Mecalac 6mcr experiences?

[keif]

I'm thinking about replacing my tb260 with a 6mcr. Going to demo one next week but don't know much about reliability/longevity of these French machines. Besides costing 140k new.


I put in conduit for fiber and the machine must lift and spin 360 a 4kft reel of 2" conduit. The 260 does it easily the e50 bobcat did not.
I'm thinking of the 6mcr because the nature of my work requires much tracking of the machine.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[KSSS]

I look forward to a hearing what you think about it. I saw their demo at Conexpo and they look really interesting.

 

[materthegreater]

I'm also interested in hearing about what you find. I've been half heartedly trying to buy a used one myself for the last couple years.

 

[treemuncher]

There was a member here that sells them up in MA. Larusso is the name that comes to mind. They cover most of the New England states from what Mecalac told me.

I looked over an MCR8 a few weeks ago. If I was to purchase new, it would be a 10 series for my needs. My sales contract fell through for now so no play money to work with at this time. Maybe in the future. Curious to hear more from other owners and operators of these machines.

 

[keif]

I recently did a 2mile driveway that was too soft to trailer machinery down. The empty trailer was fine, the machines were fine but a heavy machine on skinny trailer tires was not.

I usually plow in 500ft-1500ft runs between boxes/vaults/etc. I already have to track over each run twice(to squish it back together) but to then walk out the 2miles gave me plenty of time to think. Lol.

 

[keif]

Salesman took me put to lunch and I checked in out at their shop. First impression, nice machine, very fast and multifunctions very well while tracking.

They are getting me set up to demo as soon as I get another batch if footage to put in.

Still need to see if it pulls as good as the 260 and can lift as much. The traction spec for the 260 is much higher than the 6mcr, but specs are specs so well see what happens in the real world.

Also the pivoting boom is weird vs the normal offset I'm used to.

 

[MG84]

Looks like a very expensive and complicated answer to a simple problem. I personally would much rather have the TB260 + a CTL, size truck and trailer accordingly to haul both at once.

 

[BC Placer gold]

Can’t tell from photos, are those ‘stops’ on the back of the bucket to prevent side loading/twisting forces on the stick end when pushing with bucket?

 

[keif]

Looks like a very expensive and complicated answer to a simple problem. I personally would much rather have the TB260 + a CTL, size truck and trailer accordingly to haul both at once.

How many ft of 2" conduit did you put in the right of way last year? For some businesses a CTL + excavator makes sense, I don't think it does for mine.

 

[keif]

Can’t tell from photos, are those ‘stops’ on the back of the bucket to prevent side loading/twisting forces on the stick end when pushing with bucket?

They go against the blade when pushing the bucket into a pile skid steer style.

 

[BC Placer gold]

Right, thanks I see that now.

 

[keif]

Right, thanks I see that now.

I will get a ctl in the future anyway. Right now I'm running a very minimal crew(but with max machinery) on a great project. If the speed of the mecalac could get me one more run of 2" a day. It will pay for itself in a few months.

 

[MG84]

How many ft of 2" conduit did you put in the right of way last year? For some businesses a CTL + excavator makes sense, I don't think it does for mine.

I don’t do any right-of-way work, but did bury a lot of conduit and waterline last year. What is the benefit that you are looking for with the Mecalac? I assumed it was the ability to use the loader bucket/front attachments on a mini ex type platform, have an all in one type machine?

 

[keif]

Speed of travel is what I'm most after. High aux flow is second. The loader function is a interesting addition.

Maybe a second 6 ton would be most beneficial. One working on the front end of the plow and one on the second.

My excavator tracked over 300,000 ft last year. 100k of that was slow running the plow train the other 200k faster travel would have been useful.

I don’t do any right-of-way work, but did bury a lot of conduit and waterline last year. What is the benefit that you are looking for with the Mecalac? I assumed it was the ability to use the loader bucket/front attachments on a mini ex type platform, have an all in one type machin

 

[keif]

That 300k doesn't even factor in the bore pits and trenches for doing couplers that I dig then track over to finish.

 

[BC Placer gold]

Sounds like a unique operation that may benefit from the faster tracking, having one less machine on site, etc.

A demo should be really useful in making your decision.

 

[KSSS]

I said the same thing when I looked at them, "there a lot going on there". They do look complex and you probably would not want to keep it to the point you had to start replacing hoses and so forth, as well as a lot of grease zerks, which translates into wear points. However if it can make you more money with it, could be well worth it and just rotate it out before you had to start fixing on it. There are very few of these used that I have seen. I bet the resale value would be pretty high, there is a lot of interest in them and I am seeing more dealers carrying them. Very interested in hearing the feedback on it.

 

[keif]

I said the same thing when I looked at them, "there a lot going on there". They do look complex and you probably would not want to keep it to the point you had to start replacing hoses and so forth, as well as a lot of grease zerks, which translates into wear points. However if it can make you more money with it, could be well worth it and just rotate it out before you had to start fixing on it. There are very few of these used that I have seen. I bet the resale value would be pretty high, there is a lot of interest in them and I am seeing more dealers carrying them. Very interested in hearing the feedback on it.

My dealer is supposed to be hooking me up with only other one in the area. Said they've put 4k hours on it so they should know it pretty good.

Also getting a mecalac field guy out to go over it with me.

 

[CM1995]

I look forward to a hearing what you think about it. I saw their demo at Conexpo and they look really interesting.

I saw them last year at Conex and back in 2017. Really like the concept and the machines seem well built. The wheeled midi-ex would be a nice addition to our "fleet".

MECALAC | 15MWR, Compact and innovative wheel excavator!

MECALAC | The 15MWR excavator, a compact 15-ton wheel excavator with 4 steering wheels, versatile and innovative!

www.mecalac.com

This machine would be handier then a shirt pocket for urban site demo, backfilling curbs and all sorts of technical excavation.

 

[MG84]

Where are you located and what are your normal ground conditions like? What other equipment do you have and what equipment do others in your area use? I'm all for thinking outside the box to get ahead, make jobs easier, make more profit, etc but over the years I've also come to realize there is a reason why most people do things the way they do.

FWIW, I've done a little of your type of work, but it's been 20+ yrs ago. My cousin and I used to run a directional boring rig and trencher/cable plow and backhoe doing private underground utility work. Things have changed a lot since then, there were no CTLs and mini excavators were still few and far between.