Look what Santa dropped off! Santa's sleigh looks to be diesel powered these days.
Nice!
Nothing like being the first owner to fart in the seat. Congratulations!
I hope Santa didn't come a long way, he didn't cover the exhaust. Very nice. Power quick attach too.
Santa drove about 8 miles!
What if the guy who drove it around the dealership (was moved between different bays for PDI, thumb install, etc., did it first?....Or the guy who rolled it off the assembly line?
That thing looks hungry for some dirt it's to shiny
Very nice and congrats!!
I'm anxious to put her in the dirt! There a re few things to do yet though. We've had storms for about a week now and they are slated to continue through Saturday. I've heard reports of about 3' of snow at the job sites (pics were taken at my place -about 6500', and my current sites are at about 8,000') so we will spend a day, or two, removing snow before we can get back being productive. It would be nice if things warmed up enough to melt the snow pack from the roads too. The roads in and out of the job are not particularly flat so traction can be scarce when icy. I also need to get some sort of front window protection before I'll feel comfortable running the hammer on her. Fortunately I still have the 245 (which is already set to run all of my attachments) so I have time to get that done. There is a lot of complexity for this machine as well so it will take me some time to learn how to use all the tech stuff. The machine has 2D grade control, grade indicate, e-fencing, and scales. The 24" severe duty bucket, and the laser catch, are still on back order as well. This machine has been sitting at the dealership for over a month because they didn't have a bucket, or a thumb, for it until about a week-and-a-half ago. Everything about this machine (except for the engine) seems very robust. Despite it being in the same class as the Deere 245G the Cat appears to me to be bigger (physically) and the steel that make up the components are thicker. I had them run it across the scales on the way to my place today....It weighs about 4,000# more than the 245G.
Thanks guys! I went back and forth about it after I ordered it. Cat is pretty proud of these units (as are all the other brands that I looked at too), especially with how much demand there is for machines around here these days. The salesman told me that I could back out of the deal anytime I wanted as he felt the machine would be bought by someone else in a day or two if I decided that I didn't want it. I made the decision to stay in the deal since I've had so much trouble finding help. My thought is that the tech package will allow me to do most of my dig-outs with out needing anyone to check grade for me, nor will I have to get out of the machine to do so. The grade control will work with any bucket I want and it will even be able to show me grade with the hammer!
too cool!
Smashing shots you are a skilled camera guy, some shots of the internals would be real useful if you can manage that. Kind regards Uffex
Or convert the end wall of your house so you can keep it in the warm and dry. Only bring it out on sunny days when no chance of rain. It's a beaut. Reduced tail swing very nice.
One thing about zero swing. You get used to it, then you jump on a regular machine. I am always checking, because the first time I don't, I'll be in one of the 350s. Thank god for cameras.
That things looks really nice, not like the big bunny feet early Komatsu zeros, for example. That was a weird and annoying setup for a guy used to having some ass.
I see an extra set of piping up the boom. Is that a rotation circuit? Total tool control as I recall is all set up from the monitor panel now days. Takes some time to find the right menus to get it to do what you need. It's like playing a video game. It looks like a short stick. Are there other available? Beautiful machine.
Wow!!!....that is gorgeous!!!
She is very pretty! I think the Tech package is money well spent. The days finding someone to hold grade are over.
What kind of work do you do with it?
Notice I said... first "owner". Anyway, I hope you make lots of money with it and it stays somewhat shiny through the years. Happy New Year!
Damn ..... Santa wasn't that good to me ! That is sweet.
You need to bribe him more
Inside the cab pics are hard. The camera doesn't work like our eyes so everything is too close. I'll see what I can do though. Anything in particular that you'd like to see?
