• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

drott 40

wrzzy

New Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
3
Location
ma.
Thinking about buying a drott 40 for 9500.00. I want to dig a foundation build some stone walls and dig out a small pond. Machine is a two owner and supposed to be in very good condition . What do you think?
 

Willis Bushogin

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
855
Location
NC
Occupation
owner
from a past owner of several Drott 40 & 50. I would stay away from the Drott. They were alright in their day, but we are talking about 1960/70
I have never worked so hard to keep any piece of equipment running, as I did the Drotts. If you dont mine working 6-8 a day on the excavator, so you can work one hour a day on the foundation
A friend of mine, didnt take my advise and he bought a Drott 40, to clear a lot and dig a pond. He paid $9000 for it and spend $4000 on it, trying to get the hydraulics fixed (he never was able to dig anything) he sold it for $3000 scrap
TOOOOOO Many issues with these old machine
Beware
 

Ace K

Active Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2012
Messages
26
Location
Lake Erie
Occupation
Boat Ninja
I have had a wheeled Drott 40 for years. Mine was setup originally as a feller buncher? Then it was a county machine cleaning ditches, it has a tilt wrist. It has so many pedals, switchs, I have to look at the diagram every time I run it. We had an old timer that could run like he was born in it and he broke everything including the extenda boom. No lights no heat stuck in second high patched up boom and outriggers etc etc. We have not had the bucket on it in years, we use it as a crane. If its moving I think its gonna tip I hate running it. On the other hand it always starts, 4 weeks a year I run it 10 hrs a day and it does the job. Around here we like old Detroits... but you have to like fixing crap! We put an additional counterweight on it and drive it around on two wheels, it has crazy power. Dig a pond no sweat, 9500 no way! As far as scrap goes the counterweight is concrete.
 

wrzzy

New Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
3
Location
ma.
I have had a wheeled Drott 40 for years. Mine was setup originally as a feller buncher? Then it was a county machine cleaning ditches, it has a tilt wrist. It has so many pedals, switchs, I have to look at the diagram every time I run it. We had an old timer that could run like he was born in it and he broke everything including the extenda boom. No lights no heat stuck in second high patched up boom and outriggers etc etc. We have not had the bucket on it in years, we use it as a crane. If its moving I think its gonna tip I hate running it. On the other hand it always starts, 4 weeks a year I run it 10 hrs a day and it does the job. Around here we like old Detroits... but you have to like fixing crap! We put an additional counterweight on it and drive it around on two wheels, it has crazy power. Dig a pond no sweat, 9500 no way! As far as scrap goes the counterweight is concrete.

Thanks guys , l'll be staying away from this. Even at 6500.00-7000.00, the most i was planing spending on this old timer , it sounds like trouble than its worth!
 

FWD

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2009
Messages
286
Location
Barron County, Wi
If you want to have a good machine from the 70's or early 80's I'd go with a Bantam. I had a 1973 C-451 which became a C-166. The only reason they changed from a 451 to a 166 was the 66 series was Koehring's system for models. Koehring was the company that owned Bantam then. Mine had a 453 Detroit (noisy, but a good engine). I had it for 15 years, not everyday use, but I did use it quite a bit. A friend bought it and still uses it around his house and lot. I used it a lot more than him as I was in business.
FWD
 
Top