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Hitachi UH122

etd66ss

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Joined
May 14, 2015
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270
Location
Lockport NY
Along with this thread: D65S-6

I also have the opportunity to get a Hitachi UH122

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The pins, bushings & rails look to be in quite good shape. Almost like a new UC was installed and then it didn't get much use. I have no idea why it was parked, but it has been sitting for ~25 years.

Anyone familiar with these units any info is much appreciated.

I assume getting parts for this machine is about impossible?
 

Tones

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Mar 15, 2009
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Ubique
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Ex land clearing contractor, part-time retired
If it's anything like the UH 12 it would have been a great machine. The only UH12 left in the world and powered with a Hitachi engine is in New Zealand. That machine has been fully restored including engine and pumps.
On this one the engine and pump parts may be obsolete but repowering and repumping could be a less expensive option. An early EX300 could be a donor.
This digger looks very straight for its age, would be a shame to scrap it
 

uffex

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Lincoln UK
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Good day
Many consumable- - wear parts are available on the open market other parts you will need to be resourceful and adapt or repair what you have.I suggest make a good inspection before you take ownership.
Kind regards
Uffex
 

etd66ss

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Location
Lockport NY
I have a CAT 225LC which is a 25 ton machine. From what I gather, this UH122 is a 30 ton machine?

I have not even tried to turn over the engine as of yet, will hopefully get to that this week. The current owner has no idea why the machine was parked, he inherited the lot filled with a bunch of old/parked equipment.

Is the Isuzu E120 obsolete? I do see some parts online. I don't want to spend the money on parts/service books until I get this this home if I end up with it...
 

chickenminer

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Jun 19, 2016
Messages
72
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Alaska
I had a UH083 machine. Loved it and what a workhorse! Those Isuzu engines are the bomb and very fuel efficient. Best part about those machines is no electronics !!

After sitting for so long be prepared for the girl to spring leaks everywhere.
 

etd66ss

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May 14, 2015
Messages
270
Location
Lockport NY
Would a UH122 be in the timeframe where John Deere had an equivalent machine?

Also, what is the difference between a UH122 & 123? I can't find much online pertaining to a 122 but can find info and videos on 123's...
 

Tones

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Ubique
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Ex land clearing contractor, part-time retired
I've had a look online here in Australia and can't find any E120 engines so it's fairly safe to say they're obsolete. Thinking outside the square a JD engine could be a good replacement if a newer Isuzu cost doesn't line up with your pocket. There's still plenty of these non-electronic engines available.
Looking on the bright side the current engine could be good to go with a little TLC. These engines were good for 15-20000 hours if looked after before a rebuild.
 

etd66ss

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Lockport NY
So, someone help me out with this undercarriage:


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When I first looked at the machine, it seemed to be in decent shape. Sprocket teeth looked good, grousers on pads looked good, bushings have very minimal wear and they don't appear to have been turned.
 

etd66ss

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May 14, 2015
Messages
270
Location
Lockport NY
But yet when I look at the idler, by the time the tension is set the idler is almost all the way out! The top rollers do look very worn:


20230426_155900.jpg

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I measured the rail heights at about 4.25"

Even like 120% worn I don't think the idlers would be that far forward???

I cracked the engine oil drain plug today and only got about 4-5 drips of water before it turned to oil, so that's a good sign at least.
 
Last edited:

skyking1

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Nov 3, 2020
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7,462
Location
washington
I would not sweat that idler extension thing. Those tracks are not that bad, it's a runner if you get it running.
I also don't think it will give you much trouble if it had antifreeze in it.
Get it all operable and then use it to drag the crawler loader onto a trailer, roll it onto a lowboy and go unload the crawler loader :)
 

Tones

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X2 on the idlers and the bottom rollers aren't to bad either.
How many hours on the meter?
 

Welder Dave

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Oct 11, 2014
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Canada
One the best machines Hitachi ever made. Knew a guy that dug pipeline with them. They were a little before the Hitachi/JD agreement. After the JD deal he had to buy 892 JD's because the 300 size Hitachi's weren't available in Canada. I think the UH122 was closer to a 200 size machine though. He didn't like the JD's , especially the engines nearly as much. He loved the Isuzu engines. I think the UH20 used 2 of the same engine. The one thing he added was a water separator/filter on the fuel line. Apparently the stock filter system could have been a little better. His 1st machine went well over 9000 hours and the injection pump had never been touched in that time. I think he was getting well over 16,000 hours out of them working in some tough conditions including permafrost. UH 122's and a 121 (no live swing) replaced 4 P&H H418's and a newer model H1250 with 6V-53 Detroits. He said the Detroits needed an overhaul after 3000 hours. He was pretty deaf and needed a hearing aid. 2600 RPM screaming Detroit vs 1650 RPM Isuzu. Huge difference in noise. I think the Hitachi's even had a radio.
 
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etd66ss

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May 14, 2015
Messages
270
Location
Lockport NY
X2 on the idlers and the bottom rollers aren't to bad either.
How many hours on the meter?
20230426_161034.jpg

No idea how accurate those hours are. All the pin joints on the boom & whatnot don't look like they have 16,000 hrs on them however. So maybe the 6000 hrs is somewhat accurate...

I don't like the fact there isn't an oil pressure gage and just an idiot light. I think before I try to run this thing I will hook up a gage.
 

Welder Dave

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It looks like the hour meter may have been changed but hard to say. It's the last thing to trust though.
 

etd66ss

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Lockport NY
I looked at some images and videos of other UH122's and they all seem to have the idler very forward. That's very different from what I am used to on my CAT 225LC. I can see the idler shaft through the slot in the roller frame. I always thought where that shaft is in relation to the slot is an indicator of the UC wear for all excavators. i.e. the lder shaft should be near the center of the slot, etc...
 

Tones

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With Hitachis when the block that the axle is in becomes flush with the end of the frame is what you look for.
 

361brock

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staten island ny
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Excavators don't wear tracks out like other track machines. They have internal pin & bushing wear which stretches the chain but externally looks fine.
 

etd66ss

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May 14, 2015
Messages
270
Location
Lockport NY
Excavators don't wear tracks out like other track machines. They have internal pin & bushing wear which stretches the chain but externally looks fine.
If I get it running I'll try to take measurements to measure the pin wear. Seems like there is a lot of internal wear.
 
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