Swinging booms ??

[John White]

I had located a mini and was all set to go look at it with money in my pocket after looking at a lot of u tube viedos. I couldn't see the trees for the forest as the saying goes. All of a sudden it dawned on me that almost all those minis have a rotating boom and it does not swing like some excavators do. I think that would limit my usefulnesss of one. What would you do if you had to dig along a foundation to install a drain line or a dig a trench for a foundation for a retining wall. How would you handle it with one that does not swing? I know they do make some that swing but are pretty pricey. I have a budget of about $8,000, I prefer a diesel but could live with a gas, I want one in the 1 1/2 to 2 ton class. Any suggestions. I havent totally ruled out the one I wanted to go look at but decided to cool off and really think things through and get some advice from some of you fellows who have been down that road before. And another question, I have never seen any one talk about or address, do you have any problems with the rotating pump, seals, bearings,etc and is there a way to grease them?

 

[MossRoad]

Park it at a 45 degree angle to the wall, just like "the old days"

 

[XxLT250RxX]

Get the swinging boom. I have a John Deere Mini X with a swinging boom. I can't imagine doing some jobs without it.

 

[AnotherBueller]

Park it at a 45 degree angle to the wall, just like "the old days"

Some of the cheaper ones don't have a swinging boom and can only rotate the cab.

 

[4570Man]

I use the swing boom on mine more to align the dig line than anything. If you’re trying to dig in a precise line instead of shifting the tracks a couple inches you can move the swing boom which effectively moves it to the side.

 

[MossRoad]

Some of the cheaper ones don't have a swinging boom and can only rotate the cab.

That's exactly what we're talking about. What to do if you don't have a swinging boom? You park it at a 45 degree angle to the wall and rotate the cab.

 

[nyone]

Your going to need to dig a really big hole if your boom dosnt swing.

Granted the only time I swing my boom is to dig along a foundation or wall...it is very usefull though.

 

[Jrasband]

Swing boom very useful already used it several times in less than 50 hours.

 

[Joel/ak]

I love that swinging boom. We use it alot also. Not sure on other models but on our cat 324, it's foot operated on right side, watch your feet.

Besides digging, I'll use it to haul logs out of tight woods.

 

[Equatorial Malaise]

I have one on my 6 ton Hyundai. It's definitely useful but I don't use it every time I'm on the machine.

I don't earn a living with the excavator and just use it for misc farm, driveway and construction tasks.

I don't have experience with the 1.5 to 2 ton class machines but I'd imagine they'd be able to get pretty close to foundations without a swing. It is also another group of moving parts for maintenance and repair although mine hasn't given me any trouble.

Good luck in your search, it can be exhausting but once you get one you'll love it.