Importing and modifying a new mini excavator from China

[MattB4]

Hello everyone. Joined up your Forum after finding this Thread.

I just ordered a Typhon Terror 1-ton mini excavator with B&S gas engine off Ebay from Machinery Asia. I offered $6000 for it and the price was accepted. This includes delivery to my residence in Arkansas. It looks to be a month or more before I see it. I have a fair amount of experience in owning operating heavy equipment and I know that this little thing is going to be more a toy for me in my old age than a serious machine.

Quite a few posts from people in this Thread giving their experience and knowledge. I appreciate it.

One thing I am contemplating is picking up a ripper tooth for possible easier stump removal. Does anyone have one and how has it worked out? Another attachment I may or may not add is a thumb. I had a 3 pt backhoe that had a mechanical thumb and I found it to have no utility. That was due to the real short boom length and the fact that having it on restricted regular digging operation.

I read with interest the ideas about adding in hydraulic filter units and oil coolers. This may be something I do once I see if the machine could use them.

Edit: Ye gods! Just got a call from the shipper that they are picking up the excavator in California today and might have it to me by Sunday. I was shocked to say the least. The fellow says he can unload it for me if I have some gas on hand. (I do) plus as I told him I have a big skid steer with forks if necessary. Now I am all jazzed up.

 

[dfkrug]

The pump has a laser etched label which I'll attach here. I have yet to find product spec sheet.

I see TIANJIN XINGZOU Hydraulic Machine Co, LTD, (TJY). I imagine the pump volumes are in the product code, PGP51053SLP.

Since I do not find anything on the web about that co, asking the maker is what I have done for specs. Sure would be nice to find out who that is.

Is there any sort of maker plate on the unit?

 

[Aaron-BC]

Matt, Congratulations on the new machine, I hope it serves you well! Don't be surprised, though, if your HE experience does not translate well to the 1T

One thing I am contemplating is picking up a ripper tooth for possible easier stump removal. Does anyone have one and how has it worked out? Another attachment I may or may not add is a thumb. I had a 3 pt backhoe that had a mechanical thumb and I found it to have no utility. That was due to the real short boom length and the fact that having it on restricted regular digging operation.

IF you are handy and have the welder, building your own ripper would be a straight forward project. I'm Building one for my own 1T along with a trenching bucket. Finding someone local to build one may not prove any cheaper than sourcing one from Asia though. A Hydraulic Thumb was a necessary option for me and my plans. I'm using it almost everytime I run the machine right now as I'm doing a lot of brushing. I agree that a mechanical thumb, particularly on a BH would be far less useful, but once you get used to the geometry you can make it work. Is your new machine already plumbed for the thumb?

Aaron.

 

[Aaron-BC]

Is there any sort of maker plate on the unit?

Not that I can see. On the bright side, I finally got a manual from CAEL. Have not had a chance to look through it well, but it does have tech drawings and specs. Fingers Crossed.

EDIT- I sat down and looked at the manual that was sent to me today... It is wrong. Someone simply added a photo of my unit to the manual for a different machine... Not a great look for CAEL!

 

[dfkrug]

One thing I am contemplating is picking up a ripper tooth for possible easier stump removal. Does anyone have one and how has it worked out? Another attachment I may or may not add is a thumb.

Welcome aboard, Matt.

I did post my experiences with the ripper tooth above. I love it, and it is one of the truly useful attachments.

As for an hyd thumb, once you have used them, you gotta have it. Also posted above.

BTW, this is a very serious tool, requiring different skills than operating bigger excavators.

 

[MattB4]

Thanks for the welcome. Must have jumped by your experience with the ripper tooth Dfkrug. I have not read the entire Thread yet just those posts from this year (and a few at the beginning).

I expect it will be a bit of a learning experience but if I could run that little 3pt backhoe off my MF-GC2300 that I did for a few years before I converted it to run off a skid steer (sold it early last year) I hope I can learn this baby ex. My goal is to go slow. The first project I have for it is to dig some drain field lines for my septic tank, The old lines (I put them in 25 years ago) are failing.

I do have a welder but it would be hard to match the $300 price for an already built one, Aaron-BC. Especially since it has free shipping to my location. Though if I did build one I think I would try for a saw tooth type design for ripping roots. Yes the machine is plumbed for a Thumb and comes with the mount welded to boom. I am getting a quick attach with the machine so that should be nice.

