Testing the Cheapest Chinese Mini Excavator!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ม.ค. 2023
- had a chance to actually do some work with the chinese excavator!
it performs well, travel speed is slow, but it is not lacking power at all! for its size it has more than enough power to dig through tough ground. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
I’m use to the ISO pattern and the mini excavator that I bought was the opposite control that I’m use too. All I did was swap 4 hydraulic hose around and presto, the machine is digging the way that I’m use to.
Yup it’s not hard! Especially on a machine that is direct valve to cylinder for hoses. Sometimes
The pilot control machines you have to be careful switching lines it’ll act funny
Which hoses did you have to move around?
They are nice machines for about half the cost. I purchased one about a month ago from Denny. I had mine shipped down to TX. It works perfect the work I do.
cool to see what you can do with a mini excavator! I have been wanting one as a personal one and seem like a decent machine for the money.
They sure are handy!
Honestly, this is probably the nicest of these little machines I have seen yet. the controls seem nice and positive and smooth as well. That briggs is what? 9-10 HP? seems to be plenty of power.
It’s not a bad machine. Has a 14hp Briggs and almost too much power for its weight
this thig sucks . bang for the buck check out a sany
I believe they are 13.5 hp
13.50 hp
I bought a diesel mini digger from a german importeur, i have 300 hours on it and works well. Yes, is loud, hydraulic controlled (no electronic) and it means non fine and exact, but with some practice is good. Spare parts are cheap and easy to repair. For me is just perfect. My lill' business is around garden, private street build and patios.
I feel like they could be good machines if you take care of them and pay attention to the mechanical side of things. But if you just run em they will have a short life
@@AbramsExcavating exactly. I change the engine oil every 100 hours and check the valves too, pump grease every 3 days operation and most important i run it at maximum a third throttle. Enought to for power, save fuel and have a smooth running engine
where do you get parts for these here in the states?
@@user-si3ni3cw6m honestly there’s not many parts for this unit that you can’t find on Amazon or a small engine shop/hydraulic shop. Very basic machines
I've been looking for a provider for a few weeks now for DONWAY, LKR INDUSTRIAL, AGROTK and VICSEC mini ex parts with no avail. Thanks for the reply though.
I'd actually really like to get my hands on one of these to see how they work myself
I recently bought the QH12 .I also bought the hydraulic thumb kit and it has shipped but no delivery date yet. I also bought two of the 12V 8" fans for extra cooling of the engine bay.
My only complaint with the mini-ex is the rubber tracks tear up the yard here in Coastal South Carolina as it is 90% sandy soil.
Yes they are pretty aggressive treads but if you make long sweeping turns you can do alot less damage. This goes for anything on tracks just a tip!
just posted a video of me operating the same excavator but I put a TMK 150 tree sheer on it. absolutely mind blown with how productive these little machines can be at clearing land!!
This dudes a better operator than agt had in the commercial for this thing!
And I’m running it on backwards controls hahahahh
I tried one out at the ritchie bros auction and was impressed with the digging force but the quality of things like latches,key switches and the paper thin sheet metal was disappointing
Yes it’s got good performance qualities. However I doubt it’ll last a long time
I was actually looking at the Ritchie Bros. ones that will be selling this Thursday. Is that the ones you tested out?
I bought 1 from Ritchie's today(Aus). I paid less than A$2000. Bargain.
we bought one of these machines and have used it for a year without any major problems - basically works well but you will find things it doesn't want to move because they are too heavy. some of the handy attachments are worth considering like the power thumb.
They are definitely solid little machines if you keep up on them!
Seems like good equipment for occasional use.
For sure!
Hello, hope you’re doing well. I watched about three videos on the excavator and the others said that’s all you gotta do is reverse the piping underneath and that way you can change the control. Hope this helps you
Yea I figured it wouldn’t be hard! I just didn’t bother switching it since I would be selling it. The guy I sold this too actually did switch it! Thanks for watching
Thanks! I was wondering.
Ive been using a similar model to this for over a year now, no problems at all. I'm a landscaper and use it regularly, servicing was straight forward it has a kubota engine, so spares are easy to get.
