I bought a Volvo EC55 excavator that was imported from the UK to Norway, where I am from. It previously had been red, but was totally cleaned out and repainted in Volvo Yellow and Grey. It looked fine on the outside, but had a lot of shit in the fuel system, worn out tracks, some very corroded Halogen lights and a faulty alternator, among other minor things. I invested in a lot of upgrades to it, including new LED's all around, new alternator, new tracks (rubber) and battery. After 3 years of usage I managed to sell it for a good bit more than what I paid for it. Interestiing to see these kind of fixer uppers. Best of luck.
It really gets me how some people treat their equipment. All you need to do is power wash once a week. It helps to find any small problems before it becomes a big problem.
I'm always impressed that people want to take on jobs like these. There's a TON of intrinsic value in there if you can get all the issues resolved. Thanks for taking us along!
Matt just wanted you to know how much I enjoy your videos. Most people look at machinery, like you have acquired, and would just walk away. Where as you take the lemon and make lemonade….Thanks for taking the time to show us your projects. I look forward to all your posts…..
I spent many years in the mining industry in Minnesota and worked on a lot of Hitachi equipment hydraulics the drive system and the main swivel are very simple to work on, just take your time and it will work out well for you. I enjoy your videos
I had a machine with a ton of water in the oil, I would drain off 5 gallons, pour in turkey fryer bucket, heat to 212 degrees, boil off the water (about 1 minute to remove all the water) then cool and repeat. Did this for a few hours and got all the water out. Then I drained what I could and put in fresh oil and filters. worked pretty well
Thats brilliant👍👏 Thanks for the advice. I know I'll use it and pretty sure NWH will too once he finds the crossover leak. Damn hydraulic fluid is expensive.
Not a bad plan, I have also heard of using an immersion heater. Guy said he ran he ran an immersion heater in his hydraulic fluid like every year or something to boil out any water that was absorbed. Not sure if I could find the post again but he had a whole fleet that were being used daily and his hydraulic pumps lasted much longer.
Thank you for being wise and sane enough to pressure wash your machine before working on it. Too often RUclipsrs drag their nasty projects inside to make content videos. (This doesn’t apply to mechanics like SMA and WWW.)
Old girl cleaned up nicely. Working on a clean machine is much nicer than working on a dirty one. Lot of small jobs to do but I’m sure you’ll get it done with time. Thank you for sharing.
Lets face it Brian I think that many of us want our own excavator so we are watching someone achieve our dream so it is satisfying to see. I rent them from time to time but would love my own.
@@davebrittain9216 oh absolutely. I have a dozen projects for the next time I rent a mini. And a couple for the next time I rent a skidsteer. Lol, if only I had as much time as I have ambitions.
@@brianblank9921 Brian I think the price of excavators is crazy to start with so that is often killing our project plans. The last time I rented one was an absolute necessity. Our well partially collapsed in the middle of COVID so no one would come to bore me a new one. I did it myself costing me a total of 5200 bucks CDN versus the 25k the well companies wanted to do it that would not come out. While I had it I got rid of some rocks and stumps that were driving me crazy since we bought this new property. As it sits I have 10k worth of rental work still needing done.
really enjoy watching your videos who knew a 2am random recommended would get me so invested in something i know absolutely nothing about but its cool to learn about things, can't wait to see more in the future.
We pulled the swing motor on our hitachi last summer. We needed an a frame and one ton chain hoist to pull it. The problem is the two alignment dowel pins are really tight . Need to put strain on motor then rock it out. I would recommend getting 3/4 drive metric socket set. We sheared off three 1/2 inch getting those bolts off the swing gear motor. Have fun. Really enjoy your videos.
Watching this brought back memories for me. Business I worked for had an excavator that was exactly in same condition, but motor was good. That boom and bucket wobble. Had all crushed panels too. The machine caught fire 2x from using it on burn piles sucking in sparks and torching leaking hydraulic fluid. Can’t wait to watch this rebuild! Power on Matt !
Last summer I did the same thing, just a horrible experience, my guy showed up with a tractor and trailer probably 2 feet higher than yours far to short ramps and I was loading a machine made in 76 and revived the day prior after 20 years of sitting... watching this just brought it all back. 🤣 Thanks for filming it, cheers from Iceland
Excellent earthmoving equipment, I had one of these Excavators, but it had a serious problem, it had a computerized card and it suffered heavy damage, which forced me to cancel this card and change the system to mechanical, the operation was slow and I lost many contracts with the Colombian state, this machine practically broke me, a shame, because they are a very good team. A hug from Barranquilla - Colombia.
