Just venting here, but, I have a Kubota 161-3 that has been a terrific machine, it has 3600hrs on it now and today(as i have in the past) just remembered/experienced what a PIA it is to replace/adjust the alt and ac compressor belts. Remove all the shrouding between the radiator and hyd tank and that gets you close, but to get to all the bolts so you can adjust em', just remove the seat from inside the cab so you can get to the rear of the cab, so you can remove the panel, that allows you to get to the adjustment bolts. Not impossible by any means, just not easy, and yes, I do understand it is a very compact machine with the convenience of AC, but when you refer to the manual for "belt adjustment" and it says "see dealer" that is never good. Oh, and while that cab panel is removed, might as well charge the AC unit because the low pressure line is only accessible from there as well. Im sure there are other machines with similar circumstances and I would love to hear about em...
In my experience with any brand mini excavator or full size zero turn radius excavator, we're still talking about 10 lbs of taters crammed into a 5 lb sack. Probably the only common "easy" thing on them is raising the hood or opening a door to pull the dipstick and check the engine oil.
Yea working on anything on those machines is tough. The Takeuchi machines at least the TB153FR's, the cab tilts off the machine making access much easier.
The TB53FR is a royal PITA to replace the fan shroud and fan when fatigue cracks the shroud and sends it into the fan. AC belt is a bear to tensions as you need an arsenal of wrenches and sockets/ extensions to loosen the bracket that the idler pulley resides on. Changing the whole alternator on a PC95R-2 is a lesson in creativity, too.