I'm new to these heavy equipment forums and I'm a dinosaur, so I can't be much help when it comes to newer excavators, even though I have run several newer machines (Hitachi, JCB, Case, etc.) I personally I am a small one-man operation and have an older 1979' modified Hein-Werner C12B, that I've had for about 30 years. There's not anything that I haven't repaired on her with the exceptions of the track and swing gear boxes and the swing gear and swing bearing. Would love to talk to ANYONE that still owns a functioning Hein-Werner. I've got plenty of pictures and videos to share of working on her and operating her over the years. Still using her. She was a total machine 'make-over' when I bought her, literally took most of her apart, sandblasting, priming, painting and repairing or replacing anything that needed it. After Akerman acquired the H-W line, I knew that parts and service were going to disappear over time, so I bought a lot of spare parts from local dealer, local salvage yard and a neighbor who retired their old C14B (a lot of parts were interchangeable between the C12B's and the C14B's). When I would go to the 'old' Hein-Werner site, I would type in, "Is there anybody out there?", with no answers and that's been a few years ago. My masonry and excavation/demolition business is 'The Stone Hedge Mason's Guild' (not to be confused with my neighbor down the road 'Stone Construction', concrete contractor. If someone can share a few H-W stories, would love to hear from you!! B.C. @ Dorchester Machine Services
There is an existing thread here that might be of interest: HeavyEquipmentForums
Thanks!! I'll check out that thread. The older C12-HDs still had the old crane style pinned flat track shoes and the old mechanical drive to the tracks, the hydraulics were for the bucket, stick, boom and swing. I'd have to research it to see when they transitioned to a fully hydraulic machine with CAT style track chains. Somewhere in the late sixties to early seventies I'd guess. Thanks Again!! B.C.