KSS,
Do you have a number for the installers you used? Is it working out? I am considering doing the same thing but am concerned about the upfront costs. I would appreciate any input.
It took CAT a while to get it dialed in. Install started day after Memorial weekend last year. Completed to my satisfaction mid December. Obviously that pissed me off. By the time it was dialed in perfectly I lost the whole year. 20k plus spent with no opportunity for a return of my investment. CAT had not done an install like this before, at least these guys had not. We all learned together. They brought in an Apache tech. which put on a mini class for CAT on installation and set up. I was apart of some of that. So I learned it from the guy that knows the most about it and made a great contact at Apache. The install guys were good to work with so that helped. They did not expect nor did they ask for payment until it was perfect. I appreciated that. I am no CAT fan. However we worked through the long install time and issues and it worked out. I don't regret using them even though it took so long to get it up and running.
I am seeing about 1/8th inch deviation in black sand over 100 feet. When we got it dialed in that tight, I wrote the check. No doubt the system is that good. I like the Southern Precesion box. It has some nice features such as the shock absorbing mounting system.
Developing the technique for running it, and setting it up, especially with dual slope takes practice and more practice. I am still mastering this aspect of the attachment.
I foresaw the housing decline, what I did not foresee was the commerical decline as fast as it did. I was about 2 years late in getting this for my market. The good side is I should be plenty versed in running it when the market comes back. I have some opportunities coming up, just not near as many as when I started putting the plan togther. If your market is there still now, I would not waste time, like I did.
There are some peripherial issues to consider, One is a good dual plane laser. I went this route. I bought a Topcon Dual plane Laser several years ago. Its not the high speed one with the remote, but it does what I need it to. Sorry I cant remember the model. I then bought from CAT a Spectra lLL 400 single slope laser. My first nonTopcon laser. I plan on using this for everything nondual plane. The dual planes are much more expensive to buy and more expensive to work on so I will try and keep that only for running dual plane jobs. Mine is a 7' box blade, when pulling a full pull, it would spin out in 3/4 crushed road base with the 12X16.5 tires, I have some 33X15's and these worked much better. I then installed a VTS system on the skid steer, that works great in this application but the floatation tires also worked well considering the minimal investment. Negotiate the component costs. CAT was way high initially. I showed them what Southern Precision was quoting me for the same components and they came down to reality. Considering the state of things, I would bet you could get even better deals on the components.
I bought some of this several years ahead of purchasing the attachment. I bought a Plus 5 grade reader, the dual plane laser, VTS ahead of time. Helped to spread out the cost.
Hopefully this helps you in your decision.