Which big excavator?

[CascadeScaper]

I don't know about the bigger machines, but our C series 312 only burned about 3 gallons an hour at most running at 80% throttle. I could get at least 2 days of work done before fueling up.

As Tigerator mentioned, the D series 20 ton machines haven't been released yet. Hold on to your hats, they look to be big contenders. I've seen 3 or 4 new D series 330's in the last week in a market that is mainly Deere and Hitachi.

 

[tylermckee]

How do you guys not run at full throttle? I crank my machines up full throttle, in the fastest work and power modes it has and i still wish it was a little faster.

 

[Dozerboy]

X2 and Cats use more fuel than most, but there not hogs. I haven’t ever ran a hoe that wouldn't go at least 16 hrs. without fuel.

 

[CascadeScaper]

How do you guys not run at full throttle? I crank my machines up full throttle, in the fastest work and power modes it has and i still wish it was a little faster.

Depends on what I'm doing. If I'm loading trucks then I'll usually run at 100%, but using a cleanup bucket or grade beam I'll slow it down. I usually don't find the need to run anymore than 80% or 90% throttle, the machine doesn't really run much faster and out here we have really soft soil so we usually don't need the power to tear into it. Plus, with fuel prices the way they are I try to conserve wherever I can.

 

[tylermckee]

different strokes for different folks i guess, no matter what im doing i have it cranked all the way up. I'll either need the power or the speed. When doing stuff like digging around utilities i might not need the speed when takinga scoop right above a gas line, but as soon as i lift the bucket out of the trench i want to be swinging full speed. on the machines i run the difference between the fastest work mode and full throttle is quite noticeable.

 

[Ford LT-9000]

I like to have the rpm up too I will run the machine at 95%.

The old 690 Deere I ran it was so damn slow even at high the machine was like a turtle. The hydraulics must have been turned down or something. I'am used to faster machines higher the rpm its easier to feather the hydraulics.

 

[Dirty Water]

It only took me one post to realize that Ford LT-9000 was Gravel Rat

Cheers from the other site guys

 

[CEwriter]

It's not just the machine the matters also after the sale service, but IMO Deere and Link Belts are the best.

Recent analysis of construction equipment distribution networks reported by John McGinty, managing director at Credit Suisse First Boston Corp, compared one of the key measures of business strength, market capitalization -- or the business' access to money.

Average capital
Cat dealers $4.1 Billion
Deere $750 Million
Komatsu $500 Million
CNH $450 Million
Volvo $400 Million

Seems like Cat has a formidable distribution/support advantage.

Just because Cat dealers have money to back up their business activities doesn't mean you can't find great Deere, Komatsu, Case and New Holland, and Volvo dealers. What it does mean is that if your excavator works in lots of locations around North America, your chances of getting decent service from a local Cat dealer anywhere you work are better. Not perfect, but better.

Some measures of performance in CE Field Tests:

Deere 350D
- http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA6329668.html?industryid=23400

Case CX330
- http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA471341.html?industryid=23400

Cat 330C (sorry, nothing on the D Series yet)
- http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA6295430.html?industryid=23400

Komatsu PC200LC-7
- http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA6295211.html?industryid=23400

A little background on Doosan excavators and the company
- http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA6296288.html?text=doosan

 

[MVFD]

And dont forget that volvo hasnt been around with equipment for to long... and now only recent they have got good.

as far as im concerned volvo is doing pretty good to be up there with the big contenders.. and I wouldnt be suprized if they end up catching up to cat in the near future.

 

[CEwriter]

A story about a tub-grinder contractor who uses three 320CLs

http://www.constructionequipment.com/article/CA469677.html?text=320cl

 

[Tigerotor77W]

MVFD, Volvo has been in Europe for a very long time. Their excavators are now the old-Samsung machines, which they bought in the late 1990s. While their development has only recently begun to aim seriously at the US market, they are by no means "newcomers to the market."

 

[digger242j]

While their development has only recently begun to aim seriously at the US market, they are by no means "newcomers to the market."