Yep I feel like if you take care of it it should take care of you!
I shall stick to my 2008 Takeuchi. Burst hose is the only ever issue. 5600 hours and not a glitch.
You did better on cat control than I do! ;-) I had about an hour on my buddy’s JD excavator. (Cat pattern ironically) and just couldn’t do it. I started on backhoes, and just never saw the advantage to the other pattern.
The directional arrows are a nice touch.
Hmmmm I'd almost like to try one out . Tempting to get one and bring it to alaska for atv and hiking trails
It would do well for small trail work. Cheap and effective
I've got one making its way through the Panama Canal on a container ship right now.
How well does it do as a mini-dozer? Enough power to push much material?
So I can’t really say, I never use the blades on excavators to push material. I’m sure it would push loose material alright. Your biggest issue would be the machine only weighs 2200lbs so it’ll spin the tracks out pretty easy if you push too much.
I spread 6 yards of gravel with mine today.
alot of the budget machines work well when they are new, the import thing is how fast they wear out, dealer support is also important, then price and availability of parts comes into play. you can always spot a throw away machine when they dont have a repair manual or one that has no parts list or part numbers!
Yea you can definitely tell this is not a professional grade work it hard every day machine, however it’s also at a much lower price point. It does have some manuals with it, how useful they are I can’t say but I feel this machine is simple enough that if you have any mechanical experience you would
Be able to keep it in service for a long time
@@AbramsExcavating basic model is easy to mod and repair. no complicated stuff.
There's nothing on these Chinese machines that aren't standard off-the-shelf parts. They simply cobble together cheap parts using dirt-cheap labor - there's entire cities who do nothing but specialize in building tens of thousands of these minis (and other equipment). The biggest issue with most of them is lack of hydraulic safety lock outs that prevent boom movement - if you touch controls and you've got boom in the air, it will come down. And since they are tiny, can easily knock control levers getting on/off the machine. Cab is just to keep sun/rain off - not a ROPs canopy.
I bought a 1.5t with a Kubota diesel, pilot controls, hydraulic lock outs direct from the factory. All-in, including shipping was $14K. Similiar size name brand machine is double, (although a lot more refined). Mine came with 3 buckets, ripping tooth, plumbed hydraulic thumb, auxiliary lines and an auger with two bits. Strong little machine perfect for home use/small farm - ripped out 36" pine stumps. Handy for getting in and around my garden without knocking anything down. Maybe a small landscaper or plumber might buy one for the occasional jobs but probably not durable enough for daily use (although buying two might be a reasonable option - could scavenge one for major parts after a few years if needed).
@@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb Was the one you bought an LTMG or similar? I'm thinking of purchasing a 2t kubota similar to what you're describing.
Yes these are definitely made for a homeowner not for making money with.
Someone needs to do a 100 hour review or a 200 hour review I feel like these would give out easy under real heavy work and use
I think dig it Starnes did a 100hour review. My goal here was to still sell the machine. So I wanted to review and do some tests.
However I can say that the machine will literally fall apart. Most of the hardware is not torqued and loosens up haha
@@AbramsExcavating True, Mine has a diesel engine, the fueltank has already fallen off twice. bu the rest is holding up pretty good, we have hard soil with a lot of rocks, so far so good, Just installed a 10um return filter for the hydraulic oil. Biggest issue i had was a crack in the frame where the boom mounts to the machine (mine is different than yours). Btw i run it on used veggy oil.
I don't think they're intended for hard work, more suitable for a home owner with a big yard, or a landscape gardner on smaller jobs.
Not suitable for construction contractors, earthworks contractors etc.
Use the right tool for the job, you wouldn't use a claw hammer to break rocks... would you!?
@@esbrasill "rest is holding up pretty good".... but there is a crack in the frame. Well there you go.
