I am looking for another excavator to add to the list. We do a fair amount of residential demo, and are looking for thought on machines and sizes. We also do waterways, ponds, etc. I want a good all around machine to do these. We install septics and do all our small digging with our little Tak 35. I looked at the Case cx75's. They are mid sized and would be easy to transport, but yet have the weight and reach to to residential demo, and sand filter installs. Anyone have any EXPERIENCE, with Samsung, Deere/Hitachi, Kobelco? I was wandering about a 120 size machine, or 160 deere/hitachi. Thanks, guys. Also, I would like thought from owner/operators, as we are the ones who have to PAY for what we run. I know alot of operators who work for other people that talk Cat, Cat, blah blah blah. But they arent paying for the machines they run. I want to know a good machine for the money. Thanks all!
For me the best machine suited for residential demo is a 160/315 size machine. It's light enough to haul on a tag and big enough (reach and power wise) to handle most any residential demos. I have owned 2 Cat 315's in the past and I am currently looking for another one. The 315's served me very well and they are the best machine for my hard earned money..:cool2
We are looking at a 315 tomorrow I am not brand loyal, as I think each brand has its strong machines, and weak ones. I have a Komatsu dozer, Dresser dozer, Takeuchi mini ex, Case backhoe, and an HMI skid steer. So I am looking at all possiblities.
I am an owner operator/contractor, my excavator is a bit bigger than the ones you mention. I have a CAT330l 79,000lbs. That I bought in 96. It now has nearly 22,000hrs on it and works every day. I cannot say enough good things about the service this machine has givin me or the suport from my dealer. That being said the machine before this was a 84 792JD which gave me just as good as service, with everybit as many hrs on it when I sold it. I do demo,clearing, stucture ex, and anything else you could imagine. Its a bit pricey to move around, but it has bee the perfect size for me and my customers. Good luck in your search.
I have been running a Volvo 160 for all of the things that you have mentioned. It has worked good for all those things. The only thing that I have not realy liked is with a 42 inch bucket and a hydrolic thumb on the end it is kind of heavy with a full load of dirt but that could change with a smaller bucket. I think a 36inch would work better.
We do residential and commercial dirt work, and we have had a Cat 320L, 302.5, and 312BL in the past. We currently have a Cat 302.5C, 308CR, 312CL, a 320BL, and two 320CLs. They have never given us any problems, and we'll always buy more. We have a quick coupler, and auxiliary hydraulics on the 312CL and it works great for in-town utility and underground work. The 320BL has almost 20,000 hours on it, and we still use it daily without issues during the season.
We have a Case and Cat dealer local. So that is a deciding factor for us as well. We have a Tak dealer half hour away in Terre Haute IN as well.
I own and operate a Link Belt 160(Case) and it's a great machine has about 1700 hours now and have never had a problem with it.We do clearing,ponds,utilities and demo as well.I'm also not brand loyal got a deere 270 and it's good for the bigger stuff. Used to run cats from 315 to 375 Komatsu from 160 to 1250 , Kobelco from 200 to 480 and Hitachi from 80 to 450. As for between case and cat as a owner I like the case/Link belt but the 315 I used to run was a smooth and fast machine as well, nothing bad to really say about any of the brands I've ran and a lot of people are going to think I'm crazy but the best I ran were the Kobelcos', had a few 300 mark 4's pushing 18 to 20,000 hrs with just regular maintnance and a few cylinders replaced.
Lots of good feedback! I appreciate it. How long do sprockets tend to last on excavators? I am just wanting a ball park, I am looking at some with 4-5000 hours and the sprockets are gone. That seems odd to me as we get a lot more travel and wear on our dozers, and they dont look that worn at similiar hours. ? I have heard of some of these jockeys, rolling back hours or otherwise tampering with them. Any signs to look out for that the hours are not correct? Anyone have any dealers in the Illinois,Indiana,Kentucky, Arkansas area that they would recommend or shy away from? Lost of ?s but I am new at looking at bigger excavators, and dont want to get a POS and my family starve;(
I have been using a 240D Deere for street excavation and demolition. The thumb attachment and cab cage seems to be alright on the machine. The thumb did not seem to slow Dow the response of the machine. 240D is probably a bit big but it's a well build machine that can do big and small jobs with ease in my opinion. You can check out a brand new 240D in action at http://excavationstation.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-deere-240d-excavator-on-job-street.html?m=1 . Cheers.
On the sprockets imo it just depends on what kind of conditions you work in we work a lot in swamps and rocky places so every 2000 hrs we go over frames,rollers,idlers,drives and sprockets and if it needs replaced we'll fix it right then.
How about a Lonking brand hydraulic excavator ? Lonking (Lonking Holdings Limited) manufacture hydraulic excavators from 6 tons to 35 tons with Cummins engine ,Kawasaki hydraulic system and ROP/FOP wide view Cab. Our excavators feature: High Speed Working LUDV System Engine Management Comprehensive Working Structure Remote Access Protocol New Safety Standard
Welcome to the Forums lonkinggroup. If you would please take the time, scroll through the Forum rules and familiarize yourself with the site rules. One specifically about advertising - From the RULES Page :cool2 Your first post is your "freebie". If you are interested in becoming a sponsor and help support the HEF community, please contact the site founder Steve Frazier. Thank you for you cooperation.
