A buddy of mine, who I worked for earlier this summer, is looking at a couple excavators that can be had for cheap but need work. One is a Komatsu PC150-3, I think he said it can be had for about $4K, but it needs a new final drive I believe. The other is a '94 Hitachi EX200, I assume that's a dash 4? The 200 needs a couple new engine compartment doors, a seat, cab door, and a hydraulic pump I believe. This machine is $10,000 I think, maybe a little more, but it has relatively low hours. Not really sure how you blow a hydraulic pump, but I think the rest of the machine is pretty tight and it has 6K hours. I know there are a few guys in the Seattle area who browse here, maybe someone locally has an idea as to where to find some used parts. Looking for parts locally if possible but I guess even with shipping the parts would probably be cheaper than dealership prices if that's what it came down to. He's also looking at a Cat 955, I'm assuming B series, track loader that needs a head gasket, but that would be an easy fix.
The PC150 final drive should not be to difficult to find,I've bought Komatsu parts out of Fraley tractor in Spokane. A '94 Hitachi would be a Dash 3, I believe. Engine compatment doors are getting hard to find used, even though Dash 2 and 3 doors look the same, they are different, they moved the hinge location. Used cab doors are almost impossible to find. Anyone parting out machines wants to sell the whole cab. If he does buy these machines, let me know and I can check, I have some contacts up in British Columbia that I deal with on a regular basis. Feel free to e-mail me if it happens.
A Komatsu PC150-3 final drive will be next to impossible to find. Those machines were not common when in production and good used parts are almost non existant. A new final if you could get it will run over $12,000 last I checked. Last I checked Fraley tractor was out of Wenatchee. They have a good web site and the people are first class to deal with. Both the access doors for the Hitachi can be made out of 3/16 inch plate for less than half the cost of new ones. I used to build them all the time. You do have to have the hinges and latches from the damaged doors. The engine hood is a different story. They are difficult to fix and hard to get. The issue with the pumps would leave me running away from the machine as fast as possible. If they broke up inside they have chucked steel through the hydraulic system. It will cost lots and take tons of time to clean the trash out. Unless you really know what you are doing, it doesn't pay to buy machines that need major repair before they can earn a living. Good Luck!
Okay, I got the deal from my buddy. The Hitachi needs a new valve block, wiring harness, and engine computer. I guess the story with the electrical harness and the computer is that the muffler rotted out, guy was too cheap to buy a new muffler, and it toasted the wiring. The guy tried to splice the wiring, screwed it up, and fried the computer as well. The story with the valve block is a little uncertain, but they were having some sort of issue, sent it to a machine shop, they screwed it up, now it's worthless. Valve block he said is right around $5K. The machine has 6,000 original hours on it, nice link thumb with quick coupler, new undercarriage, and the rest of the machine is pretty tight. My buddy and I decided today that the 150-3 was probably not a good machine to try and restore, final drives are a PITA and the machine is rough, 10,000 hours on it. He says he's teaming up with another contractor next spring to get started on a job that has 200,000 cubic yards of material to be moved out and replaced, something like that. He thought about renting a 450, but I guess there's no huge deadline for the job, so taking your time with a little smaller machine that you own is what he's planning on doing. So he's figuring on getting a used 200, something that'll assist his 120 and the other contractor's excavator, get through the job, and he'll use it for clearing jobs in the future. Thanks for the info guys, keep it coming!
A new wiring harness for an ex 120 was like $4,000 from Pape, not including labor. Tell him to buy something in better shape.
He should look at richie bros.at the end of this month mimimax
I'm starting to think that my be the better route. $40K can buy you a pretty decent 200. But, the machines he's looking at can be had for $5K.
First let me apologize for giving out wrong info, yes Fraley Tractor is in Wenatchee, not Spokane. Like I said, a '94 EX200 is likely a Dash 3 and if it is, I have a brand new complete wiring harness in the box and would love to sell it for a whole lot less than $4000.00. ( a whole lot less!) If your buddy decides not to go for this one, let me know and I might be interested. If you have any info and pics please send them. Thanks
Yeah, Fraley is out of Wenatchee, I grew up in Chelan which is 30 miles away, been to their lot and they have quite a bit of stuff. I will give them a call in when I get some extra time to see if they have some leads. So you have a wiring harness for a dash 3? What about a computer?
cheap iron Jeromme from quebec has a wrecking yard full of heavy equipement parts, give him a call and say cooley sent you 1 418 251 1052 good luck and dirt diggler
Hey Cascade Scraper, sorry I haven't got back sooner. Yes I have a harness for an EX200-3. I may also have a used engine controller, I'll have to check. I have 4 or 5 of them but don't know for sure if they are all ok. I use them for testing and pick them up when ever I can. What's happening with this machine? E-mail me if you would.