Look forward to seeing how long this machine holds up for you
I bought it to flip, sold a few months ago. But I’m sure if you kept an eye on things it would last. It you just used it it would literally fall apart. Lots of bolts loosened up on their own in the short time I owned it
@@AbramsExcavating So in other words: If what you are looking for is a light duty excavator, that you are willing to do meticulous maintenance on and never loan it to anyone who may inadvertently push its limits, if you can protect it from the elements and have faith that all the hydraulics will hold up, then this could be appropriate for you. Or, if all you want to do is dig a hole, throw money into it, you don't want to hire a professional *and* have no qualms about throwing lightly used tools away, then this could also be the tool for you. (?)
Pretty much nailed
It haha. I’d say life expectancy is less than 3 months if you do nothing but fuel it and run it.
I have 4 different welders. I think a machine like this, I could take on.
This machine definitely beats using a shovel lol
For sure!
Hello, What is the setup of this machine. Is this Dual Pump? Does it have the transmission cooler option? Is this a 1 Ton Machine?
One pump. No cooler. 2200lbs
How did you go about getting this machine. Plus what was the total cost with import duties please.
I bought it at auction. Was $6500
There are some nicer models but they cost more. NUOMAN has a 2.7 ton machine that is very nice but cost around $18,000 which is still cheap compared to USA model. Also had Kubota engine.
Yea honestly I wouldn’t buy it to work with. If you needed a cheap machine for around the house this is it. But if you wanna make a living spend the money on a good used or better name brand machine. These will not hold up to long term heavy use
They seem to exclusively being sold through auctions now for around $4-5k. Win for the manufacturer: no service or warranty needed
Pretty much
You are going along pretty smooth for someone not used to those controls.
Thanks! Yea I’m pretty good at switching patterns but I always use what’s comfortable
So I got one Friday and swapped the hoses to sae pattern and swapped right travel with blade control now I can steer with one hand and work blade with other. I think I'm gonna love it and wouldn't have got it without watching you on this one. Thanks.
@@uleftmeout1755do you know where to find a diagram on how to switch the controls up like you did? Or does it just take some playing around to find the controls pattern that you like?
@@RealRionRedinger I knew the lever pattern so I changed the ones to make that happen. You can probably google the two popular patterns or make your own I suppose.
Can it push over small trees? I'm clearing a driveway with some uneven ground and some smaller trees, it was logged in the past.
It could probably handle smaller stuff like 4-6” the biggest issue is it doesn’t weigh a whole lot. So you don’t really have much weight to push against the trees with.
Can you put a auger attachment to it ?are they universal or it has to be specific ?newbie here.Thanks
Yes you can put an auger on it as long as it’s not too big. It has hydraulics to run it
@@AbramsExcavating you yhink it can run a 12 inch bit to dig holes ?or is that to much for the machine?
@@Thelastmistake I think it could probably handle it as long as you aren’t in super hard or rocky ground.
I have New 8 " augers for $700
I think if you pulled the chunk of concrete right up against your blade and then rolled it so it was sitting an its edge you would have had a better perchous and the centre of gravity would have been more in your favour , then by crowding the stick and lifting the blade , you would have had enough clearance from the ground to move it around , great little digger !!!
yea Im sure I could have done it that way but I was trying not to scratch the machine all up since I planned to sell it.
Does anyone know where to get parts for these here in the states?
It's a Briggs & Stratton engine, pins is just pins, measure them and go and buy one of the same. It's not very much on these.. but I think you will need a welder in the long run.
Thanks looking at one now.
They are good machines for their cost!
I bought one for our self build and I love it
It’s definitely a useful little machine!
How much is it?
@@makincash3337 just sold this one for $9000
@@AbramsExcavating awesome congrats on your sale man!!-
@@makincash3337 thank you! I bought it kinda just to see what they were all about but also as a way to invest short
Term. I used the money to buy something pretty neat that I’m making a video on
How does this compare to the ones attached to the tractor sub compacts?
So just about any excavator is going to dig and be more efficient than a tractor/backhoe. Just by general design they work better.
This little thing had some serious power for its size. I’d say it would out work a comparable sized tractor/backhoe
Are you set up ISO or SAE? I think mine is set up SAE, and I learned on a backhoe with ISO controls. I think I need to switch mine around.
