the best hoe

[knucklehead98]

I prefer the Volvos and the Hitachis.

 

[biggixxerjim]

Deere and Cat. I dont really like the Komatsu's either; they do feel cheap, the boom and stick dont look as rugged as a cat or Deere either

 

[Reuben]

Kobelco, they seem to run for ever if maintained well.

I love our kobelcos!!!! they are so incredibly FAST. I have ran other brands and they are all great but it is my opinion that the kobelcos are a better machine all around. I honestly would like to get some time on a komutsu. We are still looking to purchase a 160-170 class machine. My brother seems to like the kobelcos also so more then likely we will leave well enough alone. I would just LOVE to see a short radius 160 -170 class machine. The short tails are worth every single nickle. They are much safer, operators have one less thing to worry about so they are more productive, they are actually more stable digging with the tracks then their standard tail siblings ( if you dont believe that check the stats). So yeah kobelcos are my pick

 

[CascadeScaper]

I'm a Cat guy, I've run lots and lots of Cat excavators; almost all the minis, at least 10 different 312CL's, couple B series 311-312's, couple 315's both B and C series, couple B and C series 320's. I like them alright, can't really find a whole lot to complain about. I ran a buddy's Hitachi ZX120 that I liked, I would assume the Deere counterpart would be essentially the same experience minus the difference in powerplants. I liked the older Kobelcos, got a chance to run a new SK210 and didn't like it a whole lot. Could have been that I was only in it for about ten minutes, but I absolutely hated how slow the swing was. Well, the swing was fast after you grind along super slow for 2-3 seconds before she starts moving along quick, by that time you're already where you need to be and the speed is of no use. At least that was my opinion of the machine for a quick run, I'd like to get back in one for a longer test run and see if I can't salvage my joy for Kobelco because I loved the Mark IV's.

 

[Wolf]

Operator Makes the Difference

It seems like there are so many good machines out there nowadays.

But really, it's the quality of the operator that makes all the difference. Put a bad operator in a great machine, and it ain't gonna run too good. Put a great operator in a mediocre machine, and he'll get it running efficiently. Might be a little maddening to him, but he'll do an efficient job for sure.

 

[Sparffo]

It seems like there are so many good machines out there nowadays.

But really, it's the quality of the operator that makes all the difference. Put a bad operator in a great machine, and it ain't gonna run too good. Put a great operator in a mediocre machine, and he'll get it running efficiently. Might be a little maddening to him, but he'll do an efficient job for sure.

Wolf! you are soooo right on this one!! and a bad operator will make a good machine bad in no time...
there is not a big diffrence in the machines any more, some models are good others less good, but mostly any machine is quite good these days.
the difference is the price to keep it running, fuel, spares and the service.
some machines has a no existent back up if it breaks, i would say thats bad!

but stiff joy sticks are a good way to take an early retirement because of worn out body, but maybe the next generation of hoes will be mind controlled? Dozer575, do you have an opinion on that one?

 

[tonka]

The best hoe is the one who puts out ........









































dirt....get your minds out of the gutter!

 

[Wolf]

very good, tonka.

 

[hoeman600]

burnout I knew I liked you for some reason.:beatsme we have a 450 d on demo its smokin all the cat 345sss love deere kill cats

Whoever wondered if the C LC versions of the Deere machines are louder than their counterparts by other companies..... yeah they are. It's a John Deere thing. I got re-acquianted with our 270C LC Deere the other day and rememebred what its like to run a real hoe. Most of our fleet of excavators is Cat... as in 5 of about 50-60 machines are Deere. We also have 1 Link Belt and 1 Case, and some Komatsu's mixed in as well.

The Cat's are the best in most guys eyes. I watched our mainline hoe operator who runs our 385 the other day jump in the 270 and the first thing he complained about was the swing was too fast, hydraulic too jerky and the engine was too noisy. I jumped back in it for a bit and continued digging. After lunch we had to move some topsoil, so we had a little dig off. The 270 against a 330CL Cat. Both machines have relatively the same bucket, both machines are right around 7100hrs and the little Deere made that Cat look silly.

I will definately take a Deere anyday of the week. Komatsu makes a nice machine but even with our PC1250's I find the cab cheap and noisy. The Cat's are nice but someone tell me why the decals and paint are coming off a '07 385CL and yet a '77 245 still has decent paint (under 4" of grease).????

 

[JimBruce42]

burnout I knew I liked you for some reason.:beatsme we have a 450 d on demo its smokin all the cat 345sss love deere kill cats

Man I leave that Hatfield job and you get a John Deere hoe...:beatsme Dirt or pipe guys using it?

Got any pics of it?:cool2

 

[hoeman600]

rich has it now i have dericks hoe we had a krapmatsu 400 also. i guess its mine for now

 

[hoeman600]

i have lots of picts but lost the card holder for my phone card. ill take picts of the 450D tommrow k

 

[HoJay]

hey hoeman, looks like ya got some pretty deadly clay/shale there. nice pics by the way. Just curious but how do you find the 6 tooth bucket opposesd to the 4 or 5 tooth buckets, does the extra tooth seem to help break up clumpy material or is it more of hinderance when it comes to penetration?

 

[brandt pc400]

i have lots of picts but lost the card holder for my phone card. ill take picts of the 450D tommrow k

Hey hoeman is that a -7 or -8

What's faster 450D or pc400?

 

[hoeman600]

its a 5 yrd bucket heaped on a cat 345b

and the deere smokes the 400. were gettin the 345D next.

we had the volvo 460 it controled nice but was a dog in the shale.

and last but not least 3,4,5,6. dont matter to me as long as their sharp. we have mild spade noses on our mass ex'es witch helps in shale. this basin was blasted so diggin's easy

 

[JimBruce42]

its a 5 yrd bucket heaped on a cat 345b

and the deere smokes the 400. were gettin the 345D next.

we had the volvo 460 it controled nice but was a dog in the shale.

and last but not least 3,4,5,6. dont matter to me as long as their sharp. we have mild spade noses on our mass ex'es witch helps in shale. this basin was blasted so diggin's easy

Pretty nice photos for a phone camera:notworthy That 345 still a speed demon when booming up?

Komatsu musta been a great preformer, I think the 460c was still there when I left, and you're already on to the Deere... how long is the JD gonna stay on site till the new 345 shows up?

Good to hear they finally blasted more than just the pipe runs on that job:Banghead

 

[hoeman600]

hers some of the deere and a couple others. 1st one is my 345

 

[312King]

I love the cats the best. Plus when it comes to getting parts u can get anything usually with in 24hours.

 

[JimBruce42]

Great pics,

what kind of quick coupler is that on the Deere?

 

[hoeman600]

esco jim.