I am looking to buy an excavator for the farm. I am looking for something in the 35k - 45k lbs range with about a 28 - 30 foot along the ground reach. $50,000 is my limit. I plan on using it a year and selling it. I plan on hiring an equipment mechanic to look over what I find as I don't want to have breakdowns. I am asking for any advice on brand, Case, Cat, Deere so forth. Who has the most reasonable parts prices, best reliability etc.. Renting is out as I plan on doing these jobs as I get to them. Any advice on excavators would be appreciated.
Need excavator advice.
- Thread starter kenojoe1
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Silver
Well-known member
Pretty hard to beat a JD or Hitachi (same machine mostly) in 230 size. They just keep going.
SmokinM
Well-known member
Cat or Deere are going to be easiest to find parts for and a mechanic to fix. Probably the most dependable/best machines as well. People who tell you the parts are higher for them are full of it and they will either stock them or have them the next day. Most of the others will be of comparable quality on that next level down. Komatsu makes a great machine but parts are HIGH and they tend to like fuel. Like Silver says Hitachi is pretty much the same machine as Deere. IMO Cat is king in that type of equipment.
The good news is the bigger machines like that can often be bought cheaper than 30k# and less machines and a lot of times see less abuse.
The good news is the bigger machines like that can often be bought cheaper than 30k# and less machines and a lot of times see less abuse.
Silver
Well-known member
Just make sure it has a thumb. And if it has a thumb make sure it has guarding .
Cdeyton
Member
It is hard to beat Cat with resale value, at least around here.
I've never ran an excavator, but I had an International track loader one time and now have a Cat machine. I'll echo the statements above, in that I have no desire to own another piece of construction equipment if it doesn't say Cat or Deere on the side. Parts availability and service knowledge are priceless.
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
I would choose between Cat and Deere depending on which ever local dealer is best.
If you have a good local Volvo dealer and can find one in budget they are good machines as well.
If you have a good local Volvo dealer and can find one in budget they are good machines as well.
I would look at Cat, Case, and Deere. Case will probably be the least expensive to buy and to buy parts for. Might be best to buy at an auction have it hauled to you and then hauled back to the same auction when your done. I definitely agree on getting a thumb
Silver
Well-known member
One good way is to go to rbauction.com and see what previous sales results are for the model you are looking at. Keep in mind that auction results are generally on the low side of retail value though.
wbvs58
Well-known member
They are worth what their tracks are worth. Good tracks and chains and rollers etc set their price in an older machine so have someone that knows this stuff look at it.
I have an older excavator and bulldozer, both have v good running gear but it was more arse than class in me making the buying decision.
Ken
I have an older excavator and bulldozer, both have v good running gear but it was more arse than class in me making the buying decision.
Ken
Pretty much this. Undercarriage is everything, on anything that runs on tracks.
Look the rollers over well, make sure they're all turning and not leaking, make sure the sprockets aren't sharp, and look at the wear on the track rails and pin bushings.
Silver
Well-known member
Excavator undercarriage isn't that bad, compared to dozers. I put new rails on my JD 230LC this spring, total cost just under $5,400 USD including all new hardware. I did the pad swap myself so saved a bunch there. You can buy good used rollers pretty reasonable. Hoe's don't do a lot of walking like a dozer so you don't have to be as finicky about replacing the rollers, replace as they fail.
The expensive side of a hoe is the hydraulics.
The expensive side of a hoe is the hydraulics.
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
On a excavator tracks aren't near as important. I got a customer that has been using his excavator on his farm for 10+ years with a completely worn out garbage undercarriage, he has learned only to track straight and use the bucket to make turns etc. Is it ideal? No but it'll be a guy by.
Like silver said hydraulics are everything. If I'm buying I bring some gauges along with and# check some pressures both hot and cold. Checking to make sure filters have been changed and oil is clean. Depending on how picky I may pull an oil sample and have it sent in before making an offer.
Like silver said hydraulics are everything. If I'm buying I bring some gauges along with and# check some pressures both hot and cold. Checking to make sure filters have been changed and oil is clean. Depending on how picky I may pull an oil sample and have it sent in before making an offer.
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
My inspection starts with general appearance, functionality of the machine, then check that its been greased, undercarriage, slop in the pins and bushings, check for wear and slop in the slew/house/turntable bearing.
As for pressures each machine is different but they all have provisions to test pilot and work pressures. Do this both hot and cold.
I send engine oil samples to Blackstone labs and hydraulic/gearbox oils to Apex labs. They will tell you a lot of things about the oil like what contaminants are in the oil, if brass or aluminum (from pumps) is present in the oil, what kind of additives are in the oil, etc. For what it costs its cheap insurance on complex expensive hydraulic systems
As for pressures each machine is different but they all have provisions to test pilot and work pressures. Do this both hot and cold.
I send engine oil samples to Blackstone labs and hydraulic/gearbox oils to Apex labs. They will tell you a lot of things about the oil like what contaminants are in the oil, if brass or aluminum (from pumps) is present in the oil, what kind of additives are in the oil, etc. For what it costs its cheap insurance on complex expensive hydraulic systems
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
My inspection starts with general appearance, functionality of the machine, hydraulics,, undercarriage, then check that its been greased, slop in the pins and bushings, check for wear and slop in the slew/house/turntable bearing.
As for pressures each machine is different but they all have provisions to test pilot and work pressures. Do this both hot and cold.
I send engine oil samples to Blackstone labs and hydraulic/gearbox oils to Apex labs. They will tell you a lot of things about the oil like what contaminants are in the oil, if brass or aluminum (from pumps, bearings, bushings, etc) is present in the oil, what kind of additives are in the oil, etc. For what it costs its cheap insurance on complex expensive hydraulic
As for pressures each machine is different but they all have provisions to test pilot and work pressures. Do this both hot and cold.
I send engine oil samples to Blackstone labs and hydraulic/gearbox oils to Apex labs. They will tell you a lot of things about the oil like what contaminants are in the oil, if brass or aluminum (from pumps, bearings, bushings, etc) is present in the oil, what kind of additives are in the oil, etc. For what it costs its cheap insurance on complex expensive hydraulic
skyhightree1
Well-known member
My preference would be Hitachi Deere parts are ridiculously expensive
skyhightree1
Well-known member
cat is a good machine and deere too but there parts are ridiculously expensive as I do excavation work for a living. The service and knowledge depends on the dealer you are dealing with some are garbage. I will use any piece of construction equipment thats been around some time. We get into problems when we stick to a name that thing could be wore out but people buy it because of the name when a lets say hitachi is there in better shape etc and better than the deere or cat. I am not a brand w h o r e they don't pay me to use their equipment so I look at what equipment works for me.
SmokinM
Well-known member
Price comparable parts and I bet CAT and Deere are on the low end. Filters etc. for maintenance and they are usually cheaper OEM than NAPA. I have owned machines from a bunch of different manufacturers and I would rather buy parts for those two any day. They also usually have it on the shelf or have it next day.
All that being said if you can buy a comparable machine in much better shape for the same or less money I am not afraid to buy them.
All that being said if you can buy a comparable machine in much better shape for the same or less money I am not afraid to buy them.