It was set up as iso excavator control,
I believe sae is backhoe (John Deere sticks)
@@AbramsExcavating it was a Deere backhoe
How easy is it to get repair parts for this thing?
All the parts are standard hydraulic items. Nothing here is really special that you couldn’t order online or your local hydraulic shop couldn’t get
The worse part of this machine is the Koop engine. Spend extra an get a Kubota engine
I have a machine like that, it just lacks a beer cooler for in the garden use
Perfect addition!
The teeth position on that bucket seems odd. I usually see those installed on the inside of the bucket and it doesn't stick out the back of the bucket.
Yea I think they are on backwards. I keep forgetting to switch them hahah
There are other videos where the guys unbolted the teeth and then flipped 'em around. Usually the end result is the machine digs MUCH better.
I was looking for reviews on these mini excavators and came across yours and have to say you are damn smooth operating that little machine for not being used to the controls. I have been looking at the Lanty which looks close to this machine. They are just available close by to me. Thanks for the good honest review.
Thank you! I wouldn’t say I’m ambidextrous on the controls but over the years I’ve been in enough
Situations where I have to run controls I’m not used to!
Glad the video was helpful to you! I had fun making it!
@@AbramsExcavating Sure was helpful. I am bidding on a new one right now. We will see how it goes..
Got one at auction for 4300. Saw several more +/- by 1k. Saw others online paying 7.5k. Good money at 9500.
Do the tracks extend to better stabilize it?
No
I'd like to watch a video with an auger on one of the mini excavators to see what it can take to drill holes....thank you...
Nice video! Thanks for the review
Thanks for watching!
I need on bud. How much was this. I debating between this and a towable one. Thanks for the video
Hey I bought this at auction all said and done with tax and fees was around $7500
@@AbramsExcavating thank you
I'm sure you could change a couple hydraulic lines to the control pattern. Most machines you can do that
yea I definitely could. I know my way around heavy equipment. However Im not going to change the lines because I dont plan to keep it.
Hi, do you have a manual for this one?
Thanks for making this video. I just Purchased a Typoon mini it looks identical . My fear is running it in 100 plus degree temperature it gets very hot . I m thinking of adding a hydraulic fan. What's your thoughts ?
A fan would probably be a good idea. These machines don’t have any sort of hydraulic cooler. So if you run them for any amount of time they will slow down as the hydros heat ho
My QH12 actually boils the fuel when it gets hot. Hydraulics are good but the engine vapor locks. Just gotta let it cool down then.
Can the controls be turning around easy l run tractor backhoe? Just wondering if it’s the same thing
You’d have to switch hydraulic lines to get to a backhoe pattern. Not hard to do just have to switch 4 lines around
Cat controls are SAE. John Deere controls are ISO.
The opposite I think. But they both switch-over so........
@@robertlipperd7352 You are incorrect. Cat has always been SAE with the ability to switch later on in years.
I stand corrected.
@@Detour73
Great video!
Thank you!
Well done! It is made in China.
For this price, it is a good machine. You surely can get a decent one from China with more money
Thanks! Most people just knock it cause it’s made in china. Little do they know most of the big brands are made in china too! But I agree there are better models.
@@AbramsExcavating so are their Milwaukee and Dewalt cordless power tools.
@@AbramsExcavating few big brands are made in China - Korea, Japan, yes. That said, China makes hundreds of thousands of excavators (most brands you've probably never heard of).
How good is it on hills and side
That thing makes my 304 look like a 336!😂 cool little machine for what you pay for it
yea definitely haha! i bought this one at auction for $6800 but you can get them cheaper direct through china. It was a last minute choice for me to buy it and i was already at the auction.
@@AbramsExcavating that’s awesome! Great for a homeowner who wants a little machine to toy with in the yard
That’s the exact place for this. I don’t think it’s suited for anyone trying to make a living with it
6800!? Where are you located? I just won one at auction for 3,500 brand new
@@AbramsExcavating right? Maybe if you work in tight areas often but that’d be a second machine to have
Ok the bes kualiti enjen..
