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Cross Country

Posted 3/28/ 23:27 (#)
Subject: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Ottawa, Ontario

I bought an excavator for the farm this winter. So far I've run it for 50 hours removing fencelines and stumps. I think it may be my favorite machine to operate.

I'm looking for some input on maintenance and operations - mainly things you shouldn't do with the excavator that will get you in trouble and break something.

I've got my own short list so-far - A: only use Low Gear when travelling. High Gear is hard on the drives. B: operate it in a smooth fashion, no jerking. C: Grease it more often than the manual states.


Beyond those 3 things, what else should I consider ?

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Smoothlander

Posted 3/28/ 23:39 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Stay out of snow as much as you can, been told many times that snow is harder on things than sand.

Don't use the swing to move things.

Don't let anyone else use it. Cross Country

Posted 3/28/ 23:50 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Ottawa, Ontario

There's the kind of stuff I was looking for ... "Don't use the swing to move things " So it was a no-no for me to try to spin a huge stump out of a hole by swinging it sideways...instead of trying to pull it straight back out of the hole.

You don't learn these things without talking to people...keep it coming. RAB

Posted 3/28/ 23:55 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Brinkley, Arkansas

Brinkley, Arkansas

Keep your track tension adjusted properly. Its easier to throw a track going in reverse than forward. Its no fun to put it back on when you're sitting on top of an 8' wide levee with water running through the tracks and a 10' deep ditch behind you. Don't ask me how I know this.

Looks like a nice machine you got there. It's amazing how many uses you can think up for one after you've got it. Ben D, N CA

Posted 3/28/ 23:58 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot

Something that is picked up is okay, dirt, rocks in the bucket, something that is chained solid, etc. Don't want to pick up something heavy with a chain and swing it where it will rock the boom side to side.

Using the swing to level out dirt is handy, and everyone does it, but is really hard on stuff.

The stick is very strong in a straight pull or picking things up, it is always that side to side loading of it that is hard on things.

Don't clean ditches out going round and round, use a 180* swing. Has nothing to do with the machine, just makes the operator very dizzy... ;) MOjeeper

Posted 3/29/ 00:01 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

NEMO

NEMO

Lots of good info here

http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/forumdisplay.php?f=49

I've learned alot just reading thought the post, and there's a bunch of neat pictures. You will be surprised on what you can do with one.

srsu99

Posted 3/29/ 00:07 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Central / West Texas

We have a JD 200. One thing is walk with your drive motors to the back of the machine as much as possible. Keep track tension adjusted correctly. We rented a 120 last week for a small job where the 200 would not fit well. I noticed the tracks looked a little loose wehn we picked it up. I was working on a slight incline and after only 3 hrs one track have worked its way off the front idler. Lovely thing to put back on on the side of a hill! boog

Posted 3/29/ 00:48 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Don't park in a muddy field for several days with the tracks half buried in mud when it's going to get down to 0º. Neighbor found out the hard way & spent the better part of a day trying to get it broke loose and tracks freed up. seedcleaner

Posted 3/29/ 01:07 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Mid-Missouri

I have to ask what the high gear is for then. I understand the idea that you think it could be hard on finals, but don't you think that it is engineered to handle high gear for travel, with safety's built into the machine to prevent overload/failure, to a certain degree? Some machines are three speed.

I run an 04 200CLC. The only thing that you can really make jerk is the bucket, and that is intentionally built into the machine for bucket clean-out. What part jerks on your machine, or are you just talking about becoming a smooth, proficient operator?

