Cat 420D vs. John Deere 310SG backhoe, that is the question. I have run the Deere quite a bit and like it a lot, I have no personal experience on the Cat. I sold my older Case 580e backhoe earlier this year and am in need of a replacement. They both are pretty close on the specifications, with Cat having a significantly higher pump rate in gpm. Any thoughts?
Don't have experience with these models but I can tell you what I remember reading on this forum. Some say the brakes on the Cat will need to be rebuilt every 30,000 hrs. or so depending on usage. I beleive a brake job is quite a big job. Deere brakes have a reputation of lasting many hrs. Maybe the experienced guys can elaborate or maybe some model years are better than others.
I have a Cat 416C (predacesor to the 420D) that has over 12,000 hours on it (I bought it new back in '97). I have done the brakes 2x so they are lasting about 5,000 hours. As with most all TLBs, certainly the big 3, they are in board mounted (inside the rear axle) so it is a job to replace them. I did the work myself,a nd I had someone to help me. The rear axle must be removed from the machine. It takes about a day and ,IMO, it's a two man job. As far as the original question, I'm sure that you would be happy with either machine. you have not stated your usage (professional, or home use; full or part time; etc) but regardless, once I determined that both candidates are of equal condition, my primary consideration would be the quality, and proximity of support for that particular brand.
I have seat time on both. The hours were about the same on each also, I prefer the deere. The cat I ran would barely pick itself up with the hoe, now that could be a problem with that specific machine, it was the only cat backhoe ever ran. Have run 310 se and sg for last couple years good reliable machine, if I was looking to buy id probably look for a deere. Only thing I liked on the cat over deere were the pilot controls, current owner still orders his deeres with four sticks ha, but I dont have a problem with them.
Get another 580e....hahahahah!
I run 2 Cat backhoes. Bought them both very low hours( 200 and 500 hrs).1995 426B has 7600 hrs and 2000 4236C has 5500 hrs. Both dry and tight(except for pin holes in the swing trunion are starting to enlarge on the B. This winters project will be to line bore and shim). I have re-packed one loader lift cylinder. Re shimmed both extendahoes. One hydraulic hose on the extend a hoe on the B. Both are all wheel steer and this has worked flawlessly. Always replacing trim,window, latch junk. 1 broken clamshell (on these hoes). Probably more small stuf I cant remember now, logs in shop. These backhoes are both in excelent condition. No brake jobs. Prefer woble sticks over pilot controls in a backhoe, its what im used to. I have run a number of Deere hoes and like them, But man I really like two doors. I can pick my ass end up and shove the hoe up a firm 20% slope no problem. I hope this adds to the thread.
Id go with the deere. Know to many cat horror stories. 310SG is a very strong reliable hoe.
Double post sorry
Cat has a cost saving fix for the worn swing pins and some of the other pins. They sell expander pins that seat very tight into a worn pin bore. Your cat dealer can refer to REHS0850 for the correct part numbers. As for Cat or JD, We really dont get a whole lot of problems on the cat backhoes, brakes would be the most common and it really isnt that hard to do them, we do work on JD once and a while but we are a Cat dealer and not too many take their JD to Cat.
I have a Deere and it has been excellent in all aspects. Has 3700 hrs now and have put 2- sets of batteries in it with not one other repair.
I have a 310SG 988 hrs on it, replaced ECM and now it has fuel pump problems. Deere doesnt care, I have had two cat skids and cat fixes everything no problem....my opinion stay away from Deere.