Which is illustrative of one of the challenges in expanding any business--whatever you've done to build a good reputation doesn't mean a thing if nobody recognizes you as having a reputation. People will tend to prefer the "tried and true", and if nobody else you know has tried one, you may hesitate to be the first. Brand recognition carries some weight...

 

[Dozerboy]

I don't think anyone will knock Cat from the top for a while.

 

[Big Iron]

different strokes for different folks i guess, no matter what im doing i have it cranked all the way up. I'll either need the power or the speed. When doing stuff like digging around utilities i might not need the speed when takinga scoop right above a gas line, but as soon as i lift the bucket out of the trench i want to be swinging full speed. on the machines i run the difference between the fastest work mode and full throttle is quite noticeable.

couldn't agree more!!!! as with any hydralic machine, wheither it be a crane, excavator or dozer they were designed to be run at full throttle. with the computers nowdays you can choose modes that will adjust not only the engine rpms but match the hydralics to that rpm. operators don't have to learn how to control the hydralics anymore the computer does it for them. good or bad, don't know or care, i do know when i get done with the fine grade i want to get to the next task as soon as possible and that means full power! as for fuel savings, i think the fuel burn difference would be a minimal between full power and light modes because generally i am not working the machine as hard at 100% throttle and 60% hydralic power as i would be at 80% throttle and 100% hydralic power. however i still have the option of 100%/100% when needed without haveing to stop what i am doing, reach down and start punching buttons, turning dials or levers to get the power i need.

 

[tylermckee]

Yup, after i warm up my machine in the morning i get in, punch the fastest work mode, and crank the throttle up and dont touch it till the end of the day. with extra speed and power i get from the ~300 rpm jump, i would think that the extra fuel i use is more than made up for by the increased production.

 

[RonG]

And all that extra noise helps me hear the guy directing me down in the hole SO much better!!!!Ron G:thumbsup

 

[tylermckee]

Hand signals :thumbsup

 

[MVFD]

I do agree, however in our new volvo's the modes are as follows:

I F G H

I - 2
I - 1
F - 3
F - 2
F - 1
G - 3
G - 2
G - 1
H - 1

That is the setting's positions.
I - is clearly idle, it has to settings, the higher one (lower number being highest) is for warm up as most machines have.

F - Fine work, Maximum Lifting capacity.

G - General work, normal speed,

H - High Speed, High power, Maximum production.

How ever have it set on F while lifting pipe, cement lock blocks and even boulders works better set to F then it does on H. H is great if your loading trucks and what not but when you actully start using the settings the way they are designed for it will increase your productivity even more then just always running the machine cranked. I dont like effing the dog and I do hate when jobs linger on.. I like to be in and out quick as possible leaving the job with a happy customer. but I use to run H all the time. then I started reading the manual that came with the machine (typical guy, reading instructions after the fact) and started using the proper work modes and its really amazing how much they can improve things. after all they were designed for a reason, if not they wouldnt have those settings.

 

[KSSS]

I think the different work modes for excavators is on its way out. I think it has been realized that they are not properly utilized by a lot of operators. The latest generation of machines will do it on their own. Sensing the hp and flow requirements with the machine deciding what is an appropriate mode.

 

[TRACKHOE71]

ive ran many cats brand new everything from 330's to a pc300 a deere 330 clc and a brand spanking new volvo (330). In my opinion the deere would eat any of these alive, but i didnt find the deere being that comfortable, i do like the cats, where they dont seem that they have the power of a deere they make it up in the comfort the cabs are hugh. id have to say the pc300 is my next favorite, i thought it was a pretty well balanced machin though the cab being alittle small it still had a lot of power. now to the volvo the company i work for now has 3 of them, and i ve ran all of them with the newest one being the last one i ran, i aboustely hate them!!!!!!!! i think there junk, no power for one, uncomfortable, and they seem very very light in the rear end, all around they seem cheaply made. thats my opinion, but like everybody else has said it all about how they treat you after the purchase, with cat and deere being big names they ahve no reason to treat there customers like crap..