Kubota offers side levers on 1.1 t mini excavator

Kubota showed at Bauma a new version of its 1.1 t mini excavator, the U10-3SL, with side operating levers rather than the central pilot controls used on the conventional model.

The U10 is a popular model with rental companies and tool hirers who have homeowners and small builders among their customers.

Joachim Stein, leader of product support at Kubota Baumaschinen, told IRN that the side mounted controls, incorporating arm rests, would be more comfortable to use than the central pilot controls. The company will continue to produce the version with central controls.

There is a slight price premium on the side-controls version. The new model was made available at the beginning of this year.

Also at the show the company unveiled the three KC tracked dumper models that are being produced for Kubota by Italian manufacturer Hinowa. The Kubota models are modified versions of existing Hinowa dumpers, but with changes to some components, such as the use of Perkins engines.

The three dumpers are the KC70H-4, KC110HR-4 and KC250HR-4.