385C's

[9420pullpan]

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[Tigerotor77W]

I love this machine... anyone know how its productivity compares to that of its competitors?

[JimBruce42]

Nice,

I have a few of those on my computer as well:thumbsup

question though... do you have some secret way that you downsize the photos so fast... It seems to take me forever to get them small enough to be attached here... Any hints?

-Jim

[Dozerboy]

We have one we bought it for this one job and from what I hear we going to be selling it and I have even seen it yet.:mad: :crying

[Cat420]

Nice,

I have a few of those on my computer as well:thumbsup

question though... do you have some secret way that you downsize the photos so fast... It seems to take me forever to get them small enough to be attached here... Any hints?

-Jim

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

If you have Windows Xp, then download the image resizer near the bottom right of the page linked above. After it's installed all you do is select the pictures then right click and there's an option to resize. It creates a copy of them so your originals are untouched. If you make them 640x480 they will upload quickly and easily on this site.

[9420pullpan]

to downsize pics open the pic into paint then go under the image tab the stretch and skew. the adjust the stretch to like 50% depends on pic.......

[Wolf]

Does this machine have balls or what ? Anyone ever try one for demoliton?

[9420pullpan]

2435

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2439

[Countryboy]

:eek: For anybody starting up a new line of equipment, just paint it like the Cat above and I will take 2. One to put in the front yard and one to trailer around town to pick up chicks. Thats an awesome looking machine.

[mflah87]

A komatsu PC800 has more reach than that machine. I'm not to happy with Cat so I'm moving over to Komatsu

[9420pullpan]

My Vote is for the CAT

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2480

[Wulf]

:thumbsup

[Countryboy]

Cat :yup

[Tigerotor77W]

I'll take the Cat, too...

tho pullpan -- I'm a member at the French forum where some of those images (orange 385C with double stick cylinders) were posted.

Fun place!

[CascadeScaper]

A komatsu PC800 has more reach than that machine. I'm not to happy with Cat so I'm moving over to Komatsu

That's a fairly vague reasoning. Would you care to elaborate? I would imagine the amount of boom and stick options with a 385C would be fairly diverse, I'd hesitate to conclude that the only reason you'd switch to Komatsu is for reach issues.

[TRACKHOE71]

Cat All The Way!

[rino1494]

I honestly don't see any benefits to owning these machines, even in quarry's. You can do just at much with (2) 345's at a cheaper cost. Same thing with D11's. You can move more material with a (2) D9's at the same cost as a D11.

[Countryboy]

One point might be that you are only paying one operator to run the 385 or D11 but 2 operators for the 345s or D9s. Employee wages and benefits build up pretty quick to add to costs.

[CascadeScaper]

In the argument of 1 large machine vs. 2 smaller machines, one must also consider the fact that the larger machines are built to handle the conditions they work in. Sure (2) 345's could probably keep up with 1 385, but that 385 is built for quarry specific work. It may never have any structural problems whatsoever, only preventative maintenance whereas a couple 345's could develop premature wear in the boom, stick, and bucket linkages due to the extreme service they've been thrown into, thus reducing their service life. Unscheduled repairs get expensive very fast, as well as every aspect of maintaining 2 machines, transporting 2 machines, insuring 2 machines, and fuel consumption of 2 machines. If there wasn't a market for these big pieces, Cat wouldn't be making them.

[CAT245ME]

Make mine Cat as well, funny thing, the company I work for wont by komatsu because they feel its junk, not sure why they feel this way but most of the equipment I've seen at work was caterpillar.

[jazak]

You know what; screw the 305 & 252B, I'm getting that!! LOL :bouncegri The payments on that must really big $$$$$ :crying :crying

[JimBruce42]

You know what; screw the 305 & 252B, I'm getting that!! LOL :bouncegri The payments on that must really big $$$$$ :crying :crying

you might have to sell 4 or 5 of them just to afford the permits, etc to move one of those:rolleyes: That being said, in a 10 hour shift I really think that in similar conditions a 385 ME can move more dirt than 2 345 ME, if you make as many of the variables (outside of the machine and the trucks it's loading) the same. Just my 2 cents... :thumbsup

[9420pullpan]

I'll take the Cat, too...

tho pullpan -- I'm a member at the French forum where some of those images (orange 385C with double stick cylinders) were posted.

Fun place!


yes that is one of the site i go seaching for pics at.... i love the foreign sites bc they have different equipment

[9420pullpan]

when i was working for American Infrastructure in PA they had (2) 345's loading truck and then they got there 385 which they have gotten rid of.

i think that there are so many things to consider when purchasing a big machine like that. first you must have the work and the machines to support it at both ends cut and fill. AI was justing a D6 or D8 to support an 815 on some jobs but sometimes it was just the 815. and with 40 tonners coming non stop all day you have your hands full.
also running 2 hoes is sorta more organized ya know with one its just get in line when you have 2 it is hit or miss

they got rid of it bc of the lack of work for it and i heard that it cost @ 20k to move the whole package.
here are some pics of the (2) 345's loading and some of the 385 loading....

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[JimBruce42]

AI was justing a D6 or D8 to support an 815 on some jobs but sometimes it was just the 815. and with 40 tonners coming non stop all day you have your hands full.


they got rid of it bc of the lack of work for it and i heard that it cost @ 20k to move the whole package.


If an 815 was going solo I hope the soil was really sandy, I know those machines tend to struggle in rocky/heavy material with the 30-tonners, I can't imagine what it's like with 40-ton trucks.

I've heard that from just about everyone here, that between it's cost to move the whole package and job sizes, it wasn't justified to have a 385... they said that in order to keep it they would have to have jobs with nearly 1 million cubic yards of cut/fill to really keep it busy.

Pullpan do you have a larger version of that fourth pic?

[CascadeScaper]

A large contractor out here was working on a three phase project, I think the total amount of material moved was over 2 million cubic yards for all three phases. They were loading 40 ton artics with a Zaxis 600, spreading and compacting with a 2 D8's. Took them a long time, but they got in done. 5 artics, 1 excavator, and a D8's.

[580bruce]

Goodfellow knows how to move dirt.

[CascadeScaper]

Goodfellow knows how to move dirt.

Indeed they do. I'd love to get on with them, except for they're union.

Pipkin would have been a good route for me to take, went to an interview, but told me I didn't have enough experience for a seasonal operation job. I imagine if I'd sign on full time they would have taken me, but not for a 3 month summer season. Pipkin is getting huge anymore, but they're nothing compared to Goodfellow's Hawaii operation.

[RonG]

I wonder why that 385 is swinging over the cab to load like that?That can slow you down big time.Maybe they were posing for pictures????Ron G

[Dozerboy]

I bet that is just some stupid truck driver going the wrong way.:yup

[Countryboy]

:bouncegri

[tylermckee]

I bet that is just some stupid truck driver going the wrong way.:yup

no matter how many times i tell truck drivers how/where i want to load them, they always screw it up.

[580bruce]

How much time have you spent in a truck?The view out one window,is much different than the other.

[9420pullpan]

here are some more pics of loading off the same pile

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[CascadeScaper]

How much time have you spent in a truck?The view out one window,is much different than the other.

Very true. I was backing an old Kenworth this summer so I could dip 5/8 out of the body with the excavator. Could have sworn I was dead on perfect. Shut the truck down, walk back to the machine and I could have gone another 6-7 feet back. Needless to say, I'm not a truck driver...yet.

[Jeff D.]

Needless to say, I'm not a truck driver...yet.Well hurry up! You don't want to miss out on any of the enjoyment you'll get from the "truck driver" jokes.

I find they never get old!!:rolleyes::bouncegri

[tylermckee]

As much as i like to poke fun at truck drivers, fact is i would be sitting at home without them, they arent all that bad, just most of them :bouncegri

[RonG]

I am now convinced that the "operator" might be the reason that they sold the 385 after seeing the rest of those pics.I doesn't take long to spot a new guy.The machine is not level,loading backwards and he does not seem to have a plan to take advantage of the jobsite and make it work for him.
On second thought,maybe if they put me on a new 385 with the lights on it might affect me the same way.Ron G:bouncegri

[Squizzy246B]

Well hurry up! You don't want to miss out on any of the enjoyment you'll get from the "truck driver" jokes.

