Your thoughts now on Tiltrotators.

[Grahams]

If I had to, I'd go rotate. I did consider it for the 3cx. But after doing exactly what you guys have been playing - a rotate only day I've decided that its not for me. I'm either full tilt and rotate, or I'll take a fixed bucket. Having half of the functionality is somehow more frustrating than having none!

I think that is the trouble with using a tilt rotator, every time you are in a machine without your brain is telling you that you could be so much more productive with one. Trouble is only on fixed price jobs do you seem to be able to justify the cost.
I don't understand why they are still so expensive. Yes they probably took a lot of time and money to go from nothing to being able to tilt and rotate reliably, but that was overcome years ago. Now it it basically marginal gains in improvement which arguably and unecessary.

 

[Gunners]

Have you guys seen the "basic" tiltrotators Engcon are now doing? No good if you want to run a grab or any hydraulic attachment under them but seem good value to plug and play to get tilt and rotate functionality. Rumour they are bringing SS1 back too - the basic control system for those of us without 2 aux lines.
Maybe the cost of them now is finally opening up a reason to have a cheaper alternative again.

 

[Grahams]

Have you guys seen the "basic" tiltrotators Engcon are now doing? No good if you want to run a grab or any hydraulic attachment under them but seem good value to plug and play to get tilt and rotate functionality. Rumour they are bringing SS1 back too - the basic control system for those of us without 2 aux lines.
Maybe the cost of them now is finally opening up a reason to have a cheaper alternative again.

Don't they have manual hitch? I think that is a step too far.
I ran hydraulic attachments under mine that won't run through and just linked up to the main auxilary circuit. Only had 180 rotation either way, but good enough for most things.

 

[doobin]

If I had to, I'd go rotate. I did consider it for the 3cx. But after doing exactly what you guys have been playing - a rotate only day I've decided that its not for me. I'm either full tilt and rotate, or I'll take a fixed bucket. Having half of the functionality is somehow more frustrating than having none!

I’ve gone with a tilt bucket as a stopgap on the 86c because it’s so much cheaper than a rotate bucket.

 

[doobin]

Have you guys seen the "basic" tiltrotators Engcon are now doing? No good if you want to run a grab or any hydraulic attachment under them but seem good value to plug and play to get tilt and rotate functionality. Rumour they are bringing SS1 back too - the basic control system for those of us without 2 aux lines.
Maybe the cost of them now is finally opening up a reason to have a cheaper alternative again.

Yes the basic ones were discussed a while back. About time, nobody needs to run flails etc under a tilty on a 1.9t.

Is the ss1 a button to divert from tilt to rotate?

 

[JerryRtilt]

If I had to, I'd go rotate. I did consider it for the 3cx. But after doing exactly what you guys have been playing - a rotate only day I've decided that its not for me. I'm either full tilt and rotate, or I'll take a fixed bucket. Having half of the functionality is somehow more frustrating than having none!

I'm still thinking of giving it a try, although i agree it's incredibly frustrating not being able to tilt, when i did a rotate only day, which only lasted about twenty minutes, my Rototilt system logs tilt and rotate hours separately, interestingly the tilt hrs.are a fraction of the rotate, probably a bit misleading ?
I can't justify a Tilty on my 8t as it doesn't get as much use as the 3t and when i do use it its often for footings. I really didn't get on with the big clumsy tilt bucket i had and the lower build hight of a rotating bucket looks a better option possibly.

 

[Furniss]

I think the hours must still point to rotate being more useful, but is it because the rotate action takes a longer time than the tilt ?
If you've had a tilty on the 3t you'll find rotate only a bit meh ,have you looked at used/refurbished units for the 8t, They must close the gap to a rotate only setup price wise no ?

 

[Storrsy]

I'm still thinking of giving it a try, although i agree it's incredibly frustrating not being able to tilt, when i did a rotate only day, which only lasted about twenty minutes, my Rototilt system logs tilt and rotate hours separately, interestingly the tilt hrs.are a fraction of the rotate, probably a bit misleading ?
I can't justify a Tilty on my 8t as it doesn't get as much use as the 3t and when i do use it its often for footings. I really didn't get on with the big clumsy tilt bucket i had and the lower build hight of a rotating bucket looks a better option possibly.

