I have a CAT 304e2 which is 77" wide. I have to haul it up river on a boat with a 70" ramp. I'm going to remove the blade and maybe the dipper/boom. Short of buying a smaller machine, any ideas on how I could shave off 7"? This is going to be a once, or maybe twice in it's life move, so I'm not concerned about how much work is involved with taking it apart, and putting it back together. I'm considering cutting the tracks length wise which should give me right at 7" total between both sides. I'd then bring a new set of tracks with me. Any other ideas? The boat has a V-haul so I don't think I could get the machine on one track and work my way in. I do need to be able to track the machine in and out on it's own power.
Will that boat carry a 304E? Does the machine have a QC and will the buckets go separately? Interesting not doubt.
Have a good welder widen the ramp, and modify the boat for the wider ramp. Looks like just a aluminum boat, shouldn't be hard to weld up. Alternative #2, put the mini on a "barge" made from a old pontoon boat or something and tow it with the boat. Because I'm like CM1995 and somewhat skeptical that the boat can handle a 8,500lbs mini. But I can't see the whole boat in the picture.
Jack up the back of the boat ( or hold the front down) and drive over the closed ramp ??? And, ya, doesn't really look like enough boat.... do you want to take that chance or find a bigger boat/smaller ex ?
Not enough boat. rent or cobble together a float. 8600 pounds displaces 138 cubic feet. Then you have the stability issue. That boat has little mass to counteract the top heavy combination.
The boat will carry the excavator weight wise no problem - I'm going to take off the counter weight and the dipper and shed quite a bit.
The boat is placarded for 8000 pounds?
leave the stick and bucket on. make a yoke out of timbers to stabilize it, and tow it behind you when you motor out. Put the timber yoke on the ramp. Tie it up to the dock, remove the track on the side away from the dock, and paddle walk it on with the stick. it would rest on the timber yoke and cushions where you are bearing all that unbalanced weight on it. Tow that timber yoke out behind you. Push the timber landing yoke out in front of you onto the beach or ramp when you arrive, and then nose up into that. paddle walk the hoe off again. Somebody stays on the throttles and pins the boat into that yoke.
I am certain something is going to get bent in the process.
Load it from side I don’t understand! Boats and hoes that’s Step brothers baby!
Mount pontoons on each side of the mini, and paddle it with the tracks and push with the bucket.....
Just to satisfy my curious nature- how far down the river/ lake are we going? What's the budget? And why aren't we trucking it there? I know they helicopter some mini's to remote locations.
The Helicopter lift charge is going to be less than the cost of a new boat, excavator, and salvage operation.
Flat water? We had a tiny machine (Kubota 007) that the previous owner long-lined with a Hughes 500d in order to build trails for parks Canada. They also slung in a couple of drums of fuel; set the operator up for a fair bit of trail building.
seriously, I'd take a JD 26 or 30 and forget the 40. I ran a new 17 last year and it was surprisingly nice.
Chief Brody--We're going to need a bigger boat.
Agree, the 17’s are really capable for the size. Proper pilot controls as well.
a 30 would drive right on that boat no fuss or muss, and probably not bend the ramp. Probably.
2001 Custom landing craft $340,000 Listed 24 weeks ago in Bellingham, WA Seller's Description Commercial or personal landing craft! This vessel has been working the Puget Sound for 20 years and has a huge customer base with a wide range of diversity. If you have ever wanted to make a living on the water there is no better, more rewarding and fun way to do it! This landing craft cruises at 20kts light and 8kts loaded, extremely efficient and stable. LOA 48' Width 14'
You could purchase steel tacks and cut the pads down 3.5 inches in each side OR you could cut the rubber track down and just buy a new set of rubber tracks. Put the old tracks on when moving it on the boat, remove them when you get where you are going and install the regular size tracks. The problem would be getting the “normal” tracks back and forth to and from each location.
Alright I'll ask - why are you taking a mini on a boat up a river? What's the task/project?
