Hours on Kubota mini EX? What is excessive?

[Henro]

Just wondering if 4000 hours on a mini ex that is in good shape cosmetically is excessive.

For personal use, unlikely to put more than 500 hours on it over the next ten years I would estimate, but who knows? Unlikely to leave my property if I would buy one.

I have not looked at any yet. Just testing the water so to speak. Would like to replace my 3PH backhoe with something more capable and convenient.

 

[BigG]

If it is tight and was owned by an individual that took care of it, including maintenance records, OK. If it is owned by a company that had many employees operate it and maybe abused it with no records then walk away. How many years has it been in service. Can you still find parts? Check the tracks and rollers for wear as that can be pricey. How does the price fall in the internet searches?

 

[85Hokie]

I second what BigG said - those hours are really not the issue, it is butts in the seat and maintenance.

 

[Tughill Tom]

I'd try and get a oil sample and have it tested and go from there.

 

[SidecarFlip]

First order of business on any mini-ex, before anything else is.. raise the bucket and extend the dipperstick and boom it down where you can grab on to the end (bucket) and wiggle it back and forth and observe the slop in the bushings. Hours mean little, slop (or lack of it) tells you everything you want to know about how any machine was cared for. Sloppy bushings mean lack of maintenance on every component. How to tell on a tractor with a FEL as well. Wiggle and observe.

 

[Henro]

First order of business on any mini-ex, before anything else is.. raise the bucket and extend the dipperstick and boom it down where you can grab on to the end (bucket) and wiggle it back and forth and observe the slop in the bushings. Hours mean little, slop (or lack of it) tells you everything you want to know about how any machine was cared for. Sloppy bushings mean lack of maintenance on every component. How to tell on a tractor with a FEL as well. Wiggle and observe.

Thanks for the input guys! I appreciate it to say the least.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: Sloppy bushings mean lack of maintenance on every component.

usually but...not necessarily always. Friend got a small Kub miniex with 'sloppy bucket bushing', everything else was TIGHT. Was used in pipleine work. Hoisted into the ditch, used to 'tidyup' the base with custom wide bucket, then hoisted back out. He put a normal 12" bucket, 4 new bushings and it's been fine for the past 24-25 years.