Illinoisboy: Are you finding what you want in the midwest? I couldn't seem to find what I wanted here. I ended up going to the coasts for better prices and thumbs installed on machines. I ended up buying at a Doosan 140 with low low hours equipped nicely. (doosan dealer is 20 miles form the farm) But it's going to have to be trucked 2000 miles. Still it's cheaper than the crap I found local. My search criteria: Buy from first owner and not jockeys. PM me if you want some info on shipping rates, prices I found. There's a nice 315c w/4400 hours (I was going to look at this one but someone came and bought it? Then backed out, so It's available again) It's a buyers market, don't let the dealers $h!+ you.
I purchased a used Case LX 130 almost a year ago, on the east coast. I had looked pretty hard and missed a couple other pretty good sounding deals. I couldn't find anything close to N. Il either. I am very happy with the machine 1800 hours with a hyd. thumb and blade. Has worked good on three house demo's and some digging, a real joy to operate. Had the long stick so you gain a little more reach. Have three houses to tear down and another storeage building for this spring, bsides a little dirt work. It you find someting on the east coast let me know I might be able to get you a good freight rate it it is under 10' tall and legal width.
We LOVE our Komatsu PC228. Its bigger than you want but i wouldn't trade it for the world when it comes to demo work!! Also a hosscat when it comes to moving dirt, clearing trees, etc...
I found a Komatsu PC128, not bad, but one track side seams a little weak to me. Maybe just my imagination. Looked at a Hitachi 150 last night. 8000 hours, around a 98 i think, and was out on a job working. Owner said he has had it since it had 200 hours on it. He didnt know I was coming to look at it and it had been very well maintained, not just someone putting grease on to make it look good. Had all filters marked with hours/dates, and it looked pretty good. Need to run it first, but I think it seems good. No thumb, but I will get one. He is asking 29000 for it. Not sure if thats inline or not. Anyone know much about a Samsung 210? What did you pay for the doosan? hours? Thanks all!
Looking at the charts, a standard excavator boom seems to be designed for reaching below the machine, like when your digging a dirch, but for demo you work more above the ground level. I though a va boom would be the ticket on a 312 sized machine for a dual purpose machine and a material handeling machine for sole demo work. That being said, what little demo work I've done, 2 large barns, 2 garages, and a house, oh and 10 house trailers after a tornado. you can have it down in a hour, spend a week waiting on dumpsters, and several hours loading them. Having used a 315 cat, a takeuchi tb053, and a deere 450c trackloader, any 30 - 40k pounder w/ a progressive hydraulic thumb would be more than adequate.
You know what they say about necessity being the mother of inventions.I think I'd get spoiled if I had some fancy new big excavator doing demos with. I do about 3-4 houses a year with my 410G TLB with a 20' reach and a manual thumb.Before that, another Deere and a Cornbinder.If the economy--as in mine was better--nothing but a Deere for sure.
I will say this much stay away from a Kobelco we have had two Sk250-6 and a SK220-3 and hound always replacing solenoid valves and a lot of other hydro parts. got a mate who got a SK350-8 and he goes though a hydro pump every 6-8000HR's so yeah very expensive machine in the long run i would say a PC128 would suit you we run a few of them now got a mate who dose solely demo work in Melbourne in Australia and he swears by them.
we all Hitachi We have 6 Hitachi ranges for EX200 to ZX450. Izuzu engine is very fuel efficient. Some of these machines have 15,000 hours on them. I have rented other machines And demonstrated other machines but always go back to Hitachi. My other choice would be Link belt. If you have a good support in your area. Caterpillar also has excellent support But I found more cost to buy More cost to repair And more cost in fuel.
I am looking for a used excavator for house demos, I was told 200 size is ideal, But that means moving it around with a dump truck or semi. Can I get a smaller size which a pickup truck can move around and still be able to demo homes?
anyone
Can you demo homes with a small excavator? Yes. Just depends on how much time you have. If you are even remotely serious about it, a 120 would be minimum imop.
I have been doing house demo with a Hitahi zx 225 with thumb. I also have ex 200-3 15000 hrs and ex200-5 9500 hrs. All purchased new. I have had great luck with these machines. I do have 1 extra thumb if anybody needs it.
What do you use to tow this? I am thinking of getting a dump truck (might cost too much) or a day cab with a dump trailer?
I have kobelco sk 70sr perfect for your needs. It's my fourth one like it. It has hydrolic quick coupler , hydrolic thumb, rubber tracks, and blade. It only weighs 17,000 ,easy to haul. It is 2005, with only 2800 hrs. It is for sale, I'm getting out of bus. I also have 1997 Freightliner - auto , air brakes , 8.3 Cummins, and 20 ton trailer. $65,000. For all , or $50,000 for excavator.
case cx160b with progressive thumb and be done with it... the only thing (maybe) would be a cx130b with a blade but the 160 can do it all and still easy to move....
E-mail [email protected] for more info on sk70 [email protected] . For more info. On sk70
From what I've done the machine that makes the money in a residential demo is the hauler. Cause 9 times outa 10, he has the most time in it. If your going to do a lot of houses, get the tractor and demo trailers, they haul 2x what dumpsters do and 3x what dumptrucks do. then if you should get a 200 or bigger hoe, you can haul that too
You are right on the hauler, thats why we have 120 yd walking floor demo trailers for the landfill debris and sidedumps for the concrete. You can't get these in tight sites is the biggest problem. Anything smaller than a 200 size excavator, two story houses and buildings become a real challenge. Good Luck