I find they never get old!!:rolleyes::bouncegri

The truck drivers or the jokes??:bouncegri

[murray83]

What? no grade stake or stolen lunch insults? :mad: This thread hijack hasn't reached its full potential yet :rolleyes: :yup

[tylermckee]

I am now convinced that the "operator" might be the reason that they sold the 385 after seeing the rest of those pics.I doesn't take long to spot a new guy.The machine is not level,loading backwards and he does not seem to have a plan to take advantage of the jobsite and make it work for him.
On second thought,maybe if they put me on a new 385 with the lights on it might affect me the same way.Ron G:bouncegri

While a lot of the stuff you pointed out may be true, i highly doubt they would throw a new guy into that machine and tell him to go for it :spaz

[Squizzy246B]

What? no grade stake or stolen lunch insults? :mad: This thread hijack hasn't reached its full potential yet :rolleyes: :yup

True but you can't go around funnin about truck drivers all the time. They get cranky then start running over stuff, dumpin where they are not supposed to and reversing up to the wrong spot and the like....pretty much doing as they normally do anyway:rolleyes: :D

[murray83]

You better stop before Jeff comes and accidently backs over your new Yanmar and steals your lunch :yup

[jazak]

[QUOTE=9420pullpan;17757]here are some more pics of loading off the same pile

The trucks should perk further in front of the 385 so it saves time, energy and costs. :Banghead

[CascadeScaper]

I'm gonna have to say the guy running that 385 isn't par on. Without knowing exactly what the plans call for, I'm going to assume that whole knob needs to be removed. He's sitting in the middle of the pile loading the wrong way. The correct way would be to come forward (in the pic), start there and work backwards. Then have the trucks come in the opposite way, all after levelling up the machine. :Banghead :Banghead

[9420pullpan]

well i will say this much the operator of that machine is experienced and has been with them for a while. he is always consistant in speed all day everyday.... but he doesnt always level up but he can definately load some truck. that pile was just odd not goo way to attack it without moving material twice.

but some of these responses are making me laugh soo hard LOL

[jazak]

This is how he should be loading.
BLUE= how the road should be
RED= direction trucks should be going.
Yellow= where trucks should stop to load.
If you guys disagree with this let me know, but let me warn you buddy who owns a excavating for 25+ years is sitting next to me and he says that how I made it is right and faster.

[CAT245ME]

This is how he should be loading.
BLUE= how the road should be
RED= direction trucks should be going.
Yellow= where trucks should stop to load.
If you guys disagree with this let me know, but let me warn you buddy who owns a excavating for 25+ years is sitting next to me and he says that how I made it is right and faster.

He's right you know. :yup

[9420pullpan]

yes he is and also the hoe should be sitting paralllel to trucks and the final drives to the rear of hoe etc...

[Squizzy246B]

I guess you need to know the context if your really going to analyse. The guy might have been just putting a couple of loads out of a corner and it wasn't worth working the road for that...whatever.

I learnt long ago that there is no "Right Way"..only wrongs ways. I'd like to see that beast level. I now say to my operators, I don't care how you do it so long as efficient, safe and no gear gets wrecked or flogged. If I see them doing one of those things wrong I kick them off and show them how it can be done safer, faster or with less damage to the machine.

Course now I hardly running loaders anymore I just have a 3 tonne mini to organise...but it still seems new operators can lose the basics pretty quick. Big or small....same principles I suppose.

I'd love to spend a few hours on one of those new 385's. When I was a young bloke I used to work 320 & 330's on the mines during my annual leave. Then we got the Hitachi's and they multi-functioned about 3 times as good as the Cats. We used to go places the D9's were afraid to go.

[9420pullpan]

he is the textbook example right!


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[Dwan Hall]

JACAK, your way showes the load been swung over the cab to load the truck. Not the way I prefer as a truck driver or the excavator operator. I would do it that way if no other options were avalable. Other then that it looks ok to me.

[Wulf]

Couldn't resist posting this one...

[9420pullpan]

alright i see your raise and i double it

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[Wulf]

OK Let's try this one...

[tylermckee]

http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2523&d=1163822060

this pic it looks like he is sitting level, and could load trucks quickly. Maybe in the pics he was just getting started and trying to get situated while still loading out trucks.

[9420pullpan]

im enjoying this lets see what i have gonna dig deep

that should work

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[Ford LT-9000]

Never want to swing bucket fulls over the cab of the truck being a regular dump truck or a articulated truck. As for the machine being level sure it should be in a perfect world but most of the time you will spend too much time trying to make a level spot.

As for backing trucks up under a excavator every operator I know takes a full bucket full and swings around and puts the bucket in the air where he wants the truck to back under when the truck is in the right position dumps the bucket. Usually we like to back the truck in towards the machine so the truck loads from the back.

Everybody loads trucks differently so what ever works just aslong they are not spilling material down the side of the truck or bouncing rocks off the top of the box they are fine.

[JimBruce42]

Every situation is going to bring up its own obstacles to loading "text book". As Ford and Squizzy are saying there isn't always going to be time to make a situation perfect to load a truck. The shot with the A40D in it looks like the truck is still pulling up to the hoe. AI does their best to keep trucks from backing up whenever it's possible, but it's not always practical or possible, I've had my share of times where we had to back up to the hoe, whether it was because of the terrain, or location. The trucks might also be facing where the fill is, less travel loaded.

This might be a little better... no?

[345cl]

me too had to add a few myself:)

[9420pullpan]

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[334 lawn co]

this is a good thread... keep em comin. i would help but i dont have any as of right now.

[9420pullpan]

alright ill keep it up i have been holdin the best for last im gonna hold out a lil longer

[Dozerboy]

How much time have you spent in a truck?The view out one window,is much different than the other.

I have spent a lot of time in both and have never had trouble putting the truck where it needs to be and do it without hit stuff. But I know trucks are not operators and I don't expect them to grasp what we are doing.

I wouldn't judge an operator by a pic there are many times I dig without leveling myself up (I'm just that smooth):Cowboy , loaded over a cap, had trucks back up to me just because that is what I deem the best way to do it. And anyone wants to question my decision can do it there self unless they're singing my check then they’re the boss.

[Jeff D.]

I wouldn't judge an operator by a pic there are many times I......... I would think it's only fair too give the truck driver the same benifit of the doubt??:yup

[digger242j]

I would think it's only fair too give the truck driver the same benifit of the doubt??:yup


Of course you would... :rolleyes:

:bouncegri

[Squizzy246B]

I would think it's only fair too give the truck driver the same benifit of the doubt??:yup

Uhh...Why??:confused: :rolleyes: :bouncegri

[mflah87]

I dont own a PC800, but I'm friends with someone at NASDI ( North American Site Developers) who are the 3rd biggest demo contractor in the world and he said they were going to buy a Cat 385, but he compared it to a PC800 and chose that because of power, and reach. I couldn't believe how much more reach the 800 had over the 385 it was close to 20 ft. Thats with a regular stick not a extended stick or add-a-stick.

[mflah87]

I honestly don't see any benefits to owning these machines, even in quarry's. You can do just at much with (2) 345's at a cheaper cost. Same thing with D11's. You can move more material with a (2) D9's at the same cost as a D11.

--- I had a big ledge job this summer and i had a Cat 345 loading out the ledge into trailer dumps at first. After a month I brought my pc600 up and blew the 345 away. Different applications call for different machines. It made loading trucks so much easier.

[Tigerotor77W]

mflah87, I'm not going to argue with which machine the company prefers, but I think there's something awry if they claimed the PC800 has more reach than the 385... they're easily comparable, but certainly the PC800 does not have 20 feet more reach than the 385C. Power may be a different story, but even here, the breakout specs show pretty similarly between the two machines.

Whatever the reasons, it's fine that the PC800 was seen as the better machine -- but beware of the reasons! From my perspective, it seems the Cat dealer wasn't quite on top of the game on this one.

[Cat420]

Here's the links for both machine's specs. They both look very close to me. The Komatsu makes similar hp with a smaller engine, so I could see going with it for fuel economy. There appears to be a great variety of booms and sticks for both so I don't see why that would matter too much. These specs show the Cat standard boom to have about 16 feet more reach than the standard equipment on the Komatsu. This results in the Komatsu having higher digging forces as you would expect. Bottom line is with the same size boom and stick, there's about a 30 hp and 10,000lb difference between the two and the dealer will we the real deciding factor.
http://cmms.cat.com/cmms/servlet/cat.dcs.cmms.servlet.DynamicImageServlet?imageid=C 072126&imageType=7
http://www.komatsuamerica.com/charts.asp?prdt_id=883&chart=15

[CascadeScaper]

I was trying to figure out why the Komatsu would beat out a Cat in terms of reach when both have various boom and stick choices.:confused:

[tylermckee]

I was trying to figure out why the Komatsu would beat out a Cat in terms of reach when both have various boom and stick choices.:confused:
I didnt get that either, unless maybe they were trying to decide between two used machines in their general area? :confused:

[CascadeScaper]

Who knows. BTW Tyler, hows the rain up there? I can't take it anymore...

