Link Belt & Volvo

[jefftb]

Anyone here owned a modern Link Belt excavator? They advertise quite the low fuel rate consumption per hour (they use Isuzu engines) on their new LBX product line and their older machines are pretty good too.

I've found an outstanding 2004 135MSR that the owner has been very kind to and the specs are good. That's a 30,000 lbs. machine. It will be a stretch for me to step outside the Komatsu product line for excavators but with current pricing on used equipment I'm looking at abandoning the party line and seeing what other stuff can do. Mind you I'm not casting any purchases into the "will do" but rather the "hmmm maybe I can swing it."

I've also found a very good 2003 Volvo 140LC for sale...Hint, Hint Dirtman-give me the goods since you run that 210. Volvo specs out good too with low fuel consumption.

The Volvo is about $15K less than the Link Belt by the way.

JR-I'm closer than KSSS, maybe your Mom will put up 60% of the purchase price to have you home on weekends.:clapping:

[Dirtman2007]

Anyone here owned a modern Link Belt excavator? They advertise quite the low fuel rate consumption per hour (they use Isuzu engines) on their new LBX product line and their older machines are pretty good too.

I've found an outstanding 2004 135MSR that the owner has been very kind to and the specs are good. That's a 30,000 lbs. machine. It will be a stretch for me to step outside the Komatsu product line for excavators but with current pricing on used equipment I'm looking at abandoning the party line and seeing what other stuff can do. Mind you I'm not casting any purchases into the "will do" but rather the "hmmm maybe I can swing it."

I've also found a very good 2003 Volvo 140LC for sale...Hint, Hint Dirtman-give me the goods since you run that 210. Volvo specs out good too with low fuel consumption.

The Volvo is about $15K less than the Link Belt by the way.

JR-I'm closer than KSSS, maybe your Mom will put up 60% of the purchase price to have you home on weekends.:clapping:

Linkbelt and case Excavators are the same machine just painted a different color. SO you can used a case excavator to compare. The volvo's are nice machines, I don't know much about the LC series as mine is a BLC model. I think dirtdigger has a 150? volvo and he can probably give you a better opinion. For me personally, Volvo all the way.

[ksss]

Linkbelt and case Excavators are the same machine just painted a different color. SO you can used a case excavator to compare. The volvo's are nice machines, I don't know much about the LC series as mine is a BLC model. I think dirtdigger has a 150? volvo and he can probably give you a better opinion. For me personally, Volvo all the way.


The LinkBelt X2 and the CASE B series are virtually the same.

The older CX CASE excavators did not have the Izuzu motor in them.
There are 4 B series machines here locally that I know of. The low fuel consumption comments are really unbelievable.

The LX machines with LinkBelt I am not sure. The Izuzu is fuel efficient no doubt about that even in the older machines.

There is an 06 LinkBelt 210 on Iron Planet. The inspection has not yet been done. Its sitting in Tenn.

[Gravel Rat]

I would say Volvo too. I think there is more dealer support and easier to get parts for etc.

[jefftb]

Yeah, I'm semi waiting on that inspection by IP for the Link Belt-they must be running behind because of the holidays. The auction is the 8th and today is the 4th.

On fuel consumption, do you mean they are unbelievable or they are "UNbelievable" because of data?!?!?!?!

[stuvecorp]

My 135 Kobelco has a Isuzu in it and has almost 12,000 hours and just purrs, as for fuel use it doesn't get enough hours to track the useage. There are starting to be some Volvos out there here.

[Gravel Rat]

No Isuzu engines are very good on fuel. Hitachi uses Isuzu engines in their excavators and you can't beat the fuel economy.

One of the forestry contractors uses both or used to use both Deere and Hitachi 350 size machines the Deeres are called a different model name but they are both Forester models. The Hitachi uses the Isuzu engine the Deere uses a Deere engine. The Hitachi gets a day more on the same amount of fuel.

These excavators are exactly the same except for paint and engines.

I'am not sure about Volvo engines in excavators but the ones used in boats are decent enough.

Cat and Komatsu have to be the piggyest on fuel. The 158 Komatsu I ran was horrible on fuel.

[ksss]

Yeah, I'm semi waiting on that inspection by IP for the Link Belt-they must be running behind because of the holidays. The auction is the 8th and today is the 4th.

On fuel consumption, do you mean they are unbelievable or they are "UNbelievable" because of data?!?!?!?!


The guys that are running them are sure bragging about the low fuel usage. All of these guys traded CX machines in on the B series.


Sometimes those machines don't end up in the auction if they have not been inspected by the week of the auction. I curious to see what kind of shape its in.

