few years ago a guy was clearing a pipeline easement near me with a big 300 hp 81k pound Cat excavator, I paid to clear 2 acres for me. That thing walked thru the biggest trees like a hot knife thru butter. He hit the base a few times and then ripped the entire tree and roots out. Then neatly stacked and burned everthing.
in our market I believe that is the case…120/160 size seem the most expensive.
Yes Anthony I drug some savings out of the ground and have less than $30,000 in it and it was bought at auction from a 1- owner that was an electrician and all he did with it was dig right of way ditches for his buried electric cable. Low hours, clean as a whistle and had it shipped to Oklahoma from Wisconsin. Probably the best find ever for a heavy duty machine in my small arsenal. Now I have added a 2004 Peterbilt extended hood 280 in wheelbase with a C-15 550 hp Caterpillar Day Cab that was overhauled fresh, and I bought it in Victoria Texas and drove it back to Oklahoma and put the first miles on the engine on the way home. Then I found a Fontaine 55 Ton detachable RGN in Ohio and went picked it up to haul my gear on because there is a big need for people that want to work m, plucking these invasive cedars from peoples large Ranches and Farms. The cedars are worse than the Wild Boar invasion. They have quietly taken over massive properties. I am working with my 19 year old son at getting ready to go help other people that seek our skills eliminating cedar trees. You can do the same thing in Texas. It’s addicting! Just be sure you are patient and don’t jump at the first machine you choose because there are 1,000’s of older machines out there that need a job. Maintain and grease your excavator, tractor, dozer, or track loader every day and change oil and filters regularly and you will be surprised at how well they (machines) work for you. If I can help in any way pm me. I don’t know much, but I know cedars and learn something new every day. The day I stop learning is the day I’m done. Happy Clearing! Good Luck! Honky Cat
How can we make suggestions when you don't say what size and types your trees and stumps are? Nor what soil type you have? I have a 20 ton hoe, some places it will take out 20" dbh trees with ease, other soil types and its a 20 minute dig for the same size tree. If you tear up your equipment working in dirt its your own fault, but trees just want to kill you.
I prefer a tree saw for cedars. It doesn't tear up the ground. Locally, they are western red cedars, they don't require herbicide on the stump if all green is cut off.
My mother has paid many of the cedar saw operators through the years she was alive and they overcharged her and spent more time fixing their worn out saws that cutting cedars. When I cross a large or smaller stump in my excavator I pluck it out and have not plucked one yet that the roots were still sucking water. Their roots were still big and healthy and full of water. You could not pay me me to take a saw to my cedars or a mulcher because the stump doesn’t grow back a tree but it still is fed by the roots forever. The mulcher grinds trees and leaves into a pile of poison. If you ever look under the vast canopies of cedars there is no grass just old needle droppings from the leaves and they poison the grass and kill the grass. Why would I spend double the time mulching then spreading the poison chunks of cedar over the land that kills grass? Dont make sence to me but for each his own. Honky Cat
@BC Placer gold yes that is how it is. 160's are dang handy/spendy. If I had my wish I'd have a blade 160 and a 3 axle trailer behind the company dump truck, much like @KSSS has. even though a smaller machine will handle your trees, what I cherish about a big machine is much less walking. I can reach and do and walk in a straight line, toss huge bundles of logs as I go, brush, whatever. The swath of destruction is pleasing to the eye and also easier on the undercarriage, and your body in general.
Very good points skyking, also a larger machine allows extra buffer between a bucket full of brush/rootball etc and the cab.
LOL I was dragging all sorts of limbs and crap at me today as I sorted it out of the dirt that the logger hid it in. The 120 was none too big!! I'll take some after pictures. Right now it looks like several bombs went off as I try to root out what is possible. I will re-berm the windrow-O-crapola when I get done. It will be greatly reduced.
I have an ex60urg Hitachi. ~16k lb machine. I use it to pull stumps on my property. If I had to do it again, I'd look for a machine at least double the EX60. My machine will do it, but it takes time. With 2.5 times the property, you need a bigger machine.
You are exactly Right On! HonkyCat
Lot of hours on a Hitachi 200 grubbing land. It's about the smallest I'd want to use to be productive. Used a 330 as well and quite a bit faster. If you're moving logs, weight is your friend. I have a 40 (about 11,000lbs) and it's sketchy moving even just 1 tree at a time, and can't lift larger ones. So won't lift high enough to load a log truck.