[tylermckee]

been coming down on and off, where i am we dont get as much as seattle and the likes, but its still a lot. We have a couple 2" pumps running all day when we work, we keep ahead of it for the most part, as far ahead as you can. Still have lots of mud and all the ground water makes for some nasty trenching. :thumbsup

[Wulf]

Here's the links for both machine's specs. They both look very close to me. The Komatsu makes similar hp with a smaller engine, so I could see going with it for fuel economy. There appears to be a great variety of booms and sticks for both so I don't see why that would matter too much. These specs show the Cat standard boom to have about 16 feet more reach than the standard equipment on the Komatsu. This results in the Komatsu having higher digging forces as you would expect. Bottom line is with the same size boom and stick, there's about a 30 hp and 10,000lb difference between the two and the dealer will we the real deciding factor.
http://cmms.cat.com/cmms/servlet/cat.dcs.cmms.servlet.DynamicImageServlet?imageid=C 072126&imageType=7
http://www.komatsuamerica.com/charts.asp?prdt_id=883&chart=15

Cat 420... The attachment only shows the shortest SE (Super Earthmover)spec. As you indicated Komatsu has three boom configurations for the PC800: SE, Standard and Long. There are 4 stick configurations: SE, two mid size arms and long arm.
The long boom and arm configuration is very similar to the 385C's 'reach boom' and has a very small advantage in depth (about 2')

Dealers make a big difference but when it comes to owning and operating costs I would say that Komatsu is the Sony of excavators where Caterpillar is the Harley... :wink2

[jmac]

Dealers make a big difference but when it comes to owning and operating costs I would say that Komatsu is the Sony of excavators where Caterpillar is the Harley...

I like your analogy, I own a 05' Harley Herititage Classic and yes I am happy with it, but had a Kawasaki and that bike was built better than the Harley but given the choice between the two I would still have a Harley and I paid more for it, a lot more. Go figue.

[334 lawn co]

pullpan- i think its time for you to post those "finale" pics of yours...:yup

[9420pullpan]

i will later this week when i get home from the holidays

[334 lawn co]

sounds good to me.:thumbsup

[Dozerboy]

Well I did it:bouncegri :bouncegri :bouncegri I got to see and run our 385 before it is sold. IMO I like the LinkBelt 800 I ran better. The Cats track motor barely moved this thing and tuning was not happening without help from the bucket. The cab was a lot louder I wore my ear plugs in it I only had a few hrs on it and that is the things I noticed right away. Here it is a parked next to an IIRC our D8L and D8K. Also seeing this iron sitting with rust and no plan on moving it made me start looking at other companied to work for I know we have scraper hands sitting at home and today so am I.

[Tigerotor77W]

That stinks that the track motors didn't work -- seems like there's a failure about to happen...

how did the digging or lifting compare? I know that the cabs are supposed to be quieter than previous models, so that this one had a noisy cab is also strange. Anyone else feel the same way (that the cabs aren't very quiet)?

[Countryboy]

I haven't run a 385 but I have run a new 345 and it was quiet. How many hours did that machine have on it Dozerboy?

[Dozerboy]

I didn't notice much lifting or digging its been over 2 years since I worked for the company that had the 800. It did seem like the controls are faster most of the Cats I have ran seem to move like snails. The 345s I have ran all seem fine, little over 2K IIRC.

[Deas Plant]

Hi, Folks.
I have been unable to post here for a while now 'cos of that "You have been banned" mesage, so it's been interesting catching up on this thread.

Today, I was running a Cat 771D dump truck loading under an old Cat 245B excavator. A dozer had cut a bench for the excavator to load from but had left a mound of material at the far end of the bench because to push it further would have contaminated some feed rock for a crushing plant.

The excavator had to start at the far end where the mound was and work his way out to the start of the bench. He began by (sorta) flattening the mound so that he could stand on it to begin loading. Trouble was he started loading out too early and cut himself off from being able to reach right to the very end of the excavation.

(The reason for the excavation was to widen a haul road leading to the above-mentioned crusher. There is also a feed storage area there at the end of the road where a loader can feed into the crusher when the face trucks aren't running.)

In addition to cutting himself off from reaching the end of the excavation, he was struggling to reach as far as he could, standing right on the edge of a drop-off, with one track on natural ground and the other on un-compacted fill. He was all outa level, sliding over the edge and the end, trying to cut a level floor while out of level and countering the events of being out of level on his swing.

This gentleman is generally reckoned to be a pretty fair operator but for the lack of another 3 or 4 minutes of preparation, I'd reckon his load rate was down by at least 30% for the first hour of the 5 1/2 that it took to do the job. And he had to have a Cat D10N come in and clean up his floor and push all the material he had missed forward to him. Figure the percentages there.

My opinion of this operator went downhill dramatically today and it wasn't high before that. F'rinstance. I have a method of bench loading with an excavator that leaves my next bench already prepared and ready for me to walk straight on to when I get to the end of a face. I was using this method one day when this operator had a day off and I was operating this same excavator and I had the new bench well advanced by the day's end.

This operator came in the next day and immediately started digging out my second bench. He got to the end of that, moved over on to the original bench, dug that out and then had to leave the trucks standing for almost 15 minutes while he cut his next bench.

He also spends quite a lot of time digging behind himself and swinging up to 180 deg. to load the material into the truck. He then has to back up and push the mounded material from his digging back into the resultant trench so that he can move further along the face. And he dooes it EVERY bench. NOT the way I would do it after the first bench.

Many excavator operators also tend to drag the bucket up the face from the bottom when they dig. The easiest way to fill the bucket is to work your way down in layers from the top, pulling the bucket toward the machine and filling it as you come. Doing it this way also takes advantage of the lesser distance to lift from digging higher up the face.

Having said that, some years ago, I was running an old Kato 1880 Mark2 42 tonner with 6,500 hours on it alongside a 'Kummagutsa' PC400 40 tonner that had a mere 2,500 hours on it. Everybody reckoned that the 'Kummagutsa' was the better machine - except me. And I proved my point. That old Kato would dig 5 buckets to the PC400's 4 buckets all the time and 4 to the snivelling PC400's 3 most of the time. The Kato was swinging the bigger bucket by about 0.3 of cubic metre and it just sat there and dug while the 'Kummagutsa' slid all over the place and the operator was forever having to re-set himself.

The Kato was just under 2/3 the purchase price of the 'Kummagutsa' two years earlier than the 'Kummagutsa' and had had exactly ONE anything like major repair done to it in its 6,500 hours - a radiator reconditioning.

I still remember that old 1880 with some fondness for its ability to move material. I also remember very fondly a Kato 1220 Mark2 for the delicate touch of its controls. I STILL regard it as the smoothest excavator that I have ever operated and it didn't have a computer anywhere on it, just beautifully balanced hydraulics and valving and great machine balance.

Experience of different brands of earthmoving machines around where I live and work - South-east Queensland, Australia - seems to indicate that there might be some false economies in buying the (Slightly) cheaper makes instead of Cat. It seems to be a bit remarkable the number of times that you ring the dealer for a part for a non-Cat brand machine and there is a wait of a week or more to get it - if they can. Cat mostly seem to have them there overnight if they don't already have them on the shelf.

On top of that, many of the non-Cat brands seem to need parts - and rebuilds - earlier and more regularly than their Cat competitors. And Cat re-sale values almost always seem to hold up better than most of their competition.

Is that 0.02 cents worht yet?????????????

You all have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

P.S. Pullpan, is it time for the 'grand FINALE' yet?

[TRACKHOE71]

HEY PULLPAN IS IT TIME YET FOR THE BIG PICTURE, THAT WE'VE BEEN SO DESPERATLY WAITING FOR?:yup

[digger242j]

Since Trackhoe71 is probably speaking on behalf of a number of forum members who'd like to YELL at Pullpan about keeping the forum in suspense for so long, I guess we can suspend the forum rule about POSTING IN ALL CAPS for just this one occasion... :wink2

[TRACKHOE71]

sorry digger i must have read over that part wont happen again!:nono

[digger242j]

No problem. :)

[Wulf]

HEY PULLPAN IS IT TIME YET FOR THE BIG PICTURE, THAT WE'VE BEEN SO DESPERATLY WAITING FOR?:yup

Not sure which is worse... waiting for hotsacks to get his stabilizer pin out or to see pullpans finale :sleeping

[digger242j]

I guess the paint is dry on Dwan's Austin Western by now too, so we don't even have that to keep us busy... :(

[farm_boy]

OK Gents.....if we are going to go big....lets stop messing around.


And if it were to come down to an 85 tonner for me...this is the route I would go. Not the 385C nor the PC800, but the 850DLC

[Countryboy]

Good pics Farm boy :yup but Pullpan still has an obligation for the finale :bouncegri . Are we gonna hafta round up da posse and send um to Cali?

[TRACKHOE71]

I beleive were going to have to round up the posse, for making us wait so long. pullpan is it time yet??????????:Banghead

[Deas Plant]

Hi, Folks.
Will these do?????????????????

