2005 CAT 305CR adding flail mower and intro

[bradwd]

Good morning. Enjoying the sun in Oregon this morning and getting around to finally posting a question before pulling a trigger on a fail mower for the Excavator.
New to forum and new to us purchase but not new to equipment. Owned several dozers and tractors of various sizes so not a newbie but new to an excavator.

Its a used 2005 Cat 305CR with 1800 hours on it. SN# ends 01173, runs great, no issues, digs great.

I have seen folks running Flail mowers on new models of the CATs on the internet etc does the older models have enough flow or are the specs the same as new ones?

Where are folks hooking up the hydraulics? Running new line off of Aux or putting a valve of the swing boom and running it off there one at a time.

The fail mowers depending on size have flow rates from 10-16gph (smaller 30" mower head 500lbs ) to 18-28gph (36 to 40" mower head 700lbs).

Thanks
Brad

 

[Nige]

Its a used 2005 Cat 305CR with 1800 hours on it. SN# ends 01173,

The 3 characters before the 5 you mentioned above are the important ones to identify exactly what you have out of the 20 or so possible options.

 

[bradwd]

Thank you. Newbie in the CAT world. Other gear is IHI and Dresser. So when CAT folks say series they want the 5 digits? I also notice I maybe in the wrong area of Excavators after I posted. 305 is probably considered a Compact one Admin feel free to move my post or I can if allowed.

Attaching pics. CAT00305TD (or O)CR001173 is what is stamp in the steel.

The black "stuck on" ID plate is somewhat rubbed away from hyd lines so hard to read but I will try to get pictures of those after work and it has Serial Number and Arrangement Numbers if I remember right.

 

[bradwd]

*Meant 3 characters. So to sound like I know what I'm talking about in the CAT area it would be a CAT 305CR TDCR series since the model number on all the documents as sold are listed as 305CR (and stickers on the side of the machine). Or go with stamping in the picture and say its 305TDCR?

Thanks

 

[Nige]

What used to be called "Serial Number" is the last 8 characters or the 17-character Product Identification Niumber (PIN). So yours is DCR01173. See below for complete explanation.



1. 3-character Manufacturer Code
2. 5-character Model Code - with zeros at the start if the Model Code is less than 5 characters. (The example above is a 120H model)
3. Check character - Assigned at random by the manufacturer. Used in an attempt to prevent knock-off plates being produced.
4. 8-character machine Serial Number. First 3 of those 8 are the "S/N prefix" (DCR in your case), the last 5 are the Sequence Number.

The black "stuck on" ID plate is somewhat rubbed away from hyd lines so hard to read but I will try to get pictures of those after work and it has Serial Number and Arrangement Numbers if I remember right.

The Serial Number & Arrgt Number you refer to will most likely be for the engine.

 

[bradwd]

Thank you that helps.

Still doing my homework on the Flail mower.

I have some specs from various sources mostly from the internet. Local CAT dealer is not really interested in that old of machines which I get in these times of short handed staffing.

Best numbers I have found so far are just do not know if the internet is accurate since it is not from actual CAT manuals.

Overall Hyd Pump flow capacity = 34.3 gal/min @ Pressure 3553 psi
Aux Circuit - Primary 3553 Psi = 18.5 gal min
Aux Circuit - Secondary 2523 psi = 9.25 gal min

Also not sure what / where to plumb a flail mower. The lowest flow model is 10-16, which would work on the Aux Primary, but what else does that run that the mower will rob the hyd from?

BradD

 

[stourpaine]

your 18.5gppm with be taken from the main pump output thereby reducing the total that's available. if it already has aux lines and couplers that are able to flow 18.5 gpm each You could plug in there your rtn to tank coupler will need to flow 18.5 gpm oil as well so you may need to replace it with a bigger one. you will need a case drain also your machine MAY be plumbed already for that. it will be a small quick coupler on the stick close to your other hyd plug ins .if not there you can run a hyd hose back to the hyd tank there should be provision at the base of the tank after removal of a plug to plumb in a extra rtn line...or see your local Cat dealer and buy the factory steel lines to do the job .steering for sure will take priority over the aux hydraulics so probably see a reduction of oil to the flail mower at that time you would have to know how much oil is used by the travel motors to figure this part out

 

[Nige]

Local CAT dealer is not really interested in that old of machines which I get in these times of short handed staffing.

I think it might be more than just an issue of staffing. Were you aware that your machine is a grey market import (originally built only for the internal Japanese market) and that no detailed information on it is carried in Cat's online system in the US.?

If you are considering keeping it long term I would strongly suggest that you invest in a Parts Manual otherwise finding parts is going to be next thing to impossible. Luckily there is an English version available, no English version of the Operation & Maintenance Manual though.

 

[stourpaine]

it being from Japan (grey market machine) I would possibly consider looking for another machine for the North American market. not that a Grey market machine would be inferior....but you wont have the same level of
service back up available should you need it.

 

[bradwd]

Thanks stourpaine. Lines I have up front are for thumb which is hooked up and working great. Thumb lines run off a selector valve for the swivel. Works OK, not my setup came with the machine. No return line found so will be running one. Thanks for the info very helpful.

Nige - Purchased at a local auction without any surprises and one look at the stickers on board figure it was not USA. Prices was good, low hours. Usage will be farm and ranch nothing professional. Plan was to give it a try if we find an Excavator useful for our property will upgrade to newer model and maybe change size and features depending on what we find out.

 

[bradwd]

I think it might be more than just an issue of staffing. Were you aware that your machine is a grey market import (originally built only for the internal Japanese market) and that no detailed information on it is carried in Cat's online system in the US.?

If you are considering keeping it long term I would strongly suggest that you invest in a Parts Manual otherwise finding parts is going to be next thing to impossible. Luckily there is an English version available, no English version of the Operation & Maintenance Manual though.

View attachment 310166

Interested. How do I download a copy?

 

[Nige]

Interested. How do I download a copy?

Click this LINK then "Continue as Guest". Put XEBG7481 in the box and click Search.
Pay for it with a credit card and you'll have the access to the download within 5 minutes or less.

 

[bradwd]

Click this LINK then "Continue as Guest". Put XEBG7481 in the box and click Search.
Pay for it with a credit card and you'll have the access to the download within 5 minutes or less.

Thank you. Just downloaded. Love the internet and a high speed connection.

 

[Nige]

At least now that you have the Parts Manual you will have Part Numbers to search for instead of blundering around in the dark.

You may find something listed in the hydraulic system under attachment pipework that could potentially help you with your mower installation.

 

[bradwd]

At least now that you have the Parts Manual you will have Part Numbers to search for instead of blundering around in the dark.

You may find something listed in the hydraulic system under attachment pipework that could potentially help you with your mower installation.

Yes, thank you. Exploded views are very helpful.

 

[stourpaine]

Thanks stourpaine. Lines I have up front are for thumb which is hooked up and working great. Thumb lines run off a selector valve for the swivel. Works OK, not my setup came with the machine. No return line found so will be running one. Thanks for the info very helpful.

Nige - Purchased at a local auction without any surprises and one look at the stickers on board figure it was not USA. Prices was good, low hours. Usage will be farm and ranch nothing professional. Plan was to give it a try if we find an Excavator useful for our property will upgrade to newer model and maybe change size and features depending on what we find out.

Glad to Help....what are you mowing with the flail? just curios!.... blueberrys??

 

[bradwd]

Glad to Help....what are you mowing with the flail? just curios!.... blueberrys??

Blackberries, poison oak and vine maples. Some small madrone vines nothing too big. If its big I usually get the Dozer out with the brush rake on the blade.

 

[stourpaine]

hope it works out well for you!