Been running a cat E120 for what seems like forever. Been good to me but it's pretty much done. I'm doing demolition,and general excavation and looking to upgrade a bit. What's you're experience with the blade runner? It looks like a good machine but since I'll be buying used, what should I be looking for? Are they known to have any weaknesses? What are the good things? Thanks for your opinion
They do push very well. I am always impressed by how well they do push. BUUUUT I believe the blade gets in the way quite often. so with that said its really not worth it to have the blade, to me anyway.
It seems to me that having a blade on a machine of that size would be useful in some areas, maybe if you had a thumb and qc where you could use the blade like a outrigger, but in tight areas it seems like it would be in the way alot.
I have a ED150 blade runner and on the fence at times the blade gets in the way if you forget to put it down, its good digging septic tanks and basements as you use the blade to level machine. Mine is not a powerful digger but fast unloaded Kobelco looking into it once tthis is repaired nice machine.
Friend of mine bought one new in '97 and still has it with only about 7,000 hours on the meter, says he likes it for the most part but most of his work is hourly so sometimes he says it's a little too efficient. lol But he said the only real problems he's had on it have been final drive seals and last year the computer crapped out when he was working two or three hours away from home in the bush so he had to rig up a manual throttle so he could finish the job and get it out.
I've spent quite a bit of time in a 190 blade runner. Very nice machine but sometimes the blade is just really in the way.