 

[dfkrug]

There are now some US-based sellers offering 1-2-ton Chinese excavator parts and attachments. I see the ripper tooth for $400 or even more. That is nearly 10x more than they cost, FOB Qingdao. I think my net cost was something like $90. Already sold my spare ripper tooth.

If ordering directly (or via Alibaba or MadeInChina.com) from the maker or reseller in China, parts and attachments are a fantastic deal from most of the sources.

 

[MattB4]

A common but annoying practice.

Even on eBay auctions, the reserve is secret, but you know when it is met and the item will sell. For conventional auctions, looking at the "prices realized" list of a past auction is key to what things will actually sell for. Listing the final bid without saying if the item sold is useless.

Some auction houses have no reserve, or more honest reporting. Ritchie Bros claims to have no reserve, but you can not see the results of a past auction without an account.

I think the best way for an auction to be run is with no reserve. Just start the bidding at the minimum price the seller will take.

I follow a few online auction sites and it became obvious that those companies listing brand new attachments and equipment from China had secret reserve prices. I even complained once to the Auction co. rep that called me during the last few minutes of a Auction to encourage bidding about it.

Regardless of what they might say about no hidden reserve they play games with last second automatic bids to ensure that items do not sell if the price is low.

 

[MattB4]

My Baby Ex showed up this afternoon. Just got done getting it off the truck and down the road 1/4 mile to my garage. The crate it was shipped in had a lot of damage at the top thanks to heavy winds and the shipping straps the trucker had used for tie down. Being a thin wood crate there was no good spot versus a open pallet machine.

Still all in all I am happy to get it and amazed that I could get it from Thursday order last week, from California, to my place here in NW Arkansas. I was also pleased to see a hydraulic thumb versus a mechanical or none which I thought the ad was for. (It just said thumb clip).

Some in the crate pictures until I can unbox it in the coming days.

 

[dfkrug]

The crate it was shipped in had a lot of damage at the top thanks to heavy winds and the shipping straps the trucker had used for tie down.

Glad you got it.

Some of the crate damage may be due to Customs/TSA inspection at the port, too.

Looks like your crate was all-wood. No steel frame underneath like mine came in.

 

[MattB4]

The shipper said the damage happened when he was transporting it. As you note dfkrug it is all wood crating and no steel. So far from cursory inspection the Baby Ex looks unharmed. I am itching to uncrate it but this morning it is pouring down rain.

A question to those that have bought one of these, did you get a operators manual with parts list? I am only seeing a B&S engine manual (was in tool box). I will message the Seller about it but I am curious.

I see that it has a tip forward seat that gives access to the engine below. I do not see any hydraulic coolers or oil filters so that looks to be a modification for me. I did find a odd looking pipe screw on filter of some sort in the tool box. Have no idea where it might go. Chuckled over the grease in a plastic bag (I guess you pack the also included grease gun with it). I am including a photo of box and contents.

 

[MattB4]

Got a break in the rain and went ahead and got the Baby Ex unpacked. I moved it down under a carport I have to get it out of the rain. I have to go through the unit and put on the attachments and canopy but I am in no hurry with it because either being gosh awful hot or wet outdoors. Here's is some gratuitous photos for those interested.

 

[dfkrug]

A question to those that have bought one of these, did you get a operators manual with parts list? I am only seeing a B&S engine manual (was in tool box).

The only "manual" I got was generic. Nothing specific to my machine. Useless.

As for the spares you got, it is common to get replacement mesh suction filter, which not needed, and a spin-on diesel fuel filter, since these machines default to Koop or ChangChai 499cc diesel engines.

 

[MattB4]

Just got done getting the canopy mounted. Not an easy task since the holes in the tubing and the metal cap were not perfectly aligned. It required pushing, pulling to align, jam in the bolts and reach for the next one. I am glad it is a 4 post model though rather than the overhang style.


Edit: Mounted the hydraulic Thumb this afternoon. It bolted up easily and the supplied hydraulic lines seemed to fit without modification. Not quite ready to run things yet (I did move it initially under the car port off the shipping crate.) but close. Going to attach quick hitch tomorrow and check all fluids again and wire up the hour meter (It came with one wire disconnected probably to prevent a dead battery if somehow the disconnect switch got turned and left on).

