Been renting a Volvo 140E for a month now because I was wanting to purchase. It is a Very nice machine. I like the speed and comfort, etc. but I have noticed it seems a little unbalanced. The boom/stick feels very heavy compared to the main frame and this is with a 36" bucket and solesbee thumb only. No quick attach. Ive been thinking of trying to get in a 160 and run it. Anyone have any input as far is it worth my time to try and find a 160 or will it feel as unbalanced?
That's quite a bit of iron on the end of the stick. Is that optioned with a long stick ? That could have an impact. The 140 is a specific machine for small jobs, by no means a powerhouse. The 160/170 is more of a general purpose do everything and still not need a permit to haul kinda machine. Have you looked at the ECR models? Through black magic and voo-doo they manage to drastically increase stability over the conventional frame. Boom foot placement seems to dictate that stability. Good luck.
Good day You may find the attached of interest. Kind regards Uffex
As others have said, 130/140 size machines are kinda a niche class. They’re generally for confined sites or smaller jobs where production isn’t of utmost importance. Stepping up to a 160 will have quite the improvement in stability, reach, and performance.