Cat 312 extra counter weight

Have a 2011 cat 312dL with a coupler and a long stick when you reach out sideways the machine is way too tippy at full reach or even with wet material at partial reach. Any ideas?

What size bucket.

Standard 36” bucket nothing crazy I think it’s just the combination of the long stick and coupler honestly. Had plans for a thumb but it would only make things worse

I've seen a few 120/160 excavators with a thick plate bolted to the bottom of the carbody, especially when I'm out west.

A lot of time they put shot in the counter weight. Sometime there’s a plate you can take off or drill couple holes then plug them. I know they have put 2000lbs in new 323. We had a 320c couldn’t get much in that one.

hvy 1ton said:

I've seen a few 120/160 excavators with a thick plate bolted to the bottom of the carbody, especially when I'm out west.

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I've seen this done too, with either 3/4 or 1 inch plate. Just need to lay it out correctly before cutting so you can still access all the panels underneath. I would imagine a fab shop with a water jet would have no issues cutting one for you, probably a bit pricy. I have a Kobelco 115SRDZ with a long stick and an extra counter weight but there were provisions on the existing counterweight to bolt the extra one to...

Why water jet a counterweight? A table with plasma or oxy is completely sufficient and substantially cheaper.


Adding counterweight is a simple see-saw equation. If the bucket is 25’ from the pivot, the counterweight is 5’, then every 5lb of counterweight adds 1lb of bucket capacity, all measurements from their respective centers of gravity.

It sounds like the bucket is simply too big for your machine. The width of a bucket offers minimal context on it’s capacity... currently my mini that’s half the size of your 312 is wearing a 36” bucket, quick coupler, and thumb... no issue.

Good day
Consider a smaller bucket & remove the quick coupler
Kind regards
Uffex

lumberjack said:

Why water jet a counterweight? A table with plasma or oxy is completely sufficient and substantially cheaper

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Absolutely a plasma or oxy table would be just as good and cheaper....I don’t see the big deal with adding extra counter weight underneath if he wants to run the standard 36 inch bucket and the quick coupler. If a thumb is added it’s gonna make it even tippier without the added counterweight.