My first post so I apologize if this the wrong place or format. I have an opportunity to buy a used cat 303cr from my boss. It’s scratched and beat up and will need some work. He doesn’t take the best care of equipment but most of the stuff thats behind on it I can do my self. Change all the filters, fluids, and battery. It will need at least one new final drive motor in the under carriage. Is this something worth taking on and if so at what price. Would just be used around the property for now as I don’t plan to go out on my own for another few years. Haven’t looked in a while but it’s over 2000 hrs easy at this point. Thank you for any information and opinions! -Eli
Doing maintenance now doesn’t make up for lack of maintenance beforehand . Why is he getting rid of it? Even 2500 hours isn’t a lot of hours.
Yes I know it may not have that much left in it. He’s selling because my supervisor won’t use it anymore due to it needing that final drive. Keeps him from backfilling. It was a rental before we had it. Hoping that for maybe 2-3 grand it would be worth what life I could drag out of it.
If repair was cost effective he would repair it . Unless you can get it for next to nothing I would pass.
First I'll say I have no experience with 303 or other such machines but one thing that would worry me and I hope those familiar with the machine will agree or disagree with my thoughts. The main thing that would worry me is why is the final drive motor bad? If it is chewed up inside where did that metal go? My guess is right into the hydraulic system. So now if it has been run any amount of time with failed parts contaminating the hydraulic system what is the next component that those ground up particles are going to damage? Sad thing about any hydraulic component failure is the damage that gets done to the other items in the system, pumps, motor, control valves, oil coolers, and cylinders. No idea of how many projects you are thinking about for this machine but I might be tempted to find out what he expects to get for it and then price a replacement motor and next estimate the cost of the oils and filters. Then check to see how much it would cost to rent a similar machine to do the work you have in mind.
I agree with the sentiments of previous posters. However, your mentioned $2,000. sounds favorable IF you are willing to invest $5,000 to $10,000 over the next few years as needs arise. Cat parts are HIGH!
For $2K I'd buy it. I happen to think Cat parts prices are fairly comparable with other manufacturers. If it turns out to be beyond economical repair you could flick it to Ritchie bros and get your money back. And if anyone happens to think Cat parts are expensive, just remember at least they're AVAILABLE.
Would there be evidence that I could look for in the hydraulic fluid that I could look for that might indicate that kind of damage or would it be too small?
I’m hoping to keep it around 5. Just not sure if it would be a money maker when I decide to go on my own. Maybe a newer machine in a few years would be best?
Guess it all depends on why the one drive motor failed. I guess you could pull an oil sample and also remove the filter(s) and cut them open to see what they have caught. Another thing that would help to know is how long this has been having the problem and did anyone do any trouble shooting to know for a fact it is a bad motor? Could the problem be something else like a control valve or even an adjustment of the control linkage? Might be worth posting the full S/N from the machine to let someone see if there is a troubleshooting chart from Cat. I tried looking for the 303 CR and there are at least a dozen different versions so a S/N is critical! Oh don't let the boss know if you think the problem is a simple fix or he won't want to sell it!
The CR models of Cat minis are dog machines. All the piping and valving is under the cab. It is prone to lots of hydraulic leaks which some are nearly impossible to get access to without dismantling all the stuff that is on top of it. Access to the radiator and cooler requires unbolting sheet metal even to add fluid, never mind blowing out the fins to get cooling air flow. Price out a travel motor and final drive before you make the jump. $2,000 for a machine is probably no bargain if it costs $10,000 for that one component. Last I looked, market value for one of those machines was $10,000 to $15,000 for an operational unit. Finally, 2,000 might be a ton of hours for one of those machines. The CR models went out somewhere around 2007 so the stated number of hours likely does not reflect total operating hours.
We had main hydraulic hose clamp break about a year ago and yes it was pain to get under there to fix it. Final drive looks to be going for about 1500-1800. I’ll check into the rest. Just got off work so I’ll look it over and see what else it may need.