Thanks for the video today! I'm not a mechanic or anything close, but I like watching your informative videos for people like me. Videos get better every time you put one out! Thank you, all the best and God Bless!
That bolt in the front compartment where you found the lights looks like the bolt to take off your bucket! I ran the same exact machine for yrs! Super clean works great for the nasty oil and greasy areas also!
Amazing how a good cleaning makes stuff look a lot better. Love watching you figure things out and the property you have there looks great in the drone shots.
Matt, I am glad that you got this machine, as I look forward to many more videos on your channel as you go through it. I think that we should have a contest to see who guesses closest to the date that you give up your current day job and go full time with Matt's Heavy Equipment Repair.
You can pull that little plate with 2 bolts in it between the bottom of the boom cylinders to take a look at the swing gear. Also more than likely will have to replace all couplings on the hydraulic return line. Looks like a fun project, thanks for sharing.
For a complete novice with an excavator I think you did well loading an unloading the excavator and when you factor in the tracking issues on top of it, slow an easy is the word for the day. Thanks for the ride along, best of luck on the rebuild.
When you pull the swing drive I’d recommend also pulling the rotary manifold and resealing it aswell, not hard to do and much easier when the swing drive is out.
Again awesome video Matt and thank you for letting us see a little more of your world, really beautiful countryside where you live too. Your video editing skills are really coming along, I'm really enjoying watching these. The drone shots really do add to the videos and opens your world up and not claustrophobic inside your workshop and I'm not saying that it was bad before, just great timing with introducing a new element into your videos. Basically your videos are not boring us or the other end of giving us everything. You really do have the right balance and keep us wanting just a little bit more. Really good job mate you could teach a few people in hollywood about producing good quality entertainment. Seriously Matt, I've been watching your videos since your first d4 one and your really doing a great job with these, not many channels on here can get the right balance.
Man Matt you wanted a project and that sure is one. Every pin seems loose, every cylinder is leaking, hydraulic motors worn out, seals worn out, engine sounds tired, undercarriage seems to need care. I can’t wait for you to go through this thing top to bottom to restore it to good use but it’s quite a project! Thanks for sharing!
Well done getting it of the trailer...scary stuff that...theres something about seeing machines been jet washed its satisfying...looking forward to this project...
About that toolbox in the front; fill it with a de-greaser agent and some hot water. Loosen the dirt and whatnot using a dish brush and then either siphon or use a wet-vacuum cleaner to suck it dry. Also, consider making a drain hole.
Hey Matt, when you go to pull that swing pump, you just need to fashion a gantry out of pipe, wood, a pair of step ladders, or whatever. I yarded the 7.4 Mercruiser out of a 24' SeaRay in my gravel driveway with the boat on the trailer using a simple steel pipe gantry and a 2 ton chain fall. I look forward to more videos!!
That cleaned up pretty good. Looks like a really solid machine now that it’s cleaned up. Can’t wait to see some more dozer updates. Hopefully this weeks crazy snow didn’t delay parts or cause power issues for ya.
The best thing I've found for cleaning equipment like this, is gasoline. I use an air hose, 80 to 100 psi with a 30 deg. siphon. Remove the battery and make sure you are well away from any ignition source. It cleans like hell, leaves nothing behind (no residue) and the gas evaporates very quickly ! The only thing left on the machine, is the paint !
*- Good wash. Why so few people are smart enough to clean the stuff that needs fixed is beyond me.* *- Given your tenacity & smarts, full refurbishment should double the trade-in or sale value.* *- More importantly, getting things to rights will make your sense of balance feel a whole lot better.* *- With dents out and brightly repainted where needed will give you a machine that feels & works right.*
love your vids, wish thy were longer. it,s great that you are taking a chance and doing it right and complete. Looking forward to the next, not so long pls
Nice job handling that old beast, that must have been one tough job getting it loaded and unloaded again! I look forward to seeing you put some time into that excavator. I think she'll be a good working machine if you put the same level of care into it that you have with the D4. Also, you have a beautiful piece of property there! Thanks for the aerial tour!