Yes, hard to answer your question without more details….
We work on a big river, but use the historic access road…you must not have that option.
Beat me to it.
Pretty common thing to do in my hood. But, we normally wait for the water to harden up.
woah. Good thing I am not in a position to buy that thing. Make $$ with it, and load the houseboat module when you want to go camping.
It would be cheaper than the new house, and a great retirement gig.
Imagine how much fuel it eats.
everybody lean the other way!
BOAT = Bring Out Another Thousand . I sleep better at night now not owning things that float.
Building a house in a very remote place in Idaho! I wish that landing craft in the pictures would work, but unfortunately the river is way too small (Salmon River) and way too violent for a boat like that. I bought the 304 specifically for this project, really want to make it work because if I jump down in size, you get nearly half the horse power, and a much much smaller machine. Because this is my project, and I plan to leave the machine there for years, if not forever, I'm not worried about the amount of work disassembling it. My machine could use a set of fresh tracks anyways, so I'm really inclined to cut the track and remove the blade to make it fit.
Just to give you an idea of the river:
This is what I'd like to do - I'm assuming the steel cables in the tracks run the length of the track and I should be okay cutting off the outer 3" of the track? I'm comfortable risking wasting a set of tracks.
There are not steel cables in the track, but rather steel bars that run cross wise.
So a high and heavy load in an overloaded boat is going to work? Make sure somebody follows in another boat with a camera!
Not sure where you get the overloaded boat idea? Boat is rated to carry 8k. Machine will be reduced to at the very most 8k.
I'd still change to a 30 after reading all you said. it will travel easier, and they do the same kinds of things. There is no magic that happens from 30 to 35 or 40. I have operated from this: to this: And all sorts of sizes and types in between. I am not trying to blow smoke up your jimmies. That JD 17 I rented was real. I can only assume the JD30 is as real or better. The little Cat 009 in the top picture was not real. It was one function at a time only, please.
Great place for a project, btw. We enjoyed a 2 night guided float on the main Salmon down to Riggins many years ago. Best of luck whatever you choose.
Given the costs of hacking the machine up and then restoring it back to working condition when it arrives ,id probably have it flown in . Its expensive ,but quick if you prep it right and its ready to use when you get there. The little landing craft may pack 8000 lbs ,the centre of gravity on a load like that might be haywire in river conditions like that . Ive spent a big chunk of my life moving heavy things on barges,things you never think of go wrong quick. Equate the cost of the machine,the barge and maybe an oil spill in the river to a helicopter bill and id bet the chopper is not unreasonable.
^ he knows about the floating of things, this is for sure.^ I only had a couple of seasons of it.
I'd also look at pioneering it in with permission from the land owners. I realize it may be impossible. Worth an ask.
I don't know anything about floating things on barges, but I know a little about boats on rivers, and I have a pretty good knack for spotting a bad idea . . . Anyway, I would get to looking for a set of old tracks to cut up enough to get onto the boat. Go to a rental yard or a Cat house and ask for a set of junk tracks. Cutting them down will be a miserable, fiery and smoke filled endeavor, but I guess with a demo saw and metal blade it could be done
When you say 30, do you mean a 30HP machine? I could sell my 304 I'm sure and get a 303: https://www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/equipment/excavators/mini-excavators/108580.html
Well, I don't know, but watching the video you provided I can't see a boat that can carry a mini navigating that while staying upright . . .
The video exaggerates it because of time of year.
You went right by.
the river has wildy oscillating flows, no dams anywhere so the water really goes up and down with weather. When we floated it, it was pretty low and slow but we had a great time. Just my wife and I and a guide who cooked wonderful meals for us. You can see pictures of the river at the same spot and not believe it is the same river! Of course that's not for you @thesanchez
Somehow, I can't see this ending well! Please send pictures is you attempt this move.
