Need some feedback on a CAT 350L Should I buy or let it go??

[HEPCO]

Does anyone out there have some experience with a '94 Cat 350L excavator? I'm looking for some feedback good or bad. We are in the market for an excavator for our Bluestone Quarry. We have rented 320's and 330's in the past to "strip" our bluestone beds. We use the excavator to take off the overburden - top soil, shale, and cap rock before we get to the marketable bluestone. Size wise a 330 is fine but I've found that the 345's and 350's are more economical on the used market. Since we'll have no need to move it again after it gets to our quarry I'm considering a real clean 350 with a new swing motor(2000 hours). We're also going to be using a hammer with the machine down the road when we can scrape up some more cash.
Any feedback on maintenance, reliability, cycle time, fuel consumption, operator comfort, etc. would be much appreciated.

 

[Nige]

Not so much on the operation side but if you're going to be using it for a quarrying application (albeit moving overburden) you really need to be looking at a Mass Excavator configuration. This will have a shorter more rigid boom and also a shorter more rigid stick and lastly a larger bucket than a standard machine. In this configuration it will be much better equipped to the rigours of loading rock, and it'll move more tons/hour. I guess you'll be truck loading so ulimate depth of dig and reach will not be so important to you.

 

[John C.]

I've looked at a few of them used and never found one that didn't have dozens of leaks. Cylinders and hoses bleeding everywhere. I figured most had a bit of a heating problem when they get old and cook out the packing and rubber.

Run your prospect machine for at least a half hour warming things up and then check for leaks. You should probably run some cycle times once you get it warm. Boom up with the stick all the way out and the bucket open should be around 4.5 to 5.5 seconds.

Good Luck!

 

[HEPCO]

Hey John thanks for the reply, I'll definitely run some cycle times when we go check it out.

 

[cat 385]

not a fan of the 350-all but one that i have ran have been dawgs, if you can get a nice c model 345 they are good machines, the B"S are decent ,just my opinion

 

[MANUEL NAUT]

let it go, hepco

i agree with the last thread. most of our quarries companies in our country had switch from the 350s to the 345 cat, some to volvo ec460, others to kobelco sk480 or hyundai 450.
since you have been familiar with the 320s and 330s cat in the past, then for you will not be a problem to deal with the 345 hydraulic system cause basically is the same negative control hydraulic design. you won't have the additional expensive hydraulic swing pump in your excavator and won't have to deal with the delicate load sensing 350 hydraulic system.
the 345 production is bigger than the 350. the breaking and digging forces were increased by cat via the rising of the operating pressure from 4550 psi in the 350 to 4950 psi in the 345.
hope this will help

manuel

 

[Nige]

Looking at the way this thread has gone I would agree with the recent posters. A 345 of whatever model is a MUCH better machine than the 350, but my comment above about looking at a ME configuration for quarry operations still applies.

 

[HEPCO]

Manuel, I'm not familiar with what you mean by the "delicate load sensing hydraulic system" can you explain more?

Thank you for the feedback gentleman. I'm definitely listening. I've done some more research on this particular 350 and have had my mechanic look at it. All of the hydraulic hoses, cylinders, and fittings are dry and the machine runs strong and smooth. Got the maintenance records on it and it has been well cared for with 250 hour oil/filter changes, hydraulic oil/filter change outs, and other preventative maintenance as suggested by Cat. We will only put 500-700 hours per year on this machine for what we will do with it and it's priced right. Should I still run like the wind?

 

[DGODGR]

I have a good friend who owns both 330s and 345s (yeah, I know, third party information but he is as good as gold so take it for what it's worth). As I began reading this post one of the things he said came to mind. The 330s are much less expensive to operate. Obviously fuel is one thing but he was speaking, in particular, about the GET. Once you get to that size things wear out MUCH faster. He thought it was because the metalergical (is that a word) technology has not advanced enough when it comes to the stresses that machines of this size endure. He said he has to have the 345 platform to run some of his attachments but if he didn't he would run all 330s.
With that in mind would you spend more up front for a 330 but save more in the long run? It's worth consideration. This whole line of thought is based on the fact that you don't NEED the added productivity that can only come with the larger machine. Usually the stripping of over burdon can be started enough in advance so that you don't need maximum production just to keep the pit in supply of rock.

 

[hvy 1ton]

I don't think i've ever heard or read one nice thing about a cat 350. There is a reason cat went with 349E when they change the numbers around. I know of 2 that had breakers put on and the shop "lost" the buckets. The general plan seems entail beating the snot out of them until they're scrap.

 

[JDOFMEMI]

Well, though most don't like the 350's, I have not had bad luck with the 2 I have. One works as a mass excavation machine, though it is not an ME machine. It has served well as such, running a larger bucket than rated for for over 10,000 hours of its life. It does leak, but it runs every day, and I am just taking it to a new job where it will load another 300,000 to 400,000 yards this year. I have loaded something like 4 to 5 million yards with this machine, and though it has had its problems, they have not been more than any other machine worked as hard.

The other works primarily with a breaker on it and has been very trouble free, especially for the application.


In summary, you do not NEED to have a mass excavation machine to move bulk material, and sometimes, because of the difference in reach, it is better not to. You should not get a long stick, but a 10'10" will do fine. 350's aren't all dogs as some make them out to be. They are not as fast as the 345's, or the Hitachi, Komatsu, Volvo competition, but they are strong and rugged, and in rock sometimes the speed tears up more than it helps.

For doing bulk excavation, stay away from quick couplers. They rob you af a huge amount of breakout force. They are great for pipeline and utility work, changing buckets all the time, but to just dig, they are a hinderance.

The other plus is that because 350's are so hated by some folks, you can get a good machine for a little price.

 

[cat 385]

just for reference,when i say they are dawgy i dont mean the speed they do not have the power,i have been running hoe a long time from minis to 385,and most recent JD 850,i ran a 245B ME that was slow compaired to todays machines but it had plenty of power, the company i work for as far as i know does not have a 350 any more, but just the one job i'm on right now they have 3 345's working,i am just speaking from my experince, but it sounds like you have found a good machine.

 

[HEPCO]

For doing bulk excavation, stay away from quick couplers. They rob you of a huge amount of breakout force. They are great for pipeline and utility work, changing buckets all the time, but to just dig, they are a hinderance.

The other plus is that because 350's are so hated by some folks, you can get a good machine for a little price.[/QUOTE]

Hey there Jerry, thanks a lot for your knowledge on the 350. We're still debating whether to buy it or not. Can you run a breaker/hydraulic hammer with a quick coupler set up? This machine has a 12' stick not ideal but I think still Ok what do you think?