If it’s like the other hitachi/John Deere machines that size/years I’ve worked on you can pull the swing gear box and motor out from the top without splitting the machine or anything like that. That’s a really good machine once fixed up. Simple to work on. No emissions crap. Not much for electronics. Have fun with it. Definitely definitely replace that muffler and up pipe before you run it anymore. That should be your first project on it. I’ve seen them burn flat to the ground from the muffler being bad and burning a hydro hose.
Also the swing motor leaking could be the center swivel and on some machine that center swivel effects the travel, thought you said something on it not traveling well?? Those ex 120s are probably the strongest 120s I’ve ever ran! Good luck man and look forward to the progress on the machine 👌🏻
Good skills - Check, Big Dozer - Check, Big Excavator - Check, Dog - Check, add some very competent footage - Check. Why are you not at a million subscribers.. lol Really enjoying your projects.
Sorry, but I'd remove the "Check Dog". Matt comes across an articulate narrator with class and empathy. I was disappointed to see him kick at his dog. I not saying this to be mean or critical. Maybe it was just "frustration" at the moment. When I was a youngster, my Dad coached me: "be careful with people who don't like animals". It has stuck with me for 80 years. Maybe I have a hang-up about how people treat animals.
I find it amazing engine bays in a lot of excavator videos mostly clean up really nice, since no one bothers to clean them the layers of grease and muck protect a lot of the components from the weather.
man i love your channel , when we pressure wash any tractors that we have in for restoration we soak it first in " jizer " its a heavy duty degreaser made by swarfega and it is brilliant at shifting caked on grrease and grime . big love from Ireland .
I bought on old JD120 a couple years ago that was filthy. Under the mud it was nicely pickled with oil and grease. Went to the store and bought several cans of oven cleaner and a box of Harbour Freight largest tarps. Spread several tarps and parked on them. The oven cleaner made cleaning the oil and grease a snap. One area at a time with a garden hose and spray gun and it came right off. Through some hay over the tarps when I was done rolled the tarps up and it was done. Sure helped to find and repair the leak areas.
It’s nice that you got a deal on that mobile oil leak, I can see that the previous owner hasn’t spent a single nickel on maintenance so probably figured (rightly) that it didn’t owe him anything. Looking forward to it getting some much needed love.
That’s a very popular model. Parts are (relatively) cheap and easy to get hold of and because so many were sold, the second-hand parts market is huge. With a clean, service, new filters and reseal of the main rams, you will feel much better. Some other things it’s expedient to ignore in the short term, like track parts and lights and panels. Good purchase, nice video.
Fix the tin-ware first - that'll keep the rain and dirt on the OUTSIDE! Fix the tank-caps to maintain the integrity of the fuel and the hydraulic-oil as you change them. then fix the cab - so that it will be reasonably comfortable to use the machine. By then you'll havea clear view of which are the most urgent mechanical repairs to do - my bet would be the final drives - to get your steering secure! Good luck and thanks for providing us all with your inspiring efforts!
The front right storage box can probably be unbolted from the swing frame. You can take it out and clean/paint it better. I did a 30 year old Cat E70B a few years ago that was in similar bad shape. Gutted the cab. She is still old, but looks a lot better now. Hang in there....
I guess after a good cleaning and many hose patches it will give you something to do. You got it home be very happy it was a fair trailer and a nice truck.
Great project. I suggest you take lots of photos when you disassemble to rebuild the swivel joint. And label or number the hose ends. I did a smaller machine and made a 50 slide PowerPoint. I needed it.
Bees !!😱 Starts really well. After ya get the major gunk off I have used Oven Cleaner as a degreaser. leave on for 15 20 min or best results leave on over night and spray off with hot water. Ooo looks scary backing off the trailer. I've loaded and unloaded excavators and run them a little. yeah that trailer was not the right type trailer. Inexperienced truck driver. Love looking in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" Box O Goodies😁 Bellypans are another good place to look. Need to find that skyhook to help pull swing motor LOL
hi Matt, those Hitachi's are pretty bullet proof apart from the wiring loom, if you are proficient at wiring I would recommend you redo all of the wiring especially under the cab frame under the flooring it all goes brittle and causes loads of problems.
This looks like an amazing project, you're gonna learn so much from this. I'm excited and happy for you. The fluid coming out of the swing bearing its probably from a bad seal in the swivel valve, it is located in front of the swing motor. Next time get a real lowboy, that driver was totally unprofessional.
