Anybody know the average weight of a 225? Also, what is the overall impression of Cats 2 series excavators in general? Thanks.
compaired to todays excavators they are really slow and not nearly as strong. I think the same size machine today would have much more power. The 225 had around 2000psi hydrolics compaired to the 4000psi stuff of todays machines (i think i have no clue if those are right numbers) The one my dad had from 1977-1996 seemed to be quite unreliable also (could have been his maintance program too).
I understand the Belgium made ones are slightly more desirable due to the 3304 engine. Supposed to be more reliable and better on fuel. At least what I've heard. Someone correct me if this is incorrect. The US built ones had the 3208 engine which is not as well liked in most circles.
The wieght on a 225 is 56,000lbs. They were ok for there time.
I don't think the 200 series were slower than the new ones. I believe the old ones were more reliable without all of the electronics. I really liked the travel pedals on the 200 series, much easier to track straight than the modern pedals/levers.
:beatsme ointhead
Speaking of that, was it 1 pedal forward, and the other reverse? Can they counter rotate?
One pedal was forward, one was reverse, with a center lever that moved side to side for direction. I am not sure if you could actually make the tracks move in opposite directions at the same time. For their time, they were ok machines. Compaired to a 200 excavator made in the past 15 years, the CAT 225 had less percision with the controls and was slower. We were setting rock retaining walls so that was important to us.
Yes they counter rotate. The steering lever moves left to right. You can make very gradual turns, counter-rotate, or anything in between. The steering lever was located in front of you, you could use a foot on it, if you want to use both hands on the other controls.
225 questions the older 200 series excavators were anything but slow or unreliable, the controlability was every bit as good if not better than todays rigs being so light in the rear end. The 200 series machines had big counterweights hanging in the rear that really held you down on the ground and when really critically grading. Add to that no USELESS computers and unnecessary electronics . and still to this day I have not been on a hoe as fast as a 215b c or d ( especially the b for some reason) . the proof is in the fact that there is a lot more older 245`s around than 375`s. I can certainly see cat confused motion with progress on these new hoes, if they ever came out with one stripped down version similar to the 200 series hoes they would clean up the market:Banghead
I agree.I was just too lazy to answer the original poster who made the statement.That old 215 would fly and nobody yet made a better system to store the front window.You could open the bottom half or the top half,your choice and get visibility and protection from the elements.You could check the oil from ground level,add oil as well.The designer of that excavator was on his game!!Ron G
245s are awesome, period. The 245D was just as fast as todays 365s.
I am glad you guys agree with me, most more experienced operators will I believe. I dont really see any improvement from the 300 series rigs at all from a maintenance or DEFINITELY from a performance point of view, I can do every thing with a 225dlc that I can with a 325 and the 325 feels much lighter in the back end. Also on top of that they seem much much more poorly made, the windows dont go up then they dont go down, the arm rests always break and the stupid modes are virtually worthless. I said it before and this one statement sums it up perfectly CAT CONFUSED MOTION WITH PROGRESS ON THE 300 SERIES RIGS. I know my pals Q,and buckethead would agree.
225 Hi, I have to agree with Dynahoescott . Spent a few months on a 215CLC back in the late eighties, and it was anything but slow. Ran real smooth, comfortable and I always like the 200 series cabs as they perched you right at the end of the track frame.The bottom open cab window is something that should be re-introduced,nice on a cool or rainy day to have the heater on but still have no window glare. The 300 series are nice,but will never take the wailing the 200 series did. Dominion:canada
i have run many 215's, 225's, 235's and i love them. they are a great hoe. a deuce and a quarter will get hotter than hades, though.
I had a chance a few months ago to try and pull stumps agianst a 235, I was in a hot 320C (the owner had the pumps turned and tuned) they only way I could stay with him is when I had small stumps and he had a bunch of big stumps to slow him down. I have ran the older machines and the new ones. The new ones are nice they are quiet and comfortable but the old ones had azz and were a joy to operate.
I love my 'ol 225. I don't think the new machines will still be digging at 30 years old like mine is. I plan on keeping mine for another 30 years as it has paid for itself several time over. Sure, it lacks the creature comforts of the new ones but I actually enjoy its 'raw' power.
Our old 225 LC was a great excavator. The 3208 was cold blooded at times and the swing brake was worn out but it was a strong one. We had it for 15 years before we sold it. In the couple years before we sold it, we hung an Add-A-Stick on the front of it and used it for a few years like that and it held up great! Got a couple of old pictures of it with the Add-A-Stick on it.
Overall I am not impressed with the new excavators at all, yes the cabs are nicer creature comforts are on the rise but aside from that? the cabs and the rest of the machine fall apart in a much faster time period than older rigs. they dont have the raw power, full of unnecessary electronics, there is no reason whatsoever for modes, what these brain surgeon product engineers have against catwalks i`ll never know and indvidual brand characteristics are totally eliminated. there isnt a dimes worth of difference between any rig out there.
