Plant Operaters Advice Please

[robbo k]

also maybe look into what engines each manufactor run.... but cat would be first choice then komatsu's. I know from my old job they have got komatsu front end loaders got a brand new hyundai and I broke it in the first week. (ripped the drive shaft on the gearbox oooops

Edited 19/02/10 10:37 AM by robbo k

[_Spin_]

Drott is a trax cavator. Basically a dozer with a loader bucket and hydraulics.

lol, they are great for their intended purpose, but are an absolute bastard of a thing to use purely as a loader for like a bin truck down the paddock, unless you were in really snotty going..

Edited 19/02/10 10:40 AM by _Spin_

[Ralph Wiggum]

  On 19/02/2010 at 10:24 AM, Gloo said:

Scince there is more machinery your looking at I just thought I would share some more thoughts.

Skidsteers, personally I think cat skid steers are by far better than any bobcat. Also john deer as far as I can remember has the largest swl for all skidsteers of there size, so that's something to think about if you plan on getting forks or an oversized 4 in 1 or even a grader attachment *trimming blocks* which are quite heavy. Bobcat hand controlls are electronic and are delayed by about a second, in short there shocking to get used to. Cat hand controlls are hydralic lined so they handle much like a digger, very smooth and precises, I cant stress enough at how easyer this makes things for final trimming, and how much faster they can be operated. Personaly I would only every buy a cat skidsteer and second would be a foot controlled bobcat skidsteer because all there other patterns are sh*t house.

Cat dozers are second to none, never heard of a drot. Might do some research.

Any way im sure your very aware of all of this, but just in case.

How old is that cat skidsteer you have used with pilot controls? all new cats (ie upto 4 years old) are electric over hydraulic.

Which is much faster than pilot hydraulics. The delay is porbably built into the machine to slow the hydraulics to a level that an average operator can deal with

oh and every cat excavtor made in the last ten years or so are electric over hydraulic

[our06t]

yeh the drot is mainly for pushing out fill ,need something to keep up with 33t loads coming in fairly quickly ,don't think a track skid steer would be up too it ,please tell me if im wrong

you guys are giving me priceless info many thanks , that's the problem with being half in the game already no one who knows us will give straight answers ( afraid of losing their own work fair enough I suppose ) and well dealers are dealers.

the tracked cat is mostly for final trim ,tight work and clean up

we have our yard machines these are purely for site work block filling and exc for block cutting and truck loading

[Ralph Wiggum]

ourxr6t Traxcavtor's (Cats name for a track loaders) run hyrdo static transmissions,they are notoriously difficult to diagnose and can be horrendously expensive to repair if you don't have the right guy on the job.

I strongly suggest if you purchase one second hand, before you sign up check out the machines S.O.S history (If it doesnt have one DON'T buy it) and get a full machine appraisal done by the local dealer. It may cost you a grand but could say you many times that

(this is coming from somebody who used to run a heavy construction workshop for the cat dealer in wa )

[our06t]

dont be supprised if you get a pm for your ph number mate I really appreciate the info

we do have a very good plant mechanic / does all the line bores etc for pins /rebuilds whatever needed on side as far as inspections go he's around 500 a pop but well worth it

sos that stand for service on site?

Edited 19/02/10 11:04 AM by our06t

[_Spin_]

lol, leave me out of it, my brother is fabrication shop foreman at Hastings Deering and I can`t get a friggin` cap out of him...

[our06t]

lol

ps the sooner these things start making money the closer I am to a FG T work ute

Edited 19/02/10 11:08 AM by our06t

[Ralph Wiggum]

S.O.S= scheduled oil sampling. Oil samples taken at services and after major repairs to monitor machine health. The owner SHOULD have this history if they give half a crap about there gear.

Shame your not in WA I run my own heavy equipment repair service now.

_Spin_

I worked for the dealer for five years and got in total two stubbie holders and a cap......

blood out of a stone those markerting guys.....unless you sign on the dotted line for a machine.... and they you pay for in the machine price anyway...

[Cozza]

Mate in the 13t range you cant go past the Hitachi, the 13.5t short tail swing excavator is very good in tighter situations, powered by basically Isusu highway engines which are very reliable and relatively cheap to service, most of the smaller range now are common rail engines and are awesome on juice, I dug a dam on my property in 30 hours (3 x 10 hour days) I used a 3/4 of a 205L of diesel and it wasnt easy going either, Hitachi have very good onsite and backup fitters.... food for thought