I have this same machine and ended up pulling the swing gear to change that seal and a few o rings that have to come out to get to the seal. The best thing you can do is build yourself a long socket to reach down in there and unbolt that thing. Cut your socket in half front from back and weld 2 or 3 feet of heavy wall pipe or solid bar is better to serve as a rigid extension of sorts to get you up where you can put a big cheater on there or a 1” air gun if you have one. My seal job succeeded in keeping the oil in the gearbox but it didn’t solve the leaking from around the turntable. I suspect that there is an issue with the center joint.
When you change that oil cooler make sure you get new couplings. They are kind of like a flange clamp thing with big rubber seals inside. Being that old they probably won’t seal up again. If you could get just the rubbers fine but I ended up getting the whole couplers for pretty cheap when I did mine. Also make sure your tubes are really clean right before you slide them on and tighten them down or leaks.
You’re definitely going to want to reseal your cylinders. The seal kits are cheap but make sure the ones you get come with the wear ring for the gland because if you don’t change that they will probably start leaking again. Your probably gonna have 1 or all of them that you can’t get the nut off the rod but just load them up and drive to your local hydraulic shop and hire them to turn the nuts off, AND BACK ON! They have a bench and use hydraulic power to achieve massive torque. You don’t want those coming apart in there and ruining your barrels. If you don’t reseal those cylinders then you’re wasting your time washing that thing it will be black in no time again. You also will have to closely inspect your chrome. Especially on the curl cylinder. It may need a re-rod if it is scratched too badly. Sometimes they can just add chrome and grind.
I use simple green in about 25- 75 mix in a pump up sprayer and soak all of the nasty and let it set for and dry for a while and then presher wash it and it will come off in sheets !!!!!!!😊👍👍👍👍👍
Great video! Can't wait to see more D4 and then the work on the excavator! And that was some cool drone video, too! With regards to the trip home, I feel your pain. So much less stress when you can do it all yourself the way you want to. And I believe language barriers are responsible for many headaches. It's bad enough trying to hear around the machines. Noise and language barriers are probably responsible for a LOT of accidents - so I'm glad you got it home OK.
The swing gear itself is grease lubricated the swing drive on that 120 where known issues. Also the rotation manifold seals are probably shot if you got oil leaking straight down in the center
Honestly. The pressure washing is the most satisfying part of the video
I bought a Volvo EC55 excavator that was imported from the UK to Norway, where I am from. It previously had been red, but was totally cleaned out and repainted in Volvo Yellow and Grey. It looked fine on the outside, but had a lot of shit in the fuel system, worn out tracks, some very corroded Halogen lights and a faulty alternator, among other minor things. I invested in a lot of upgrades to it, including new LED's all around, new alternator, new tracks (rubber) and battery. After 3 years of usage I managed to sell it for a good bit more than what I paid for it. Interestiing to see these kind of fixer uppers. Best of luck.
Can't believe I watched a guy wash an excavator and enjoyed every minute of it!
It really gets me how some people treat their equipment. All you need to do is power wash once a week. It helps to find any small problems before it becomes a big problem.
Powerwashing your projects on arrival is always so worth it, you get to see the full picture
If/when finances allow, you should buy yourself a HOT pressure washer.
Hot water washing is SO much better/easier/faster!
On a quiet night I bet you could hear the grass under that machine weeping.
I'm always impressed that people want to take on jobs like these. There's a TON of intrinsic value in there if you can get all the issues resolved. Thanks for taking us along!
It sounds lik you answered your own question!
Matt just wanted you to know how much I enjoy your videos. Most people look at machinery, like you have acquired, and would just walk away. Where as you take the lemon and make lemonade….Thanks for taking the time to show us your projects. I look forward to all your posts…..
I spent many years in the mining industry in Minnesota and worked on a lot of Hitachi equipment hydraulics the drive system and the main swivel are very simple to work on, just take your time and it will work out well for you.
I enjoy your videos
I had a machine with a ton of water in the oil, I would drain off 5 gallons, pour in turkey fryer bucket, heat to 212 degrees, boil off the water (about 1 minute to remove all the water) then cool and repeat. Did this for a few hours and got all the water out. Then I drained what I could and put in fresh oil and filters. worked pretty well
Thats brilliant👍👏 Thanks for the advice. I know I'll use it and pretty sure NWH will too once he finds the crossover leak. Damn hydraulic fluid is expensive.
Not a bad plan, I have also heard of using an immersion heater. Guy said he ran he ran an immersion heater in his hydraulic fluid like every year or something to boil out any water that was absorbed. Not sure if I could find the post again but he had a whole fleet that were being used daily and his hydraulic pumps lasted much longer.
