New guy no clue

[Coaldust]

Isn't there a thread somewhere in the basement about homeowners and Giant Ancient Excavators . . . ?

I couldn’t do it. I thought about excavating that thread……. Just couldn’t do it.

 

[Coaldust]

I heart old Komatsu PC300’s. These dash fives were getting long in the tooth in the early 90’s when I was a Komatsu dealer tech.

The dash three was rare as hens teeth, at that point.

I tip my orange tin hat to all my Komatsu homies. We had a helluva run, boys.

 

[Coaldust]

My first trip to California, was to the Komatsu Training Center, in Torrance. For dash five school.

 

[Buffallobull]

I take it the aftermarket parts are not available? It being mostly mechanical and no electronics I was thinking it might be something I could work on.

 

[Coaldust]

There might be some aftermarket UC parts available, some filters, and of course, hydraulic hoses. That’s it. For funsies take that serial number and try to find a swing motor, or a head gasket.

 

[Buffallobull]

• Part Number: 6150-17-1813 (replaces 6150-11-1810). Head gasket. And they have a complete seal kit for that engine.
S6D125 Engine


Part Number: 706-77-10103
Fully reconditioned swing motor, 1500-2800 bucks.

 

[Simon C]

There might be some aftermarket UC parts available, some filters, and of course, hydraulic hoses. That’s it. For funsies take that serial number and try to find a swing motor, or a head gasket.

I have rebuilt lots of Komatsu stuff and suggest you listen closely to what Coaldust has said about you not going to find the parts you need. I from experience found a few parts at dealer and then boom, sorry nothing available. Most of the aftermarket is junk and dealers will have none of the wiring harnesses. It will be your decision in the end.
Simon C

 

[Coaldust]

We just had a discussion about S6D125 engine parts and how bad the KDM aftermarket gasket kit is.

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/year-and-some-feedback-on-a-komatsu-pc300lc-5lc.121868/#post-1349436

 

[Buffallobull]

Thanks Simon, I admit that I have no practical experience here for sure.

 

[Coaldust]

Another HEF member just rebuilt a 6D125 and documented his trials and tribulations. I’m trying to find the thread. Great thread.

 

[Gary Layton]

I just re-read this thread...LOTS of good info here. Thanks, BuffaloBull, for keeping it going. Good luck on your project.

I am deep into resurrecting my grandfather's 20-acre pond that he built in the 1950's...I inherited 90 acres of his 500-acre farm...I got the homeplace, 100 year old house, shops, grain bins, ponds, etc. I bought a 15000 lb. Takeuchi TB370 initially, and learned pretty quickly it did not move enough dirt/sludge for us. I still have that for smaller, close quarters stuff (and I can move it with my F450), but I bought a 2006 CAT 320CL...approx. 50K machine...lots of difference. I can move huge trees, dig stumps, get on mud mats in the pond, and dig...made good progress.

2022 Feb-16 working on canals and pond dam - GaryLayton

using the excavator to dredge, clean, enlarge canal and pond dams

garylayton.smugmug.com

But I reached a point recently (after I bought a CAT 730 haul truck) and realized that it will take forever to finish without help. I recently hired a local land clearing outfit that brought in their CAT 330 with a BIG bucket, 2 haul trucks, a CAT D4 dozer and a lot of knowledge...they have done incredible amounts of work in a few weeks...moved dirt that took me many months to dig out and stockpile...dug out lots more area (and quicker) that I have been able to...and freed me up to do piddling (and important) side work like grubbing areas so they have places to dump, doing (slow) mud mat work...moving mud close enough for their 330 to grab it and stage it for the haul trucks.

The knowledge and planning they brought with their equipment have been wonderful. I am about 4 years into a 2-year project...with their help, I am starting to see hope of finishing at some point.

I think getting a (not too small) machine to get started and rough out your work (and learn a lot as you work) can be a good path. I am enjoying watching your project happen.

 

[Buffallobull]

Thanks for sharing the wisdom. Man that’s a lot of earth moving in that video, no rocks! Lucky! I hope to build a pond someday but that will have to wait. Power company is saying 50k to get power to the house

 

[skyking1]

At 50K, you are firmly in off-grid solar territory. How is your exposure? Can you clear out to get some good sun on some ground mounts?
With a 50K budget you can build pretty big. I can post up some example builds tomorrow night if you get me some info.

 

[Buffallobull]

The exposure is West, south West about at the 1500 msl level up the side of the mountain. So no real Sun until about 930, 1000 am. But yes I could clear out a big spot. The house will be propane and electric. About 5000 sq ft total.

 

[crane operator]

$50k would help fund a pretty good used generator and buy a lot of fuel for it, to add on to a solar set up. And you would never have a power bill or outage either.

 

[Buffallobull]

Agree, the 50k price is just for the wire and the transformer, I still have to dig the trench, lay the conduit and place all the fiberglass junction boxes and the PADs. Power company says that it has to be 3 inch schd 40 pvc pipe! No HDPE…. Ridiculous…. I figure I’m close to 100k just to get power to the house!

 

[Acoals]

Sell the mountainside location, build a house on a more practical lot, and use all the leftover money and buy a big boat . . .

 

[Buffallobull]

Almost word for word what the wife said!!!

 

[IceHole]

I think you better up your budget.

$25k is going to get you into big trouble, and an even bigger mess. Not trying to dissuade you, just being realistic. I have two excavators, two dozers, a track skidder, and 35 years heavy equipment experience.

I'm not sure I have the skills to tackle that site and terrain. Best of luck.

I've always wanted to run a tracked skidder. It a CAT 527?

 

[IceHole]

I heart old Komatsu PC300’s. These dash fives were getting long in the tooth in the early 90’s when I was a Komatsu dealer tech.

The dash three was rare as hens teeth, at that point.

I tip my orange tin hat to all my Komatsu homies. We had a helluva run, boys.

View attachment 354972

I've got some hours on a 90s 220LC3 with Denharco stroke delimber.
Ran over my beautiful Woods ported MS460 with it one night. Only usable parts was the bar and chain and a fuel cap.