Are you happy with your Komatsu? I've operated mostly Cat and JD and know their reputations, but not Komatsu. I'd like to hear about their reliability. I've read about the Grey Mkts and am find it a little confusing. But mainly I'm interested in Komatsu's reputation.. Thanks, Dan
For big excavators 20,000 and up I wouldn't have anything except for Komatsu. I have tried cat 315 and 320 and I feel the are fast but I didn't like the feel of the machine I felt like it was very jerky. This is just my opinion good luck with your decision.
Thanks I wrote a thread before this one that was specific but I couldn't post it. Figured I took too long. I should have said I was interested in dozers. But thanks for taking the time to reply Dan
Ive owned them all and the last one was a Cat320, good machine, the one before that was a PC200-6, another great machine. For the price, I would buy Komastu, parts are cheaper and a lot of after market and used parts out there.
That is entirely accurate - the Cat's may be a hair quiker, but the Komatsu is a real hero-maker. Smoothest hydraulic system you ever seen.
I ran a komatsu dozer about 10 years ago... can't really tell you much other than it did what the others did.. we had it about 3 months , never had any problems. It was either a rental or demo... there just aren't many komatsu dozers around here. Lots of deeres and cats Gray market RUN AWAY FAST....parts are hard to get.. they are not off the shelf....at least that's what I've seen with cat gray. If it used make sure it has Komatsu undercarriage.... don't know why... but one place I worked had a Cat d8 for sale, that people would look at the new undercarriage , and say no thanks.. It had been to billy's bargain track shop must not have been high quality,Because the first month it ate two rollers while on one job.. From the hoes and loaders that i run, I liked them,
You can get parts for any gray market Komatsu as long as you have the parts book for that machine and a number for your part. Parts availability was never a problem for me when working on Komatsu. Cat was another story. If you are looking for a used Komatsu you will need someone that knows what to look for. The line is generally designed to wear out complete machines all at once. If a pump goes the engine is probably not far behind. That is a lot of why the Komatsu line does real poor on resale value. Dash 6 machines had valve problems particularly on PC150 and PC120 machines. There was a huge amount of updating and complete redesigns on pump and valve combinations. All the Komatsu machines are smooth to run and very fuel efficient. The early series Cat excavators were a little jerky and sudden in operation and were not real fuel effecient. I will have to say though that the C series excavators have caught up with the rest of the industy. Now most all the manufacturer's excavators are pretty generic in operation and design.
John, thanks for your reply! That's interesting about built to all go at once. Would you consider a clutch going out as a sign of things to come SOON, or would that not be seen as ominous as the things you mentioned above? Dan?
Time until major repairs.. When looking for a used Cat I was told they normally need major repairs at 12 to 14,000 hours. A rental company said their D3's are closer to 10,000. Does anyone know how long for Komatsu?
Komatsus tramissions overheat quicker than cat and if double shifted oh dear! Fine for Alaska at 40 below
Like all manufactures they have good models and some not so desirable. What size are you looking for? In my previous life I worked for a Komatsu dealer (15 years). What is the application this machine would be used in?
I'll be using it for commercial use. When I was in that business before I did about 40 residential jobs a season. I had a D2 Cat, similar in size to a D21P. I took longer to remove stumps but other than that I liked the smaller size.
If you are talking about a master clutch in a dozer it is more than likely it needs adjustment rather than being worn out. I haven't seen a Komatsu dozer with a master clutch is about twenty years and that machine was at least twenty years old when I worked on it. If it is a slipping range or direction clutch in the transmission itself that machine is inches from the the grave yard and any hard work will put it in the grave. I had a client a few years back that bought a D65 at auction for $7,500 and thought he got a great deal. Two days of work and the tranny shotgunned in a swamp. I sent him to someone who could rebuild the unit but the parts cost over fifteen thousand then. I think the hulk is still in the swamp. Old dozers are risk anyway but old Komatsu dozers could be like picking up a hot poker by the wrong end. You can't drop it fast enough.
THANKS AGAIN! I tried out the D21P for about 20 minutes today. It seems like it would be a good finish dozer, spreading D-1 and what not, but I don't see it much use against large stumps and major excavation work. I might consider a Komatsu D3, but will probably stay with Cat at that size..
Todays hydostatic drive machines are disposable machines. If you get 5000 hours count yourself lucky. Why do you think they keep changing model's. Now Komatsu did offer a direct drive machine in the D41 do not confuse that with a clutch.
G'day DRESSTA1 Any ideas that we may have overlooked WA900 overheating???
What on the WA900 is overheating, engine, torqueconverter or hydraulics?
Yea need some particulars. What causes it to over heat? How long does it take to overheat? How many hours on the unit? I would start another thread in the wheel loader section.
Overheating WA900 As you all might have assumed something big was going to happen and it has she self destructed no 12 sleeve has collapsed into about 10 pieces on further investigation stripping the radiator found 98% of the top cores were stuck with lime deposits and strands of rubber about an inch long investigation continues. I don't know what the company is going to do but if it was my tractor she be getting a total rebuild or a re-man i spoke to some of the operators and they all operated her when she got hot trying to blow her up the problem is she doesn't derate when she got hot so I'm pretty sure there is more in there ready to fail.
Whats the difference between d65e & d65p?
Komatsu Dozers I had a D21e and I put a set of rippers on it, I had it for 14 months and it was a great wee dozer. It got low oil pressure went it got very hot, I got it checked out by Komatsu, they said it was OK and I had no more trouble with it. My neighbour has got a D41, and in 10 years has replaced a fan belt and a starter solenoid. In New Zealand where I live, people think there is only two bands of Dozer to buy Caterpillar and Komatsu!
hey everyone, im just wondering what the equivalence to deere 850J dozer is to a Cat?
standard track and lgp wide track
John Deere to Caterpillar The JD 850J LGP weights 20,580kgs or 45,375 lbs the D6T weights 20,148kgs or 44,418 lbs.