Great idea!!!’
Thank you for being wise and sane enough to pressure wash your machine before working on it. Too often RUclipsrs drag their nasty projects inside to make content videos. (This doesn’t apply to mechanics like SMA and WWW.)
Old girl cleaned up nicely. Working on a clean machine is much nicer than working on a dirty one. Lot of small jobs to do but I’m sure you’ll get it done with time. Thank you for sharing.
finally a site that cleans his project before working on it I appreciate you explaining how and what you are going to fix.
Less than an hour old, on a weekday, and you already have 2k views! Clearly people are enjoying your videos! Thanks for sharing Matt!
Lets face it Brian I think that many of us want our own excavator so we are watching someone achieve our dream so it is satisfying to see. I rent them from time to time but would love my own.
@@davebrittain9216 oh absolutely. I have a dozen projects for the next time I rent a mini. And a couple for the next time I rent a skidsteer. Lol, if only I had as much time as I have ambitions.
@@brianblank9921 Brian I think the price of excavators is crazy to start with so that is often killing our project plans. The last time I rented one was an absolute necessity. Our well partially collapsed in the middle of COVID so no one would come to bore me a new one. I did it myself costing me a total of 5200 bucks CDN versus the 25k the well companies wanted to do it that would not come out. While I had it I got rid of some rocks and stumps that were driving me crazy since we bought this new property. As it sits I have 10k worth of rental work still needing done.
Just washing it doubled the value. Its amazing how a good wash job can make any project look so much better!👍
really enjoy watching your videos who knew a 2am random recommended would get me so invested in something i know absolutely nothing about but its cool to learn about things, can't wait to see more in the future.
don't worry, I don't know much about it either 😂
Trial by fire, I could feel the panic, you did the right thing and stayed very cautious. It is done.
We pulled the swing motor on our hitachi last summer. We needed an a frame and one ton chain hoist to pull it. The problem is the two alignment dowel pins are really tight . Need to put strain on motor then rock it out. I would recommend getting 3/4 drive metric socket set. We sheared off three 1/2 inch getting those bolts off the swing gear motor. Have fun. Really enjoy your videos.
Watching this brought back memories for me. Business I worked for had an excavator that was exactly in same condition, but motor was good. That boom and bucket wobble. Had all crushed panels too. The machine caught fire 2x from using it on burn piles sucking in sparks and torching leaking hydraulic fluid. Can’t wait to watch this rebuild! Power on Matt !
Last summer I did the same thing, just a horrible experience, my guy showed up with a tractor and trailer probably 2 feet higher than yours far to short ramps and I was loading a machine made in 76 and revived the day prior after 20 years of sitting... watching this just brought it all back. 🤣 Thanks for filming it, cheers from Iceland
It was good to see Charlie frolicking around! Also, nice surprise visit from the family also.
Wow, that's quite a "back yard" you have there!!!!
After watching you working on the dozer I don't see you having all that much trouble on the new piece Good luck and have fun.👍👍
Not terribly familiar with sentence structure, huh? Illiteracy is getting to be a real problem these days, may want to go back to preschool.
Excellent earthmoving equipment, I had one of these Excavators, but it had a serious problem, it had a computerized card and it suffered heavy damage, which forced me to cancel this card and change the system to mechanical, the operation was slow and I lost many contracts with the Colombian state, this machine practically broke me, a shame, because they are a very good team. A hug from Barranquilla - Colombia.
Thanks for the video today! I'm not a mechanic or anything close, but I like watching your informative videos for people like me. Videos get better every time you put one out! Thank you, all the best and God Bless!
That bolt in the front compartment where you found the lights looks like the bolt to take off your bucket! I ran the same exact machine for yrs! Super clean works great for the nasty oil and greasy areas also!
Nicely done, it's looking good. I think you are the perfect guy to get this thing back in working shape.
Amazing how a good cleaning makes stuff look a lot better. Love watching you figure things out and the property you have there looks great in the drone shots.
Matt, I am glad that you got this machine, as I look forward to many more videos on your channel as you go through it. I think that we should have a contest to see who guesses closest to the date that you give up your current day job and go full time with Matt's Heavy Equipment Repair.
You can pull that little plate with 2 bolts in it between the bottom of the boom cylinders to take a look at the swing gear. Also more than likely will have to replace all couplings on the hydraulic return line. Looks like a fun project, thanks for sharing.
