First off I just want to say hi! I've been reading the forum for the last few weeks and decided to join today while I was waiting on the cat to warm up. I hope yall enjoy my pics!! My 1990 953 with cab, heat, air, and joystick. I just picked this one up the other day. Seems to be a pretty solid machine with 10,843 hours on it. This is my 1984 963 twin stick. Not sure on the hours as meter quit at 1442 hours. We've had it a little more then a year, it's a hell of a machine, but not as nice to run as the 53 on cold days! Both are used every day, on the farm and at job sites. The last pic is of both machines together. One doesn't realize how much different in size they are until parked right beside each other!
Welcome to hef.
Welcome neighbor!
Welcome aboard! I'm up near Harrisonville, MO. Love my '53. Best business decision I've made so far. John
Wow! Small world! Lol glad to know I've got guys near by to help when I need it!! I've been in the excavation business off and on for the last 10 or so years helping a good friend of mine, it wasn't until the last year or so I bought my own, just to use around the farm. One thing led to another, and next thing I know it's hired out more then it's on my place. I've got a 6 month+ job starting this next week, that will require two machines, so i went ahead and picked up the 53. There's things the 63 will do that it wont, but there's also things the 53 will do the 63 wont. I figured going with a 53 opens up my options a little. The more i run it the more i like it. Thanks for the welcome guys!
We've owned about every size and brand of track loader made and the 953 is by far the best all around machine. You look around this area and that's obvious. We bought a new 953c in 2006 and then sold it in 2011 when we had no work for a while. Did the same thing with a 2005 200clc Deere excavator. Just Got 1 dump truck a 943, a 2006 650j Deere dozer and a backhoe now. Doing less and less of that work now and more farming all the time. I sell cattle every week and don't have to fight people to get paid, this construction work isn't always that way.
I understand that. As bad as i didn't want to we have implemented a contract(mechanic line I guess) that has to be read and signed before any dirt is turned. Whether it be right or wrong, on big jobs that will take awhile, we request to be paid every two weeks. When the money stops we stop. Small jobs, or jobs by well known housing contractors have no more then 30 days to pay in full. So far no one has balked. I hated to have to do it, but I've watched my buddy lose 20k on a pond job that he never got paid for, another group of people beat him out of another 15k too. It just about sunk him, and there's nothing he could do since there was no signed agreement.
j&m, why the second trackloader over a different piece? I could see a d-6 size dozer or a tlb a lot quicker than another loader.
I chose a second one so that I could do two jobs at different places I.e basement or pond jobs. A tlb or pusher would of been nice, but right now the work that I've got requires trackloaders. I thought about a track hoe but for us right now two track loaders are more versatile. I think the next machine will be a d5 or equivalent, maybe a little smaller for final grading, but right now this works for us.
Getting paid every 2 weeks is good. in 2009 we had a guy not pay us about 70k at the end of a job. Can't say we have really ever completely recovered from that.
Also a somewhat neighbor says welcome. Nice looking pair that I wish I had but just wishing while trying to keep my antique moving.
Dmiller thank you, but by today's standards mine are antiques too!!
Nowadays we have to run antiques or risk having the payment on a new one send us to bankruptcy court.:drinkup