Vicsec VC13 mini-excavator

[dfkrug]

This new thread aims to keep a record of my personal journey. I intend to document all of the upgrades, improvements, and repairs that I make to my machine. New threads are free, so I did not want to add my content to your pile and watch my posts get lost in the shuffle.

I encourage everyone who has something to add to contribute to TBN, including starting a new thread. I read them all.

Tho there are certainly similarities among the many 1-2T units out there, there are key differences, too. And, there are trends toward improvements, like oil filtration. One source factory identifier is the design of the sheet metal on the house. Identical house designs with different name plates likely come from the same factory.

As I have said before, the very cheap and simple smallest Chinese minis don't really compete directly with name-brand units. They eliminate many features, documentation, and parts/service support. That whole approach does not fully apply to the 2-4T Chinese imports we are starting to see. Those have all or most of the features of the name-brand units. I look forward to more TBN threads on these larger units.

 

[dfkrug]

I don't use Facebook and never will. It makes me a little sad to know there is good information that is forever locked up in their walled garden. But not sad enough to consider joining.

I am no FB fan here. Joined first in 2009, and never posted or set up a profile. Shut it down a few months later, due to privacy issues. I was not able to re-join, so my only access now is with a new ID and email address. Even public groups have to be joined before you can post any responses.

That said, I first heard of some repairs there, and reposted them on TBN. With all the limitations of FB Groups, I don't know why some folks with hundreds of hours of Chinese mini-X experience post there.

Nowadays, the trend seems to show that most posts about 1-2T machines are on Utube.

 

[zwelch]

Where did you get your cooling fans at? At that price of $25? I mat also need one.

Here are links for the parts that I have purchased, though only the thumb has been delivered and installed at the time of this writing:

1. Hydraulic thumb - Many identical/similar units available from a variety of sellers, all likely produced at the same factory/factories. The cylinder looks nearly identical to the ones already on my machine, down to the needle grease fitting.
2. Cushion valve - Fittings and hoses must be purchased separately. I am still trying to solidify my plan for those additional parts, as I am still new to the wild world of hydraulic standards. Reminds me of the old saying: the great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from. Good joke. Everyone laughs.
3. Exhaust/intake fans - Pictures of identical units have been posted in dfkrug's thread, though I am still a little concerned about my engine's ability to produce enough current to charge the battery and run one of these continuously. One person said these killed their battery after a couple of days, thus my aforementioned plan to install a battery tender and/or charging connections. I'm okay with plugging my machine after use, though I also am curious whether one could instead "simply" upgrade the stock alternator to produce more current. I plan to use my multimeter to measure the system's charging performance before installing the fan, but I can't remember whether my meter has the range needed to measure the peak current.

 

[zwelch]

I went out this morning to check on a couple of things, and I noticed that the bracket of the house for mounting the boom is shaped like a bowl. Effective as one too; there's a half inch of water trapped in it. I suppose drilling a small hole is in order, so it can drain. Gotta give that one some careful thought, so I don't have another SNAFU like my thumb zerk fittings.

 

[dfkrug]

Here are links for the parts that I have purchased, though only the thumb has been delivered and installed at the time of this writing:

1. I am still a little concerned about my engine's ability to produce enough current to charge the battery and run one of these continuously.

You should be concerned.

However, a $10 HF multimeter has a 10A DC setting. My fancy Fluke does not. You probably have less than 10A, and I think the HF has a fuse. Curious what you get, and which engine you have.

Anyway, if you ever get the gumption to pull the engine, there are numerous upgrades that are easy to do, incl installing the Honda or Briggs clone stator or coil. They are cheap, and pulling the flywheel is easy. You can also relocate the regulator/rectifier to the firewall for much better longevity.

