Hitachi ZX 350 Forester

[Scott_527]

Wulf, I was actually referring to thier brand new ones. The ones they claim to be "purpose built". Like I said before theyre probably a nice excavator but they don't look to woods ready at all.
Cat is going to **** off all the smaller outfits by treating them like garbage. Then when those little outfits grow into the bigger companies (who Cat seems to favor) no one will want anything to do with Cat because they got snubbed before.
That being said, Cat's new feller bunchers are built in Canada and look to be quite rugged. They also just launched a new skidder line that look pretty good.

 

[Wulf]

Nice shot of the factory built PC300LL

 

[CascadeScaper]

Wow, that PC300 sure is sexy. I really like the 7 series.

 

[Ford LT-9000]

Komatsu is like a bad rash that won't dissapear they are moving in and pushing cat out. Komatsu has got a good hold on the construction market and they are into the aggregate mines again.

Komatsu is okay but its not the best I would rather have a Deere over a Komatsu.

 

[CascadeScaper]

Who are you trying to kid, you'd have Deere over ANYTHING!

 

[MVFD]

I personaly would take Volvo over anything... but they dont make forestry stuff

But deere would be a close second...

Isnt komatsu a cheap CAT knock off? the tail sure looks like a CATs Ass...

The machines look very similar in my eyes.. only built to lower standards??

 

[CascadeScaper]

The only thing I really don't like about Komatsu is the super long levers, never understood that. Don't know if they have changed that with the 7 series, but the 6 series and the monster levers aren't my cup of tea.

Nothing wrong with Deere whatsoever, I would have had no problem waving their flag when we bought a 12 ton excavator. Problem was, the Deere dealer is getting their @$$ handed to them by our local Cat dealer and they don't have a single new excavator on the lot, what kind of place is that? I called a couple times looking for prices on a mini excavator, never got calls back. Doesn't take a genius to figure out why we bought Cat and won't give the Deere guys the time of day, but there certainly isn't anything wrong with Deere/Hitachi if you can get service for them.

Tell you what, the undercarriage on that PC300LL is no joke, definately built very, very well. Good for Komatsu, I never felt Cat produced a good tracked log loader in the least bit, they've never had that market in the PNW and they never will. Link Belt is super popular around here for strokers and loaders, some guys even run Waratah dangleheads with Link Belt units when working in pole timber. I know a good handful of loggers that run only Link Belt for loaders, usually with a Pierce heel loader front end.

 

[Wulf]

Cascade - the longer levers are the norm in Japan and I wonder if its possible that the machines you've operated were Japanese market machines?

By the way... the 300LL uses a PC400 carbody swing circle and final drives with forestry guarding and carrier roller arrangement which is what makes it looks so stable and beefy.

 

[Wulf]

I personaly would take Volvo over anything... but they dont make forestry stuff

But deere would be a close second...

Isnt komatsu a cheap CAT knock off? the tail sure looks like a CATs Ass...

The machines look very similar in my eyes.. only built to lower standards??

MVFD... I'm sure you know there is more to an excavator than the chunk of material attached to the back of the machine:laugh You would have to operate one to make any judgement... speed, power, fine control, multifunctioning, stability, comfort are different on all machines.

And lower standards?... Komatsu is the Sony of excavators my friend!

 

[MVFD]

MVFD... I'm sure you know there is more to an excavator than the chunk of material attached to the back of the machine:laugh You would have to operate one to make any judgement... speed, power, fine control, multifunctioning, stability, comfort are different on all machines.

And lower standards?... Komatsu is the Sony of excavators my friend!

I realise the differences that machines have.. but Im just talking about the over all design... I can see cat when I look at a komatsu. just over all body lines.. I have run komatsu's, cats, deere, hatachi, volvo's, linkbelts, kobelcos.. pretty much all of me them for a few hours here and there.. yes I have not work weeks on end with all of them but have tryed them with friends and other companies around here.

Komatsu is a sony forsure... Volvo is the Lambourgini of machines... speed, power, fine control, multifunctioning, stability, comfort are different...

Just my two cents.... I really dont have anything against any of the machines.. other then that Cat 320LU I ran a few weeks back.

 

[CascadeScaper]

That 320LU was a rental, right? If so, that's why you didn't like it. I've seen rental machines need new pins and bushings at 500 hours, nobody greases them. 1,500 hours and rental excavators are traded out.

 

[MVFD]

That 320LU was a rental, right? If so, that's why you didn't like it. I've seen rental machines need new pins and bushings at 500 hours, nobody greases them. 1,500 hours and rental excavators are traded out.

No, it belongs to the company thats doing our pipe work at this subdivision. and the operator greases it everyday.

 

[Scott_527]

I personaly would take Volvo over anything... but they dont make forestry stuff

Actually they do. The ywo machines in the last picture are from 2001. I'd imagine they've improved since then.

 

[MVFD]

wow those sure are sexy machines if you ask me....

 

[MetalDragon_boy]

Wow I didnt know that Volvo made that kind of forest machines. Are they special made or is it a part of their production?

 

[Waycon]

Waycon Manufacturing in BC used to do all of the volvo guarding, cab, side guards belly pans catwalks etc that are on the machine in the left picture.
They take care of all of that themselves now.
We still build their rear entry tip over cabs: http://www.wayconmfg.com/excavatorOEM.html