Komatsu Equipment

[RichBennett]

Just wanted some opinions from people who own, use or work on Komatsu products. How are they (reliable or garbage) ? Are they Cummins powered ? How do they rate compared to CAT or Deere stuff ? I may be able to get into a Komatsu apprenticeship through my local Cummins dealership but dont know much about them. So any info would help.



Thanx

 

[_Hyde]

I worked for a Komatsu forklift dealer for several years and was told that at one time they used Cummins engines but then began to build their own under license. About the time I quit working for them they had started using a non turbo B5. 9 in their 10K# lifts. Can't tell you much about construction/ag equipment but their lift trucks are a very good product.

 

[michigandon]

I used to work for a contractor that owned a 220 excavator. Whisper quiet and stone cold reliable! Parts were tricky to obtain occasionally though (i. e, A hydraulic hose blew once. There were no shops ANYWHERE that had metric hydraulic fittings, and the dealr had nothing in stock with a LONNNNNNG wait to obtain a replacement from overseas. They ended up removing one from a brand new machine on the lot to get the owner back in business ASAP. ), but the was 13+ years ago, so I'm sure they've improved on that aspect.



Can't remeber what it was powered by, but I do remember seeing it with the hood up once and being suprised that it was turbocharged! Oh yeah, it had some hilarious Engrish warning lables in the cab too. :-laf

 

[mrsnow]

Let me start off by saying that I am a heavy equipment operator. From my experience the komatsu equipment that my company owns or rents has proven to be very reliable. I was pokin' around under the hood of our pc200lc(excavator) and it had what appeared to be a Cummins. Although I couldn't find any badging it had valve covers like the older 12v's, a holset hx35 turbo and the lift eye had U. S. A. stamped on it. If it wasn't a ctd then it sure as heck looked like one. imo komatsu is the Japanese equivalent of cat.

 

[Jeff H]

This what I heard. Info came off this site.

Komatsu uses Cummins engine in there equipment. When Komatsu gets the engines they pull off the serial numbers and replace it with a komatsu numbers. So if it looks like a Cummins. Its a good chance that it is.

 

[trever]

I worked on komatsu dozer engines for 6 months. The engines I built were not cummins. good equipment imo. As good as cat.

 

[HBrunton]

I work at a Komatsu dealership. Komatsu and Cummins, as it was explained to me, goes like this, Komatsu uses engines that are bought from Cummins without a serial number. Komatsu then puts their serial number and engine model number on. Cummins will not acknowledge these numbers for any warranty or parts. Komatsu also uses engines that are their own build as well as ones that have a Cummins logo on them. It depends on what the machine model is. Komatsu has used everything from B series to l-10,m-11,855,n-14,qsk 19.

As far as the rest of the machinery line, pretty reliable machines on the whole, alot depends on how they are maintained, Remember though, if man made it, then man can sure as hell find a way to break it... ... .....

Very good product support and training from the factory. If you would like to become a heavy eqpt mech or something related to the heavy equip this is a good place to start

 

[DieselTweaker]

The company I use to work for owned mainly Komatsu from a d31 up to a d375 and quite a few pc200's very reliable some had cummins and some were Komatsu and they are very good,but very costely to rebuild, but Keep up on your services and keep it GREASED and youll be fine

 

[lil red cummins]

i just checked to see if komatsu has manufacturing in the USA, and it appears they have at least one plant in newberry SC. at one time i thought they had a plant in indiana or illinois. is this true or just rumor?



every machine i have ever been around is incredibly quiet and smooth to operate. i don't run them daily, but have been allowed to play occassionally. the people that own them love the way they work and how strong they are.



jim

 

[SSage]

The mechanics say they last longer than the Cats and have much less problems over time. My dirt contractor has been running them since 1986 and they continue to purchase new ones. The last few JD/Hitachi track hoes all had more problems than the Komatsu tractors. The larger Komatsu tractors have been good purchases.



I still prefer the small Cat dozers like the D4 LGP with a cab and its hard to beat a 963. Komatsu is a great choice for track hoes and large dozers that will be kept for a long time.

 

[Dieselnut59]

We sell Komatsu forklifts. They use Yanmar diesels in their smaller lifts (up to 6000# capacity) and natural aspirated 5. 9 Cummins in their 7-11,000 #(I believe) lifts. They use their own engines in the over 15,000# lifts. Their final production plant for the under 15,000# forklifts is in Covington, Ga. The technical term for this "final production" plant should be "Assembled in USA of foreign and domestic componets". Excellent forklifts. We have had great success from them in the two years we have been selling/leasing/renting them.

On another note, the other forklift manufacturer who we sell lifts for is Daewoo and they use a 2. 2 liter engine built by Cummins in their 4000# and under lifts It is a natural aspirated 4-popper.

Many "all terrain" type lifts use Cummins 3. 9's and 5. 9's.

Every modern Cummins built engine I have ever had any dealings with has been a great one.

 

[jimk]

My father had a track hoe the had a 5 yard bucket, and it had a cummins engine in it. We did a lot of work on it but it was used hard before he bought it. It was a big piece of equiment to use on the farm. I would not have a problem with owing Komatsu equiment, Jim

 

[Tcolesanti]

I've run a Komatsu dozer, equivelant of a D-8 and that thing was every bit as nice as the D-8N we had in the quarry.

 

[CATCRACKER]

all you see people buying around here these days are komatsu. .



i am seeing alot of volvo's track hoes also



volvo and komatsu use cummins so does hitachi and kobelco as well as many more.



i wonder if they will ever use a powerstroke or duramax... . i can answer that never... .