Any of you guys on here know anyone that's using an Add-a-Boot on a larger (75-90 ton) machine? (Not the Add-a-Stick, but the fixed stick extension "boot") I have a job coming up where I need to excavate shot rock to a depth of around 34feet below the water table. I have a Deere 800CLC that has the standard 27 ft boom and 14ft stick with a maximum of 32 feet digging depth and need a few extra feet of depth to ensure maximum yeild, as I'm being paid by the cubic yard to excavate a specific area. I have ordered an 8 ft Add-a-Boot but I'm a bit worried about how it will affect digging power, balance of the machine, etc. From everything I've read on the net they seem to work, but not sure. I have a 60" 5 yd bucket but I'm thinking I may need some thing smaller like a 48" 4+/- yd. Anyone??
I believe it would be fine even with a 54" bucket. I don't have any experience with them but have read where they do make the machine a little more tipsy but not to the extent of grabbing ahold every time!!. It would have been nice if you could have found a 17'9" stick. That could have gotten you down to 34'9" deep.
Yep, I tried to find a machine with either the long stick or boom, but it's hard to find one with a long (17'9") stick and I haven't yet even seen a Deere/Hitachi 800 with the 10 meter (33 ft) boom, even though its listed on jdparts. I bought the machine with a 80" HD bucket and it was digging wet shot rock with that in Ft. Myers, so it should be able to handle a 54" bucket with extension. I also have a 60" GP bucket for it as well, but I'm worried that it might get a bit tipsy with that, which is why I only got the 8' Add-a-Stick instead of the 10 ft.
Here is a video of the 800C with the Add-a-Boot and a 60" Bucket digging shot rock: http://youtu.be/S1cIVvNaEOQ We've only dug with it for one day so far, but it seems to work and even with the 5 yd bucket full of wet shot rock it only gets a bit tipsy if you boom out too far when you swing it over the side of the tracks.