New AGT Midget Excavator: 6 Questions Including Jerky Control Stuff

[oldnslo]

I don't have any idea how I would find a slower pump that would fit this machine.

Idle the engine down some is the same as installing a smaller pump and will give you an idea on if that helps or how much it helps.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

It is confusing. I am told lower flow will give less jerking without loss of power, and that the jerking is caused by putting a fast gas engine in a machine made for a 2050-RPM diesel, but I assume it would also make the crawl speed unbearable, and it's hard to believe the diesel models could possibly crawl more slowly than my gas machine.

 

[dfkrug]

I don't have any idea how I would find a slower pump that would fit this machine.

The single pumps are a very common configuration: shaft size, mounting, volume.

I got a smaller one (not installed yet) from the manufacturer when we imported our 6 machines from Ouke. 5.5cc, instead of 6.8.

Newer machines, like yours use the Lovejoy-style couplers from what I have seen. I would be surprised if SurplusCenter does not have one that would fit.

 

[dfkrug]

It is confusing. I am told lower flow will give less jerking without loss of power, and that the jerking is caused by putting a fast gas engine in a machine made for a 2050-RPM diesel, but I assume it would also make the crawl speed unbearable, and it's hard to believe the diesel models could possibly crawl more slowly than my gas machine.

Yeah, the crawl speed is slow, and would be even slower.

These machines are extremely light, and have very powerful hydraulics. I operated a new 1-ton-ish Chinese skidsteer last week, and it was so jerky on pavement, it was almost undriveable. Very slick V-twin gas engine, however.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

My hydraulics can't deal with roots. Seems like this machine is fine for digging loose dirt, but forget working where there are rocks and roots. It also struggles to curl the bucket when it's pressed into dirt.

 

[oldnslo]

Idle the engine down for smooth digging and rev it back up for travel. Running at 2,500 RPM should be fast enough to keep engine cool yet might reduce flow enough to make operating smoother.

Inexpensive option to try vs changing ALL the directional control valves to have better metering characteristics. They could cost a similar amount as what you paid for that machine.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I think reversing the track controls might help. As it is, you get positive feedback when it lurches. If they were reversed, you would get negative feedback instead of pouring on more fluid.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I have that backward. It gives you positive feedback, so you automatically brake the machine over and over when you want to go backward or forward.

 

[dfkrug]

Idle the engine down for smooth digging and rev it back up for travel. Running at 2,500 RPM should be fast enough to keep engine cool yet might reduce flow enough to make operating smoother.

The 420cc gas engines idle at about 2000 RPM, and produce full rated power at 3600 RPM. I find you are making decent power at 3000 RPM; much slower, and the engine stalls quite easily. So for me, I am at 3000 RPM almost all of the time.

The cushion valves I installed on the house rotation motor circuit does help with rotation jerkiness.

 

[shooterdon]

So, the $64,000 question..."Would you buy one knowing what you know now?"

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

For $5,000, absolutely. I keep saying it's like having two men with shovels. It's not the answer to all my problems, but it will do a lot of things I don't want to do by hand. It's nice to see that dirt move while I sit on a cushioned seat.

 

[dfkrug]

For me, I wish they were widely available back in 2018. Amazing what I got done with my mountain trails in the first 2 years. And I am into my mini for north of $7500. Love it.

The improvements keep rolling in: I see Rippa is voluntarily adding proper wheel motors with braking action, without special requests. This is a safety problem that should be fixed by all the makers.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

My feeling is that if you have any kind of acreage at all, you can't go wrong with one of these. You just have to cope with the shortcomings and think what a Kubota would cost.

 

[shooterdon]

I have 20 acres but cannot think of many tasks I would use it for.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

Planting new trees and shrubs, ripping out old ones up to a certain size, removing rocks and stumps, getting rid of the garbage the squirrels plant before it's too big...to me, that's worth $5K. Pretty standard stuff for a rural property.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I used the excavator again yesterday. This is the second time it has failed to get a small magnolia stump loose. Evidently, magnolia tap roots are pretty impressive. At least the excavator got enough dirt moved to get me access so I could cut roots with a Sawzall.

As experience reduces my own incompetence, the machine's imperfections become less problematic.

 

[2manyrocks]

Last local auction, one Kubota 008 with 300 something hours sold for $6,500 and another with 500 something hours also sold for $6,500 plus the auctioneers fee of 9.5%.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

You can always get a bargain if you're willing to spend your life waiting and driving.

 

[shooterdon]

There were two of these little “Tonka Toys” at the last auction I attended. Both went for $4500 or so. They were new.

After the auction I ordered the MechMaxx stump grinder for $1400. No way a Tonka Toy will handle the stumps I need removed. I have about 30 stumps to deal with from 8-24” in diameter. I have a tree puller for the smaller trees and it cost $1000 a few years ago.

 

[2manyrocks]

You can always get a bargain if you're willing to spend your life waiting and driving.

I don't know if they were bargains or not. Doesn't take much for unexpected repairs to wreck a "bargain."