One or two more to come.

[Deas Plant]

Anudder Wun.

[Deas Plant]

Larst Wun.

This wun is claimed to be 800 metric tons. Terex - O&K RH400.

The second picture has information to enable you to do the math yourself.

[9420pullpan]

I beleive were going to have to round up the posse, for making us wait so long. pullpan is it time yet??????????:Banghead

well here are some from my Hitachi folder

2912

2913

2914

2915

2916

[Countryboy]

More :yup

[TRACKHOE71]

farm boy, deas plant and pullpan: OUTSTANDING!!!!! :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy anybody have some 5000 series cats they wanna show?

[Wulf]

8000... The Number of the Beast!

http://www.lkw-stefan.de/

[Deas Plant]

Some 5000 series Cats.

Mortar Kum.

[Deas Plant]

Mor R Kummin.

[Deas Plant]

Two more 5000 series Cats - - - - and the last one that's NOT a 5000 series - - - more like 5,000 years old - - or at least the model before the one that Noah had in the shipyard.

Better enjoy these. 'Cos tha, tha, tha, that's all, Folks.

[ecocrusher1]

I dont think this is anywhere near the size machines on this thread but I thought it was pretty cool.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9GOJt5mRIg

[334 lawn co]

itd be kinda hard to get your sea legs on that platform.:yup

[tylermckee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAkfk5QSrrk&mode=related&search=

[Wolf]

Awesome video Tyler. Heck of a machine. Thanks.

[Wulf]

farm boy, deas plant and pullpan: OUTSTANDING!!!!! :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy anybody have some 5000 series cats they wanna show?

Here's an old ad with a few for sale... looks like durability was questionable?

[jperfect]

hi guys i'm new to this forum. I thought i would just say that the kom. pc 800 has about 1.5 ft. more reach that 385. around here in mi we mostly use the 385 for sewer work, but there are a couple excavators that own pc 1000's. that things makes the 385 like like a tonka toy.

[biggixxerjim]

OK Gents.....if we are going to go big....lets stop messing around.


And if it were to come down to an 85 tonner for me...this is the route I would go. Not the 385C nor the PC800, but the 850DLC


Something tells me this Hitachi weighs a little more than 85 tons.....:duh

[mflah87]

I switched to Komatsu because both the Cat and Komatsu salesmen told me to call them at anytime if I ever need a part, machine, etc. I called my Cat salesman who I bought a lot of stuff through one night to see if I could buy or rent a Cat loader because one of mine blew a tranny during a blizzard and i need one for snow removal. He told me he couldn't do anything about it. I called my Komatsu salesman and he told me to send the truck and trailer to the yard and let me take the machine, I ended up buying it anyways. But service like that goes along way with me. I was in a jam and he helped me out so I gladly give him my buisness.

[jimmyjack]

:rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BhNIXFoaz8

[rino1494]

^ awesome vid

[Wolf]

yeah, it looks like that long arm can reach up ten stories. that is awesome. great power in that machine too. must be fun.

[hoeman600]

i guess two d4s equal a d8&:drinkup have one on me

[MetalDragon_boy]

Larst Wun.

This wun is claimed to be 800 metric tons. Terex - O&K RH400.

The second picture has information to enable you to do the math yourself.

Accually it is 980 metric tons now. The first machine delivered was 830 met tons and the sixth (and latest) is 980 metric tons. ;)


Read more about the history of the RH400 here:
http://www.mining-power.de/rh400/erh400_surface.html

[9420pullpan]

i guess two d4s equal a d8&:drinkup have one on me

here is a pic that proves (2) 345's kept up with the trucks while the 385 was down

4086

[Lashlander]

I don't think two D5Cs will equal one D10N. :)

[hoeman600]

:drinkup :Pointhead

[ben46a]

I'll add my 2 cents on the 385C, We bought a new one last march, and couldnt use it for a month because the welds on the stick were so poor they had to replace it. They also had to remove the boom and touch up some welds on it and the carbody. The machine has the 29 FT boom and 11 ft stick with a 7 yd spade nose bucket. It digs great and bails like a bugger, but has a had its share of problems. Blew 4 fan motors apart inside 3 months. last going off they put a new pump, new motor and added a line releif. Pump pressure was spiking to 7500+ PSI as the pump was stroking to full swash for no apparant reason. This has been covered under warranty every time but the downtime is very costly as the 345B with 2 broken shanks the dealer lent us inst as productive LOL. The pump controls leak like a seive and they cant seem to get them stopped. The just replaced the pump drive as part of a PIP, and replaced 9 rollers as they wrere leaking. There is a new set of chains on the way as the pins are walking in these ones. The bucket is a cat bucket and the metal is very soft. it is pretty much work out after 1600 hrs. We will be rebuilding it and buying a 7.25 yd craig bucket to replace it. The XT-6 hoses on it are also failing at an alarming rate, i guess there is a problem with the hose itself and cat has upped the warrranty on those for us . The operator loves the machine, and when it works it works great, but i doubt well buy another Big cat excavator.

[hoeman600]

who spect your 385 out your boom and stick are way to long for a 7 yard bucket. that setup is more pipe not me..the side forces are to heavy. ime sure with a full bucket it doesent stop swinging easy. i ben a hoe operator for 20 years this combo always a problem

[ben46a]

Well we ran a 375 with a similar setup (6.5 yd) for ten years without a problem, a ten ton heavier machine should handle a 7 yd just fine, which it does. Oh wait, sorry, Its got the 27'7 boom (brain fart on my part.)

[9420pullpan]

who spect your 385 out your boom and stick are way to long for a 7 yard bucket. that setup is more pipe not me..the side forces are to heavy. ime sure with a full bucket it doesent stop swinging easy. i ben a hoe operator for 20 years this combo always a problem


like this Hoeman!?

4125

[hoeman600]

that will work:notworthy

[JDOFMEMI]

Well we ran a 375 with a similar setup (6.5 yd) for ten years without a problem, a ten ton heavier machine should handle a 7 yd just fine, which it does. Oh wait, sorry, Its got the 27'7 boom (brain fart on my part.)

We are running a 375 here with a 9cy bucket on it. It is too big, but the operator puts in it what it willhandle depending on the material. We have over 9000 hrs on it, and total of 2 blown hoses to show for downtime. I was thinking about a 385, but with a report like you wrote, I am having second thoughts now.

[Tigerotor77W]

We are running a 375 here with a 9cy bucket on it. It is too big, but the operator puts in it what it willhandle depending on the material. We have over 9000 hrs on it, and total of 2 blown hoses to show for downtime. I was thinking about a 385, but with a report like you wrote, I am having second thoughts now.

Could be a lemon of sorts -- it was also pretty early in the introduction phase. Hopefully (yes, hopefully and not concretelly) this has been addressed.

[Dozerboy]

We had a handful of problems with our New 385 too. I liked the LinkBelt 800 and the Deere 550 although smaller that I have ran better.

[jimmyjack]

sounds like a friday machine:rolleyes:

[345cl]

heres my three cents,,i know you guys are talkin about 385s,,i would love to jump on one,,but i thought id tell you this,, we just got a 345cl last summer its a nice machine i find it very comfortable and it works well,i do mainly sewer work with it,,but we had to take in for the manifold 3 times because it leaking like crazy the bearing in the turbo went for a crap,after 400 hours i had a hard time to lift a 6 ton YES 6 ton manhole,,we found out after the boom cylinders where machined incorrectly as well cat told me not to worry if the manifold leaks a little bit its normal:crazy i told him if i operate a 45 ton shovel that cant pick 6 tons is that normal too!!! my boss told him that if you dont know what the problem is then you should say so!!! but he also said i dont spend 400 thousand bucks for our machine to watch it leak through the manifold after 200 hours,,so guys if you any of you ever had a problem like this let me know,,my boss told me it over twenty years they been buying excavtors from cat,,and he'd give any thing for the old 245b series:D isnt that the truth

[Mass-X]

345cl: "so guys if you any of you ever had a problem like this let me know"

We've got six 345C's on site right now. All with less than 3,000 hours on them. So far, we've only had minor repairs on any of them, with the exception of operator caused damage.

A couple small things, like bad quick couplers, problems switching control patterns, etc. Nothing serious though.

They're used hard but run like tops.

[mflah87]

Buy a Komatsu, I haven't had any major problems, and when I do have a problem its fixed right away.

[Cat 385C LRE]

Well I did it:bouncegri :bouncegri :bouncegri I got to see and run our 385 before it is sold. IMO I like the LinkBelt 800 I ran better. The Cats track motor barely moved this thing and tuning was not happening without help from the bucket. The cab was a lot louder I wore my ear plugs in it I only had a few hrs on it and that is the things I noticed right away. Here it is a parked next to an IIRC our D8L and D8K. Also seeing this iron sitting with rust and no plan on moving it made me start looking at other companied to work for I know we have scraper hands sitting at home and today so am I.

