Importing and modifying a new mini excavator from China

[dfkrug]

I was told they would have to check with some vendors to find the parts. Would be a lot less trouble to cannibalize.

The hoses and fittings are all metric, but should be available from hyd shop in larger towns. Or DiscountHydraulicHose.com.

 

[Fixastuff]

. I started it and proceeded to move it when fluid shot out of the right hub motor lines. The restrictors going in to the 50MM bosses on top of the motor had been sheered off.

Every excavator I've used has had all that stuff behind a bolt on plate almost impossible to break off?

 

[Fredrik]

I will certainly be welding up some covers knowing what I know now.My experience with CE stuff is it's very well engineered now, but to meet that " Got to have it" price point , they then start subtracting things that are not needed for the machine to function.
Not much thought is given to longevity. " Buyer beware..Or be really Skilled at making parts ".

 

[dfkrug]

I did not show it in this thread, but I made a rock deflector for the rear of the machine. Not much to attach to, but it serves. I will prob make a rock protector for the blade cylinder, too.

One really easy way to protect the boom cyl for the smaller units is just to reverse the cylinder, so hoses are between the cyl and the boom. I showed that in an above post.

 

[Fredrik]

My engineering frame of mind is that a day spent repairing would be better spent in prevention. Most of my machines have been bullet proofed in some fashion. Thanks for all the tips so far.
RB.Auctions say my mini will done as soon as possible. We shall wait and see.
I'll post any improvements I make, hopefully with pictures. Just have to get my tech (Wife) on board for pictures.

 

[D'oh]

You will definitely have to Disect the Fuel Cap, The B&S EPA Cap, boils the Gas in the Tank.

Next, the Hour Meter may not last, I added 1 of these, with Tach from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Vibration-Hourmeter-Activated-Waterproof-Compressor/dp/B09XMGLWKH/ref=sr_1_15?c=ts&keywords=Automotive+Replacement+Hour+Meter+Gauges&qid=1684962785&s=automotive&sr=1-15&ts_id=15729741

Grease Zerks replaced with Nipples 6mm

 

[Fredrik]

Super, thanks for the heads up. Was wondering what to do about those needle shirt destroyers.

 

[Fredrik]

Anyone know of a good seller to buy a silt bucket from. Have some cow ponds to clean out. Nothing on Ali express. Could go with Alibaba but don't know how long it would take.

 

[Fredrik]

Just heard from RB.Auctions . My mini is repaired. Total cost to them parts plus time, $687.00, word to All is protect those drive lines. I will be picking it up next Wednesday. Wife is coming to take pictures and buy crab cakes in Maryland. Might even split the trip into 2 days and see the shore, who knows.
I'm sure this is not the end of the saga. Thanks for the support , will respond in kind. Parts for upgrades are on order.

 

[TimberFarm]

Good they took care of it right away.
I'm guessing somebody hit the line when they moving it with forklift.

 

[TimberFarm]

Anyone know of a good seller to buy a silt bucket from. Have some cow ponds to clean out. Nothing on Ali express. Could go with Alibaba but don't know how long it would take.

Could try tiller-king.com
They are the ones loading up the auctions with all these machines.

 

[Fredrik]

Thanks Timber, Typed in Tiller King . com And it routes you to AGT Industrial. Must be the same guys..
33" Bucket no teeth out of stock. Might just fab my own . Good price if they had them , $599 Delivered.
Thank god for plasma cutters.

 

[TimberFarm]

I wonder, do all the chinese buckets interchange?
In my shopping for an excavator I found out that quite a few "factories" are really just assemblers of all the same parts that everybody else is using. Then quite a few "factories" aren't even assemblers, they just buy excavators from an assemblers and have them paint it their color and put their logo's on it.
That's what makes me think that the attachments would be interchangable.
Now that is purely speculation on my part though.

 

[dfkrug]

I wonder, do all the chinese buckets interchange?

From what I have seen and owned, the buckets are all the same until you get to the bigger machines (over 2-3T). They are the same thin-wall, 25mm-pin buckets with backwards bolt-on teeth. I have seen 4 widths.

As for the true factories, there are numerous differences in the design of the main machine and body work, but just a few tiny differences in the boom or dipper or hydraulics. Virtually no differences in the buckets or other attachments.

 

[ArlyA]

Has this fellows videos of his mini purchase every been posted here?? I've not noted it. This is his one year of review. He's an Englishman but lives in France.

 

[dfkrug]

I remember when that guy in France bought his unit, and I have watched his learning curve. I comment on many of the small Chinese mini-X vids on Utube when they come out.

Anyway, he did a good summary. But....and I have beat this horse hard...many of the issues/fixes with these machines have been documented here, and are easy to find, with pix. Comments on Utube are chronological and do not allow posting pix. They get lost. Case in point: zerk fiitting features and modifications. Tough to have to figure these all out for yourself when they have been documented on TBN. Specific Utube vids would be more helpful to the new owner. e.g. "Adding an oil cooler to my 1T Chinese mini-X", or "how to add wheel brakes to my 1T Chinese mini-X", etc.

I have operated one of the Chinese 1T minis with the 3-cyl Kubota diesel engine. It is a bit less jerky, but that is cuz it runs at lower RPM. It uses that same valve and pump as do the 1-cyl gas or diesel units. Shock-RVs in key circuits would perhaps improve that feature even more.

 

[ArlyA]

I remember when that guy in France bought his unit, and I have watched his learning curve. I comment on many of the small Chinese mini-X vids on Utube when they come out.

Anyway, he did a good summary. But....and I have beat this horse hard...many of the issues/fixes with these machines have been documented here, and are easy to find, with pix. Comments on Utube are chronological and do not allow posting pix. They get lost. Case in point: zerk fiitting features and modifications. Tough to have to figure these all out for yourself when they have been documented on TBN. Specific Utube vids would be more helpful to the new owner. e.g. "Adding an oil cooler to my 1T Chinese mini-X", or "how to add wheel brakes to my 1T Chinese mini-X", etc.

I have operated one of the Chinese 1T minis with the 3-cyl Kubota diesel engine. It is a bit less jerky, but that is cuz it runs at lower RPM. It uses that same valve and pump as do the 1-cyl gas or diesel units. Shock-RVs in key circuits would perhaps improve that feature even more.

So did he say "I thought I was getting a gas?" and it was a diesel. He was smelling the tank to check what was in it. I thought the tank would be yellow, if it was deisel. His was red.

 

[dfkrug]

So did he say "I thought I was getting a gas?" and it was a diesel.

I did not know he was expecting a gas-powered unit. Looks like he got the usual ChangChai/Koop 499cc 1-cyl diesel, a copy of the old Yanmar L100.

 

[Dunacn]

Can anyone speak to the advantages/disadvantages of the boom cylinder placed behind the boom?

 

[D'oh]

^^^ Less chance of breakage/damage when digging max depth