My new one came set up with ASE pattern changing to ISO next week
In comes a Cat6040 and picks up all
The dirt and this machine in 1 scoop 😂 all in all this little guy probably wouldn’t be bad for around the house and some odd jobs
Now you know damn well that thing ain't going to pick up that big ass boulder
How do you buy something like this? I'm in Georgia.
They show up at auctions frequently. But I’m sure you could buy off the supplier directly. Much cheaper if
You don’t mind the wait
So these are the same as groundhog brand?
similar but not the same. there are a few companies that make these machines. they are all basically the same but have slight differences mostly in the body work
@@AbramsExcavating so mechanically they're the same? Reason for asking there's so many out there it's confusing. Here in lower Michigan I find very few to go and test out
Yes I believe mechanically they use the same “driveline, pumps motors etc”
Where online do you buy one of these?
I bought it through an online equipment auction. They have been at every auction ive attended this past year
I sell 1 ton like this for 10500 fully loaded with auger
I am going to get something like this. Just for tinkering around my house.
I believe it would be a good fit for that!
looks more like a lawn ornament that you can pick your nose with in a pinch
Nailed it
That's close to a yard of concrete at 400 pounds per yard. Not to shabby.
Was honestly pretty impressed by the hydraulic power
Where do you buy attachments for it?
I would imagine through the manufacturer or I’m sure other brands would fit it
I have new Augers and Buckets,rippers etc
You can get attachments on eBay and Amazon
Save your $ I have attachments here.E bay doesn't know what fits and the attachments are over priced
@@dirtpro2781 I've seen you comment here several times trying to advertise and leave no contact information. Would you like people to actually contact you and purchase these machines?
BOUGHT 2 for my little farm and it was the BEST INVESTMENT
Great to
Hear!
Where did you buy the excavator?
At an equipment auction
Awesome 👏
Diesel?
Gas 14hp
What’s the price on one of these?
Depends, my father picked one up from the auction for $9500 CAD after tax and auction fees
@@Ru55_2 thats probably like 8500 or so American seems a little high tbh for what it is to bad it’s not a diesel
They can be bought at auction around $8000 after fees. I have this one advertised at $9500. Have been getting a lot of interest in it but it’s honestly not the best time to sell something like this right now. I bought it to resell because I was already at the auction with a trailer. I also figured it would be a good thing to make a video on to show you guys what they are all about!
@@5.slow-ranger at current conversion rate it’s just over $7000 usd
@@AbramsExcavating we appreciate it! For homeowners with some property, this isn't a bad deal.
How long can you sit with your feet turned 90 degrees?😃
not long hahah!
Id take one I mean it would beat my ole hand shovel
For sure!
this actually looks like a good example of this model, I have one that looks identical to this, with a different name on it - built like absolutely garbage, wired by a 4 year old who was told how to wire electrical by a color blind man.
This one’s not far off hahahaha
Great video. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
How much does it cost?
Can pick them up anywhere between $7500-$11000
What’s the price on one of these
i paid $7000. you can buy direct from china for roughly $3500-$4000
where do you get spare parts for it when something goes wrong? Thanks
Most parts are just common lawnmower engine and hardware. Anything major you are gonna have to either weld and machine yourself or I guess you could try the manufacturer but I’d have to guess you are on your own for the most part.
@@AbramsExcavating ok. Thanks
Do you think you could dig a house footer with one of these?
I mean anything is possible if you have the patience and time. But I think it would
Be a little
Small for that job. Much quicker with a bigger machine
Why did you take the thumb off?
The thumb limits the mobility of the bucket when digging. You can’t close the bucket fully with the thumb
I am going to install a hydraulic thumb on mine, have to re engineer a thing or two but should be done quite easily. I have had mine for over a year. Done multiple jobs with it, actually it has paid it self back. Soi am net zero for the cost of it now. Yeah 👍.
have a diagram/parts list for that ?
@@dougmiller7643
The heart of any excavator is the engine. Everything else is just metal, cylinders, pumps, dumps, and hoses - all of which come from China anyway. If the engine was a Chinese knockoff brand, I'd say it would fail. However, Briggs (thought mostly Chinese parts) have quality controls. They have a reputation to uphold. The last things to fail on these will be the motor.
