Model Spotlight

John Deere 26G Mini Excavator: 2.6-Ton G-Series Compact

The John Deere 26G is a 2.6-ton compact mini excavator from the G-Series — a step up in dig depth and operating weight from the 17G while keeping tight-access maneuverability. Built for utility, residential, landscaping, and light construction work, it shares cab glass and many service items with the 30G, 35G, and 50G across the G-Series mini line.

BT

Broken Tractor Editorial Team• Updated May 2026• 7 min read

Where the 26G fits in the John Deere excavator line

The 26G sits above the 17G and below the 30G in the JD G-Series mini excavator family. 2.6-ton operating weight, more dig depth and reach than the 17G, while still rubber-track configured for sensitive working surfaces. It shares a common cab platform with the 30G, 35G, and 50G — including the FYD00006272 front lower glass that crosses all four machines.

Engine, hydraulics, and undercarriage

The 26G runs a Yanmar diesel through a hydrostatic drive into a rubber-track undercarriage. Boom-swing geometry allows offset digging along walls, fences, and foundations — a key feature for the tight-residential work the G-Series mini is designed for.

The FYD00006272 front lower glass is one of the highest-volume cab service parts across the entire G-Series mini line. It is a direct fit on the 26G, 30G, 35G, and 50G — the same common-platform cab is used across all four machines. If you are buying glass for a 26G, that part number is the one to confirm against your machine before ordering.

Common service items on the 26G

• Engine: Yanmar diesel pistons, rings, sleeves, bearings, head gaskets, full overhaul kits.
• Cooling system: Radiator, water pump, thermostat, fan, hoses, hydraulic oil cooler.
• Hydraulics: Main pump, control valve, swing motor, travel motors, boom / arm / bucket / boom-swing cylinders.
• Undercarriage (rubber-track): Rubber tracks, idlers, track rollers, sprocket, recoil spring and adjuster.
• Cab glass: FYD00006272 front lower glass (direct fit across 26G/30G/35G/50G), door glass, side windows, upper windshield.
• Swing: Swing bearing, swing motor, swing reduction gearbox.
• Electrical: Alternator, starter, sensors, wiring harness.

Parts we carry for the John Deere 26G

What to verify before ordering

• Serial number. Confirm the serial on the cab before ordering year-specific parts.
• Engine serial. Yanmar internals are calibrated to specific engine serials.
• Cab glass position. FYD00006272 is the front lower glass — other positions (front upper, doors, side) are different part numbers.
• Rubber track size. Track width is model-specific — measure the existing track before ordering.
• Hydraulic pump generation. Pump revisions saw running changes during production.

Why the 26G still earns a paycheck

The 26G stays in service because mini excavators in the 2.5-ton class are the workhorse of utility, landscape, and tight-residential construction. It has enough dig depth and lift for most homeowner-scale and small-contractor jobs, it is small enough to transport on a light trailer behind a standard pickup, and the rubber tracks make ground impact minimal on lawns, parking lots, and finished surfaces.

Maintenance priorities on a 26G: clean fuel on the Yanmar, rubber-track wear monitoring, undercarriage roller and idler condition, swing bearing grease, hydraulic oil cleanliness, and cab glass replacement (FYD00006272 is the most common cab glass service item across the mini line). Broken Tractor maintains parts coverage across the JD G-Series mini excavator line.