That thumb and machine look nice. The thumb can really save the machine when working with trees. Gambi80

Posted 3/29/ 02:01 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

The Breakfast Club

Make sure you let the neighbors borrow it often so it doesn't get rusty. Topshot

Posted 3/29/ 02:48 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Near Richmond, IN

You're making me jealous. pudding

Posted 3/29/ 03:11 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Somewhereville, Earth

don't be scared to use it, life to short cornholio

Posted 3/29/ 05:46 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

The worst thing you can do is torque your boom by grabbing something solid (such as a stump) with the very corner of your bucket. The wider the bucket, the more of a problem this is. You're not likely to hurt anything with a narrow GP bucket but can really tear up some stuff if you have a wider clean-out bucket on. Also, it doesn't hurt anything to walk in high gear. Most of them will automatically downshift as needed. Gifford

Posted 3/29/ 06:12 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

East Kansas, DeSoto

Do not trust chains with anyone working round what you re lifting. Chains have weak links. Gifford TJG in MS

Posted 3/29/ 06:53 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Itta Bena Mississippi

Read the OM. Be mindful of power lines, have your mind on what your doing when loading it, especially if the grousers are full of mud and don't drop a bucket of mud from great heights.
Tom will

Posted 3/29/ 07:14 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

SC

SC

We bought ours to use, and so far we have not damaged it. Had a very experinced operator tell me that the newer machines are designed to protect themselves. He said when he got the first 225 back in the 70's that they would literally tear themselves apart. I say just do what you feel comfortable doing and you should be fine. Try not to get into situations where you cant swing, dont fall off of trees when in the swamp, and keep full buckets close to the ground when boom fully extended.

Edited by will 3/29/ 07:29

dondozer

Posted 3/29/ 07:22 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

NW Ohio,near Findlay

Nice- looking a pictures of fence row, trees can kill when taking out, watch limbs. We were lifting a manhole down into hole and a worker was close to boom watching for me. The boom hose blew right beside him on opposite side of boom. Nobody was in hole, but if the hose blew on his side, would have been terrible. The pump pressure varies, most run plus, and hot. And remember overhead wires, so easy to forget. Have fun and be careful. garywi

Posted 3/29/ 07:24 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

franksville wi

Clean the tracks often in the cold if you are in muddy conditions or just in debris everyone says they know this but let a guy who had a operator buddy use our cat and it took forever for us to unthaw and clean when it came back. Oh and don't let other people use it. ekeller2

Posted 3/29/ 08:16 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

So. IL

The tracks can be ran in high speed when traveling, just keep the track motors to the rear no matter what you are doing. If the weather is cold and mud has froze on the UC, then make sure all of the rollers are turning. Keep the track tension correct, being too tight is just as bad as running loose. Tracks wear out from the inside, and keeping them to tight will burn the pins and bushings. Never bottom out cylinders, very hard on them and the machine. As others have said, do not pull hard on the side of the bucket. I was lazy one day and used a 60 inch ditch bucket to take out a big oak stump. It ended up cracking the boom right above the boom cylinder. And when working with trees always keep them on the right side of the boom, not the operator side. semosandfarmer

Posted 3/29/ 08:22 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

East Prairie, MO

East Prairie, MO

Nice looking machine, neighbor has a 160 just like that, I actually went and picked it up for him when they bought it. REALLY liked how smooth and fast it operates, and perfect size for a farm to use. I'll add this, be careful loading if loading over the rear of a lowboy or something like that. I don't usually preach seatbelt use in equipment but this is where it applies, where it when loading! It's easier than you think to be not quite level and have some mud on your tracks or a wet trailer and slip off the side and you don't want to get thrown out the door if that happens! Enjoy that machine! jdfarm

Posted 3/29/ 08:35 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Janesville

Janesville

If you need to turn the undercarriage around push down and raise the tracks up and have one side go forward and one reverse. Have to repeated a couple times but saves on the undercarriage. Old Pokey

Posted 3/29/ 09:03 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

 DONT,..be afraid to use it. The swing has a bypass.

 The machine is longer than wide, so lifting over the side is less than over each end. When swing'n something over the side that you lifted from over the ends, keep it close to the ground.

 If you lifted something from the side and wish to swing it over the end, watch the tracks. Again, the machine is longer than wide so hitting a track can happen when swinging from the side to the end.

 DONT,..believe anyone that says an excavator can not get stuck.

 DO,..make sure the horn works, and if working around people, use it often. (the power of a hydraulic excavator should be taken seriously. It can kill in less than a second)

 If you turn the bucket around, of course the curl controls will be backward. Take some time to get used to this before attempting to work with it that way.

