Yanmar mini digger your opinon

Stacks Mad

Hi all I'm in the market for a 3/4 ton machine and I was wondering what are Yanmar's like? I am looking for something around the 02/03 mark or is there any other machines to look at that seem pretty good? Any advice what to look out for when viewing, would be very welcome. Thanks

NuckingFacker

I've a yan 3 ton, very good machines. There are no specific weaknesses, you just have to check the machine over closely, paying attention to the hydraulics and controls. The year is irrelevant, buy on condition and how hard it has been worked. A 2008 could be knackered while a 1998 that had an easy life could make a great buy.

vinnie13

NuckingFacker wrote: »

I've a yan 3 ton, very good machines. There are no specific weaknesses, you just have to check the machine over closely, paying attention to the hydraulics and controls. The year is irrelevant, buy on condition and how hard it has been worked. A 2008 could be knackered while a 1998 that had an easy life could make a great buy.

i dont own a yanamr but always heard good things about them and they make very very good marine engines.
couldnt agree more about buying on condition over year and checking everything from top to bottom,a great machine if you get a good one and makes life easy when its nice and tight.

NuckingFacker

I bought a machine out of Germany, very low hours for the year and tight as the day it left the factory, despite being older(2002). I paid a good chunk of change for it, well over average price, but it runs and works like new and has not needed a spanner put to it. Very high power for a three ton(and I sold a 12 ton to buy it so I'd notice) and very precise. I've hired a few of the same model (mainly up north) and noticed that the hire ones are often wound right down - very low power - somthing to be aware of, there might be a lot of gee-up left in the pumps and engine that is being limited out deliberatly to help them last longer. Wind 'er up if you get one like that, it brings them to life.

Field master

Hi,
I own the very model you're after. Could not recommend anything else.I've hired them all and the Yanmar is my favorite. Bought mine at auction(ex CP Hire) with 600hrs and very little wear.
It paid for itself in 1 year and I find work for it in nearly every job we do,which is mostly private landscaping.Drives down side passages no problem being 28'' wide with the tracks in.Will go through a front door if needs be.
All the builders laugh when they see it coming on site at 8am and then ask if it's for sale by lunchtime when they see how capable it is!
Parts are expensive but I've not had to replace much over the 5 yrs I've owned it.
Holds it's value like the similar kubota & takeuchi models.
Do yourself a favour and buy a good one!

NuckingFacker

Field master wrote: »

Hi,
I own the very model you're after. Could not recommend anything else.I've hired them all and the Yanmar is my favorite. Bought mine at auction(ex CP Hire) with 600hrs and very little wear.
It paid for itself in 1 year and I find work for it in nearly every job we do,which is mostly private landscaping.Drives down side passages no problem being 28'' wide with the tracks in.Will go through a front door if needs be.
All the builders laugh when they see it coming on site at 8am and then ask if it's for sale by lunchtime when they see how capable it is!
Parts are expensive but I've not had to replace much over the 5 yrs I've owned it.
Holds it's value like the similar kubota & takeuchi models.
Do yourself a favour and buy a good one!

I had a Takeuchi '08 TB108 up until last years also - 800kg and looked like a toy - we could track it into the back of our Iveco van for transport. I had a breaker, a small scrap shear for cutting steel and the usual buckets and it worked constantly. A friend who is flat out digging out pyrite from homes caught me on the hop one day and asked to buy it as he was stuck...dumb move on my part as I miss the damn thing almost daily and they're dear enough to replace if you're fussy re condition (I am). Brilliant tools - ours loaded 100 ton of 804 into a fleet of wheelbarrows in one day once, 5 tipper loads - try shovelling that. Deadly handy machines that punch well above their weight.

Stacks Mad

Thanks so much for the advice guys.
I have a question about the pumps on the machines, how do you know if they are weak or on the way out? I'd have a good idea about engines and wear in the pins/bushes but as for pumps and final drives what do you look out for?
Thanks in advance.