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Deere 120D

Burnout

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
1,448
Location
Edmonton AB
Occupation
Operator at Sureway Construction
You knew the D was comin soon, the D series started showin up 2 years ago already. I personally think the arrow on there looks dumb, their finally catering to the less intelligent.
 

D5G

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
829
Location
Northeast
that arrow is a very nice touch , I dont like that black boom either.
 

EZ TRBO

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
862
Location
USA
Occupation
Aggregate Utility, Maintence Welder
What are the down arrows for? Telling you which side goes onto the dirt? :pointhead

Trbo
 

HomeWrecker

New Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
2
Location
Calgary,Ab
I ran a 850 D needless to say their was'nt any arrows on it when I got to it! The black boom looks kind of volvo ish to but I'm indifferent towards it.
 

iron kid

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2007
Messages
115
Location
dubuque ia
Occupation
owner 12 man team
I like the black helps when u are swing in to the sun and helps u stay focus on the bucket
 

coopers

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2005
Messages
495
Location
Western Washington
Yup, and the new zaxis -3's for Hitachi look dumb too, what's with the multi coloring of the cab etc.? Horrible color combo's. That's my downfall with equipment I can't just operate them, I have to nit pick everything right down to the color they painted it. huh, oh well.
 

w2bstoned

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 24, 2008
Messages
136
Location
canada
Ah the color just lets everyone know who has a newer fleet...
That's why everybody get's upset...
I like the look of the new deere's and the D series Cats...
Gotta keep swinging to the bank... LOL
 

petersfamilytru

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2008
Messages
137
Location
Oregon
They could paint it up like a traveling hippie van and I'd still trade my 490E for that 120D... That is a very nice machine!

Truth be known, I hate it when they start making too many color schemes on a piece of equipment... It makes getting it repainted all that much more expensive.
 

Burnout

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
1,448
Location
Edmonton AB
Occupation
Operator at Sureway Construction
I am definately digging the black boom and stick now. It does seriously cut down on glare, and the machine doesn't look like such a piece of crap when you end up with grease all over the place at the boom/stick joint. While I do have my reservations about the D series, the paintjob is definately a high point for me.
 

tonka

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
Messages
1,555
Location
Longview WA
Occupation
Equipment Operator
I am definately digging the black boom and stick now. It does seriously cut down on glare, and the machine doesn't look like such a piece of crap when you end up with grease all over the place at the boom/stick joint. While I do have my reservations about the D series, the paintjob is definately a high point for me.
X2 i like the black booms and stics on the new D's!
 

360joe

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 2, 2008
Messages
47
Location
ireland
Not a fan of having a black boom and stick, particulary black stick, because of its reduced visibility. I think its better if construction machines in general are brightly painted. Am thinking of situations such as trucks backing up with the mirrors covered in rain or getting sun glare etc. Also when on roadworks with existing traffic you are better having everything bright, there are lots of drivers out there with minimal interest in looking where they are going. Its only a small point but doesnt make sense to have workers walking around with hi-viz gear without applying the same logic to the machines.
 

ncbschzzt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
192
Location
U.S.
Occupation
john deere/hitachi field tech
Not a fan of having a black boom and stick, particulary black stick, because of its reduced visibility. I think its better if construction machines in general are brightly painted. Am thinking of situations such as trucks backing up with the mirrors covered in rain or getting sun glare etc. Also when on roadworks with existing traffic you are better having everything bright, there are lots of drivers out there with minimal interest in looking where they are going. Its only a small point but doesnt make sense to have workers walking around with hi-viz gear without applying the same logic to the machines.

There is a solution to your concerns, we have reflective strips we are using on the sides of the arm. The grey front end attachments have been researched exstensively and have proven more postive than negative.
 

Squizzy246B

Administrator
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
3,388
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Occupation
Digger Driver
There is a solution to your concerns, we have reflective strips we are using on the sides of the arm. The grey front end attachments have been researched exstensively and have proven more postive than negative.

Welcome to the Heavy Equipment Forums.

By what do you mean more positive....visibilty??, appearance...just curious.
 

ncbschzzt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
192
Location
U.S.
Occupation
john deere/hitachi field tech
Welcome to the Heavy Equipment Forums.

By what do you mean more positive....visibilty??, appearance...just curious.

There was more positive points of view towards the grey front attachments then there were negative points of view. Everyone is going to have their own opinion and experience with every aspect of their machine. Control, visibility, power, comfort, and so on, but what is the most important to the majority of people. I have had to inspect machines after accidents to testify for lawsuits and give my expert opinion for which it is just that my opinion from my experience. I can tell you that I would much rather worry about having a truck driver smack my boom/arm than worry about getting boom/arm glare while operating and then crushing a laborer in a trench or elsewhere on the jobsite. So Volvo had it right first when they went to a grey boom/arm and used reflective strips to help visibility to people on the ground. The operator is in control and is in control of his surroundings, he makes the rules and anyone who says otherwise can walk.

Overall most customers liked the new grey boom/arm for appearance (looks good) and visibilty....
 
Last edited:

Dirtman2007

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
1,202
Location
Raleigh, North Carolina
Occupation
Heavy Equipment Operator
There was more positive points of view towards the grey front attachments then there were negative points of view. Everyone is going to have their own opinion and experience with every aspect of their machine. Control, visibility, power, comfort, and so on, but what is the most important to the majority of people. I have had to inspect machines after accidents to testify for lawsuits and give my expert opinion for which it is just that my opinion from my experience. I can tell you that I would much rather worry about having a truck driver smack my boom/arm than worry about getting boom/arm glare while operating and then crushing a laborer in a trench or elsewhere on the jobsite. So Volvo had it right first when they went to a grey boom/arm and used reflective strips to help visibility to people on the ground. The operator is in control and is in control of his surroundings, he makes the rules and anyone who says otherwise can walk.


I'm still not getting the glare from the boom like ya'll are taking about we have a volvo excavator and I have never had a problem with any glare as you said the grey cut down on the glare amount. We also have a daewwo excavator which is BRIGHT orange and I have never been blinded by the stick color... it's alwasy the sun on a dirty windsheild instead. Or maybe it's just because every excavator we own have thumbs that cover up most of the paint on the stick. Just stick glare:confused:
 

ncbschzzt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
192
Location
U.S.
Occupation
john deere/hitachi field tech
It all depends on the angle and the where the sun is at on the horizon, your thumb is most likely cutting any glare you might have normally received on a bright colored boom/arm.
 
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