 

[zwelch]

I ordered a few more parts for my machine that I'm starting to install:

1. Hydraulic cooler and filter kit ($375): After spending more time than I care to admit trying to come up with a suitable chain of parts, I decided to go ahead and buy this kit. I still believe it's possible to make this upgrade for half the cost, if you have time to kill and a well-stocked local hydraulic store (or the confidence to order what you need online... I have neither).
   The VC13's internals are identical to the H12, so this went in without any trouble. The only tricky part was mounting the cooler. The installation video suggests drilling the housing to creating suitable bolt holes. Instead, I cut out the center of an old metal casserole dish, turned it upside down, and mounted the cooler on the bottom. I then secured the dish handles to the machine using the existing side panel bolts. I definitely would recommend this type of solution, as the mount also serves to boost the fan up to align better with the existing side vent holes.
2. 3-way auxiliary valve kit ($65 ea): These came back into stock, so I picked up one for each side of the stick.
3. Extra attachment pins (2 for $20): I ordered enough to install in all of my extra attachments, so they will be ready to use with the quick coupler without needing to swap pins.
4. Hour meter ($5): The stock hour meter is known to fail, as it is not water proof. Mine was fogged up off the lot, though it still works (for now). Since I do not expect it will last, this waterproof hour meter will replace it and double as a tachometer.
5. Polypropylene hose wrap (10m for $11): There are a number spots where the hoses are likely to rub against edges. In fact, I noticed one of the hoses is already getting cut up by the threads on the bolt for the bucket cylinder; I think that I will design a 3-D printable cap for it, as it'll probably destroy the wrap too.
6. Latches ($5): These simplify access to the back of the house. I installed these with some SS M5x16 hex bolts that I had laying around. While it seems many folks go with a pair of hinges and two latches, four latches secure the back panel snugly while still allowing it to be taken off completely and moved out of the way. I drilled and installed these before ever taking of the panel, which made it easy to ensure everything was lined up and square.

I will post pictures once I get the last few of these items installed tomorrow.

 

[zwelch]

I have not finished installing the aux kit or new tachometer, opting to get out and work on some projects instead. Gotta make hay while the sun is shining.

First, I created a new landing for a pair of claw foot tubs overlooking one of our ponds; these will be turned into wood-burning "hillbilly hot tubs". For entertainment, I started this project with my Sany SY35U excavator, but it was far too big and clumsy. My mini finished the job efficiently and helped compact the loose fill afterward.

Next, I cleaned out our dairy cow shelter which had accumulated ~3ft of deep bedding in places. Here, the Sany can barely fit its arm under the structure's roof, so it was always a challenge to get clean. There were always spots that had to be mucked by hand. By contrast. the mini can drive around under it and reach every nook and cranny. While it took several hours to clean everything out, it still was much easier than in the past. In the process, I learned that the big excavator is better for loading into my dump trailer; the mini can reach, but just barely. As a result, I ended up using the mini to create a pile outside the shelter, then I used the bigger machine to load the trailer.

Finally, I started to level out a couple of paths near the shelter, as the mini was able to squeeze between a fence and structure where the bigger machine could never reach. However, it was around this time that I noticed the hydraulic fluid level had dropped considerably. Upon examination, I found there is a small drip at the output of the hydraulic pump. While doing research about these machines, I found a video of someone who experienced the same problem while breaking in their machine. The root cause there was an o-ring that got crushed between the two washers that seal that fitting. Assuming the nut is not simply loose, I suspect that my machine might have the same problem, but I will need to remove the side panel to find out. Two steps forward, one step back.

Despite that minor set back, I remain quite happy with the machine. It's got plenty of digging power, but I did notice that it's fairly easy to stall the travel motors. For that, I probably need to perform a pressure test and adjust the main RV, so that task now has floated up my priority list a few notches.

 

[dfkrug]

Here, the Sany can barely fit its arm under the structure's roof, so it was always a challenge to get clean. There were always spots that had to be mucked by hand. By contrast. the mini can drive around under it and reach every nook and cranny.

Another case that demonstrates that bigger is not always better.

 

[D'oh]

I figured that one out after getting the MP46

Not only was it Too Big for my Trailer, It wouldn't be able to clear underbrush without smashing window out, and it tore up the Lawn/Driveway just moving it.

 

[zwelch]

While doing research about these machines, I found a video of someone who experienced the same problem while breaking in their machine. The root cause there was an o-ring that got crushed between the two washers that seal that fitting. Assuming the nut is not simply loose, I suspect that my machine might have the same problem, but I will need to remove the side panel to find out.

I tore down the machine today to investigate this issue. As the attached picture shows, the o-ring had indeed failed. From what I can see, it looks like this part was not made of solid material, but rather has a core with a skin. After replacing with a new one, that fitting no longer leaks, but I’ll be keeping an eye on it.