The Salmon River is and can be as unpredictable as Hells Canyon on the Snake River. I know someone who is a guide and worked both rivers, almost 30 years experience. * Could be done I suppose, but to each his own.
My bet is, that it goes on a cargo hook under a big helicopter.
Excavators are measured in metric tons, hp has little to do with the model number, and is just a coincidence if it is the same. 30 = 3.0 metric tons, 35 = 3.5 metric tons, and so forth. Lately manufacturers have 'fudged' the sizing a little and most are a good bit heavier that the model number suggests. With that being said, there are several '35' sized mini excavators that weigh right at, or under, 8000lbs and are less than 72" wide. There are machines in the 35 size class that equal or out spec the Cat 304e2, aside from reach and lifting capacity. That said, I think the whole idea of taking an 8000lb mini ex, in that boat, up that river, is almost sure to end in disaster. Please be sure to video the whole endeavor....
Reminds me of Stehekin--boat, plane or on foot. The old joke was a hide out for the criminally insane.
yes, our 35G measures 67" and would walk right on. It is over 9K with the cab and swing blade though.
Salmon River Helicopters has a UH-60 which is rated at 8,000lbs. I'm sure it makes a big difference what they have on for fuel load, on how far they can take 8,000. Maybe strip some of it down, and bring the rest by boat? Your boat may be rated for 8,000, but that's probably a equally distributed load with a lower center of gravity than what the mini is going to have? It costs nothing to call and ask. About - Salmon River Helicopters About salmon river helicopters women owned and family operated Salmon River Helicopters (SRH) was incorporated in 1993 by Cindy and Guy Carlson. SRH is a small unique women owned and family operated business with three generations working for the company. SRH’s headquarters is located in... www.srhelicopters.com
I wonder what it costs to recover a mini laying on its side in a wilderness river . . .
Always doing the search engine.
Would it track on boards with the tracks removed?
I was wondering that too. Maybe lay down some wooden planks to give something for the drive sprockets to bite into? No idea if the drive sprockets stick down enough to move machine on planks, just an idea.
Man I miss the popcorn emoji.
This thread is doing pretty good peaking interest--39 members on and ten on here looking at most times. A little better than Spuds or VeTech.
Snorkel the intake and exhaust, put on some scuba gear and just crawl it along the bottom. Seams safer.
Take off tracks strap to stone sled type thing. Push onto boat with bucket or other pushing device. Pull off of boat with bucket or other pulling device.
How about just rolling it along on the bottom rollers in some channel iron? Can we see the whole boat? Hard to get a feel for it with just the bow. If these guys can do this, I think you'll be fine:
Third weekend in April! Can’t miss the Bob Hays Memorial.
Get some roughsawn and simply make a skid on top of the boat to accomidate the wider machine.
If you decide to go the helicopter route, call the big logging companies for leads. They use helicopters to fly out big $$ trees from remote areas.
Great thread...quite the project. Keep us posted!
I thought maybe some of you guys would enjoy an update. I got both my skid steer and excavator relocated to my property, thanks to the help of another boat service. I also moved 4 conex containers in with a helicopter, and after that experience I don't think I'd want to move any heavy pieces of equipment with a helicopter.. Unfortunately it's just been too hot to work, so I'm waiting a few more weeks for the temps to drop.
Love it! Thanks for the update and enjoy your remote digs.
You really went and did it!! Awesome and thanks for the follow-up pictures. We'd love to see what you do going forward.
How does the boat service compare in price with the helicopter? I'm glad to see you got it moved. Some pictures of the site would be fun to see. Are you building a conex house, or are the conexes just to store material in, for the build project? Is the cabin only accessible by boat? And then you are going to be generator and solar? I enjoy looking at such places, but I'm just fundamentally too lazy to live off grid. I like having electricity and water that comes on when I open the tap.
If I was that guy with the motorcycle in this video, I think that I would say, "That's okay, guys. I'll take the next boat!" I wonder if they made it? At least the water looked dead calm.