Haven’t had the chance to really tear into it yet. We been to busy and using our other mini for sewer work. Started to go this past fall. I’ll find the serial and try to do some trouble shooting when I get the time.
XDMA00848X is the serial and it is currently at 2100 hours.
Yeah I’ll have to run the numbers and see if it would be a money maker at all. I think the downtime with the machine and the cost of me hauling back and fourth to the mechanic is what’s putting him off. If I find it’s a much cheaper fix it might be worth it yet? I’ll look around on the used market, maybe there is something similar in my price range that is running good.
I cant believe you even asked this question. I have never seen a mini for sale for that price. How could you loose the power pack is worth that.... See if the boom has enough power to pick up the machine if so the hydraulics are strong enough. Get a final and go at it i had a 302.5 used it for over a year and sold it for more than it cost.. It was a leaky pos. But it did a good many jobs and made me money when i sold it.
Well as I said I'm not familiar with these machines but did take a quick look on SIS and saw this remark: Oil is supplied to the left travel motor (1) by the left pump through the swivel. Oil is supplied to the right travel motor by the right pump through the swivel. So I'd say one would need to be sure the problem is in the motor and not the pump or swivel. It would be nice if the lines for the right drive and left drives could be temporarily swapped to prove where the problem was, maybe at the control valve? Strange thing is when I check the parts book on the machine I'm not seeing these two pumps. Is Cat trying to confuse me?
If it's been neglected as claimed, it's more likely that the final drive has failed due to lack of oil changes. I'd bet a dollar that the hydraulic side is unaffected.
Very good possibility, I was basing my thoughts on the statement in the original post: It will need at least one new final drive motor in the under carriage. The more I've looked on SIS, if I'm understanding things right, it appears that everything is run off one pump. If that is the case and the problem has been there for a few months I would be expecting total system failure by this point.
He is very intent of changing oil himself but only engine oil is all he seems to do. Never seen him do any other maintence to any of our machines. I have parts and fluids on our order list but nothing has even been marked off as ordered in almost a year at this point. Scares me a little to think what elese has been left behind. I’ll check on this Monday after work. Edit: come to think of one on our other machine just seized up one day. Wouldn’t move a inch further luckily just after I limped it off the trailer at the mechanic. Maybe due to the same thing?
Head scratcher there. Maybe I can track down a manual at the shop and see. I’ll give it a shot and see what if it works.
It always gets me when I hear about the way some people like contractor take care, or should I say don't take care, of their equipment. Also how so many have no idea how they even work. I mean the equipment is 90% of what pays the bills. No matter how good your workers are if the equipment don't work how are they going to get the job done?
Yes but also doing heavy digging on final drives say bucket over it and blade up hurts the bearings in final drives and how you load and unload the machine on final drives ...I just had a 304cr mini final drive go bad 5200 hours and bearings on sun gears let go machine is old and handled rough ..but is strong as a ox Buy it and service it ..check with https://www.offroadeq.com/ for final drive they have cat parts and aftermarket
Just got off the machine. It is not strong enough to pick its self up anymore. Left track seems to drag only after its been run for a while and is heated up. Maybe i was a little off with it being the final drive? Could be something to do with the hydraulics more so than the final drive it’s self.
take the oil plug out on final drive at drain but do it at 3 oclock position so its not draining but to see the metal shavings on magnet plug … a lot of metal final drive is going bad ...next hand and foot levers how much play to make machine move is more one sided as the weak drive ...they get pitted from wear on travel control under floor board even packed with mud not very costly to replace valve body there.... will it bucket down cold pick it self up then hot not ? my 2004 304 cr with rebuilt motor will and has always been more powerful then our 2012 304 by a lot its is weak but smooth machine ..sent it back to cat 2 times nothing wrong they said my old mini will pick up 3000 pounds with blade down and swing it to load a rammax trench compactor newest one will not even pick it up