For a complete novice with an excavator I think you did well loading an unloading the excavator and when you factor in the tracking issues on top of it, slow an easy is the word for the day. Thanks for the ride along, best of luck on the rebuild.
When you pull the swing drive I’d recommend also pulling the rotary manifold and resealing it aswell, not hard to do and much easier when the swing drive is out.
I just don't know how someone let's such an expensive piece of equipment get so run down.
Glad your going to get it running again.
Love the videos!
You got it back safe and got it cleaned up and can do the work it needs to fix it up. All positive stuff!
Again awesome video Matt and thank you for letting us see a little more of your world, really beautiful countryside where you live too. Your video editing skills are really coming along, I'm really enjoying watching these. The drone shots really do add to the videos and opens your world up and not claustrophobic inside your workshop and I'm not saying that it was bad before, just great timing with introducing a new element into your videos. Basically your videos are not boring us or the other end of giving us everything. You really do have the right balance and keep us wanting just a little bit more. Really good job mate you could teach a few people in hollywood about producing good quality entertainment. Seriously Matt, I've been watching your videos since your first d4 one and your really doing a great job with these, not many channels on here can get the right balance.
If it can be "fixed up" you're the man that can do it! We got confidence in ye.
Man Matt you wanted a project and that sure is one. Every pin seems loose, every cylinder is leaking, hydraulic motors worn out, seals worn out, engine sounds tired, undercarriage seems to need care. I can’t wait for you to go through this thing top to bottom to restore it to good use but it’s quite a project! Thanks for sharing!
Well done getting it of the trailer...scary stuff that...theres something about seeing machines been jet washed its satisfying...looking forward to this project...
The wash job made it look a lot better.
I have a CAT Mini. I can tell you are taking your time operating it. That's a good thing.
Im pleased to see it arrived and you got it cleaned enough to work on.
Looking forward to the videos to come.
Thank you, for the continued, crane update!Living the dream!
About that toolbox in the front; fill it with a de-greaser agent and some hot water. Loosen the dirt and whatnot using a dish brush and then either siphon or use a wet-vacuum cleaner to suck it dry.
Also, consider making a drain hole.
Great stuff Matt! Great to see the engine hoist driving under its own steam!
You got unloaded and you have all ten fingers and toes. Job Done. Nice work!
Can't get enough of your videos.
Hey Matt, when you go to pull that swing pump, you just need to fashion a gantry out of pipe, wood, a pair of step ladders, or whatever. I yarded the 7.4 Mercruiser out of a 24' SeaRay in my gravel driveway with the boat on the trailer using a simple steel pipe gantry and a 2 ton chain fall. I look forward to more videos!!
Excited for restoration of this machine.
Go for it Matt. If there is anyone who can revive, fix, make it work as intended, then it is you sir. Hats off to you!! 👍👍👍
That cleaned up pretty good. Looks like a really solid machine now that it’s cleaned up. Can’t wait to see some more dozer updates. Hopefully this weeks crazy snow didn’t delay parts or cause power issues for ya.
The best thing I've found for cleaning equipment like this, is gasoline. I use an air hose, 80 to 100 psi with a 30 deg. siphon. Remove the battery and make sure you are well away from any ignition source. It cleans like hell, leaves nothing behind (no residue) and the gas evaporates very quickly ! The only thing left on the machine, is the paint !
*- Good wash. Why so few people are smart enough to clean the stuff that needs fixed is beyond me.*
*- Given your tenacity & smarts, full refurbishment should double the trade-in or sale value.*
*- More importantly, getting things to rights will make your sense of balance feel a whole lot better.*
*- With dents out and brightly repainted where needed will give you a machine that feels & works right.*
I’m a critical care RN and I’d waaaaay rather heal machines than people.
You inspire me Sir.
Now finish that Dozer!!!
love your vids, wish thy were longer. it,s great that you are taking a chance and doing it right and complete. Looking forward to the next, not so long pls
Loved the choice of Old Crow Medicine Show song on the radio.
Nice job handling that old beast, that must have been one tough job getting it loaded and unloaded again! I look forward to seeing you put some time into that excavator. I think she'll be a good working machine if you put the same level of care into it that you have with the D4. Also, you have a beautiful piece of property there! Thanks for the aerial tour!
Typical PNW spring - sunny and nice in one scene, snow in the next.