I have to agree with you on this. I have a (true) zero tail mini (it's actually a zero house unit, not just the tail), a compact radius mini (Cat 305.5 that the bottom of the counterweight sticks past the tracks a few inches), a Deere 245G (which is a zero tail but one must watch for the front corners of the house when in tight quarters), and that's the machine that I run most these days. Whenever I run the Cat 315C (conventional tail unit) I feel anxious about it. It's almost like there are alarm bells going off in my sub-conscious which brings up my awareness of the tail. So far no issues with impacting anything but I'm thankful that the tail is not too big on that size machine. The 325 is also a "compact radius" machine (not a zero tail) but the cameras help with that.
For the most part I like the way she looks. I think that my Deere 245 has cleaner, sleeker lines. The Cat looks a lot stouter than the 245, has a "better" shade of yellow (IMO anyway), and has a lot more room in every part of the super structure that you have access to. Unfortunately the 325 is NOT a zero tail. It's a "compact radius" machine. I think that the tail sticks out about 9" when turned perpendicular to the tracks. This does concern me but this particular 325 has enough cameras that one can have a "birds eye' overhead view. That gave me a bit more comfort when considering the tail sticks over the tracks.
yes in that second picture I can see it now, the cab corner goes past right there too. I am more than OK with that. I grew up on 300 and 400 full AZZ machines and I like that balance and am used to the limitations. My wife's car has that birds-eye view that must be nice on an excavator. I have only had those regular cameras.
She is pretty though I'm in the "I hate the new CAT logo" camp. The stick does seem short but that is either the long one or the only one. This machine was ordered with the 18,000# counter weight (we have a thumb, coupler, and a 48", 1.56 cubic yard, severe duty bucket at the end of that stick so we need some pork out back), reach 18'-8" boom and reach 9'-6" stick. Still, the short length of the stick, the coupler, and the amount of crowd she has makes it si the thumb can't have but (2) teeth/tines (see the "snaggletooth" thumb in the pictures ) or it would impact the bottom of the boom and not allow one to crowd in all the way even with the thumb fully retracted. This was a major issue for me and we went round-and-round trying to sort this out because I HATE having the 2-tooth thumb (Fine for boulders but terrible for grubbing lots and demolition work). I almost went with a Rockland bucket and thumb. They had designed one that would allow clearance from the boom but I would be limited to a 1.25yd bucket with a custom shape and tip radius. I also have a 24" bucket coming and I just didn't want to require custom buckets in my future. Who knows what buckets I may want in the future and like the idea of being able to shop for Cat "B" linkage buckets as they will be much easier to source than a custom bucket. Yes, the monitor is a whole new learning experience and I don't look forward to it. Fortunately CAT has a monitor simulator app that I will be checking out this weekend. Tool control is already in the monitor and I had the dealer load all of my attachments into it prior to delivery. This is not a new feature (for CAT or other brands either) as I already have that feature in the 245G as well. The 245 is a 2017 model and that was the first year that it was available on the G series 245s and I think that the 245 was the first Deere G series to offer that. No rotation circuit. It has (1) auxiliary circuit, a case drain line (return/right side of the dipper), and coupler lines for the hydraulic quick coupler. I found it interesting that CAT equipped this machine with a -20 (1.25") return line. The pressure side is the typical for this size machine -16 (1") hose. No complaints there. I wonder if I will see any noticeable changes in performance due to that. The Deere has -16 lines for both pressure and return (as does the 315). My 5,500# hammer does not seem to get very hot (even with the 1" return line of the Deere 245) but it will be an interesting experiment anyway. This CAT 325NG weighs about 4,000# more than my Deere 245G (60,000# vs 64,000#) so I'm also curious if the additional weight of the carrier will add to the penetration capabilities of the hammer.
As stated above, I would have to agree with that. This machine was only about 10% more expensive than the Deere 245G that I bought back in '17. That machine had zero tech on it and would have cost me another $20k just for a 2d indicate only system. The indicate only would have been fine with me but it's hard to justify an additional $20k when the 325 come standard with 2d indicate and assist (e-fence and scales too).
