Anyone ever done this to the CAT 305e2? Doesnt seem to be a factory option. Machine is tippy over the tracks as I have a long stick, thumb and hyro pin grabber settup. I Recently acquired a mulcher head that weighs 800lbs. On level ground, over the tracks fully extended out machine is tippy with the mulcher. I need to be able to track parallel with pond edges which will be pitched downhill to mow/mulch and dont want to tip over. I put 170hrs on this machine this season doing hardscape and love it but it is a bit on the tippy side over the tracks. Whats the factory counterweight made of? Just cast iron Im guessing? steel and concrete?
Post a Serial Number and I'll take a look to see if there is maybe an alternative/additional attachment counterweight available. The alternative conclusion could simply be that your *** is too small for the job............
HaHa my *** is possibly too small but it works so well for everything else i need it to do. Turns out my attachment is only 695lbs Mongo Gen2 Forestry Mulcher (Femac T9US) The Serial number for my machine is H5M10007. Thanks for looking into it. I know they make a counterweight add on kit for the 305.5 but havent found anything for my machine
So the news is bad. The standard counterweight is cast steel and there is no optional additional counterweight available. Looks like your *** is in fact too small.......
that's pretty annoying. Usually there is a factory CW for long sticks. I turned the dealer down on that option for our 35G mini because I am up against pipe all the time, and also the longer stick.
Ill just have to make what the factory should have then. I have access to scrap lead so i was thinking of making a low profile steel container to mount to rear of the existing counterweight and fill it with lead. Maybe 350lbs? Just have to figure out how to attach to the existing counterweight. Something similar to the kit they sell for the 305.5
Nige, I believe they sell steel tracks with rubber pads for my machine. Wonder what the weight difference is from rubber tracks, if 500lbs more than stock each, that would help a bit right?
Steel tracks with rubber pads would be 150kg (330 pounds) per track heavier, so 660 pounds for a pair.
That would be about the same as adding to my counterweight if a track gained 330lbs right? Its a zero tailswing so the counterweight or weight added to the counterweight is basically at the same radius distance as the track when im lifting cross track. Do those steel tracks require different sprockets or idlers?
Sprockets & idlers are definitely the same. Track rollers/carrier rollers maybe - check with your dealer.
I have seen others cut out 3/4- 1” plate and bolt it up underneath the tail of the machine. Just need to also cut out all the access holes you need to get to so you can still service it.
Added counterweight will give you around 33% of its weight in increased lifting capacity on a zero tail machine at full reach. Heavier tracks will give you around 13-15% of its weight in increased lifting capacity at full reach. I have been adding counterweight to almost all of my excavators over the last 35 years because of the big benefits of higher stability. The latest one is an Airman AX 55-7 where i added 424 kg over the factory installed 200kg extra counterweight. Every machine needs its own solution because of the big dynamic forces added counterweigt adds to the machine. I normally add 5-10% of the machines total weight depending on the machine and what work I am going to do with it. Most common way I do it is, weld a box, fill it with melted lead, bolt or weld it to the machine. A cast counterweight makes it a little bit more difficult to add extra counterweight, but it is possible.
We used to fill our counterweights with scrap steel and then pour in steel punchings like you would get from the manufacture of electrical boxes or other fine ones and vibrate them in with a jackhammer so they flowed into every space between the steel scrap. Not as heavy as lead but probably more cost effective d.d.
My 2018 305E has a bolted on counterweight that came from the factory. So does the new 305. Or I am missing something?
Im looking to ADD weight to the factory counterweight. The 305.5 has a place to bolt on an additional weight to the factory counterweight and you can by that piece from CAT. The 305e2 does not have that provision or part offered apparently
Hard to do in a solid cast steel counterweight.........
As far as i can understand you can use the Cat add on counterweight if you cut away the part that goes into the standard counterweight and add a third bolt instead, but I think you will find it is not heavy enough ( 364,4lbs minus the part you have cut away) and it is probably expensive. Drilling holes and make treads in the standard counterweight is no problem. You will have to add some type of guide to fix the counterweight instead of the part you cut away. I think you will be more satesfied with a heavier add on counterweight.
I've done this conversion before on a similar serial number machine, the only change was the addition of some track guides at the front if I remember correctly, rollers stayed the same. Crazy idea, find a burned/part out 305.5E2 CR and buy the counterweight and the extra counterweight? The frames on 305 and 305.5 E2 CR are the same so should bolt on with minimal effort.
So i ended up fabricating a steel container and filled it with lead. Got abou $500 into it . Weight ended up being 450lbs and only added 3.5 inches of additional overhang.
Nice job. Good idea to hang the add-on counterweight on the recess of the standard counterweight.
Looks factory
Looks great! No you need to spring for a new Cat sticker to polish that girl up.
That’s awesome!
I like it! I had to look for a couple seconds to realize it wasn't factory. You have some great fabrication skills.