Well, I guess the title about sums it up.My mini of choice will be a John Deere model 35, or one similar to this size horsepower ext. My question is simply,what does the extra length (insert joke here) do for performance during excavation. I am able to understand the reach portion however the extra reach comes with a price. Leverage! Would the extra reach assist when pushing over a tree? I would also think that this leverage could work against the operator. Losing lifting capacity. That tree you just pushed over, now you are unable to lift it.So what it all boils down to, is the extra reach much more beneficial than the standard reach?Thanks, Ken
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Long Reach worth it or not?
- Thread starter Kenskip1
- Start date
I personally dont think your giving up much to get more reach on a 7000lbs machine we always wish we had more power but for the most part you can operate around less lift or breakout but on my mini I am always wishing for more reach
It's hard to operate around a lack of reach
It's hard to operate around a lack of reach
uffex
Senior Member
Good day Ken
You appear to sum it up very well a long arm will have a negative effect on lifting capacity - break out force - stability - the advantage is if course a small increase in reach - ground speed of the bucket. I suggest if you can manage without that extra leave it at the dealers, you may also take account of bucket couplers also increase reach and reduce bucket force. Reach can often be offset by moving the beast forwards or backwards.
Kind regards
Uffex
You appear to sum it up very well a long arm will have a negative effect on lifting capacity - break out force - stability - the advantage is if course a small increase in reach - ground speed of the bucket. I suggest if you can manage without that extra leave it at the dealers, you may also take account of bucket couplers also increase reach and reduce bucket force. Reach can often be offset by moving the beast forwards or backwards.
Kind regards
Uffex
Don.S
Senior Member
We had a short stick 27c and traded it in for a long stick 35d and would never go back. If you are always at the machine maximum you will be wishing you got a bigger machine. The only time i have ever wished i had a short stick is when digging under stuff since it makes the boom higher.
Reach is always an issue with a mini ex, especially with one that small. I would likely go with the long stick and you get used to how it lifts and works. You will give up some ability on nearly every level of bucket and lift arm performance, but usually that can be worked around and dealt with. Pretty hard to add another foot of boom length.
Billrog
Senior Member
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I have a 7,000 lb machine and would sure like a little more reach . I would not be concerned about loss of performance, mine has plenty of power for the size. The convenience out ways any negative in my opinion.
NepeanGC
Well-Known Member
Definitely long arm in this class machine. Not like it's gonna be bulking material all day where performance really matters. I did long arm and tilt-rotator on my 5 ton, which is technically the worst for breakout and digging force, but it works totally fine, since the machine is used for finesse and tight access work 99.99999% of the time.
John Canfield
Senior Member
Sometimes I wish I would have ordered the long arm on my E42 but I just move a little closer to the work. I don't need more digging depth though - just a tad more reach.
uffex
Senior Member
Good day Folks
Really surprised that few inch's should be such an advantage:-
Kind regards
Uffex
Really surprised that few inch's should be such an advantage:-
Kind regardsUffex
Don.S
Senior Member
Its a foot of depth and a foot of reach thats a big difference. Its also the difference of loading trucks and not loading trucks.
That is a big difference. I had a CX160 that had a regular boom and my current one has a long boom. That extra foot and a couple inches is a lot more productive on digging foundations. It is hard to believe when you think how little the foot is on a 20 plus long boom, but it does matter. A mini ex always seems to need more dig depth or be able to reach just a little further when stock piling material. As long as you have enough machine to manage the extra boom length, I would always go with the long boom.
NepeanGC
Well-Known Member
Agreed. On a mini, a foot makes the difference between being able to see the bucket at the bottom of the trench, and having to work blind because the boom and bucket are completely stretched out and you have no reach. Does make quite a bit of difference in productivity too. An extra foot also means you can place excavated material further away, which means you can make bigger stockpiles before having to move.