Busy Wife This Weekend

[EddieWalker]

I really like the work pictures of your tractors. That Komatsu is a great little machine. I keep thinking that I want a big one, but I know that your's is about the perfect size for everything I want to do.

Eddie

 

[mike69440]

I believe you have a dozer and a full size back hoe. I think your ideal excavator would be 12-15 tons. These size machines can dig full size foundations & septic, pull very large stumps, (with a bit of digging first), load large dump trucks quick, and move 5 tone rocks.
My PC75 only has about the power of a full size BH, but being an excavator, is a faster digger. I think as you have a BH, you would be duplicating ability having this size small excavator.

You should not rule out the 20-25 ton excavators, as the 12-15 ton machines are so popular, they command about he same price as a larger excavator. A 25 ton machine however, is not something you move with a tag trailer and dump truck.

I love the fine pilot controls of the Komatsu. If the machine were still real tight with a coordinated operator, it could pick up a Coke can without crushing it. The articulated boom, thumb and pusher blade make it very versatile.

My hoe on my L39 Kubota is amazingly strong for its size, with decent direct control valving, especially when compared to all the other small backhoes I operated. The really small 6' -7-1/2' hoes seem to have the worst jerky controls. I never seem to be able to operate the small BH's smoothly.

I bet you would find a larger excavator very useful and satisfying to operate.

 

[EddieWalker]

I think you're right on all counts. I'm debating between two issues. Digging footings and sewer lines, and taking out trees and loading dirt. I need two machines for this. the backhoe can do both, but I need a smaller bucket for footings and it's too big to get in where I need it to be really useful. For that, I'm thinking a 3 tonne machine, give or take a little. In all reality, that is probably what I will buy. For taking out trees and loading dirt, I've looked and tried out 12 to 25 tonne machines. 16 seems to be the size that I like the best on up to about 20. Kobleco has a 17 tonne blade runner that I REALLY like. Cat has an 18 tonne machine with a blade too, but I haven't seen one in person. For the money, I can't justify buying the bigger machine. My backhoe does the job I need it to do, it's paid for, and it has a grapple that makes hauling the trees a piece of cake. Your machine seems like the perfect compromise, but like you said about the backhoe, I really don't need another machine similar in size and power to what I have.

I like Bobcat, Tekushi, Kobelco, Deere, Cat, Case and Komatsu. I haven't seen a Kubota in person yet, but my guess is that I'll like that too!!!! It's really just a matter of finding the deal that is too good to walk away from. Since I don't need it for awhile still, I can keep looking and talking myself out of going into debt any more!!!

Eddie

 

[mike69440]

I have used a 3 tonne machine, a Bobcat, and the 3 tone machine really bounced around a lot moving small rocks (300- 400 lbs max.) and dirt. Beat me up. Pusher blade was useless. I've also used a KX121 5.5 tones and it was much smoother. Bobcat did have good force on the dipper for its size. I think a 4 to 5 ton machine would be just right for small site work. You can get into some real tight places with them and still work.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks. I haven't been on anything that small yet, it's just very high on my "wish" list. I'll narrow my list down to the 5 tonne area and see what I come up with. What I really need is a new truck, but my priorities have a way of doing things that don't make a lot of sense!!! LOL

Eddie

 

[mike69440]

This is what I managed to get done playing around making more pasture before My PC75UU2 excavator travel spool valve stuck again. I managed to limp her back to the equipment shed. Ground was frozen anyways, so I have to finish this spring/summer/ etc.

The temp went down to 1 deg F. last night. Heat came on, even with the wood stove cranking.

 

[mike69440]

I finally got the chance to operate my equipment today instead of maintaining and repairing them. It was a long time coming

Owning an excavator is not for the faint of heart. Since I had my Komatsu PC75UU2 the right track spool valve was sticking when I tried to move the machine forward. Forcing and working the lever would usually get the track moving. I lived with this for 5 years, afraid if I were to try to lap in the binding spool,, I would remove too much material and running the entire valve. The valve is about $4,000. As each valve spool is lapped to close tolerance, spare parts, other than seals and o-rings are not available. This valve block has several spools for other functions beside track travel

In January the control cable to the spool fatigued and snapped on me while I was working the excavator clearing for more pasture. I manage to limp the machine back to my equipment shed. Amazing the lack of snow this winter for NH.