ETA: The Seller got back to me with a link to download the manual. Not bad. Manual for TERROR X.pdf 48 pages.

 

[MattB4]

Well I was going to attach the quick hitch this morning but it is again poring down rain with lightning and thunder. I think the Weather gods are messing with me.

I do have question for those that have one of these mini Ex's, Does anyone know of a good aftermarket bucket maker? The one that comes with the machine, and others that can be bought, all seem to be rather poorly made. I notice that the factory installed one is even cheaper made than earlier types seen in marketing images. Just welded steel plate with no cutting edges and those bottom bolted on teeth.

Edit: I did my first mod by cutting out a bit of the back panel to allow an exhaust extention to be made. Not entirely sure if it is 1-1/4in. EMT or 1-1/2in (external measurement of what I used) cut 5 inches long painted with high temp black. With a porta bandsaw I notched so the the ends would expand to fit over the exhaust pipe stub and affixed it with a hose clamp. Seems fairly solidly attached to it. I than attached the supplied deflector from the tools box. The deflector I left shiny to help seeing it and to avoid hitting it accidentally.

 

[dfkrug]

The Seller got back to me with a link to download the manual.

That is the first manual I have seen that has anything specific. Seems to be a HighTop product.

Anyway, some crazy stuff in there:

Change the engine oil at 100h and the hyd oil at 1500h? Nuts.

No specs on pump.

Hyd diagram, but no pressure specs and info or test port or RV.

Diagrams of hyd components, but little info on wheel motors or pump. I do see the wheel motor volume: 60ci.

This is a start, but a long way to go.

 

[Aaron-BC]

A question to those that have bought one of these, did you get a operators manual with parts list? I am only seeing a B&S engine manual (was in tool box). I will message the Seller about it but I am curious.

I've mentioned above my missing manual. I contacted the seller and after asking a couple times they emailed me one. It was so bad that I was embarrassed for them! It was a word document that someone took a stab at making it look like it referred to my machine. There was a photo of my machine on the cover page, and the basic specs were close but that's about it. The Hydraulic Components listed did not match what I could plainly see... The hydraulic plumbing diagram was missing the entire pilot system and the Aux and Side Swing.... The electrical diagram? Well, someone had (poorly) pasted a diagram over the one existing in the manual, and it was still wrong in too many ways to list. The actual filename on the doc as sent gives a hint as it has HT10 right there in the name!

I have asked the seller to try again, explaining that I don't even need a "Manual" but rather just the spec sheets for the components installed. I suggested that their contact at the factory should be able to help with it, but I have little faith. We'll see.

 

[TimberFarm]

Got the word my machine is finished and they sent me a test run video.
Not sure how to attach it, but I will try.

It says the video does not have an "allowed extension" so it won't let me post it.

 

[Agitator]

My apologies - total newbie question. Thinking of picking up a 13.5HP gas-powered 1.5ton mini excavator. I'm on the Central Coast of California - San Luis Obispo area. I'm looking at one of the many that's available from local US stock via the interwebs... but I have no idea where I'd get the thing serviced, and none of the sellers I've found has a good answer for that question. Where do you take non-branded hydraulic equipment for routine maintenance and service? I'm mechanically inclined but a novice when it comes to dealing with hydraulic equipment (Covid-inspired career change from office work to farming a few years ago, so I'm on the very steep side of the learning curve).

 

[dfkrug]

I'm looking at one of the many that's available from local US stock via the interwebs... but I have no idea where I'd get the thing serviced, and none of the sellers I've found has a good answer for that question. Where do you take non-branded hydraulic equipment for routine maintenance and service?

Well, there is no good answer, and any seller should be honest about that.

The reason I started this thread is to help others if they take the plunge in getting one of these machines. Since you are in SLO, you are welcome to come by here and try mine out, and I can show you the basics, or even the "advanced class".

Your best bet is DIY, and these machines are very simple. Even if you blow up the engine, you can drop a new one in there for about $400 (parts). If you have a handyman (or woman), they should be able to help with oil changes, hose replacements, etc.