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Parking the excavator

PeterG

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2015
Messages
779
Location
United States
Occupation
Contractor
Parking in a shed or building is good too. My problem isn't getting pitted chrome or a leaking cylinder seal, but mice eating wires and stinking everything up. I think keeping the parked excavator out of the hot sun, pouring rain/mold, and not going crazy with the pressure washer is a good thing.
 

Tones

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
4,217
Location
Ubique
Occupation
Ex land clearing contractor, part-time retired
I’m with John C. The machine really ought to be parked with the equipment in the same orientation as shown in the O&M Manual for checking the hydraulic tank oil level.
A machine I operated got vandalised, the rod on the bucket cylinder was damaged and the light on the boom stolen. The operator manual said to park it like the Case in the photo. After that I parked it with the bucket ram fully retracted and the dipper arm vertical and the oil level was exactly the same. A plus from doing this was the bucket remained dry so no sticking dirt in the morning.
 

smifwal

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2024
Messages
437
Location
kansas city
I know a guy that if it is going to rain and they don't have a building for him to park his machine in he will load it up and take it home and put it in his shop then remobilize the next day back too work on the same job, he also gets out at the 8 hour mark and greases the machine.

Speaking of mice, he ran back and forth in that trough until I lowered the arms down and he ran off1000048769.jpg
 

HarleyHappy

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2020
Messages
3,444
Location
So NH
Occupation
Welder/Mechanic
I remember one time, I was cleaning out a skid with a shop vac. All the leaves and crap and a mouse came running by and whoop, right up the hose.
Poor terrified thing.
Lol
Then I just sucked up some 1/2” gravel, to make his day!
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
9,600
Location
washington
I park it so I can get at the most grease fittings, which happens to be at the fluid check position on the 120. If I think of it I park it in one of the other two grease positions also. It helps to get grease in there while it warms up anyway.
 

Lagwagon

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2018
Messages
348
Location
Australia
I park as in the picture if on grass, but any other ground I'll keep the bucket upright so as not to dip the pins in gravel and dirt.
 

bam1968

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2014
Messages
654
Location
IA
Occupation
Excavating Contractor
I know a guy that if it is going to rain and they don't have a building for him to park his machine in he will load it up and take it home and put it in his shop then remobilize the next day back too work on the same job
Is it a mini excavator? I couldn't even imagine moving my 20 ton excavator home everytime there is a chance of rain!! Hell mine would spend more time on the trailer than working if I did that.
 

smifwal

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2024
Messages
437
Location
kansas city
He used to own a mini and I am sure he mobilized it also but I was talking about his skid, he also won't let anyone else boom it down.
 

BC Placer gold

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2014
Messages
1,172
Location
Enderby, Bc Canada
A machine I operated got vandalised, the rod on the bucket cylinder was damaged and the light on the boom stolen. The operator manual said to park it like the Case in the photo. After that I parked it with the bucket ram fully retracted and the dipper arm vertical and the oil level was exactly the same. A plus from doing this was the bucket remained dry so no sticking dirt in the morning.
That’s how I park as well.
 
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