Now I realize you're located in Oregon where I grew up. Nice to see on a day when it's not raining. Really looking fwd to this project. Good luck.
If it’s like the other hitachi/John Deere machines that size/years I’ve worked on you can pull the swing gear box and motor out from the top without splitting the machine or anything like that. That’s a really good machine once fixed up. Simple to work on. No emissions crap. Not much for electronics. Have fun with it. Definitely definitely replace that muffler and up pipe before you run it anymore. That should be your first project on it. I’ve seen them burn flat to the ground from the muffler being bad and burning a hydro hose.
Also the swing motor leaking could be the center swivel and on some machine that center swivel effects the travel, thought you said something on it not traveling well?? Those ex 120s are probably the strongest 120s I’ve ever ran! Good luck man and look forward to the progress on the machine 👌🏻
Looks like a fun enjoyable project. Electrical, hydraulic, mechanical, sheet metal
Good skills - Check, Big Dozer - Check, Big Excavator - Check, Dog - Check, add some very competent footage - Check. Why are you not at a million subscribers.. lol Really enjoying your projects.
Sorry, but I'd remove the "Check Dog". Matt comes across an articulate narrator with class and empathy. I was disappointed to see him kick at his dog. I not saying this to be mean or critical. Maybe it was just "frustration" at the moment. When I was a youngster, my Dad coached me: "be careful with people who don't like animals". It has stuck with me for 80 years. Maybe I have a hang-up about how people treat animals.
I find it amazing engine bays in a lot of excavator videos mostly clean up really nice, since no one bothers to clean them the layers of grease and muck protect a lot of the components from the weather.
man i love your channel , when we pressure wash any tractors that we have in for restoration we soak it first in " jizer " its a heavy duty degreaser made by swarfega and it is brilliant at shifting caked on grrease and grime . big love from Ireland .
Glad you got it home safe. You should be able to get a lot of work done once it's fixed up and running right
Matt, I really like your videos. Very straight forward and to the point. You have a great sense for an amateur producer. Keep going please.
I bought on old JD120 a couple years ago that was filthy. Under the mud it was nicely pickled with oil and grease. Went to the store and bought several cans of oven cleaner and a box of Harbour Freight largest tarps. Spread several tarps and parked on them. The oven cleaner made cleaning the oil and grease a snap. One area at a time with a garden hose and spray gun and it came right off. Through some hay over the tarps when I was done rolled the tarps up and it was done. Sure helped to find and repair the leak areas.
It’s nice that you got a deal on that mobile oil leak, I can see that the previous owner hasn’t spent a single nickel on maintenance so probably figured (rightly) that it didn’t owe him anything. Looking forward to it getting some much needed love.
really enjoyed the tour of the property you have a really nice place.
Great entertainment for your family!
That’s a very popular model. Parts are (relatively) cheap and easy to get hold of and because so many were sold, the second-hand parts market is huge. With a clean, service, new filters and reseal of the main rams, you will feel much better. Some other things it’s expedient to ignore in the short term, like track parts and lights and panels.
Good purchase, nice video.
Stunningly lovely countryside in the drone shots
You being the mechanic that you are definitely a saveable. Machine i live a few miles from you look forward to seeing more good luck
Always enjoy your videos and seeing your next challenge, all the best in this restoration. Take care Matt.
Congrats PNH on getting the EX120 home. clean-up nice. alot of work to do, butt in the end it will be worth-it. lv ur videos.
Came for the 360 vid and then binged watched the dozer….. keep up the good work.
Can’t wait to see more of this machine!!
This is a great machine and the parts are readily available both new and used.
Great price on that machine, but you will need the patience of a saint to go through everything. Beautiful dog!
The leak from the ring gear area, may not be your swing motor, it can be the connections to the hoses that go to the track motors.
Spray everything rusty with Ospho. It neutralizes rust and can act as a primer for painting.
Fix the tin-ware first - that'll keep the rain and dirt on the OUTSIDE! Fix the tank-caps to maintain the integrity of the fuel and the hydraulic-oil as you change them. then fix the cab - so that it will be reasonably comfortable to use the machine. By then you'll havea clear view of which are the most urgent mechanical repairs to do - my bet would be the final drives - to get your steering secure!
Good luck and thanks for providing us all with your inspiring efforts!
the important thing is your back on the farm no ones dead or mamed call it a win
Loved the drone flyover your property......beautiful piece of land!!!