Dozerboy

have you more pictures from this Cat 385CL ??:)

Very Nice Pictures :thumbsup

Greatz Yanko de Graaf

[traxs]

Heres what I have for 385s. there so sexy...ahhhhhhh. yes, equipment makes me horny.;)

[Countryboy]

Heres what I have for 385s. there so sexy...ahhhhhhh. yes, equipment makes me horny.;)

I didn't know Deere made 385s.....:D

And where is the "running away" smiley..........:cool2

[traxs]

I didn't know Deere made 385s.....:D

And where is the "running away" smiley..........:cool2

yeah, you better run....:crazy

[Demoguy324]

I work for MCM management Corp, (the owner of the 385C HRD in the first post) right now, our 385C HRD sits 4/5 days a week, running only 2-3 hours on the day it does work. though it is overkill for what we are working on at the moment. even when there is a call for it's use it breaks down at least once a shift and spends 2-3 hours down per working day.

I know for a fact that the standard arrangement 385 is NO GOOD for demoltion work, as the controls are computer over hydraulic, which means that the computer tells the engine and pumps what the machine should be doing rather than the operator. you can't bypass the system or tweak it in any way to make it perform better in high-flow operations (I.E. shearing/crushing)

All of which justify the reasoning for us owning (14) 375's and still buying/fixing the old ones as opposed to buying a new 385.

here's a few pics of the 385 working a few weeks ago at Lansing car assembly plant 6 (the job I'm currently working on.

<img src="http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/7854/0703160005il5.jpg">
<img src="http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2659/0703170003vt9.jpg">
<img src="http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/4111/0703170004hz5.jpg">
<img src="http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8274/0703170002zz4.jpg">

*edit, that code works on my other forum any hints as to why it doesn't work here? i Just signed up tonight...*

Eric

[Squizzy246B]

Welcome DemoGuy...I finally beat CB

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/7854/0703160005il5.jpg

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2659/0703170003vt9.jpg

that should work....It may be because you just logged in and don't have many posts...its an antispammer thing I think.

Hope you enjoy HEF and I know some of the members will be keen to talk to you about the 385.

Cheers

[Countryboy]

Yeah you beat me Squizzy, but at what? :beatsme :D

Welcome to HEF Demoguy324! :drinkup

There is a link button on the top tool bar when you make a post. If you copy and paste the address into that window that comes up when you press the button then it will make the link for you. :thumbsup

It appears I beat you back Squizzy. :wink2

[Tigerotor77W]

I know for a fact that the standard arrangement 385 is NO GOOD for demoltion work, as the controls are computer over hydraulic, which means that the computer tells the engine and pumps what the machine should be doing rather than the operator. you can't bypass the system or tweak it in any way to make it perform better in high-flow operations (I.E. shearing/crushing)

All of which justify the reasoning for us owning (14) 375's and still buying/fixing the old ones as opposed to buying a new 385.

Welcome to the site!

That's interesting about the 385Cs... how do they break usually?

[Lochoe115]

Haha Man that is a heavy piece... I keep seeing all these vids of bobcats doing wheelies the second video beats them all... Thats some serious Iron Boys!! :salute

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XvKRJ8l_l7I
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PewXKu0o9oQ

[traxs]

Haha Man that is a heavy piece... I keep seeing all these vids of bobcats doing wheelies the second video beats them all... Thats some serious Iron Boys!! :salute

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XvKRJ8l_l7I
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PewXKu0o9oQ

man that's nuts. poor 992!

[biggixxerjim]

Think that was just a little heavy??

[Demoguy324]

the 385(as with most of our new Volvos) is plagued with a lot of computer and sensor issues.

the 385 in particular has a lot of issues with hydraulics, blowing up attachments, i can't say a whole lot more about it, because sitting across the site all I see is weather it's sitting, or working...need to know basis, and my job doesn't rely on the inner workings of another machine.

Eric

[MonsterToys]

385c is a great machine, but due to the problems as mentioned above, I may lean towards the Komatsu. Anyone know how it compares technically to the Komatsu?

[Demoguy324]

Repost, now that I know what I'm doing, I no longer work for MCM, but I do still like looking back at the pics from the jobs.

Eric
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/7854/0703160005il5.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/2659/0703170003vt9.jpg
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/4111/0703170004hz5.jpg
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/8274/0703170002zz4.jpg

[Frazzy]

Our new CAT 385C L with a 5.2 m^2 Heavy Duty Rock bucket..

Will go for 12 hours a day, loading 1x CAT 775, and 1x Komatsu HD605-7 at our quarry..

Here is a picture when Cat was mounting the Stick/Bucket ect..

They where 4-5 people going at that work, working 14 hours+ and still going some days now, to get it ready for use:)

http://www.home.no/frazzy/CAT/385.jpg

[JimBruce42]

Our new CAT 385C L with a 5.2 m^2 Heavy Duty Rock bucket..

Will go for 12 hours a day, loading 1x CAT 775, and 1x Komatsu HD605-7 at our quarry..

Here is a picture when Cat was mounting the Stick/Bucket ect..

They where 4-5 people going at that work, working 14 hours+ and still going some days now, to get it ready for use:)

http://www.home.no/frazzy/CAT/385.jpg

Welcome aboard Frazzy!!:drinkup :drinkup

Feel free to share more photos of your new toy at work. What size boom/ stick does it have on?

[Frazzy]

I really don't know the exact size of the boom/stick, but it have to be the smallest yet biggest one, for the heavy work its gonna be used for:)

[mxsledder]

I would love to see some more pics of that beast.

[Countryboy]

Welcome to HEF Frazzy! :drinkup

[RonG]

It looks like the engine nacelle has a dent in it already,right above the "CAT" decal.More pics please:))Ron G

[Frazzy]

It looks like the engine nacelle has a dent in it already,right above the "CAT" decal.More pics please:))Ron G

hehe, yeah!

But its not a dent, bad quality on the picture or something.. I tok it with my mobile..

I will take some quality pictures and some movies when its finished and in work!

Its gonna take over the job of our current CAT 375:)

http://www.home.no/frazzy/CAT/DSC00443.JPG

Here is a picture of it, been running for 14.000 hours++ now, and its not the machine it was when new.. hehe

Going hard everyday!

[equipment fan]

i love the new 385c!!Thanks for posting.

[Frazzy]

I can’t wait to try that machine, I’m not the regular driver of our 375 now, but have some hours on it.

I’m more the wheel loader driver at our work, we had a Caterpillar 980 and a Volvo 180E, but changed our Cat 980 into a Komatsu W-500 (due to it was going hard for 7 years, with 16.000 hours++).. I loved the 980, and the komatsu is nothing like it..

I also visit some other quarries this summer with a friend, than we saw the 988, 990, 992, 777 and some other machines. That is some nice machines to run, and so much power (992)..

The dream would be to try a Cat 994 hehe

Would be cool to try load our 775 with a 998/990 instead of the 385, but due to the hardning in our soule/need an extra machine with a hammer so the mass goes trew our crusher/ they don't do it that way, because the cost is less now.

We use a 6-8 tonn big ironball to crush the stone now, with the 375.. They drop the big stones on it, and it crushes.

Guess a 990 would manage to load a 775 with 3 passings, so it would be faster again.

[JimBruce42]

I can’t wait to try that machine, I’m not the regular driver of our 375 now, but have some hours on it..
....Would be cool to try load our 775 with a 998/990 instead of the 385...

...Guess a 990 would manage to load a 775 with 3 passings, so it would be faster again.

Can't wait to hear what you think of it, I'd love to run a 385 some day.

At one of our quarries we have two 990's loading 773's(with side boards) and a 775... it usually takes about 4 passes to load both size trucks. The quarry is hard rock (granite) aggregate though:beatsme . Keep the photos coming:drinkup

[cat 385]

I honestly don't see any benefits to owning these machines, even in quarry's. You can do just at much with (2) 345's at a cheaper cost. Same thing with D11's. You can move more material with a (2) D9's at the same cost as a D11.

a 385 can dig through ground a 345 would not even touch!

[cat 385]

the 385 is a awsome machine,we were loading 777's out of a slag yard,real hard digging,it would rip right through the hard pan with a 7yrd.bucket:notworthy

[Wolf]

The 385 is an awesome machine indeed. It is incredible when used for demolishing old buildings. Love that power and force.

[CascadeScaper]

I'm a die hard Cat guy but I hear Komatsu is eating Cat's lunch on 60 ton and larger excavators. Don't have any personal experience, but from what I've read here and talked to a couple local guys, the Komatsus are definately right up there, if not a little better.

