I just got mine! I adjusted the throttle way down to let it idle a lower rpm, what a difference!! so jerky, now actually driveable without low levels of terror! Thanks for your pickup video as well! Ritchie here didn't ask me to wear a vest (I did get one!) and a very kind young woman with the careful touch of an angel just plopped the Ex in my trailer, good thing took me hours to get it started (fuel shutoff valve on carb). Another guy was there too and we couldn't get his started, great tips! (I also very carefully loaded\unloaded from the trailer with the bucket sticking out front per your recommendation in the other video, way safer!)
I have operated a John Deere 410 Backhoe back in the day and other backhoes. For me I had to swap hydraulic lines around to help with me to operate smoother. I moved lines for Boom lift/lower to left joystick and the dipper in/out to the right joystick. It's really a matter of preference and what you have operated before. I just like the dipper and bucket curl on same joystick. Saying that, Throttle down helps a lot; but I also find with these "Mini's" it does get jerky trying to do two functions at once (with same joystick). Say, trying to dipper in and curl bucket at same time and lift or lower boom to keep flat bottom of trench or whatever. It can get Jerky. I have a Miva VA 13. Yes, I have made "mods" on mine also, like other You Tubers have shown. Added 2 80-watt 12 V fans to engine compartment to suck in cool air and blow out hot, I had to add hinges and latches to access engine compartment easier and changed grease zerks to nipples.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I love hearing what others are experiencing with their mini excavator. Fortunately for me, I don't have enough time on a backhoe to have a need to unlearn any muscle memory for the controls. So, that's one thing I won't have to wrench on. I expected to have to put cooling fans on this, and I have the fans picked out and saved in my Amazon list, but so far I have not seen any issues at all with this running too hot. It's probably because I have not yet done any work where I just climb aboard and dig for hours at a time. Trailering and unloading the dirt gives it time to cool between loads. I do have some things on my to-do list that will expose the heat issues, if there be any. I'll let you all know. Thanks again. Stay safe!
Have same model- tracks fall off a lot - throttle hunts when not at full since purchase, electric start failed gradually - key is stiff and ignition loosened up. Still digging 6 months later!
Yes, I've repeatedly said that same thing. But, honestly, the fact that this is a cheaper unit is pretty much irrelevant. I spend a tremendous amount of time in the workshop maintaining and repairing the wide array of equipment (mostly name brand stuff) that we use around the homestead. If you use it regularly, you'll either be wrenching on it yourself or paying someone else to do it.
drill q small hole into the throttle control that you say is the "manual control" as far to the end as possible Take the throttle cable loos from where it is attached. Take the choke cable conduit loose and move below the screw that tightens the clamp to the conduit Put the throttle cable in the top part of the choke clamp and tighten up holding both the choke conduit and throttle conduit. get a small cable clamp and run the throttle cable through it, then through the hole you drilled and then back through the clamp. Move the dash mounted throttle control to near full speed. Pull the cable to make the "manual leaver" open to full speed. Tighten the clamp You now have near 2/3 of your dash mounted controller moving the leaver instead of abut 1.5 inches (some adj may be needed) It makes it easer to find the "sweet spot when doing a job
I just got mine! I adjusted the throttle way down to let it idle a lower rpm, what a difference!! so jerky, now actually driveable without low levels of terror! Thanks for your pickup video as well! Ritchie here didn't ask me to wear a vest (I did get one!) and a very kind young woman with the careful touch of an angel just plopped the Ex in my trailer, good thing took me hours to get it started (fuel shutoff valve on carb). Another guy was there too and we couldn't get his started, great tips! (I also very carefully loaded\unloaded from the trailer with the bucket sticking out front per your recommendation in the other video, way safer!)
That's awesome! Have fun and stay safe.
I have operated a John Deere 410 Backhoe back in the day and other backhoes. For me I had to swap hydraulic lines around to help with me to operate smoother. I moved lines for Boom lift/lower to left joystick and the dipper in/out to the right joystick. It's really a matter of preference and what you have operated before. I just like the dipper and bucket curl on same joystick. Saying that, Throttle down helps a lot; but I also find with these "Mini's" it does get jerky trying to do two functions at once (with same joystick). Say, trying to dipper in and curl bucket at same time and lift or lower boom to keep flat bottom of trench or whatever. It can get Jerky. I have a Miva VA 13. Yes, I have made "mods" on mine also, like other You Tubers have shown. Added 2 80-watt 12 V fans to engine compartment to suck in cool air and blow out hot, I had to add hinges and latches to access engine compartment easier and changed grease zerks to nipples.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I love hearing what others are experiencing with their mini excavator. Fortunately for me, I don't have enough time on a backhoe to have a need to unlearn any muscle memory for the controls. So, that's one thing I won't have to wrench on. I expected to have to put cooling fans on this, and I have the fans picked out and saved in my Amazon list, but so far I have not seen any issues at all with this running too hot. It's probably because I have not yet done any work where I just climb aboard and dig for hours at a time. Trailering and unloading the dirt gives it time to cool between loads. I do have some things on my to-do list that will expose the heat issues, if there be any. I'll let you all know. Thanks again. Stay safe!
Have same model- tracks fall off a lot - throttle hunts when not at full since purchase, electric start failed gradually - key is stiff and ignition loosened up. Still digging 6 months later!
Hopefully more digging than wrenching. Did yours have lock nuts on the track tensioners?
Good catch. Luckily you were able to find that yourself.
Thanks. I'm glad it was a simple fix, too.
Why I say if you are buying a cheaper mini excavator. You need to be able to work on it. Some little thing can go wrong
Yes, I've repeatedly said that same thing. But, honestly, the fact that this is a cheaper unit is pretty much irrelevant. I spend a tremendous amount of time in the workshop maintaining and repairing the wide array of equipment (mostly name brand stuff) that we use around the homestead. If you use it regularly, you'll either be wrenching on it yourself or paying someone else to do it.
drill q small hole into the throttle control that you say is the "manual control" as far to the end as possible
Take the throttle cable loos from where it is attached.
Take the choke cable conduit loose and move below the screw that tightens the clamp to the conduit
Put the throttle cable in the top part of the choke clamp and tighten up holding both the choke conduit and throttle conduit.
get a small cable clamp and run the throttle cable through it, then through the hole you drilled and then back through the clamp.
Move the dash mounted throttle control to near full speed.
Pull the cable to make the "manual leaver" open to full speed.
Tighten the clamp
You now have near 2/3 of your dash mounted controller moving the leaver instead of abut 1.5 inches (some adj may be needed)
It makes it easer to find the "sweet spot when doing a job
Thanks for the detailed suggestion!
Hint, use a dollar store pool noodle zip tied to the back bar so your engine cover doesn't slam into the bar when you hinge open the cover.
Not a bad idea. I'll check into that.
I like that pool noodle hint.
what was your out the door price$
Just under $4,900 with the auction commission and sales taxes.
Lucky mine was the nut on top of the linkage
Yeah, those mechanical governor systems have so many nuts, screws, springs and levers, and any single one can prevent the whole thing from behaving.
It happened to me but low ideal not fast ..dident take me long to find that one .lol,,,
I love the easy fixes!
Just watching I'm gonna say nut on top of motor,??at throttle linkage
That was definitely one of the first things I checked, but I had to dig deeper this time.