Koehring Excavators:

[1693TA]

Anybody remember these? Know if they were good machines or not? I remember several of them around the St. Louis, and Springfield, IL areas working in the 1970's but they seemed to disappear over the time I was in the Navy.

I've ran across one that is complete, runs, and operates and is about 15-16 tons in weight. The sheet metal is intact but some needs replaced from rust but it is a usable unit although needing some line boring in the boom areas. The u/c doesn't look too bad but the machine is far from perfect. I want to say it was new in 1977.

Blurb I've located on Google but it appears they are now a Terex brand:

Koehring | Legacy Brands | Terex Cranes

Koehring was formerly a brand of crawler and rough terrain cranes based in Waverly, IA.

www.terex.com

 

[Vetech63]

I have experience in the 266, 366, and 1066 from back in the 80's. All were Detroit engines, gear hydraulic pumps, and standard control valves. Pretty simple design and reasonably easy to repair by today's standards.

 

[1693TA]

Thanks, I think this one still runs and want to say it's a V8 GM diesel engine. There is a problem with the swing IIRC. I wasn't ever around them, just remember the name on jobsites as the economy was collapsing at the time. Many jobs shutting down, or staged equipment never breaking ground.

Using gear pumps for hydraulics, do you remember how they were controlling the functions? Dump valves and proportional control? Wouldn't happen to remember control valving vendors would you?

 

[Vetech63]

The pumps were Commercial Shearing on the ones I repaired. The hydraulic controls were manual linkage on the 266 and 366.........air over hydraulic on the 1066. I don't remember the control valve brand, but I believe it was a standard open center/ closed port.

 

[ianjoub]

I have a 6614. Hydraulic valves are manual control, linkage. It is an inline 6 Isuzu motor. Mine runs great but is pretty loose everywhere it could be and the drive motors want some bucket/stick help moving around.

I just bought a Volvo, want to buy the Koehring?

 

[1693TA]

Wow, primitive by todays standards and so much simpler in operation and to repair. I can get this one for scrap value and I've known the owner many years. I want to say he purchased it new and it was used in his septic business which he has retired from.

Commercial always was a good pump, but I don't know about parts these days.

Thanks,

I have a 6614. Hydraulic valves are manual control, linkage. It is an inline 6 Isuzu motor. Mine runs great but is pretty loose everywhere it could be and the drive motors want some bucket/stick help moving around.

I just bought a Volvo, want to buy the Koehring?

In reality, I may be interested. Kinda/Always on the hunt for a new project. I can do the boring and tightening up of the machine if the "bones" are in good condition. Weak drive motors is probably a worn main pump but testing would be in order first off.

What is the weight on your machine?

 

[ianjoub]

I assumed 6614 is 14t, though not 100% on that.

 

[1693TA]

I assumed 6614 is 14t, though not 100% on that.

I'll do some internet research. I could haul that I believe if it would be low enough on my single drop trailer. I'm wanting an RGN but don't have one yet.

 

[ianjoub]

I'll do some internet research. I could haul that I believe if it would be low enough on my single drop trailer. I'm wanting an RGN but don't have one yet.

Machine is in LaFollette, TN

 

[1693TA]

Machine is in LaFollette, TN

Know where that is. Did some navigation work between Knoxville, and LaFollette in 2002.

 

[FWD]

If it's only 15 or 16 tons , then it's a Koehring Bantam, as in the early 70's Koehring bought Bantam and at that point all the smaller excavators were originally Bantams as Koehring didn't have small er excavators. If it has a V8 Detroit it is much bigger than 15 tons. I had a C166 that weighed about 15 tons and that had a 453 Detroit. I think a bigger Bantam had the 6V53 engine.
FWD

 

[1693TA]

He says this one has a 6.5ltr turbodiesel like the pickups of the day used.

 

[1693TA]

There are a couple of Bantam excavators in the area. One is clearly emblazoned "Hein-Werner" so I assume they owned them at one time? Both of these are Detroit Diesel 53 powered units.

 

[FWD]

Hein-Werner was another brand. Bantam was originally Schield-Bantam. It was started by the Schield brothers from I believe, Waverly, Ia. The brothers after WW II bought surplus military trucks and put cranes on them and also made crawler friction cranes and friction shovels and backhoes. They were one of the first crawler hydraulic backhoes with modern dozer style tracks.

 

[1693TA]

The one has the "Hein-Werner" brand on the boom and the Bantam logo on the sides covering the engine bay. I can't find anything on the internet corelating the two at all but it had both manufacturers logos on the machine and it looks like a Bantam. I just seen it last month where it scattered the engine tearing out a former rail line.

 

[Welder Dave]

Several of the smaller Bantam machines had basically 2 back/engine compartments, one on each side with what looks like a cut out in the middle. Kind of odd looking. A machine with a V8 Detroit would likely be 308 HP or more and way more than 16 tons. An H1900 Hopto has 2 8V-71's and weighs 103 tons so a single engine machine might be 40 to 50 tons. Bantam are usually orange and Hein Warner were yellow.

 

[1693TA]

Several of the smaller Bantam machines had basically 2 back/engine compartments, one on each side with what looks like a cut out in the middle. Kind of odd looking. A machine with a V8 Detroit would likely be 308 HP or more and way more than 16 tons. An H1900 Hopto has 2 8V-71's and weighs 103 tons so a single engine machine might be 40 to 50 tons. Bantam are usually orange and Hein Warner were yellow.

I agree. This one is faded orange. The Hein-Werner logo was on a white background with the letters being black. This was on the boom only. I only looked at the machine as it was setting off to the side of the former rail line with the engine compartment opened up and engine stripped out with a large hole in the block. It was a Detroit 53 series. I don't know if possible to swap a boom or not?

There is another H-W around here that is blue with yellow lettering but has been obviously repainted over it's lifetime. This one belongs to a field tile installer and I see it sometimes setting off in a field being worked.

 

[1693TA]

It is a C451 he tells me. Not been used in almost 20 years but engine and hydraulics still operate well. It does not want to swing consistently and I can't remember if he said L to R, or R to L swing is erratic. I don't remember seeing "Bantam" anyplace on it but the machine was a repaint after an engine fire prior to his purchase in the mid 1980's. It does have what looks like two engine houses on the back.

 

[FWD]

A C451 is essentially an earlier model of a C166. When Koehring purchased Bantam they changed models to work in their 66 series. The 451 had the 453 engine and the engine is on one side and fuel and hydraulic tanks are on the other side. It has 3 commercial gear hydraulic pumps. I think I still have a manual for a 451.
FWD

 

[FWD]

The pinion shaft on the swing drive motor was stripped on mine, so it didn't swing. My friend took the motor out and put a new shaft in and has used it off and on without problems since. I gave him the excavator because I no longer needed it and he helped me on a lot of projects.
FWD