Long Reach purchase.

[Lagwagon]

I’m looking to add a Long Reach in the 20t class to my arsenal however my use for it will be condensed into 2-3 months a year cleaning out dams/soaks/ponds in summer. Our seasons here are a little different whereby we have 9 months a year of rain then it abruptly stops for 3 months and is super dry. This period im inundated with dam cleaning requests and a standard boom/arm isn’t cutting the mustard. I would like to purchase a Long reach boom & arm and install over this period then switch back for the remainder of the year and save buying another machine. I know doing this switch twice a year is cumbersome so I was thinking of building a supporting structure for each boom/arm with hydraulic jacks on either side to help manipulate finer movements when lining up the pins. I would like to keep the booms/arms in one piece so all I need to do is remove the main boom pin and hoses. I could cap the required hoses to allow the machine to run and track it in and out of position. I’ll have 2 other machines available for craning also, people to help and reasonable tooling, work area etc…
Sound do-able or will I be setting myself up for troubles?


Cheers

 

[Shimmy1]

I've had similar desires over the years. I don't think you're going to be able to stay at 20 ton, however. Maybe they build one, but I've never seen smaller than a Cat 320, Case/Deere/Komatsu 210 size with a long front. They are all going to be 25T+.

 

[Vetech63]

Long reach means you don't need your wife anym...............oh wait.

 

[Lagwagon]

I've had similar desires over the years. I don't think you're going to be able to stay at 20 ton, however. Maybe they build one, but I've never seen smaller than a Cat 320, Case/Deere/Komatsu 210 size with a long front. They are all going to be 25T+.

The two hauling company’s I use can carry up to 26t, I’m waiting for them to get back to me on where the load stands legally with length being that the boom will extend past the ramps by about 4m.

 

[Shimmy1]

The two hauling company’s I use can carry up to 26t, I’m waiting for them to get back to me on where the load stands legally with length being that the boom will extend past the ramps by about 4m.

Just a thought, I do a fair bit of pond cleaning. A 25T long-front only has about a 1/2 meter bucket. But you probably already are aware of that.

I know of guys that put a 3/4 bucket on, and raise the sides a bit, but you need to pay attention to what you're doing if you go this route.

 

[skyking1]

I ran a 210 komatsu with a long reach on it and then that 270 John Deere.
The demo guys have exactly what you're looking for as far as the bucket and arm and boom system. They have these nifty trailers with racks on them.
That rack is what you're looking for to store your spare set.
I can go by and snap some pictures down at Dickson. That's where I pick up my gravel and also they have demo equipment.
I don't remember anything fancy with that. 210, but the 270 Johnny had a slab weight bolted on the bottom of the counterweight.

The other thing to think about is there's a change in the valve spooling so that you don't attack yourself with the long reach.
They're pretty fragile. That boom in that picture had been welded also.

 

[Tags]

We have a Cat 312 set up with a long reach boom, works real well for smaller tight jobs. The 30” bucket on it is about the size of a bucket on an 80 class machine. Keep an eye on the auctions, you may be able to find a long reach setup for your machine there. Your idea sounds feasible to me.