[385Diggin' Doug]

The pics are great .The 385 that I run has outperformed the Komatsu 800 and the JD 850 on all fronts.It is a much more balanced and stable machine ,doing everything from bulk bench loading to 36' to 42' cuts for sanitary interceptors .Even with the reach boom arrangement it will still outdig and outlift the competition.We had struggled pulling stacked twin 24'x 12' boxes w/ the 800 and did not attempt it with the 850.The 385 handled it with ease and more control.Gotta love them Cat's.

[Countryboy]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums 385Diggin' Doug! :drinkup

[RollOver Pete]

Welcome to HEF :drinkup
:cool:

[Wulf]

The 385 that I run has outperformed the Komatsu 800 and the JD 850 on all fronts.It is a much more balanced and stable machine ,doing everything from bulk bench loading to 36' to 42' cuts for sanitary interceptors .Even with the reach boom arrangement it will still outdig and outlift the competition.We had struggled pulling stacked twin 24'x 12' boxes w/ the 800 and did not attempt it with the 850.The 385 handled it with ease and more control.Gotta love them Cat's.

Wow.. JD850, PC800 and a CAT 385 that must have been quite the showdown!

[385Diggin' Doug]

Thanks for the welcome guys.It is good to see that there is still some pride and excitement left out there for us !!:usa :usa :usa
I run mostly the bigger hoes for our company doing primarily deep pipe work and production earthwork.We cover mainly NJ but we are also in PA & NY.
For a change of pace I run our Graders (12H & 14H) on our larger paving projects when needed.

Looking @ your comment Wulf, your are right on target with the showdown.
I gave them each a fair shot but I will stick with the all mighty CAT.:notworthy :notworthy

Look forward to do more posting and bs'n with you guys.I stumbled on this web site and glad that I did.

[385c JR]

10266

10267

10268

10269

10270

What do you think... :slomo

[385Diggin' Doug]

Nice Pics 385c JR !!!!!!!!:drinkup :drinkup :usa :usa :usa

What area are those pics from ? Looks like a lot of bank run.It looks like you enjoy running that one !!!:) :)

[rino1494]

Thanks for the welcome guys.It is good to see that there is still some pride and excitement left out there for us !!:usa :usa :usa
I run mostly the bigger hoes for our company doing primarily deep pipe work and production earthwork.We cover mainly NJ but we are also in PA & NY.
For a change of pace I run our Graders (12H & 14H) on our larger paving projects when needed.

Looking @ your comment Wulf, your are right on target with the showdown.
I gave them each a fair shot but I will stick with the all mighty CAT.:notworthy :notworthy

Look forward to do more posting and bs'n with you guys.I stumbled on this web site and glad that I did.

Welcome to HEF. What company do you work for ??

[385Diggin' Doug]

Welcome to HEF. What company do you work for ??

I belong to Local 825 NJ & Local 14 NY.:usa :usa :usa . Right now I am working for Tilcon Industries.Would I be correct in assuming that NEPA is for NE Pennsylvania?Another contractor that I "stay" with is R&R out of NJ.Good company that takes good care of the men !!.What company are you with and what do you normally do?

[385c JR]

Thanks Doug...

The first pic are from Stavanger and the rest is taken right outside off Oslo.
I love the 385 and it's running grate... :D

(sorry for my bad english)

[Ross]

Yeah I like the look of the CAT machine. :drinkup

Plenty of place's to hide when its raining ;) And plenty of chance's to hide in them.

On the other hand .... Not as reliable as the Komatsu :eek:

Please tell: Do they still hide the rear swing box under the main valve block?

When I was on for Bridgetown Plant (Castle Bridge plant ~ Scottish Coal) They had the First 375 ever Built and it was a problem child machine. Really bad reliability issues. Ripping the equipment to pieces was regular. The sister machine (2nd one ever built) Was just as bad. Last I heard both machine's have been torched.

Iam afraid this has dented my confidence in Medium and large CAT Excavators.

Ross

[385Diggin' Doug]

Don't worry about your english man!! Just keep that CAT purrin' and a diggin'.Looks great.

[385c JR]

I have run it 2000h now, and it's running like a dream...
No problems at all...

[RollOver Pete]

Sweet! :drinkup
:cool:

[Countryboy]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums 385c JR! :drinkup

[Wulf]

When I was on for Bridgetown Plant (Castle Bridge plant ~ Scottish Coal) They had the First 375 ever Built and it was a problem child machine...I am afraid this has dented my confidence in Medium and large CAT Excavators

I think the European CAT 385's like 385c JR is running are built in Belgium, are these the same that we see over here Doug?

[TRACKHOE71]

hey doug,
i to work for R and R . where abouts are you working right now.

Jordan

[9Axle]

man 20k is a little hi,how far u transporting.here in ca, I've moved them in one piece around town.if i go out of town its 2 loads 1 9axle,1 5axle i have lots of pics to share but cant figure out how to resize them:confused: i have windows vista anybody have an idea on a re sizer i can use.if not maybe i can send them to Pullman and he can post them,he's seen me in action.he's got a couple of pics of me hauling a ex700.since he's a dam good picture poster:notworthy:D

[Countryboy]

i have lots of pics to share but cant figure out how to resize them :confused:

Check out the second red link in my signature. There are several resizer's listed, along with a link to a thread about resizing. :)

[rino1494]

I belong to Local 825 NJ & Local 14 NY.:usa :usa :usa . Right now I am working for Tilcon Industries.Would I be correct in assuming that NEPA is for NE Pennsylvania?Another contractor that I "stay" with is R&R out of NJ.Good company that takes good care of the men !!.What company are you with and what do you normally do?

Yes, I live in Dallas, which is near Wilkes-Barre. I work for my fathers business. We do houses, residential developments and light commerical work.

[bobcat ron]

I love the sight of shiny new Cat paint.

[385Diggin' Doug]

A komatsu PC800 has more reach than that machine. I'm not to happy with Cat so I'm moving over to Komatsu

There are more boom/stick options available for the ALL MIGHTY CAT :usa :notworthy :usa than the Komatsu.Having put my 385 up against the PC 800 in deep pipe work,there is no comparison on any front or at any level.I have been doing this for over 30 yrs and have never found Komatsu to be of any value or asset on the job.They are hot to run,primarily due to the hydraulic tank being behind the cab.There has never been enough leg room in a Komatsu for me to get comfortable.You have to remember that the PC in Komatsu's prefix stands for PC of **** !:) :D :) I will stick with the CAT unless something better comes along.

[385Diggin' Doug]

hey doug,
i to work for R and R . where abouts are you working right now.

Jordan

I don't know if we are talking about the same company or not.The R&R that I had referred to is based out of Burlington County NJ and is a Union Shop.If it is the same company I don't recall anybody with your name {sorry}.Right now I am working on a storm sewer project in Jackson NJ.

[Dozerboy]

I think the European CAT 385's like 385c JR is running are built in Belgium, are these the same that we see over here Doug?

Yes, the 385 we got can from Belgium.


Cat has there share of problems just like anyone.

[385Diggin' Doug]

I think the European CAT 385's like 385c JR is running are built in Belgium, are these the same that we see over here Doug?

We have had some 330's & 350's some Belgium.The only problem that
I remember hearing about is the stick hop that the 350's had.I would guess that every make has its' share of problems.

[TRACKHOE71]

hey doug
na i didnt realize there were two R and R's out of jersey were a non union company out of chester with yellow and green trucks were a pretty big companmy with close too 150 or so employes primalry work in northern and central new jersey and also do work in pa.

jordan

[385Diggin' Doug]

hey doug
na i didnt realize there were two R and R's out of jersey were a non union company out of chester with yellow and green trucks were a pretty big companmy with close too 150 or so employes primalry work in northern and central new jersey and also do work in pa.

jordan

I didn't know that there was another R&R.What kind of equipment do they have? Do they do any specialized pipe work?Do they have any jobs in PA that they are working on now?

[TRACKHOE71]

doug,
we run mainly cats, some deere and some volvo. i dont beleive we ahve any jobs right now in pa, ive only been there for about 3 months, so im still trying to lear the ins and outs of the company. so far ive found it to be a very good company to work for. we do a lot of residential developments and some comercial work , we have a decent size job in flordham park right now and a couple in the flanders area . i hope we get some road work or specialized pipe work , but im finding its pretty tough in jersey to get work like that becaue of the union being so strong, i enjoy doing pipe , i ve never really did hevey highway, hopefully someday ill get the chance to , residential developments gets old after a while, very repatious work build your roads and ponds, do your pipe work , build your pads,....... and so on. it would be cool to do some big road jobs and some big size diameter pipe jobs.

