I am thinking of starting an excavation company and need some advise on excavators. Right now i am thinking of a 315/160 size vs a 320/200 sized for doing a varity of work from loading trucks to clearing trees or anything else. Thanks
There both fine machines. I really like the 320cl. but a 315cl is a little more versital. Smaller so you can get it in tighter spots. I would probly go with a 315 unless your never going to get in tight spots. I would then go with the 320.
I have driven the 320CL and 315C. The only thing I noticed was the AUX hydraulics on the 320 were a tiny bit stronger. Overall they preform like the same machine, I would go with the 315.
315 you can put on a tag trailer with a tandem truck....320 would be pushing your luck....
I would also go with the 315 we had a 320 and traded in on a newer 315 and am not sorry that we did use it all the time. I am not saying the 320 is a bad machine at all 315 just a little more versatile
Thanks i really likethe 315 also my main question was truck loading how does it do loading tandems and tri-alexs. Thanks
I recently traded a 325 in on a 315. A 315 was my first trackhoe and it was a very good machine. Powerful, quick, can do pretty much what a 320 can do and it will float nicely on the tag behind the tri-axle. My work load has changed and the 315 fits the bill nicely. I don't have a lowboy so I had to pay $500 or so every time the 325 was moved. Now I have the flexibility of moving the 315 for a 1 or 2 day job with my truck and trailer. A good example was a nice paying 1 day job to clear an access for a geotech's drill rig. Just loaded it up on the tag, done the job and was back "home" by 4. Back in '04 when I had my first 315, we also had a 325 rented on the same job, which consisted of loading out trucks. This project had about 100K yards that had to leave the site. We were loading any truck that backed under the hoe. Once word got out we would have several new trucks almost daily getting one or two loads. I didn't charge for the loading, just needed the material moved. Anyway, the 315 would hang in there with the 325 loading. The 315 had a 36" bucket and the 325 had a 42" bucket. Of course the 325 had more power and could load faster, but the 315 still had guts. I put 2K hours on my first 315 and never turned a bolt, seriously. I hope the new 315 does the same.
This pretty much sums it up. For a small contractor, the ability to load up and go with the truck and tilt deck trailer you already own is a big plus. We have a couple of 315's, and they are sweet for smaller stuff and pipe work. We did have a boom break on a nearly new 315 this year. I never did hear the story on what actually happened with that deal.
Thanks for the help i think ill go with the 315c versaltilty and can do some truck loading seems like what i need Thanks again.
how about a 318 cl ?
The 318 is a weird spec'd machine. It's heavier than a 315, which pushes the limits on tag, but not as big as 320. If you were going with a 318, just go ahead and get a lowboy and 320. The 318 is around 42k lbs compared to a 315 which is 37K lbs. The 315 will fit on a tag and not be overwide, I believe the 318 qualifies for an overwide permit. Although this one is a deal - http://www.machinerytrader.com/list...6491350&GUID=8C2400916C234288B4B3053693404BAF
I believe you can still get the narrow carriage version of the 318 in the C series that keeps you at 8'6". I know B series it was an option. To me, the 318 is a useless machine unless you get the narrow carriage. You're not quite a 20 ton machine as it is and you'd still have to permit it, doesn't make much sense on Cat's part to even produce this machine.
We have a '01 315CL and it has been a wonderful machine. We use it for everything from loading trucks, digging basements, installing utilities, backfilling, digging swales, grading slopes, etc.... It is not made for deep digging. We have a Kobelco 200 and we were installing 8" sewer mains about 12' deep. I swapped out the 200 for the 315 do trench while my dad was changing a hose on the 200. What a major difference in digging vs. the 2 machines. The 315 couldn't hold a torch to the 200.