What is the best road builder manufactur link belt, cat, John Deere, komatsu
I tried to find out the same thing late 2010, early 2011, when I was researching for a replacement for my 2001 Cat 325B which would meet the July 2014 OR-OSHA requirements for forestry application cabs. While we weren't in a hurry to purchase, I figured to find out what I could about the same brands you mentioned. Looked here even in the excavator section to see how the brands compared. Even same species, the difference between the standard exc. and a roadbuilder is noticable. So, before I go into new equipment, I should probably address why someone might want a roadbuilder versus a standard excavator. It's all about the application.:IMO I build logging roads, and do just about any type of forestry related work. OR-OHSA has requirments for forest activities in Division 7. Up till now, excavators (360* swing machines) in the woods could meet current rules with guarding. They attempted to change the cab requirments early in 2000, but met with such outcry pertaing to being forced to reoutfit with new machines at such short notice, that they put it off intil July 2014. (this is how I remember it so correct me if I'm wrong). Cabs would have to meet criteria for crushing impacts such as falling upon and rollover. 2004 rules will be added to in 2014 with timber handling and 360* swing capable machine operation on unimproved ground exceeding 20%. I paraphrased there. I thought about printing the ammendment, but it requires you to go back to 2004 rules, which require you to go back further and further. If you want to, you can find it for yourself. OR-OSHA Division 7 Forest activities. Can't find the link. Must not have saved it. My boss bought the 325BFM RB for me to run because it was built for the work I would be doing and partly to the rumours of future requirements coming in 2004. After 10 years on a roadbuilder, the "standard excavators" (I'll refer to them as SE) have become frustrating (to me anyway).:Banghead Sure with the non-roadbuilders, you don't need outriggers on the lowboy, or maybe even the permit to move on the highway (depending on your locale). No need to tilt the cab, although some RB's don't use cab risers. I had a 1988 JD892D LC which had an 18" riser, but the SE undercarriage and it was a non-tilt cab. What I was looking for, needed the following features: High-wide undercarriage= stability on sidehill, steep grade, non-improved grade. Also added visibility. Cab riser= visibility- into tubs for rip rap loading, log trucks, into deep pipe lays. Yeah I could do it with a (SE), have and will in the future I'm sure as sometimes I have to go to different jobs and run what is there, but once you've had the extra visibility.... Double bar grousers- way better than street pads, and don't hurt blacktop if you are careful, unless it is a hot day, then you need to be really careful. We even put double-bars on our SE 325B. Most all of my work is off road, or gravel, except currently as I am doing storm-clean-up on blacktop. I also was looking for: Travel and swing torque for pioneering and shovel logging, gradability, drawbar pull, and lift capacities and cycle times. I e-mailed our dealers, and had pdf files on Cat and Komatsu collected. My criteria was; equal too or exceeding that of my current 325B . What I was used to was: ability to work and swing on steep ground. Obviously you have to plan where you seat your tracks and be aware of forces, counter forces,and conditions, but that holds true for anything. This thread is about machine cababilities, not operating techniques. The wide under carriage adds huge stability to over the side work as compared to SE. The added height didn't seem to decrease stability and combined with less tailswing, actually allows you to swing on narrower roads providing there is some slope to the cut bank. I felt more stable in the RB, than in my buddies SE on the same ground as we had oppurtuinity to work with both hoes on the same job once. Travel- Being able to travel up 77% without pushing or pulling myself- Cat RBs have Loman finals. If those stall, there is something wrong with them or your tracks are up against something solid. Some don't like climbing up the taller tracks and then stepping up into the riser cab from the catwalk. Yeah there is extra 18" step climbing when doing pipe installs, but to me the increase in visibility is worth it. :beatsme Some of you may already know my search ended in Feb of 2011. Boss walks in and tells me we are ordering a 325DFM GF. I was curious as to why then since we still had time until 2014. Couldn't beat the price. (Don't ask, I don't know). He wanted to get the Tier 3 motor while it was still available. And, parts and service are local and we get excellent service from them. Parts they don't have are usually in overnight. The new 325D didn't get here until Oct. And we needed to add some extras. Accumulator for the hammer, quick disconnect fittings for grapples, etc. By then the road construction season was over, so we decided to keep it at the shop until work showed up, and we had other exc. already out on sites. So based on past hands-on experience, I have been very pleased with Cat's roadbuilders. Tough and reliable. No cracks in boom or stick at 12,700 hours. Did have to get a new bucket about 3 years ago. I haven't been around the other brands so I won't bash them. (except to tease), but I admit the specs were interesting on the Komatsu PC220LL-8. Luckily we 've had some storms since January. Got to bring the new one out. 254 hours on it now, and it is NICE! Wish I could say it was spotless, but I dropped a boulder... in the mud... first day.:cussing Sorry for being so long winded... for now....
Nice looking machine. I will be waiting fopr some action shots of it. Is the roadbuilder 325 basically sitting on a 330 bottom with a raised center section? That is what it looks like to me.
Thanks Jerry, The high-wide u/c is purpose built for the 324/325 I believe. A 324 uses the old 325B travel motors. Heavy duty everything. D6H heavy duty track links Good question. I will double check on that. (That's a 330D just to the left of the pic). 28" of ground clearance under the 325D , the B model was 24". Nice to be able to straddle stumps when pioneering and decking when it's wet. Don't have to break the ground digging stumps. Flywheel hp= 204, up from 166 on the B. Reversable fan- lock out hydralics, flip a switch and the fan reverses blowing out the radiator and coolers. I know that isn't new but it is for me. Air-ride seat with about every adjustment you can think of. Comfortable! Excellent front visibility. Cab is slightly rearward, and left over catwalk alittle. Good ride. Wish there was more cab space behind seat, but it holds my rigging pack snuggly. One thing which I'm getting used to is the cab has main support beams up each side of the operator that are about 10" wide. Right where you'ld normally look behind the boom to see to the right. Burns about 7 gal/hour.
cat 320 bl suprisingly our old 320 bl has been an excellent bush machine. its big enough for what we use it for and ha s only had a couple minor problems.
dblott, i keep seeing a road builder in action on petersons parts store log-in page is this yours?.................theironoracle