Both of our excavators are Kubotas and both are called mini excavators, but they are very different machines on a jobsite. Here is how to choose without over-renting or getting stuck with a machine that is too small.
Kubota U17: the tight access machine
The U17 weighs about 1.7 tonnes and its tracks retract to fit through a gate about three feet wide, then extend again for stability once it is through. Dig depth is roughly seven and a half feet, which covers almost every residential trench, footing, drainage line and small pond. Because it is light, it can drive across an established lawn in dry conditions without tearing it up. It is the machine for backyard drainage, deck footings, water and hydro lines, small stumps, garden ponds and any job where the machine has to get down the side of a house. It rents from $250 a day.
Kubota U35: the real digging machine
The U35 weighs about 3.7 tonnes, digs to roughly ten feet, and has the breakout force to pull mature stumps, dig septic beds, open a foundation for an addition or garage, and load a dump trailer quickly. It needs roughly five feet of clear width to get in and will mark a wet lawn. It is the machine for septic systems, foundations, larger stumps and roots, pool removals, driveway culverts and anything where the U17 would spend all day taking small bites. It rents from $350 a day.
Decide by the deepest point
Measure the deepest point of the job. Under six feet: either machine, so choose by access. Six to seven feet: U17 will reach but slowly at the bottom, the U35 is more comfortable. Over seven and a half feet, or anything involving a septic tank, a full basement or a large stump: U35, no question.
Decide by soil
Georgina and Brock have a lot of heavy clay, and the Oak Ridges Moraine areas around Uxbridge and Mount Albert have sand and gravel with boulders. Clay is slow for a small machine, so if you are digging more than a short trench in clay, step up to the U35. Sand is easy for either but collapses, so trench walls need to be sloped or shored for anyone working in them, which is a safety rule, not a preference.
Decide by how you get it there
The U17 can be towed on our tilt trailer behind a half-ton pickup. The U35 and its trailer are heavier and need a properly rated truck. Most customers have us deliver either one, which is quoted up front by postal code.
Do you need locates?
Yes. In Ontario you are required by law to request utility locates through Ontario One Call before you dig on any property, including your own backyard. It is free, and you should request it at least five business days before the rental. We will not put a machine into a trench line that has not been located.
Still not sure? Text a photo of the job and the access to 905-251-2521 and we will tell you which one to book.