Typhon Terror XVII with cab.

[MattB4]

After selling my Typhon Mark X (1-ton gas powered) mini Ex 3 weeks ago I ordered in a new 2-ton rated XVII with the Kubota diesel D902 in it from Ebay Seller MachineryUSA. I offered $11,599 and it was accepted. The total price with tax was $12,435.93 (includes my bank wire fee of $25). The deal includes free shipping and I got the Excavator last evening at 5-6pm. The driver called me only a couple hours before showing up.

Shipping was on a large Sleeper Semi with a 53ft drop deck which I was not adequately prepared to receive out on the rural county road I live on. Finding a place for this large of a loaded truck to turn around meant traveling from my house about 3/4's of a mile. It also meant that after unload I had to shuttle the excavator back home. That took most of an hour at teh extreme slow speed of the machine. The truck driver, while a nice fellow, did not operate or unload. He seemed to be a foreigner with not the best grasp of English which complicated understanding. At least the truck came with a nice set of double ramps that meant unload was not entirely difficult although the middle ramps support meant using the bucket to stabilized the ex was a bit tight. Likely a person not used to running an ex would be a bit overwhelmed by this.

As I get some time I will flesh out my review. Some initial impressions are that it is definitely a big improvement over my previous 1 Ton. The diesel engine and pilot controls improve operation enormously. Some negatives I discovered are the slow travel speed, the engine heats up the seat area considerably after running at high throttle for more than 1/2 hour (thankfully the Aircon works some or the trip back to my home in the upper 80F's would have been hard to take.) I noticed no issue though with engine overheating. The cab is very small for my 6ft-3in size. It does seem to be fairly matched to the zero tail turn unit with only a few areas where I need to add some foam to close gaps. The seat in full back position vibrates against the back glass. But the controls have full movement in front.

 

[ArlyA]

Your photos are huge, like to see them but....

 

[MattB4]

Your photos are huge, like to see them but....

Sorry about that. I will take some with my digital camera instead of using my phone. Its resolution is less making for a smaller file size. Are the thumbnails too large to show up in the first post?

 

[ArlyA]

Sorry about that. I will take some with my digital camera instead of using my phone. Its resolution is less making for a smaller file size. Are the thumbnails too large to show up in the first post?

Here is a photo that's just 150-+kb. Seems OK to me.

 

[MattB4]

You did not answer if you could see the thumbnails instead you just got snorky. Ignore my Threads if you can not control your attitude.

 

[Johnkn]

Don't forget, "please change the filter element if it's broken or there's too many dirt"

.

 

[ArlyA]

You did not answer if you could see the thumbnails instead you just got snorky. Ignore my Threads if you can not control your attitude.

Snorky? Of course I see the thumbnails but if you click one, you DLed them all. I posted the one photo to show its quality.

 

[MattB4]

Snorky? Of course I see the thumbnails but if you click one, you DLed them all. I posted the one photo to show its quality.

Once again. Just go away.

 

[Carl_NH]

Don't forget, "please change the filter element if it's broken or there's too many dirt"

.

Please change the air filter position while your at it - the clean out is meant to point down.

 

[Carl_NH]

Nice looking machine Matt - yes they are slow but you knew that going in. The blue looks good - seems to be a Hightop made unit. I see they have some nicer pedals now, and a little better fit and finish than mine a year ago.

You will need to stiffen up the thumb welding some plates between the tines, other than that run it!

 

[MattB4]

Please change the air filter position while your at it - the clean out is meant to point down.

Thanks for spotting that. I am in the unwrapping and checking stage today of things today, I intend to change out the hydraulic oil before any more operation. I also have a brace on order for the drive motors I am going to install. Just happy that the Aircon is working on it because I have heard of some folks that found that theirs didn't.

Looking at the supplied Kubota filters (oil, fuel, air) I am not sure that the oil filter is a proper match for the engine. The one that is on there looks bigger though it is difficult to see it. Won't be fun getting at it.

It could be Hightop although when I researched images and specifications their was no clear match with the models they have for sale. Typhon probably added and changed things for their own purposes.

 

[dfkrug]

I see what looks like a solenoid valve on your hydraulic pump. Is that a manual-controlled valve, or some kind of load-sensing? Maybe 2-speed track drive?

Also, did you get the thicker bucket(s), or the same kind you had with the old machine?

Interesting delivery.

 

[MattB4]

Yeah I am not sure what it does but there is no 2 speeds unfortunately. Even the method of lifting the left hand pilot arm does not change the speed like some seem to get. I do notice there is no run away going down a hill just turtle crawling.

The bucket is thicker steel on the sides and more volume while still being a 25mm pin bucket. It is a true 16 inch to longest cutting edge versus my old one ton that was ~15 inch.

The delivery was a challenge for the poor driver, I live 3.5 miles up a County dirt rock road that at the start is a long uphill portion with a sharp right hand corner at the top. To make the climb you need to keep up rpm enough to move and not spin out or you're hosed. It just happened though the road is lightly traveled the truck met a car coming down the hill at that hard corner. The driver just missed it by bare inches he said while keeping going.

 

[dfkrug]

I do notice there is no run away going down a hill just turtle crawling.

How about when you were driving down those truck ramps...did you have to do a lot of start-stop to keep from going too fast? No planetaries in those final drives.

What does the importer give you for docs? Electrical or hyd schematics?

 

[oldnslo]

If you lift the safety arm do any functions stop working? Would suspect that solenoid might unload one section of the pump but doubt would unload both sections.

Be interesting to find out what that does.

 

[MattB4]

How about when you were driving down those truck ramps...did you have to do a lot of start-stop to keep from going too fast? No planetaries in those final drives.

What does the importer give you for docs? Electrical or hyd schematics?

No problem driving down the ramps other than tipping forward.

The only guides that are with the machine are the Kubota engine manual and the Aircon manual. Online Typhon has a downloadable booklet that really is nothing more than a good operation practices and warnings. Pretty much useless for any repairs or how things are laid out.

 

[MattB4]

If you lift the safety arm do any functions stop working? Would suspect that solenoid might unload one section of the pump but doubt would unload both sections.

Be interesting to find out what that does.

Yes the only functions that keep working are the drive motors and the Thumb control I believe.

 

[oldnslo]

Yes the only functions that keep working are the drive motors and the Thumb control I believe.

Interesting on drive motors still working with safety arm raised. Is this a double or Triple pump? I can’t tell on the picture.

 

[dfkrug]

Interesting on drive motors still working with safety arm raised. Is this a double or Triple pump? I can’t tell on the picture.

The other pilot-controlled Chinese minis I have operated and opened up use a safety solenoid valve only for the pilot controls, which is on or next to the main valve stack.

Since blade, AUX, and drive are not pilot-controlled, they don't have safety interlocks (on the ones I have looked at).

I want to know more about that pump, too.

 

[MattB4]

Interesting on drive motors still working with safety arm raised. Is this a double or Triple pump? I can’t tell on the picture.

Fairly certain it is a double. I expect DFKrug and you are correct that the wires going to it are a cutout device for 1 section of the pump when the left joystick arm is in the raised position.