We do mostly high end custom residential in a gated golf course community in the pines (about 8,000' elevation). It is a lot of hard rock (through bedrock) excavation that includes hammering and/or blasting. I will run a 5,500# breaker, a BF80.3 crusher bucket, a ho-pack, a skeleton bucket, and sometimes feed a track mounted mobile crusher, on this 325 along with traditional excavator chores. We remove trees (mostly Ponderosa pine, Juniper, and Cedar) and brush, excavate for foundation install (which is either pin to rock or adding structural fill/leveling course), dig for, and install, domestic and fire water supply, grinder stations and pressure sewer services, foundation drains, radon mitigation, build driveways, crush spoils to make structural fill and even general fill (if no dirt is present on the lot), foundation backfill, prep for slab installation, rock walls, etc. Right now we are also doing a couple of 4 story (including subterranean garage) 6-unit buildings that also require silt traps and 6' ductile iron fire suppression lines (OMG the **** show that these are!). These units are about a 100' x 100' footprint each with about a 10' fill to backfill on the deeper ends. In the last month we crushed to make about 12,000 tons of structural fill (we crush to 3" minus, no spec). We are usually working on about 10+ houses (in various stages of construction) at any given time. We are only a crew of three (including myself) and I sometimes hire out an owner/operator (who owns an old Kobelco 210) to help me. All of this takes place in one of the most beautiful places on earth! (Maybe I should start a thread in the "Showtime" forum). Right now we are booked up through, at least, the '2023 season! I am very fortunate!!
It probably takes about $275k for that bribe!
That's a nice machine. Dahm $275k, that's gotta be like $400k in Canadian bucks now! The grade stuff would pay for itself fast compared to $200 a day for a laborer. Plus the grade thing shows up everday, doesn't complain, and doesn't screw up. Seen 2 new 335's along road construction site a few months ago, super nice machines and such a big machine in a small frame. Really liked my old Deere 225, amazing how tight of areas they will work in.
Thats just the bribe. The machine price is on top of that.
Where are the tassels?
And stripper poles?
I had not noted the snaggle tooth thumb. That is unfortunate, like a mini. OK for big things but sucky for grubbing as you said. Maybe you can get a grapple setup and change the thumb out, but that takes all the convenience out of the quick change stuff.
She's loud and proud!!....ala naturale!
Looks like a nice machine. will be interesting to see how you like it. The two tooth thumb is kind of different. Not sure I would like that. Can you add the other teeth? Take good care of it so I can get it in 15 years. lol
Wow!! There sure is a lot of activity in the Excavator Forum! I had to go back (9) pages to resurrect this this thread. UPDATE: I wanted to report an update as to how things are progressing with the new 325. We haven't used her a whole lot. The last dig-out we did, along with the next utility trench we did, required the hammer and I don't quite have the window guard completed yet. Since I still have the Deere 245G (which has a window guard) we used it instead. That being said, I think that she has about 70 hours on her now. It has had the computer re-flashed 3 times since delivery and I'm still not 100% sure that CAT has all the bugs worked out just yet. When I last operated it on Friday, it would not let me change operators away from "GUEST" (one can load individual operator preferences for many different operators). I would think that this also means that I can't make "owner", or "administrator" changes either as it would not accept my password. Instead it gave me some message about having to "reset the master switch". I think that this might mean the main battery disconnect, but I didn't have time to do so at the moment. We should have time to mess with on Monday before it snows. While this seems to be a minor issue, I can also say that the machine is now in "smart mode" and I'm not sure if I can change it to my preferred setting. I am also not sure how many other "issues" it might have yet as I did not try to run much besides the the digging function. The initial re-flashes were to get ride of some "herky-jerky" actions in the dipper and boom. This last re-flash was to try to stop the machine from having and "engine over-crank" codes (computer logged 12 events). The machine doesn't "over-crank" (CAT tech confirms that this codes refers to starter speed) at all. She fires up right away, and very easy, no matter the temps thus far (coldest temps thus far has been negative