 An excavator makes a most awesome forklift for farm use.

 When I go to use my excavator in a frozen morning, I will swing over each side, lift the track and spin it a few times to clear it before moving on.

 When entering the cab on a frosty morning, take your time as the tracks can be slipperier than anything you've ever encountered before.

 I wish I had as nice a machine as you have. Take care of it, and it will work for you for many years.

seedcleaner

Posted 3/29/ 09:20 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Mid-Missouri

Oh yes, when cleaning something out wet and muddy, like a pond and you are working on the dam, always try to drive toward the dry side of the dam. For example, if you are cleaning a ditch driving toward the north, put the mud behind you to the south, so you dont have to plow through the material. I had some slime under me on a pond damn once, and went to stop the swing full of muck. When I went to stop, the torque turned my machine on the ground, and the rear of the machine slid into the pond. It wasn't a problem, just something to be aware of. dvswia

Posted 3/29/ 09:32 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

sw corner ia.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from YuchaiHI.

ditto everything Don said and I will add one more..

get a set of mats. You will eventually use them and this will open up a whole new world of stuff you can do. lorenk

Posted 3/29/ 09:54 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: DON'T Try this at home!

Grand Rapids, MI

DON'T Try this at home!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuWSxFWv3Fo CW IL

Posted 3/29/ 10:22 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Don't POST PICS of excavator!!!!!

Effingham, IL

Don't talk about how well excavator works! Don't tell how well you like it! You will make readers like me green with envy!!!! LOL Craig Bruce Higgins

Posted 3/29/ 10:41 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: DON'T Try this at home!

North central Missouri.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO-wTO7ice8

This would get the neighbors going. MNRyeGrower

Posted 3/29/ 11:21 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: WOW !!! nt

Central MN

.. GinNB

Posted 3/29/ 11:27 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: DON'T Try this at home!

 Exactly.  It's much faster if you ask her to do it herself.  Time is of the essence.  Don't waste it checking the oils, greasing it, starting the hoe, etc.

 As for the original question, high speed is fine for traveling, not for working.   So sayeth my operator's manual.  Oh, and as fun as it is to wind them up going in a circle and knocking trees over that way before plucking the rootballs out, don't do it.  The dipperstick and boom can part company quite easily that way.  It's a bit dangerous to haul them towards you with the bucket as you take them out, too.  I find it safest for the operator and easiest on the machine to push away from the hoe near the stump to bend them over before plucking out the root.  Real big ones are best felled with a saw first.

campbell

Posted 3/29/ 12:13 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

CENTRAL ILLINIOS

Check and double check for underground lines, electric lines, gas mains, water lines. Some of them get real expensive to fix. Or worse. rowcropper

Posted 3/29/ 13:09 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

SC

SC

You can drive into a wet area and not be stuck at all but after you swing and work for awhile the vibration and shaking will settle the machine down into the ground so that you cannot get out. Also a small limb gets a lot bigger when its coming strait at you faster than you can stop it. jwilliam33

Posted 3/29/ 14:19 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: DON'T Try this at home!

Waldron, MI

That's quite the way to practice your operator skills there Loren!! Ryan Borcherding

Posted 3/29/ 15:50 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Leesport, PA

What are "mats"?

Not overly familiar with construction related machinery and I haven't seen that term before.

Thanks,

Ryan Michael R

Posted 3/29/ 17:14 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Eastern Ontario

I'm sure I saw that unit outside of Winchester this afternoon? Cross Country

Posted 3/29/ 17:57 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Ottawa, Ontario

Michael R - 3/29/ 17:14

I'm sure I saw that unit outside of Winchester this afternoon?

Guess again... dvswia

Posted 3/29/ 19:23 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

sw corner ia.

laminated hardwood boards that are about 4' wide maybe 8 or 10" thick X 10 or 12' long or whatever you need to get the hoe tracks on both sides, they will lay across your path. Three will hold you up, need a couple more to throw in front of you as you work. Cable loops on both ends to hook with your bucket. Thumb makes them easy to use. Has to be pretty soupy before these aren't enough. Cross Country

Posted 3/29/ 19:42 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Ottawa, Ontario

Do you think 4 foot lengths of cut-up poles would work ?

