Just want to make a quick presentation of myself: 40 year old, from Norway. Living around the Oslo area ( capital of Norway ) Lived at a farm from age 12 to 22, so quite well known with different types of heavy equipment ( tractors, combines, snowclearing equipment etc ). Did some snowclearing etc in the streeets of Oslo about 10 years ago. When i do not "play around "with my machines, i work as an sales engineer. Found out last summer, that i wanted to start with a small part-time buisniss, hireing out some small machines. Bought my first mini-excavator, and fell for a small CAT 301.8 with only 640hours on it. No closed cab, only rollbars, well maintained, and with 3 different buckets. Price from local CAT supplier ended up almost the same as buing in the private market. Also purchased a small mini-wheelloader in february, an Finnish-made NORCAR 760. This machine was expected to be solid, reliable and suitable for my small bisniss. Unfortenatly it was to worn out, so in september i sold it, and aquired a brand new Avant 520. Actually is was not brand new, but with 100 demonstration hours, it was close to it. I mainly focus on the part of the market that DIY persons represent. Next year i hope to have my certification so i can also deliver complete services, not only equipment. Some pics of my stuff: I am now thinking about buying a second mini excavator for the season 2014, and hopefully i can get lots of tips here. Two nice candidates are the CAT 301.7D and the brand new CAT 301.7 D CR with zertotail rearend. I also feel that Bobcat have nice, little machines, with the E14 and E16. Those two are my favorites at the moment, i am also concidering buying a larger machine, around 2600kg, but theese have a MUCH higher price tag, and does not collect a lot more in the market...
Welcome to the Forums Initium!:drinkup
Welcome Initium, Have a nice day.
Welcome! That's a nice wheel loader. Is it articulated? You have the same type of business I do. I'm a chief engineer for my day job.
I love your tilt trailer, have not seen one her in the states yet.
Yes, a small movie of same machine ( not mine ) can be seen on youtube HERE: Type is Avant 520, made by Avant Techno In Finland bmckenzie: it`s not a tilt, just a regular flatbed. I use some ramps under the backweels of my car to tilt it: Together with a not too steep ground, and a wooden pallet, it is perfect with ist overhanging and rather long rear end. Normally i transport the machines with this nice friend, an Ifor Williams GX84 Solid, and heavy as baggers...
Wish someone sold those in the states.
Some Equipment has changed, and some is the same: last spring, i purchased a New trailer. Its german made, and i love it. Bed is 202x402cm, and max weight is 3000kg. I can load apx 2350kg onto it. I made sides for it myself, originally it was equippped With aluminium sides ( expensive and impossible to fix when damnaged. Some 2x3", glue and bolts made me som really cheap, strong and Nice looking sides... I really love this trailer. Extremly versatile, and not too expensive either... Now i am looking into extenting my operations, buying a second small excavator And as we all know, there are only two types of excavators, NEW Cat`s and USED Cat`s... Anyone familar With the New 301.7D and D CR range ?
Welcome, and I wish you much success, it looks like you are on the right path! :usa
How does your Defender 110 pull the mini?
CM- I think his Defender has one of those ball shaped thingies bolted to the back of it under the rear bumper. The trailer hooks onto it.
No **** sherlock.:tong I was wanting to know how the diesel engine handled it. My Dad had one and the torque was impressive, wondering how it would do pulling a load.
What should i say, With mind on the rather small engine ( 2,5l & 117hp ) i find it quite impressive. Normal condition roads here with speed limits up to 80km/h is fine. We also use it as a Family truck, and drove apx 5400km With it on summer vacation. No problems With that. Main issue is the noise Level, and the heater / ac system ( lack of to be honest ) but towing and loading capabillities are superb. I cannot affore to run a small truck or dedicated "Company car " yet, so i have to find a car that can cover all needs in one. The Defender 110" can tow 3500kg, which is Maximum allowable tow for passenger cars in the EU countries. Fuel consumption is also low, important since fuel, also dieselfuel, are very expensive here in Norway...
The most impressive thing I saw a Defender do was when I was in East Africa. A Mercedes truck had died on a stretch of soft sand, weight of truck and load was around 12 tonnes. Guy in a 110 with an old 300 tdi engine got it moving without spinning a wheel and towed it about 10 km to the next town, all on very bad earth roads. The torque of those engines was something else. Not had anything to do with the newer ones, but there are a lot here pulling cattle trailers, plant trailers, etc. but not often anything that really taxes them. As Initium says, in the EU it's all a bit complicated when it comes to towing, and if we want to gross more than 3500 kg train weight, we need to have tachographs and keep driving records, maintenance records, etc. When I look at what you guys can pull behind a pick up, I get a bit green. I guess you have your own complications, though.
Great pictures, love seeing how its done on the other side of the pond! That is really interesting about passenger car towing limit, if you do get a "Tachograph" who would you have to show them to? and how often? Thanks and keep up the good work, we all have to start somewhere :thumbsup
In the UK there are three or four agencies who can ask to see your records, which need to kept a rolling 12 months, if they want to spoil your day. It's also got a lot more complicated regarding driver licensing, especially if you're a new driver. If you have an accident the police will need to access your driving records as a matter of course, and heaven forbid they unearth a pattern of exceeding permitted driving hours or speeding. I don't need to drive heavy trucks any more, but do keep my license current.
We know how to load our cars here in Norway as well, but remember, 3500kg is always the limit: therefore it is really important to build the trailer light, but yet sturdy, to get any payload at all. My Humbaur 30000 has a total weiht of 3000kg, and over 2300kg payload... The tachometer kicks in when car gets over 3500kg. If you drive for "private reasons " ( for your own company ) you have to have the tacho mounted, but do not have to use it ( !? ). If you somehow get payed for transporting goods for others, you have to use it as well. Driver has to insert a kind of " smartcard" to engage the system, and to keep track of driving time, distance, speed, and also resting time. I can try to support a picture. SO, back to my small company. I think of buing a second excavator, that shall be used for demolition work, using hammer, sorting garbage etc. inhouse.. I have looked at the Small Bobcat E10 model. Is this model available in the US, and do anyone know them ? I am quite fan of it, since this machine and the Kobelco / New Holland are the only ones using pilot valves for the control blocks...
Looks like the E10 model is an EU version of the 418. Anybody able to comment on the 418 model ?