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I was chatting with an operator of a Cat excavator who was building retaining walls with large rocks. His machine is chipped to produce more HP, the hydraulic p

I was chatting with an operator of a Cat excavator who was building retaining walls with large rocks. His machine is chipped to produce more HP, the hydraulic pump is tweaked to allow a higher pressure, hoses and seals are upgraded as they fail. According to Cat there is no reason for him to do this, it will only cause seals, hoses, etc to wear out faster. According to him, the owner of the machine who has to live with it each day there is a reason - because he wants to and it is his machine. He knows the downsides, but he also knows he can lift larger rocks higher and faster than he can with a stock machine - so it is worth it to him. If the owner of a machine wants to ruin it or improve it, I think that is their right to do so - at the risk of the warranty. On a different note - I can easily change the fuel filter on my car. The problem is I don't have the software to tell it that I've done so and to prime the fuel system before starting. I'm left in the same boat, gray market cables to talk to the car or pay through the nose for the dealer to push a few buttons. I've had thoughts of ditching "modern" cars for an awesome restored classic that can be worked on. The price is about the same.

jacquesm 12y ago
That's not just a warranty issue, that's also dangerous. He simply needs a larger machine.
- luckydude 12y ago
  I normally agree with you but I can imagine situations where a small pimped out machine is better than a bigger one. Especially in suburban areas, you might not be able to get the big machine to the back yard for example. Other than that, I'm in the bigger is better camp :)
lafar6502 12y ago
Nicely said. Otherwise this leads to TAAS quickly (Tractor as a service) and monthly payment just for being able to use it. Or Tesla as a service - where you not only buy a vehicle but also a recurring profit to the manufacturer and a long list of things you have to do or are not allowed to do. Oops, we're already there.
luckydude 12y ago
I was friends (past tense because he died of a heart attack) with a guy who operated an excavator (~12,000 pound Kubota KX161-3S) up in the Santa Cruz mountains. We've got some pretty steep terrain here. He has walked that excavator into places you simply would not believe it could go. I bought that excavator from him and the company replaced it with a newer model with more "safety" features. According to him if you got on too steep of a slope it shut itself off. Super, super dangerous. Yeah, I get it, he was pushing past the point where he was completely safe. His choice and he could do things with that machine, amazing things. I'm not a fan of the direction heavy equipment is going.

jacquesm 12y ago

That's not just a warranty issue, that's also dangerous. He simply needs a larger machine.

luckydude 12y ago
I normally agree with you but I can imagine situations where a small pimped out machine is better than a bigger one. Especially in suburban areas, you might not be able to get the big machine to the back yard for example. Other than that, I'm in the bigger is better camp :)

lafar6502 12y ago

Nicely said. Otherwise this leads to TAAS quickly (Tractor as a service) and monthly payment just for being able to use it. Or Tesla as a service - where you not only buy a vehicle but also a recurring profit to the manufacturer and a long list of things you have to do or are not allowed to do. Oops, we're already there.

luckydude 12y ago

I was friends (past tense because he died of a heart attack) with a guy who operated an excavator (~12,000 pound Kubota KX161-3S) up in the Santa Cruz mountains. We've got some pretty steep terrain here. He has walked that excavator into places you simply would not believe it could go. I bought that excavator from him and the company replaced it with a newer model with more "safety" features. According to him if you got on too steep of a slope it shut itself off. Super, super dangerous. Yeah, I get it, he was pushing past the point where he was completely safe. His choice and he could do things with that machine, amazing things. I'm not a fan of the direction heavy equipment is going.