Many excavators around here have extra counterweight added to offset the weight of the link hyd thumb and bucket quick coupler. Are these offered as a factory option? Does this affect warranty? and just general opinions on adding more counterweight.
A guy I know back at home added concealed weight to the counterweight on his 330 Deere, and it made a huge difference. He torched a couple holes in the top of the counterweight, then had a concrete coring company bore some holes down through the concrete inside the counterweight. He filled the holes with molten lead, then welded up the top plate and painted it up again. You couldn't tell to look at it, but it had a fair chunk of extra weight tossed into the equation .
Lead weighs 44% more than steel by volume. A 12"x24" bore in the counterweight refilled with lead would add 335lbs roughly.
Out here they slap on a high riser west coast cab and dangle a waratah head or heel and clam from new and its very common to have 1" thick steel plates stacked and bolted on top of the counter weight. I have never heard about it affecting warranty as it's the dealer who does it. My opinion is that; the customer requires it for the application and to make the most of the machine so it's the cost of doing business. I'm sure the extra weight does cause more wear but if the machine is balanced (offsets the cab and/or attachments) then it's better for the machine. As for warranty lets just say a rotec bearing normally lasts 12,000 hrs but now only 9,000 hrs because of the extra weight, the machine is still off warranty so not the dealer problem. If machines are failing rotec bearings before warranty is up then there is something major wrong there.
The big problem with that, is that most counterweights are not made of solid steel. They are in fact filled with concrete, which weighs considerably less than steel. Roughly 150 pounds per cubic foot for concrete, 500 pounds per cubic foot for steel, and a little over 700 pounds per cubic foot for lead. so that same size hole would actually add 876 pounds. I can't remember exactly how many he added, if it was two per side, or only one, but two per side, using the hole dimensions you gave would add about 3500 pounds.
Example A
Just because it's interesting: The counterweights on the old 200 Cats are concrete mixed w/ steel shot
Thanks Mitch, that's good to know!
That must the norm on the D series Deere hoe's. We have two 200D's and a 200C. Both the D's have extra weights stacked on the bottom of the factory weight to offset the coupler and attachments. The C has nothing and is twice as stable as the D's, even with the added weight. On this machine we only the one 1000 pound+ weight. The twin to it has two of these big plates on it. We have had Pape and Rowand Machinery look at the hydro's on both machines, thinking that the presures were way to high on the boom and stick function, thus making them quick and jerky causing the nose diving problems, but to no avail. So we just added the weights and went from there. Even without the bucket on them they are way to nose heavy.
I don't believe I would like anything hanging from the bottom of the counterweight. You would have to be much more careful with swinging clearance in order to keep the paint where it belongs.
Does it get kinda boring sitting out in the middle of a paved parking lot, just crowding the stick in and out and raising and lowering the boom all day?
Normally a 552 comes with a shorter boom/stick and a harvester head. From new customer wanted a longer stick and boom with a processor head so just add weight in the back and call it a day