But no big deal really..... $200-800 for a replacement if needed.
You said it has Cat controls can't you just change some hoses around to change it to Deere?
Yea I could of easily done that. But I was planning on selling this and a lot of
Guys run cat here. The guy I sold it to actually did switch it to deere
I bring these 1 ton Excavator into Texas once a month.For 10,500 I can sell you one with a Hydraulic thumb,Hydraulic oil cooler,extra 8" Utility bucket,quick change and Auger
Sorry but I paid a lot less than that.
Yes you did but you didn't get any of the necessary extras.Not having a Hydraulic oil cooler means your Excavator will not work well in heat.You also didn't get a Hydraulic thum to grab things.And all the different attachments that you can't get.Well that makes your Excavator unable to do alot of jobs its capable of.Im offering different Buckets and an Auger.
@@dirtpro2781 listen, I know what these machines cost brought in from china. I’ve been in contact with multiple producers. I have zero interest in selling these units. They are good for the money but they are not good enough machines to run all day long.
I do not need any more of these Chinese machines. I’m glad I was able to show this one off and test it out. I’m also glad I was able to sell it to someone that would be able to
Use it.
Ok that's understandable.I was just putting a plug in for people that need parts and attachments for the mini 1 ton.Yes they are cheaper when ordered from China but a person is stuck when they need parts or attachments.Thats why dealers like me sell for a bit higher.We help our customers keep these minis running.That AGT you purchased has no support from AGT Industrial.I couldn't get a bucket from them lol
@Abrams Excavating why did you remove the thumb?
A good machine to dig a grave.
Your own when your old lady finds out you bought one!
How much did u pay ?
I have $8000 invested.
If I become a dealer I can get them for less.
where can I get one?
i bought mine at a local equipment auction, im sure you could buy direct from the manufacturer or there are a few other resellers around. Just start searching for AGT excavators
@@AbramsExcavating found it in PA groundhog equipment
I like your machine
Thanks!
Near where I lived, in England, there was a motorcycle training school with a small fleet of used Hondas. They bought a bunch of Chinese bikes because they were cheaper, new, than the second-hand Hondas. After a year of continuous breakdowns, some of them terminal, they sold the lot and went back to used Hondas.
Good luck.
Yea haha I bought this to flip it. It’s been gone for a few months now but I figured I’d make a video to show what it’s all about. Build quality isn’t great. But it is better than a shovel
If a professional is impressed I'm sold on the idea of having one. I can't afford one right now but I'll be looking at getting one next year maybe.
Oh, by the way, I'm in Thailand so I'm hoping it will be a lot cheaper to transport and import. Maybe the manufacturers have a depot here with excavators ready go!!
They can be purchased failry cheap direct from china, I wanna say around $4000
@@AbramsExcavating thanks for info, I skipped through the video and didn’t hear the price.
Have you tried doing demanding jobs like uprooting a large plant...?
Hey no I bought this machine to just try out and resell. Basically what you’ve seen in the video is all I’ve done with it
How tall are you? I'm thinking about these but I'm worried i may be too tall for it.
I’m 6’4” it’s small but not awful
@AbramsExcavating I'm 6 5 soooo. Thanks
Chinese Engineering
Built to last (2 years)
Sounds like a pressure washer.
Hahah basically the same motor as one!
Sounds like a ln mower not diesl excavator
Well it basically is a mower engine hahahah
Yeah it sounded like my old Briggs and straton WHITE lawn mower. From 1977. Stoll works great. For what it is.
where are you located
North east Pennsylvania
@@AbramsExcavating how much are you looking to get for the machine. I see a bunch of different numbers on different comments
@@AbramsExcavating I'm in Kunkletown area. Do you have one for sale?
Yes this one is for sale
@@AbramsExcavating you sell it?
You should have the blade on the ground behind you so it doesn't Rock back like that.
Blade out front is the best way for stabilizing.
Do you think it would dig up Bamboo?
It might. Definitely has enough power!
how much do they weigh in lbs
2200lbs
🎉🎉🎉
How about how to service it.
A thumb would really be handy.