[385Diggin' Doug]

doug,
we run mainly cats, some deere and some volvo. i dont beleive we ahve any jobs right now in pa, ive only been there for about 3 months, so im still trying to lear the ins and outs of the company. so far ive found it to be a very good company to work for. we do a lot of residential developments and some comercial work , we have a decent size job in flordham park right now and a couple in the flanders area . i hope we get some road work or specialized pipe work , but im finding its pretty tough in jersey to get work like that becaue of the union being so strong, i enjoy doing pipe , i ve never really did hevey highway, hopefully someday ill get the chance to , residential developments gets old after a while, very repatious work build your roads and ponds, do your pipe work , build your pads,....... and so on. it would be cool to do some big road jobs and some big size diameter pipe jobs.

How long have you been doing pipe work? How long have you been in this business?What other companies have you worked for?You are right about NJ being tough to break into the commercial work.A company of the size you mentioned,did they think about going union?
Doing tract work does become boring after awhile.Have you tried to join a union in NJ or PA?Doing Heavy Highway work gives me the chance to break things up a bit.I will normally do the production dirt work,pipe and then hop on the Graders to get ready for hot rock.Doing specialty pipe is where it is at though.Always a challenge and no two days are the same.The deeper the better.

[TRACKHOE71]

i did pipe work for 2 years steady, kinda through me into the ropes very young, my fisrt pipe job was in double stacked boxes putting sanitary in going down a one way street with all types of water lines and overhead wires all over, running a 330 at 21 years old ive been kinda in out of pipe work for the last 2 years or so , im now 24. its been a while since ive really been doing pipe steady but ifeel confident that i can do it and comfortable enough to get production done. i tired getting into local 542 in pa , i went for the test, i passed the hoe test and didnt perform very well on the loader and dozer portions of the test, (lack of seat time) i then though about going into the aprrecticship program but would been taking a pretty big pay cut at the time, but i know 20 years down the road id prolly be better off. im keeping my options open id consider going union in jersey but i hear its very hard to get into, and the one down fall is that i kinda lack seat time on a dozer or loader escpially doing slope and final grade work, bulk pushing or loading trucks with a loader track/ wheel i have no problem, the technical stuff i lack. like i said before id love to heavy highay and some deep runs im with ya on that the deeper the better.

[TRACKHOE71]

i worked for some smaller companies in pa they have recently went out of bussiness but where i learned the most and did the pipe work was for a company in Reading called Schlouch Inc, they do some work in the lehigh valley we had close to 400 people and 15 pipe crews before, i left and went to a smaller oufit, which i wont metioned the name, i hope nobody evers goes to work there, horrible comepany to work for. i know the union has been on some of our jobs trying to get soem of our guys but i beleive our boss isnt pro union, i dont know the circumstances be hind it though.

[Wulf]

I have been doing this for over 30 yrs and have never found Komatsu to be of any value or asset on the job... You have to remember that the PC in Komatsu's prefix stands for PC of **** !:)

PC of ****?

No value or asset on the job?... what do you mean Doug - more downtime, higher operating cost per hour, reduced productivity?

All Komatsu equipment or just excavators?

[385Diggin' Doug]

PC of ****?

No value or asset on the job?... what do you mean Doug - more downtime, higher operating cost per hour, reduced productivity?

All Komatsu equipment or just excavators?

Mainly there hoes.I have run some of their dozers (85 & 155) and did not care for the feel or agility.We did have a WA500 loader that I liked.It had good power and was comfortable to run on our crushing operation.If an operator is not comfortable than your production is going down.The cost per hour was up on the hoes due to burning more fuel and getting less work done.Our foreman watch every operators cyclical time from loading trucks to feet per hour in pipe,and the Komatsu's come up short against the CAT's and even the Hitachi's.From a Company standpoint the Komatsu's don't have a resale value that is comparable to others such as Cat or Deere.I guess everyone has the preference on equipment and from getting the nod to demo most of our equipment,I try to be as objective as I can.

[385Diggin' Doug]

i worked for some smaller companies in pa they have recently went out of bussiness but where i learned the most and did the pipe work was for a company in Reading called Schlouch Inc, they do some work in the lehigh valley we had close to 400 people and 15 pipe crews before, i left and went to a smaller oufit, which i wont metioned the name, i hope nobody evers goes to work there, horrible comepany to work for. i know the union has been on some of our jobs trying to get soem of our guys but i beleive our boss isnt pro union, i dont know the circumstances be hind it though.

Sounds like you got some good years ahead of you.How was Schlouch to work for ? Looking at their web site,they do a ton of tract work.I don't know what county you live in,but if you go on-line to Local 66:usa out of Pittsburgh and check their zones and districts maybe you can try that.The one thing that I do notice is that the PA unions pay scale is that of a NJ non union company.Just try t get as much seat time as you can.Does the company you are with now switch it up or do you stay on one machine mostly?

[TRACKHOE71]

Schlouch was a great company to work for. no complaints from my end. tract work is there bread and butter, its kinda bitting them in the ass right now, cuz of the housing market being so low, but i hear thwy have alot of work lined up for next year, doing some small penn dot work and i would assume some more commercial/ indutrial projects ,we primalrey stay on one peice but i try to get seat time whenever theres no hoe work for me ill try to jump on anothor peice of equipment.

[Rockbreaker]

I have run it 2000h now, and it's running like a dream...
No problems at all...

Well there has been som leaks on it i know...
The 365bl who had som hole in the engine shall we talk about that Frank?

Ps:You should name your self farmerboy i tink.:D

[385c JR]

Well there has been som leaks on it i know...
The 365bl who had som hole in the engine shall we talk about that Frank?

Well, a seal on a hose you have to live with...
Thats CAT you know..:usa

Is it this you are talking about?

Ps: take a look at my signature...***

[bobin35]

Cat

[MKTEF]

Found this one on a Norwegian site.:o

Its from the backwindow of a Volvo Excavator.

It says:

Help us to keep Norway clean, cut/scrap/chop a Cat.

[Burnout]

Ok guys I'm new here but hey why not add some nice 385C L pictures to your little thread here. I work for Sureway in Edmonton and we have 11 385's kickin around. All are set up as reach machines with extended sticks and short booms.

On the float going from one jobsite to another... and yes their floating it in one piece.
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/Burnout8506/Picture207.jpg

Digging 36" Storm Sewer
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/Burnout8506/Picture152.jpg

Switching buckets
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/Burnout8506/Picture146.jpg

And lastly our 385CL, 375L and PC1250 all digging at once. 375 and 1250 are digging pre trench and the 385 is doing the last 5 metres of the cut.
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q137/Burnout8506/Picture143-1.jpg

If you guys want more pictures of 385's I have tons... Work around em everyday. Might be able to swing by our shop where most of em should be lined up right now for winter.

[bobcat ron]

Wow, those sewer mains are friggin' deep, why so deep?

[Steve Frazier]

I would imagine they are at a depth required to allow flow. I worked on a subdivision where some of the pipes were deeper than that. Because of the grade changes on the property, it was the depth they had to run so the water would flow correctly.

[385c JR]

If you guys want more pictures of 385's I have tons... Work around em everyday. Might be able to swing by our shop where most of em should be lined up right now for winter.

Of course I want more... :usa

Wanna se those who are lined up if thats possible... :)

[TRACKHOE71]

second that! id like to see more too!

[Burnout]

I can do that, I'll burn out to the shop this weekend. I'm told that we also have a brand new D6R, a new 385, 2 710 Deere's and I think there should be a couple of the new 657G's kickin around at the shop.

The sewermains are so deep there because we are actually running that one to the river. That section there we are digging around 9m in some spots 10 and 11m but the all time record for this year was a 16m deep storm sewer. Even with that kind of depth and the relatively short run of the sewer (4km) it still only has about 1-2% grade on it. I spent most of my time in those pics in a 330B L with about 20 000hrs on it trying to keep up pulling away from the 385. No one believed a punk kid in a 330 with a 48" digging bucket would keep up to a 385 swingin a 84" bucket. After they put me back in my hoe (Link Belt 210LX) they had to give the old dude that replaced me the 375L and he was having trouble keeping up with the same 84" bucket the main hoe had.

[Dozerboy]

Why don't you guys pre trench with scrapers and/or use trench boxes too? Unless it was just a short run that wasn't worth bring in scrapers thats the way we did it.

[RollOver Pete]

I did some sewer for Jones Bros. at Big Horn Country Club in Palm Desert Ca back in 2000.
We had cuts of 30-45'...all open cuts.
No scrapers or trench boxes.
:cool:

[Burnout]

We don't use scrapers for pre trench mostly because thats a different division of the company. And the Komatsu 1250 and Hitachi 1100 dig faster. The normal pre trenching is the 1250 or 1100 digging, and then a D10 pushing away. Besides.... scraper operators are all a little different....lol

But I resized some photo's and for you fine gentlemen I have more 385 pics. First one is a test but its me in a 2006 model 385CL climbing out of the pre trench... that is seriously a riot.