single digits). Oddly enough CAT did not re-flash the ECU. They did the main computer instead. That seems counter-intuitive and makes me wonder how many damn computers she has onboard. Hopefully I'll have more on this later this week. I should also note that an oil leak has developed. Oil has begun to collect at the bottom of the super structure. It became visible to me between the boom rams and I have also seen it (since then) in the pump compartment at the right rear of the super structure. The mechanic looked at it (while he was already on site looking at what has become a coolant leaking problem on the 305.5) and determined that it was swing drive oil that appeared to have leaked out of the fill tube on the swing drive. He checked the level and thought that it was fine. He mopped up the oil in front of the swing drive motor (but not the rest everywhere else) and said to keep an eye on it. So far it does not appear to be leaking anymore. Seems odd!....And I don't like it on an old machine, let alone, a brand new one! The CAT coupler still sticks and pops loudly before it will disengage the bucket. I haven't yet selected a different brand yet (Since I made such a stink about it (see my CAT coupler thread), and this one has not been working correctly, CAT has told me that they will install the coupler of my choice and credit the OEM coupler). So far, the only one that will retain the OEM geometry looks like the Strickland. I have no experience with them. If anyone does please chime in and offer it up! I have begun looking for an older gen 2 or 1 CAT coupler. We'll see how this goes as I need to decide ASAP. I'm still waiting on the CAT 24" severe duty bucket. It was supposed to be shipped back in early January but I haven't been given any status update since that one (which was already a notification of a delayed delivery). I am also still waiting on the back-ordered laser catcher. No ETA has ever been given on that. We are starting another dig-out tomorrow so I may have a report on how the grade indicate/assist work out. Don't hold your breathe just yet though as we are getting forecasts for major snow event from Monday eve, through Thursday. On the positive side, I have had the thumb modified and I now think it will be much better than what CAT made. See the photo. It has gone from (2) tines (BOO! YUCK!! HISS!!!) to (5) tines. We also shortened the OEM profile so that it will, at least not interfere with the boom when it is in transport position, and has a bucket on it. I will have time tomorrow to grub our next dig-out so we will see how she works then. Yes, it will now impact the bottom of the boom along a portion of the thumb travel, but this is the compromise that I think works best for me. Original configuration: ...And what it looks like now: She still need paint but it will certainly do a lot better job picking up slash and separating out stones. In it's original configuration one could hardly pick up 24" and less boulders. More in my next post....
Also in the positive category, I have had the frame for my window guards fabricated. Over the years, the guy who I have fabricate for me has impressed! I'm happy with the 325 thumb (in the post above), he did a fantastic job on the 305.5 thumb (I think CAT mini thumbs are junk! It all started when they decided to make a thumb that will work on many different size machines. -GO BEAN COUNTERS!!), and I think that he also did a fantastic job on the window guard frame. Now I need to get a 5' 1-1/2" x 36"x 1/4" piece of Lexan. Then we will try out the hammer. I am hopeful that the extra 4,000# of *** (that the CAT has over the Deere) will make a difference in hammer performance. He also put these edge guards on my 48" severe duty CAT bucket! I also want to say that I like the way the machine performs. It's quick, but not nearly as quick as the 245G. I think that the Deere boom/stick/bucket are lighter. This makes it easier to speed up and to get stopped too. The CAT feels like it is moving more mass out there. It is most noticeable in the swing. The CAT feels like it's just as fast once it reaches speed but, as I said, it takes longer to get up to speed and to get stopped. The Deere feels like the hydraulics are smoother, and easier to blend. The CAT feels like it has much more power. The Deere feels like it will out work the CAT in soft material but the CAT will outperform the Deere when the going gets tough. The track power of the CAT is far superior to that of the 245G. I'm not sure why. Especially considering the extra weight of the 325. The track motors on the CAT do make much louder of a whine than the Deere but the CAT tracks are much quieter than the Deere. The Deere tracks have been squealing loudly since day one.