The front right storage box can probably be unbolted from the swing frame. You can take it out and clean/paint it better. I did a 30 year old Cat E70B a few years ago that was in similar bad shape. Gutted the cab. She is still old, but looks a lot better now. Hang in there....
I guess after a good cleaning and many hose patches it will give you something to do.
You got it home be very happy it was a fair trailer and a nice truck.
Great project. I suggest you take lots of photos when you disassemble to rebuild the swivel joint. And label or number the hose ends. I did a smaller machine and made a 50 slide PowerPoint. I needed it.
Definitely label your hoses, I learned that lesson the hard way!
Bees !!😱
Starts really well.
After ya get the major gunk off I have used Oven Cleaner as a degreaser. leave on for 15 20 min or best results leave on over night and spray off with hot water.
Ooo looks scary backing off the trailer. I've loaded and unloaded excavators and run them a little. yeah that trailer was not the right type trailer. Inexperienced truck driver.
Love looking in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" Box O Goodies😁 Bellypans are another good place to look.
Need to find that skyhook to help pull swing motor LOL
hi Matt,
those Hitachi's are pretty bullet proof apart from the wiring loom, if you are proficient at wiring I would recommend you redo all of the wiring especially under the cab frame under the flooring it all goes brittle and causes loads of problems.
Great job getting that bad boy home. Hope to see more about it soon.
Why?
14:45... snow. In western Oregon, in April. New weather record there...
There might be a little plate with two bolts if you go up from underneath the track frame . My guess is the center section is filled with water.
That old machine has definitely found a good home! (Hi Charlie)
This looks like an amazing project, you're gonna learn so much from this. I'm excited and happy for you.
The fluid coming out of the swing bearing its probably from a bad seal in the swivel valve, it is located in front of the swing motor.
Next time get a real lowboy, that driver was totally unprofessional.
I have this same machine and ended up pulling the swing gear to change that seal and a few o rings that have to come out to get to the seal. The best thing you can do is build yourself a long socket to reach down in there and unbolt that thing. Cut your socket in half front from back and weld 2 or 3 feet of heavy wall pipe or solid bar is better to serve as a rigid extension of sorts to get you up where you can put a big cheater on there or a 1” air gun if you have one. My seal job succeeded in keeping the oil in the gearbox but it didn’t solve the leaking from around the turntable. I suspect that there is an issue with the center joint.
When you change that oil cooler make sure you get new couplings. They are kind of like a flange clamp thing with big rubber seals inside. Being that old they probably won’t seal up again. If you could get just the rubbers fine but I ended up getting the whole couplers for pretty cheap when I did mine. Also make sure your tubes are really clean right before you slide them on and tighten them down or leaks.
You’re definitely going to want to reseal your cylinders. The seal kits are cheap but make sure the ones you get come with the wear ring for the gland because if you don’t change that they will probably start leaking again. Your probably gonna have 1 or all of them that you can’t get the nut off the rod but just load them up and drive to your local hydraulic shop and hire them to turn the nuts off, AND BACK ON! They have a bench and use hydraulic power to achieve massive torque. You don’t want those coming apart in there and ruining your barrels. If you don’t reseal those cylinders then you’re wasting your time washing that thing it will be black in no time again. You also will have to closely inspect your chrome. Especially on the curl cylinder. It may need a re-rod if it is scratched too badly. Sometimes they can just add chrome and grind.
With the transport managed.
Nice to see the progress. I predict a busy summer. M.
I use simple green in about 25- 75 mix in a pump up sprayer and soak all of the nasty and let it set for and dry for a while and then presher wash it and it will come off in sheets !!!!!!!😊👍👍👍👍👍
Great video! Can't wait to see more D4 and then the work on the excavator! And that was some cool drone video, too! With regards to the trip home, I feel your pain. So much less stress when you can do it all yourself the way you want to. And I believe language barriers are responsible for many headaches. It's bad enough trying to hear around the machines. Noise and language barriers are probably responsible for a LOT of accidents - so I'm glad you got it home OK.
I love the Corvair station wagon at 3:22 on the left.
Looking forward to this rebuild/ get her running series. You hooked me with the D4
Good luck she will be good again in your hands I know you will fixer right look forward to d4 again
The swing gear itself is grease lubricated the swing drive on that 120 where known issues. Also the rotation manifold seals are probably shot if you got oil leaking straight down in the center
a good clean makes the excavator look so much better, well done.