Hello, first post as a new member. Could someone please look up the following serial number and tell me what options the machine has? CAT0313FCHDK00325 I’ve also attached a picture of the tag. I am interested in putting a pin grab quick coupler and a thumb on the machine. There is one set of hydraulic connectors on the boom that I’d like to use, but only one set. I’d like to know what these were intended for doing. Could they operate either the coupler or thumb? If so, I’d probably go with a hydraulic thumb and manual quick coupler. I just don’t want to buy the wrong attachments that might not work properly. Thank you.
Here’s a pic of the hydraulic lines on the boom too.
Your hydraulic piping is not the normal high pressure aux lines for one nor are they the normal quick coupler lines. I wonder if they are the “medium pressure” aux lines I see on SIS for these machines but I have never seen in person. Someone more familiar with that kind of setup will be able to tell you more about it and if they could be adapted to a thumb. Normally hydraulic thumbs on Cats tee off of high pressure aux lines with their own shutoff valve blocks so other attachments can still be run without disconnecting lines. By chance are there any capped off lines on the boom? I have seen machines come from the factory with capped off aux and coupler lines.
I wonder if that is a factory set-up? If so, everything you need may already be there for a thumb operation. I would want to know the flow rate before I bought anything.
If someone could look up the serial number for me could they indicate the flow rate? Or where else would I find that info? Thanks.
I see pictures of other excavators with hydraulic thumbs on machinery trader that have the plumbing coming from the lines I see on my boom. I assume that’s an indicator that it should be able to operate one.
Those lines appear to be medium pressure lines, if you could follow them back to the base of the boom and see where they hook to the main control valve we could probably get an idea of their capabilities. According to SIS, the machine serial number appears to be shipped as a basic machine with no factory attachment hydraulics installed. As shipped main control valve is a 446-0969 which doesn't have aux hyd sections. That doesnt mean someone hasnt already added something to the machine. Please verify where the aux lines you have are connected and we will go from there.
Welcome to the Forums MMCT! Does the boom have small hydro lines capped off right above the bucket linkage? If so that would be the factory coupler lines. For some reason SIS 2.0 won't let me look up a serial # that's not one of ours.
I believe the GC designation on the end of the model number means this machine is set up different than a regular 320FL. The machine can have combo hydraulics to enable it to run a thumb or a compactor from the factory. A photo of the area behind the boom would give a better indication of what the machine is set up for.
Thanks. I’ll get one. Might be after Christmas.
Ok. I’ll get more detail and report back. Thank you.
Refer to the following article for the intended application of the “GC” model cat products https://www.constructionequipment.com/caterpillar-313f-l-gc-excavator-low-machine-utilization-users
I do have these pics…
I do have this pic… I know and I have read similar. I own a farm and this is not going to be used daily. We have some trees to be removed, ditches cleaned, and field drainage tile work but not a full time excavation business. Thank you.
That piggy back pump tells me you have the medium pressure circuit added to your machine. If you follow the hydraulic line on the right side of the boom, I think you will find it goes back to the hydraulic reservoir.
I’ll check it out. What is the function of the medium pressure circuit? Can you run a thumb off that?
Medium pressure circuits are typically used for tools that require rotation. SIS does show using that aux pump as a part of the blade group for this machine. If I were in your shoes, I would probably contact your CAT dealer and talk with their attachments specialist to see what it would take to adapt your machine to do what you want it to do. Without seeing the control valve on the machine and knowing what valve sections have been added there is no way to know what someone has already adapted the machine to do. The Aux pump that is in the pictures is not factory installed so there is definitely a kit already installed on the machine. Does the joystick have a thumb-wheel control on it?
Thanks. Here are pics of the joysticks. I’ll contact CAT when they’re back in the office.
Sorry got busy on some other things. Do these pics help? Also, when I move the toggle button on the left joystick I can hear hydraulic pressure dead head in both directions.