Rather than just replace the $250 cable, I decided to repair the valve assembly. After removing the valve block, I deburred the spool with very fine Scotchbrite spinning the spool in a hand drill. Then I ran a close fitting dowel wrapped with 600 grit emery cloth up and down the valve block bore a few tines by hand. I was very careful to check that I only removed the tiniest amount of material and the spool still fit the bore snug.

After flushing the block I installed new seals and o-rings.

Aside form the valve block repair, I did my first 1000 hour service as I now have put 1000 hrs on the machine since 2007 purchase. I changed all the filters, serviced the swing motor, the main bearing and swing gear, the PTO to the hydraulic oil pump, final drive oil, etc. The swing gear must have had 3 gallons of runny, watery grease in the house. Lifting the machine off the ground made it easier to clean out the old grease.

I have a bad diode in the alternator, that sometimes prevents the ignition from energizing. The diode is to prevent engaging the starter while the motor is running by accident. I set up a toggle switch to bypass this diode when it acts up.

Last year I replaced the wimpy Prince 3" dia hydraulic cylinder on the thumb with heavy duty 3" cylinder with 1.75" dia rod and replaced the boom floodlight.

I even worked most of the dents out of the lower sheetmetal. I will get around to painting it yellow.

Everything but the computer and proximity switches on the boom work, but for farm use, I don't need that feature.

The machine does not leak but a drop or two of hydraulic oil now, and the travel motor control works so well, I知 not used to it! Even the switch to the two speed travel motor is working. The machine runs better now than the 5 years I have owned it.

I also installed new tires on my Kubota L-39. They are 8 ply tires vs. the factory 6 ply. The 6 ply used to bulge more than the new tires when I had a good load in the bucket. Another good reason to own a backhoe is that you can pick the machine up to work on it or change the tires. I have +700 Lbs of wheel weights on the tractor, that make changing tires interesting.

This spring I finished my power angle snowplow mounted of a QA plate. It is a nice HD fisher commercial plow. My total cost was $500 plus a lot of labor.

Even the engine oil changes are done. 7 gallons of Shell Rotella to change the oil in the machines. Now its time to play in the dirt, rocks and mud.

P.S.
My Kubota B7200D is in need of a new Hydraulic oil pump. Kubota wants steep money for a replacement. Any Ideas?

 

[mike69440]

So this is what it is like digging regular dirt. The excavator can take a nice big heaping bite. I never experienced easier digging, except for processed material. Clean solid fill is rare on our farm in NH. I found a seam of good dirt for fill while starting the third pond for material to grade the last 1-1/2 acres of cleared land for pasture
So I have some material for other projects, I will make the pond at least as big as the other two and deeper, or untill I hit hard digging.

Most of the ground is loose or solid ledge, or glacial till. The 鍍opsoil (that's being kind) is an organic mixture of twigs, brush, and leaves, very little loam.

Glacial till is a mix of every kind of rock and dirt carried down from Canada during the last ice age. Not a lot of gold bearing dirt though.

The location of the relatively clean dirt is both on the upward steeper slope and down hill from a rocky ledge outcrop. The upper flatter part of the slope side filled in with muck. I previously dug that out to make the pond closest to the ridge.

 

[mike69440]

With all the rain, and other commitments, I have been struggling to get hours in on probably my last major earthmoving project.

I am turning 1.25 Acres of rough cleared land to nice rolling pasture.

To get material, I am digging a pond. I guess about 300 cubic yards have be excavated and spread to build up low spots and lessen the grade of the slopes. I figure I will eventually excavate about 750 to 800 yards to build the pond. It is not large but will be over 10 ft deep.

Some spots are relatively easy digging, other spots I just wear the bucket teeth grinding against ledge.

Also, my wife's new pets, Bees

 

[jinman]

One thing for sure Mike, if you use your equipment, you'll end up working on it too or paying a big bill to somebody else to do it. I try to do everything I can do and just have somebody else do the stuff I can't. So far, I'm staying on top of maintenance. You are making some really good progress it seems with your land clearing. It is looking good. It always looks like a mess when you start, so having it away from the house where you don't have to look at it too much is a great help.:thumbsup:

I'm going to look at a Cat 977K crawler loader today from a craigslist ad. The guy has it priced pretty good and I really need it to move materials for more of my dams. It's approx. 45k lb and a 2-1/2 yd bucket. The undercarriage looks superb in the photos. I'll have to have somebody transport it for me if I buy it. The scary part of buying a dozer like that is the fuel tank holds 102 gallons. Back in the late 60s and early 70s when these things were built, diesel was $0.50 to $0.75 a gallon. Nobody cared if they were fuel guzzlers.