[Burnout]

Ok... more for you....

The first is the 385 and the 330CL I was running at the time.
The second through 5th are poor judgement on the operators part... luckily I was not the one who made that mistake.

[Burnout]

Ok... MORE

1st is a 385 and my Jeep Cherokee with her 6" lift but the little tires. When I first moved to Edmonton last year.
2nd is our small jobsite... 385 parked beside a pile
The last 3 are loading the hoe on a trailer.

[Burnout]

Bet your thinkin... this guy can't have any more... Oh but I do.

[Countryboy]

First one is a test but its me in a 2006 model 385CL climbing out of the pre trench... that is seriously a riot.

That's my favorite one. :drinkup

That much machine going up that wall is pretty cool. :cool:

Keep the pictures coming.

[Burnout]

Last one I promise.... for now

Me in my 973 when I was pushing away from one of our other 385's. I tell ya even with a brand new engine and undercarriage trying to push away from one of these beasts with a track loader is nothing that resembles fun.

[JDMGrading]

Great pics!

[RollOver Pete]

Interesting...that you guys loaded the machine to the back of the trailer.
:cool:

[bobcat ron]

Burnout: I'd love to "play" for a day on your jobsite!

[Construct'O]

Looks like she was dragging a little around that corner,in that last pic.:D:usa

[bobcat ron]

I'm still amazed at the massive size of that bucket!

[rino1494]

If you were using that big of equipment to trench the storm line, what were you using for backfill and compaction.

Also, I am kinda surprised being that deep and having the trench open that wide, they didn't make you put in RCP.

[9420pullpan]

what a machine

11604

11605

11606

[MKTEF]

Looks like he raised the cab to avoid getting wet on his feet.:D

[bobcat ron]

We would never be allowed to sit in water like that to mine the gravel out here in BC, Fisheries would send us to jail!

[dozerman28]

can you really move around with water up that high?

[Burnout]

At the bottom of the ditch we have for sewer it's opened up large enough for a 330C L to sit down there and crane pipe in, which is why im guessing they dont make us pull a box. When the main hoe digs it he opened it up at the very bottom 5ft for a 36" pipe, but thats only the last 2 meters, it then steps up to 10ft wide. At the bottom of that hole the 330 is behind him craning pipe in, sanding and then he backfills 18" of dirt on top of the pipe and pads himself out for the next cut.

Backfill is carried out with my 973C Track Loader for the first 5ft above pipe, I get the first 2-3ft of dirt by cutting the walls out and spreading it, but after that we cut holes in the spoil pile and push dirt down in. I chase the pipe crew with the track loader and have a Dynapac Sheepsfoot 15ton packer with me. After me to fill the rest of the cut we normally use 2 dozers 1 to push dirt down and another to spread it around. For the spreading around we use a D8N since its a nice "trim" dozer as everyone calls it. For pushing down they bring out the real iron. We used a D10N and for awhile a D10R. He pushes a mountain of dirt down in the hole and if the 8 gets too far behind... you make a ramp and fire the D10 down in there and spread with it.

[TRACKHOE71]

those are quite the pictures, quite the operation you guys have there!

[bobcat ron]

At the bottom of the ditch we have for sewer it's opened up large enough for a 330C L to sit down there and crane pipe in, which is why im guessing they dont make us pull a box. When the main hoe digs it he opened it up at the very bottom 5ft for a 36" pipe, but thats only the last 2 meters, it then steps up to 10ft wide. At the bottom of that hole the 330 is behind him craning pipe in, sanding and then he backfills 18" of dirt on top of the pipe and pads himself out for the next cut.

Backfill is carried out with my 973C Track Loader for the first 5ft above pipe, I get the first 2-3ft of dirt by cutting the walls out and spreading it, but after that we cut holes in the spoil pile and push dirt down in. I chase the pipe crew with the track loader and have a Dynapac Sheepsfoot 15ton packer with me. After me to fill the rest of the cut we normally use 2 dozers 1 to push dirt down and another to spread it around. For the spreading around we use a D8N since its a nice "trim" dozer as everyone calls it. For pushing down they bring out the real iron. We used a D10N and for awhile a D10R. He pushes a mountain of dirt down in the hole and if the 8 gets too far behind... you make a ramp and fire the D10 down in there and spread with it.


I'm dizzy and falling off my chair reading that action, must be a holy hell of yellow iron running everywhere.

[Burnout]

Yeah... it's interesting coming to work and looking at 2 385's, a D10N, D9N, 2 973C's, a couple 330's, a 375L, 4 or 5 packers, 2 or 3 966 loaders, and for a hoe pack.. a Link Belt 210LX or a 710G John Deere backhoe.

[Burnout]

Here is a shot of backfill... me in the 973 and Harley in the D10N.

[JDOFMEMI]

Burnout

Thanks for the great pics.

Do you have any close ups of the axle groups on the lowboy? it looks a little different than the 16 wheel groups we have here in CA like the one in ROP's post with the 245 on board.

I agree with the pre trenching with a big hoe, instead of scrapers. One 385 can swing around 12,000 cy per shift in those conditions. It would take several scrapers and support equip to match that.

[Construct'O]

How long is the sewer job as in distance???

Just hope you got the pipe laid right, would be tuff having to REDO something looks like.

Thanks for sharing your pic.:usa

[Burnout]

That run we did this year was about 4 kilometers. We did another 48" plastic main that was around 2km but also around 12m deep. And then we did a 10" Sanitary sewer that was 14m deep but was only about 1.2km long. I was talking to a couple of the guys today and we just got the ok to start another deep storm sewer in another month or so. Their going to be moving a hoe into the jobsite to start pre trenching within another week or two. And I got some pics of a 385 sitting on the side of the road today. I'll load em up later on tonight.

[Burnout]

2 more

[Dozerboy]

I agree with the pre trenching with a big hoe, instead of scrapers. One 385 can swing around 12,000 cy per shift in those conditions. It would take several scrapers and support equip to match that.

2 385's, a D10N, D9N, 2 973C's, a couple 330's, a 375L, 4 or 5 packers, 2 or 3 966 loaders, and for a hoe pack.. a Link Belt 210LX or a 710G John Deere backhoe.

Thats a bit of support equipment too.:beatsme

[Burnout]

Yeah but that support equipment is running the entire pipelaying crew as well.

[cat 385]

10266

10267

10268

10269

10270

What do you think... :slomo

nice pics! i like the tinted windows!

[637slayer]

Looks like he raised the cab to avoid getting wet on his feet.:D

i noticed on another pic of a trac hoe the cab was raised a long way up, i thought it was a special hoe, ive never seen one do that, do all 385s do that?

[Dozerboy]

No its a modification for doing demo a ways off the ground mostly so the operaters don't strain there neck.

[mikef87]

How deep are you guys going for the sewer? Deepest I've seen was 40 feet and that was in the middle of a city.

[werkhorse]

how's this

[catd8t]

why is that picture so weird looking

[Countryboy]

The picture was probably altered using a photo editor.

This picture was the original.

13186

This one was editted using Microsoft Photo Editor. Under Effects I clicked Embossed and this is how it came out. There are alot of other effects too but that's just one of them. :)

13188

Here's a couple more. First one is using the Texturizer and second one is using excessive image sharpening.

13189

13190

[catd8t]

oh nice i thought it could have been the weather or something lol

[Burnout]

Our deepest sewer last year was around 50ft give it take a couple feet. It sucked for backfill, the 1 mile stretch we had took 3 1/2 months to backfill with a D10, D9, D8, and 2 973's and 6 Dynapac sheepsfoot packers.

[werkhorse]

It's called High defintion Range imaging

[Buckethead]

I don't know if we are talking about the same company or not.The R&R that I had referred to is based out of Burlington County NJ and is a Union Shop.If it is the same company I don't recall anybody with your name {sorry}.Right now I am working on a storm sewer project in Jackson NJ.

Bump

[ZAXIS]

:eek: For anybody starting up a new line of equipment, just paint it like the Cat above and I will take 2. One to put in the front yard and one to trailer around town to pick up chicks. Thats an awesome looking machine.
I agree countryboy, I like the HITACHI orange color on the Cat-at the end of the day it's still a cat though.

[hvy 1ton]

The technique used is called High Dynamic Range. There are 2 ways to make an HDR image, take a underexposed, overexposed and normal photo, or take one photo, using a program to under and overexpose the photo. HDR combines the aspects of the under and overexposed images using the normal photo for a reference. Done right, you can make some cool photos. HDR wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging)

[Big Iron Man]

I have some cool pic's as well

[cat 325ccr]

Found theese ictures on my computer of a cat 385bl

[JimBruce42]

I have some cool pic's as well

I think I speak for many when I say... no plead, that you share:thumbsup:beerchug:IMO

I mean the suspense is killing me over here:spaz