[Gravel Rat]

So this is similar to what your looking at ?

http://usediron.point2.com/Xhtml/Equipment/Details/P2/Excavator-Crawler/LINK-BELT/135MSR/521751/Photos.html

[Dirt Digger2]

we run an older volvo...an EC 150 with 3800 hours on it so it is broken in. I like the machine. the good thing about it is that its the largest hoe you can buy and still be inside of 8' 6" (barely) so no need for permits to move it. The thing has held up well with a few exceptions, the A/C went (fixed under warranty) and the onboard computer stopped talking to the throttle control so when i auto idles down it never idles back up when you touch the controls so you have to turn the dial down and back up or run it on manual mode so it never idles down in the first place...im sure it is a simple fix but Volvo wants a ridiculous price for their repair manual and its just not worth it. The auto-idle feature is a good one, its a key fuel saver. We get about 2 days to a tank in normal conditions. The engine has been good, make sure you let it idle at the end of the day to slow the turbo down (another problem we had was a burnt out turbo)

Link Belt however makes a great machine too...we demo'd a 11-13 ton machine last summer if i recall...i didn't get to run it because i was on another job but the guys who did said they liked it...they weren't use to running something so small but said the power was great as was the comfort

i would take a look at the Volvo...they are quickly becoming a serious contender in the trackhoe market (good bye CAT) and they stand behind their products, The 140 is a good size, i guess they got rid of the 150 and replaced it with a 140 and 160 but i am sure it is very similar to ours, probably a few nice upgrades too

[jefftb]

Yep, but its a year newer. I actually found that one while doing an equipment search. Link Belt historical specs end at 2005. The 2004 may not have a pattern changer or even that level of performance. The 2005 brochure indicates the pattern change is standard.

[jefftb]

Yeah, I lean more towards the Volvo. ASC is our nearest dealer and they have two dealer stores proximate to me. One is 20 miles away with the other 70 miles away.

The Link Belt dealer has a dealership 70 miles away but I'm not sure their socket set goes past 20mm. My first visit there it took me 5 minutes for ME to find a human being to talk to.

That's less than optimal to me.

[raschmid07]

Jefftb... I'm 99% sure I'm working with Blount next summer, but if pick up a new excavator, I can't promise I could pay for any of it, but I sure am closer than Jr.

[jefftb]

Jefftb... I'm 99% sure I'm working with Blount next summer, but if pick up a new excavator, I can't promise I could pay for any of it, but I sure am closer than Jr.

Oooh, Blount Excavating? Going to work for the big boys with the big toys. Cool. Well, unless you meant Blount County......:hammerhead:

[bobcat_ron]

The Volvo and Case/LBX have an argument type ad in the equipment post papers here, it's quite funny, the Volvo's are still cheaper on fuel and Volvo didn't change their machines twice a year, so parts are easier to get, if you actually break down.
I've seen both brands up close, Volvo uses heavier castings on the end of the stick and boom pivots and LBX "just" put in cup holders in their cabs in the 2006 model years.

[Junior M]

Jefftb... I'm 99% sure I'm working with Blount next summer, but if pick up a new excavator, I can't promise I could pay for any of it, but I sure am closer than Jr.
Huh? Your saying your closer to buying a machine than I am?

[ksss]

The Volvo and Case/LBX have an argument type ad in the equipment post papers here, it's quite funny, the Volvo's are still cheaper on fuel and Volvo didn't change their machines twice a year, so parts are easier to get, if you actually break down.
I've seen both brands up close, Volvo uses heavier castings on the end of the stick and boom pivots and LBX "just" put in cup holders in their cabs in the 2006 model years.

Well I will be the Link Belt fan boy I guess. The X frame on the Link Belt is super strong. The Volvo machine which was a Samsung until some 7-8 years ago. Now its a Volvo. Who has been building excavators longer and better, Samsung (those machines were considered disposable) and Volvo who had never had an excavator prior to the this or Sumitomo which is one of the largest and oldest excavator oems in the world. As far as which drinks less fuel a new Volvo or a new Link Belt? No idea, I am sure they both are cheap on fuel compared to about everything else on the market.

Nothing wrong with a LinkBelt excavator.

[raschmid07]

Haha, no Jr I was saying that I was closer to him in terms of where you and I live, definetly not I was closer to buying a machine than you. And Jeff, fortunately for me not Blount County.

[oakhillslandscaping]

i have a link belt 2650 and love it i have never had any motor problems, runs quiet at full throttle i love the auto power up too the only thing i have done to it is replaced one chain link and a gasket under the house that went for some reason, but they are not diesel hogs at all

[murray83]

Not sure about down your way but up here Strongco offers a 4 year warranty on the volvo's everything included except light bulbs