I'm looking to buy a 2000 Komatsu 228 excavator to do some land clearing/stump removal. Does anyone have any experience/knowledge about this machines operational capability or mechanical issues or anything else that would be pertinent to me learning/knowing before buying?
All the pin joints, if poorly maintained, or abused, seem to wear out early. Oem roadliners tend to delaminate. HVAC condensate drain plugs, leaving the electronic heater valve broken. Plastic skylight window fogs, and is $900+ from Komatsu. Made mine from polycarbonate. KSSS system sensors wear out, if equipped with offsetting boom. Mine is a '98 PC228UU-1. Just a 6bt underhood. Also have '04 PC128UU-2.
Avoid the offsetting boom for your purposes. Just don't do it. They do break, and are heavy enough that I can feel it when a machine has one. They do bupkus for most work other than utilities on the Right Of Way.
Heymccall, I noticed you mentioned HVAC condensation. The owner sent me the data plate info today, so it is a PC228USLC-3NO with SN: 30987. I'm gonna call the dealer and see what year this machine is. Owner said the heat/AC doesn't work, do you think it could be a result of the HVAC condensation plugging the drain causing other issues? Is that a difficult/expensive repair if I do it myself? I think the Richie Specs says that this machine has 148 hp, it appears to be a fairly large machine. I really want to use it primarily to dig up stumps as in clearing land. Does this machine have the balls to do such given the motor/hydraulics are strong?
The entire HVAC box is under the seat, at a level lower than the floor. The blower motor and the electronic heater valve both become submerged and corroded. My PC128UU-2, PC228UU-1, ED150SRLC, and former SK235SRLC all suffer (some suffered) from this shortcoming. The solution is to punch holes in the HVAC assembly sheet metal at all four corners. I used a 3# hammer and a #2 Phillips to do so. Access requires seat removal followed by hoisting the slider frame and consoles, with pilot hosing, upward l, then removing the riser. My 314CLCR, 314DLCR, 314ELCRs, and 321CLCR all have a nearly identical setup, yet they never fail to properly drain.
it is a heavy enough machine at 22 MT to get things done. Does it have a thumb?
Yes, it has a hydraulic thumb. I'm planning to go check it out this weekend if he hasn't sold it by then but trying to gather all the information that I can before.
Yes, it has a hydraulic thumb. I'm planning to go check it out this weekend if he hasn't sold it by then but trying to gather all the information that I can before.
How did you hoist the box and hosing? Did you have to disconnect the hosing to lift high enough? Not having gone to see the machine yet, I'm trying to get a good site picture of the work involved so that I can negoiate the price. He is currently asking $35k; doesn't know the original hours as he replaced the display due to fading and could not read the info any longer when he bought if from another guy. Back to the HVAC system replacment, did you use a 2nd person to lift or did you jewelry rig something to hoist the box and stuff? Now that I have the serial and model number, I'm going to call the dealer and check prices. From the pics he sent me last night of the cab, it could stand a new seat anyway...lol.
From Cat.
That is a simple thumb that got added on in the field, from the looks of it. No cab door has probably not been good for things like that heater too. I like Komatsus fine but that looks a little rough in one picture.