Personally I wouldn't bash the new excavators that much. There is definitely a difference all across the boards, they aren't all exactly alike. Ask my dad if he would rather go back to running our 1977 and 1982 Link Belt LS 2800s (which he ran for 10 years straight) compared to our new ones and you'll get a quick no. He said good luck trying to walk and swing and move the stick and boom at the same time like the new ones. They are so slow, and so was our 225 which was faster than the link belts. Theres no way we could keep up on repairs and fuel costs if we were running 6 of those compared to the 320Cs and Bs, JD 230C, and the 312C. We never have any major problems with the new ones and they are more productive. I'm not completely bashing the old excavators, they are great machines and tough ones. They had their time and place just like these new ones. The only time you'll typically see an older excavator used around here is in Demo work or out in the gravel pit casting gravel.
225 hoes eVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO THEY`RE OWN OPINNION and you like the newer rigs, well on fuel efficiency and diagnostically you win that argument. But my point is that these new hoes are laiden with features that you can easily do without such as auto idle, computerization and the like. I used to be able to walk and swing and raise the boom while traveling on drott excavators all yhe time, yes cats were a little more involved but once you got used to your rig that problem went away. and as far as the link belt 2800a is concerned I only ran one one day I would rather be on it than a pc 200 any day it may be a little slower and a lot louder with the detroit 3-71 in it but it was as smooth as silk and powerful as a witch, AND JUST LOOK AT MY SCREEN NAME , obviously screaming detroits dont bother me at all, and that 7400a link belt I ran for a year was crazy powerful. I guess I just broke in on the older rigs and dont like todays hoes because they seem more androgenous to me, older rigs all had theyre own characteristics and todays are a dime a dozen. ( too simillar)
Yes, everyone has a right to their own opinion. I was stating my opinion that a lot of companies benefit from the newer excavators due to the features that they have. I wasn't bashing your opinion. Screaming detroits don't bother me either. I ran a Terex TS-14B, and a RayGo Gator with an 8v-71 on a few jobs we had, and i like the sound of the old detroits. The old Link Belts were kinda costly for us to run everyday, and so was the 225 which is why we got rid of them all.
225`s Yes my friend and there you have it, 2 professional working men with moderately differing opinnions but respect for each both ways I can assume:drinkup
:drinkup
hi everyone, I'm new here but my question is this, will a 225 run all hydraulics on one pump, al be it slower ,I am trying to pick up an old machine and the rear pump is out of it. Need to get it on the float to bring her to my shop. Thanks for any replies in advance..
would anybody have a hydraulic schematic for a 225 s/n 51u2001
I don't belive you can run that machine on only one pump, there are three pumps in there the pumps are not dedicated to any one area when traveling you need both pumps . you would have a hard time having enough hydraulic power to do anything. I owned a 225 from 1989 until last year it was a nice dependable machine. I own two 235 B's at the moment they are tough old machines ,the new machines have them beat in operator comfort and "FUEL ECONOMY" !! one of mine has a 2 yd bucket,the other one has a labounty msd 220 scrap shear on it. they still work just like new ones. Don
thanks for the reply, I just want to get her on a float, i will not be diggin until i can fix that one pump , as long as it will travel straight, and i can fold up the hoe is all..are the pump flows iscolated from each other?...anyway, i am going to find out...
I just bought a Belguim made 215 with 3204 . What is difference between 3204 and 3208?
Belgium was the plant that made most if not all the 215's. What letter series is yours? All the 215s I have seen had 3304 engines, not 3204s. In the old cat system the first 2 digits are the engine series (tells you bore and stroke, among other things), and the last 2 are the number of cylinders. A 3204 is a 4-cylinder that uses the same pistons, etc., as the 3208 which ia a v-8. A 3304 is a 4-cylinder that is the same series as a 3306, 6-cylinder. I have a 215C LC now and really like it, I have worked on a couple of 215 and 215Bs.
cat 225 are my favorite cat trackhoe we had one from germany i think a 1977 but iam not sure it still runs today with the only major thing we replaced was hydralic pump and under carrige. she fires up in any weather and will run hot in the summer cold in the winter thats how i like my machines. we also bought the machine brand new. Shes and old beast slower than the new ones but more power and alot less problems.
You're right, it is a 3304. Thanks for the info. The engine is a quiet and smooth running. It seems to have more than enough power when digging at just 3/4 throttle.
I have a 215D with a 3304 in it. Have it many years and love it to death. Yes, tracks will counter-rotate if you want them to. When you get used to the one pedal each direction and joy stick for steering it is rough for a short time getting used to using both pedals to go one direction. Have 11,000 hours on mine and she just keeps going and going and going and going so why should I even think about trading up, I mean down, to something newer.
Hey guys, just searching around for 225 talk, I have one with the 3304 and am looking either for a rig like mine with a bad problem (motor, hyd. etc.) to use all my good parts on or somebody needing a donor 225. My swing gearbox has a bearing out and is not coming out without excessive force I guess so I either need to sell mine or find something to do with the parts! Any leads in either direction are appreciated, contact info in profile. Curt, that's a nice looking 215, saw it over on AgTalk!