Hanix Mini Giant excavator?

[Yooper]

Dang Bill! Have to admit I’m a little envious of your project. My bucket list has rebuilding a track machine on it but I don’t think it will ever happen. Wife’s grandpa had a Terra Track but it got sold unbeknownst to me. Keep the updates coming! I see some more lathe work in your future

 

[Lil Foot]

Got all the fuel lines, fuel return lines, & 2 fuel filters replaced today, re-installed the fuel pump & cleaned up it's wiring. New coolant, fanbelt, and radiator hose clamps installed, overflow tank cleaned.
Tomorrow I will drop in the battery, purge the lines & fire it up. If I don't have any leaks, I'll get it hot & change the oil.
For a change of pace, I cleaned/checked/rewired the lights in the front of the top; they now both work, and the wiring is good down to the engine compartment. When I get around to the dash, should be simple to re-connect them to power & switch.
Been taking all the dirty paper towels & rags I use for wiping stuff down while working on the engine and such and wiping off tons of excess grease & dirt from the boom/stick/bucket joints. Filled three plastic grocery bags so far.

 

[Lil Foot]

I see some more lathe work in your future

Definitely! Right now I know the bucket pivots are all shot, but it is so dirty/greasy I can't begin to see what needs to be done yet.

 

[Yooper]

Definitely! Right now I know the bucket pivots are all shot, but it is so dirty/greasy I can't begin to see what needs to be done yet.

I also see some power washer time coming up

 

[Lil Foot]

Bob,
I already hit most of the boom/stick with the pressure washer before I brought it home.
It did not touch most of it.
Where the grease/dirt/hydraulic oil is thick & still soft, a lot of it can be wiped away, but most of that crud is going to have to be scraped off. i've used a plastic putty knife, which gets some of it off, but I want to stay away from a metal putty knife, because it will scratch the paint. I think it is going to be a long, multi-step process with scraping, detergents, solvents, & pressure washing.
In this pic, I have already PWed the boom & the cylinder on top of it pretty heavily, (not the pivots, didn't want to fill the joints with H2O)
It is still hard to read "Mini Giant", and that area was also scraped with the plastic putty knife.
I think Super Clean will cut it, but it is pricey in the quantities I'll need, and maybe a little hard on paint.
I've got a gallon of Simple Green around here somewhere, maybe that will work.

 

[Lil Foot]

1st pic is the boom pivot, 2nd bucket pivot.

 

[Lil Foot]

I'd appreciate any ideas you folks have on how to repair the plastic top. (somewhere down the road)
Not sure what plastic it is, feels like PE.
It has numerous tears, crunches, holes, & flaps from running into things. (tree branches?)
I used to be pretty good at hot air welding polypro, but never this thin. (assuming it is a weldable plastic)
I guess two options are to just ignore it, or trim off the flaps & loose pieces, and then ignore it.
And yes, it's under a tarp.

 

[Lil Foot]

I need opinions on this also.
There is a sort of heavy sheet metal guard on the front of the boom cylinder, apparently to keep anything (rock, log) that is curled against the cylinder from causing damage to the cylinder. It appears to be about .090 thk, maybe 2 1/2" - 3"wide, sort of a flat "C" channel, that slides onto a block welded to the cylinder.
It is quite bent up, (and incredibly dirty) and will be a PITA to straighten.

My question is could I use this guard as a mount for a larger, possibly serrated or toothed plate, for the same purpose, I.E. as a base to curl a log or rock against it for transport.
I was thinking maybe a 4" wide, 3/4" thk, length of the cylinder, piece of aluminum with "teeth" cut into it.

Or is curling anything against the cylinder a bad idea that should be avoided completely?

I would appreciate your opinions.

Thanks.

P.S. - The middle drawing shows the gaurd attached to the cylinder ram, which would let it slide up & down as the ram extended or retracted. Mine is too dirty & bent to see if it is the same way, or maybe mine is a different design. Doesn't appear to attach to the ram, but we shall see.

 

[motionclone]

I need opinions on this also.
There is a sort of heavy sheet metal guard on the front of the boom cylinder, apparently to keep anything (rock, log) that is curled against the cylinder from causing damage to the cylinder. It appears to be about .090 thk, maybe 2 1/2" - 3"wide, sort of a flat "C" channel, that slides onto a block welded to the cylinder.
It is quite bent up, (and incredibly dirty) and will be a PITA to straighten.

My question is could I use this guard as a mount for a larger, possibly serrated or toothed plate, for the same purpose, I.E. as a base to curl a log or rock against it for transport.
I was thinking maybe a 4" wide, 3/4" thk, length of the cylinder, piece of aluminum with "teeth" cut into it.

Or is curling anything against the cylinder a bad idea that should be avoided completely?

I would appreciate your opinions.