I forgot to mention... The CAT bucket capacity is 1.6 yds, and the Deere only holds 1.25 yds. Combined with the additional eight of the extremely beefy CAT severe duty bucket (compared to the Deere, as in CP, OX-Pro bucket), it helps see us see why it takes more to get the CAT up to speed.
Nice welding on the thumb teeth and bucket!
UPDATE: I've had CAT out a few more times now. We've had more issues with the electronics. The laser catcher finally came in and they installed it about a week ago. When the mechanic was here he also looked at the computer as it would not lock anyone out. This machine does not take a key (other than entering the cab, or service doors) so anyone could start it and run it. Apparently there is a setting that will disable the lock out function for certain times of day (one can tell it to be unlocked between 11pm and 11am, for example) so the machine did not require any code, despite me telling it to lock (it also asks if you want it locked when you turn it off). The mechanic had to call CAT tech to figure out how to correct this. He said that this was due to it requiring a special "access code" but I'm not sure that he's telling me the truth. I know that the mechanics have not had training on these new "NextGen" machines yet. I think that he just needed to get proper instruction. Regardless, he changed that setting and now it requires a code to get the machine started. Yesterday, the machine did not want to start. The starter would give me a few sluggish cranks (about one crank less than what it normally takes to start it) and give up. Then the monitor indicated that there was a security issue that disabled the starter. This was after I already input my password....which was the correct one otherwise the machine would not allow me to attempt to start it. This happened a week or so before as well (the Monday after the last visit by the CAT mechanic [see above], which was on a Friday). To me it seems like a low voltage issue. The main disconnect was not shut off over the weekend (the first time this happened) so I thought maybe the batteries had just run down over the weekend (from the machine sending telemetry maybe?). The other, even more concerning, issue that happened yesterday is that the monitor went blank. The main concern about this is that all functions, including starting the machine, require the monitor. The touch screen part was working (I could get the machine to enter into the "auto warm-up" function -because I know where I would normally push those buttons on the screen), as was the orange warning light on top of the monitor, but the rest was black. I tried cycling the ignition switch several times but this made no difference. It did come back on after I cycled the main battery disconnect. I got a bit worried about this (beyond the normal concerns that this situation brings up) because we were blasting utility trenches yesterday and couldn't just leave the machine where it sat if it was fully disabled. CAT sent a mechanic out later that afternoon. He hooked up to the computer (BTW, this machine has (5) ECMs on board) and determined that there was a voltage issue. When running, the machine would generate 28+ volts. When turned off the voltage would drop to 22.1 volts in less than a minute. Furthermore, it would go down as low as 15.1 volts during the cranking cycle. He checked out the batteries and found that one of them was bad. He ran back to the shop and brought back a replacement. The machine starts like it should now (so far) and it has not yet given me the black screen issue (again...so far). Hopefully this fixed the issue/s. He did, however, find (5) more "machine over-crank" codes while he was hooked up to it. This was supposedly rectified with the previously mentioned re-flash. I hope that the "over-crank" error codes are also due to the low voltage and that the new battery resolves this. Time will tell. All that being said, I think that I have had far too many issues with this machine. I feel as though I'm being tasked with beta testing for CAT. Maybe all these bells and whistles are still too juvenile to be reliable. I'm starting wonder if I would have been better served to buy another brand that does not have all the fancy tech stuff on it. I have not given up on her just yet. I hope that it's just a case of getting a few bugs worked out. Again, time will tell. Here is a picture of one of our current jobs. The Deere and the CAT, back to back. Hammer crumbs from the garage dig are being used for rough fill of the driveway. From this perspective the (2) machines look to be of similar size (In previous posts I had reported having the opinion that the CAT looked to be bigger and burlier than the Deere).
When we bought our last 950, it took the better part of a year for them to sort the bugs out. Lucky for us, although the nearest Cat dealer is 2 hours away, the mobile service tech lives 5 min from our shop, and he is well versed in anything new that comes along. Everything has been good since then.