I don't intend to get into anything that soupy, but you never know.
ayrporte

Posted 3/29/ 20:26 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Eastern Ont

I think that was Willis Kerrs at the Lamoureux farm
Michael R

Posted 3/29/ 21:18 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Eastern Ontario

I know it wasn't his, Deano is a cat man....

So where is this Case at? outta guesses Rawleigh

Posted 3/29/ 21:44 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

White Stone, Virginia

White Stone, Virginia

Be very very careful felling trees!!! I lost a friend who was a very experienced operator when a tree fell on his cab!! He was around 50 years old and farmed and ran an excavation company all of his life. It can happen to anyone!! will

Posted 3/29/ 22:22 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

SC

SC

They might, but you would need to have a way to hold them very firmly together. If we are not going in too deep, we usually just lay down trees. Hopefully the picture will show our machine on mats in the swamp. You cant see the mats, but they are there.

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Cross Country

Posted 3/29/ 22:30 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Pics - old house to wreck RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Ottawa, Ontario

Rawleigh - 3/29/ 21:44

Be very very careful felling trees!!! I lost a friend who was a very experienced operator when a tree fell on his cab!! He was around 50 years old and farmed and ran an excavation company all of his life. It can happen to anyone!!

Thank you for your concern !

We burn alot of firewood here, so I felled all of the larger trees with the saw and pulled the trees off the field to be bucked up.


Someone told me that every operator will take out their windshield with a tree at some point. I'm being very carefull and plan to prove him wrong.

It's a great machine to run. I've been looking for an affordable machine for 3 years now and have so many projects lined up for it, it'll likely take another 3 years to make a dent in the work. Fence lines, an old farmyard with an old house and barns that need to go, a few acres of bush. It's going to pay for itself for sure.

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Cross Country

Posted 3/29/ 22:34 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Ottawa, Ontario

Fortunately I don't own any swampland...you lads have balls ! MOjeeper

Posted 3/29/ 23:10 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

NEMO

NEMO

I've always been told uses the rightside of the bucket when messing with trees, so if it does fall it won't be on the cab side. semosandfarmer

Posted 3/29/ 23:22 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: RE: Pics - old house to wreck RE: Excavator do's and DON'TS

East Prairie, MO

East Prairie, MO

Someone told me that every operator will take out their windshield with a tree at some point. I'm being very carefull and plan to prove him wrong. 

 

They were right in my case, It took me about 5 minutes to break mine...literally! Unloaded it in front of the shop and there was a dead tree out back so I thought "I'll just go knock that right down," got back there, reached up to give it a shove, and when I shook the tree a dead limb from overhead fell out and busted out the windshield....within 5 minutes of being unloaded the first time. That was the beginning of the lessons I have learned that made me a better and safer operator. Be careful!

dmax08

Posted 3/30/ 00:24 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

trust me.............you WILL be more carefull if you run with your window open RAB

Posted 3/30/ 09:20 (# - in reply to #)
Subject: Re: Excavator do's and DON'TS

Brinkley, Arkansas

Brinkley, Arkansas

Yea thats a good training tool to learn how not to splash mud on the front glass. Doesn't take but a couple screw ups and people start being a lot more careful.

all depends on the size of the machine and the soil type you re going after. As long as you do not encounter all sorts of large rocks and stumps a mini machine can get a lot done in 8 hours. I had an 8 ton unit on site for most of our new house build and it handled some very tough digging in shale. We almost got through the entire foundation dig but share was just too tough and we were pushing the machine way over its limits.

Not sure if your getting something less than 3 ton but if so you will be limited in its pull out and you may need to dig wider holes to get stuff out of the ground. Hope it has the blade on the front to help you backfill

Have fun you will not want to get off the thing once you get the knack of it..

 

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