Thanks.

P.S. - The middle drawing shows the gaurd attached to the cylinder ram, which would let it slide up & down as the ram extended or retracted. Mine is too dirty & bent to see if it is the same way, or maybe mine is a different design. Doesn't appear to attach to the ram, but we shall see.

View attachment 73117 View attachment 73118 View attachment 73119

Its meant to protect the rod from getting nicked. I wouldnt carry anything up against the cyllinder, not meant to be side loaded like that.
Instead when moving a rock or log, wedge it between the bucket and grade blade then lift both slightly.
Cool little project.

 

[fried1765]

Got all the fuel lines, fuel return lines, & 2 fuel filters replaced today, re-installed the fuel pump & cleaned up it's wiring. New coolant, fanbelt, and radiator hose clamps installed, overflow tank cleaned.
Tomorrow I will drop in the battery, purge the lines & fire it up. If I don't have any leaks, I'll get it hot & change the oil.
For a change of pace, I cleaned/checked/rewired the lights in the front of the top; they now both work, and the wiring is good down to the engine compartment. When I get around to the dash, should be simple to re-connect them to power & switch.
Been taking all the dirty paper towels & rags I use for wiping stuff down while working on the engine and such and wiping off tons of excess grease & dirt from the boom/stick/bucket joints. Filled three plastic grocery bags so far.

Recommend daily proper disposal of those greasy rags/towels.
Spontaneous combustion (in bags) is a very real issue!
Ask me how I know this!

 

[Lil Foot]

Good tip, thanks!

 

[Lil Foot]

Small interesting point, not significant, but interesting.
The parts manual shows two support columns for the top, but no crossbar. Poor to no rollover protection?
Excavator has gusseted crossbar, appears to be factory weld/paint, with safety sticker.
Makes me wonder if there are some out there without the crossbar.

See the discolored area on the crossbar, left side of pic? PO kept the key on a plastic bungee looped around the crossbar. (it does not need to be in the key switch except for starting) From there it bounced around crazily, hitting the crossbar and the operator's head. I got tired of it trying to drill holes in my head like a woodpecker. Different strokes.

 

[fried1765]

Bob,
I already hit most of the boom/stick with the pressure washer before I brought it home.
It did not touch most of it.
Where the grease/dirt/hydraulic oil is thick & still soft, a lot of it can be wiped away, but most of that crud is going to have to be scraped off. i've used a plastic putty knife, which gets some of it off, but I want to stay away from a metal putty knife, because it will scratch the paint. I think it is going to be a long, multi-step process with scraping, detergents, solvents, & pressure washing.
In this pic, I have already PWed the boom & the cylinder on top of it pretty heavily, (not the pivots, didn't want to fill the joints with H2O)
It is still hard to read "Mini Giant", and that area was also scraped with the plastic putty knife.
I think Super Clean will cut it, but it is pricey in the quantities I'll need, and maybe a little hard on paint.
I've got a gallon of Simple Green around here somewhere, maybe that will work.
View attachment 73046

From looking at your post pressure washing photos, I can only assume that you do NOT have a hot pressure washer.
If you can beg/borrow/or steal a hot pressure washer, and use an industrial detergent, you should have dramatically improved cleaning results!
My 45 year old "Hotsy" would quickly remove every trace of that gunk/goo!
200 degree water makes an amazing difference!

 

[torch]

From there it bounced around crazily, hitting the crossbar and the operator's head.

That wouldn't happen if you were wearing your hard hat! <lol>

 

[Lil Foot]

From looking at your post pressure washing photos, I can only assume that you do NOT have a hot pressure washer.

You are correct sir. If I can find one, I will probably have to do it up north- it will leave a pile of grease, oil, and dirt that I'll need the tracks to crawl out of, then I will probably have to bury the spot to keep from tracking it around.

 

[fried1765]

You are correct sir. If I can find one, I will probably have to do it up north- it will leave a pile of grease, oil, and dirt that I'll need the tracks to crawl out of, then I will probably have to bury the spot to keep from tracking it around.

Yup.....but the greasy mess will then be on the ground, instead of all over that really sweet looking little Hanix.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

You can get ZEP purple cleaner cheaper than Castrol super clean, get it at HD!
Super cool project!
I'm also envious, I could really use something like that around here!

 

[Daren Todd]

Recommend daily proper disposal of those greasy rags/towels.
Spontaneous combustion (in bags) is a very real issue!
Ask me how I know this!

Sniff!!!! Sniff!!! Whats that smell?????

 

[fried1765]

Sniff!!!! Sniff!!! Whats that smell?????

It is the smoke,...... followed very soon by the flames! !

 

[BAP]

Hot water pressure washer with a turbo rotating tip will take that off without using any soap. I have cleaned lots of equipment that looked that bad using one and never used any soap