What I think I've decided with tilt buckets is that smaller is better. I've got a ruddy great scandi style tilt bucket- I haven't even put it on the machine yet but I already know I won't like it. Thinking a meter wide one for a 3 ton is ample- far more dextrous

 

[Storrsy]

Surely all this tilt Vs rotate debate depends on what your doing? I've been grading footpaths this week and many times I wished for tilt but rarely rotate- whereas perhaps something like backfilling tasks around obstacles the rotate might be better.

 

[JerryRtilt]

What I think I've decided with tilt buckets is that smaller is better. I've got a ruddy great scandi style tilt bucket- I haven't even put it on the machine yet but I already know I won't like it. Thinking a meter wide one for a 3 ton is ample- far more dextrous

That's the conclusion Ive come to, i made the mistake of over specing the one i had and digbits make no effort to reduce build hight, it was only 1300 wide but wasn't going to wear out in a hurry !

 

[JerryRtilt]

Surely all this tilt Vs rotate debate depends on what your doing? I've been grading footpaths this week and many times I wished for tilt but rarely rotate- whereas perhaps something like backfilling tasks around obstacles the rotate might be better.

Just about finding the right compromise, i think possibly you can do things with a rotate that you can't with a tilt but a tilt can't do some things a rotate can Or am i overthinking this

 

[JerryRtilt]

I think the hours must still point to rotate being more useful, but is it because the rotate action takes a longer time than the tilt ?
If you've had a tilty on the 3t you'll find rotate only a bit meh ,have you looked at used/refurbished units for the 8t, They must close the gap to a rotate only setup price wise no ?

I think your right rotate is used for longer periods of time, when thought about it i use tilt for lots of small adjustments, almost subconsciously ?
Rotate only bucket would be about £3800 which is about as far as my piggy bank will stretch at the moment, unfortunately

 

[doobin]

I think your right rotate is used for longer periods of time, when thought about it i use tilt for lots of small adjustments, almost subconsciously ?
Rotate only bucket would be about £3800 which is about as far as my piggy bank will stretch at the moment, unfortunately

I agree fully about the subconscious tilt adjustments. I took the view that either on their own are better than nothing, but still s**t and frustrating compared to a proper tiltrotator. So I bought the cheapest and easiest to sell on option of a tilt bucket. It helped that I needed a new ditcher anyhow, so I didn’t want scandi profile (not a fan of that as a tilt only bucket). Got an extended edge with it for bulking loose stuff too.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Just watched lads in canal job trying to load an emr skip with scrap with standard bucket on kommie 13t.
Pathetic...yanks would be howling right now...a simple thumb would transform the job.

 

[JerryRtilt]

I agree fully about the subconscious tilt adjustments. I took the view that either on their own are better than nothing, but still s**t and frustrating compared to a proper tiltrotator. So I bought the cheapest and easiest to sell on option of a tilt bucket. It helped that I needed a new ditcher anyhow, so I didn’t want scandi profile (not a fan of that as a tilt only bucket). Got an extended edge with it for bulking loose stuff too.

You’re right about the Scandi profile not working as a tilt bucket, not really sure why,I found out the hard way but fortunately managed to move it on, the lower build height is what attracts me to the rotating option partly.
The 1800 ditcher that came with my Takeuchi when new is far too wide and only exaggerates the need to correct the tilt angle, and because the 1m digging bucket has been used more for grading it’s getting pretty worn , which is partly how I’m justifying to myself anyway, the expense of another bucket.

 

[Storrsy]

You’re right about the Scandi profile not working as a tilt bucket, not really sure why,I found out the hard way but fortunately managed to move it on, the lower build height is what attracts me to the rotating option partly.
The 1800 ditcher that came with my Takeuchi when new is far too wide and only exaggerates the need to correct the tilt angle, and because the 1m digging bucket has been used more for grading it’s getting pretty worn , which is partly how I’m justifying to myself anyway, the expense of another bucket.

My Takeuchi 2.8t is very planted but with a scandi tilt bucket heaped with 803 it was lifting a track halfway out (it does have the thumb on too).

 

[V8Druid]

You’re right about the Scandi profile not working as a tilt bucket, not really sure why,I found out the hard way but fortunately managed to move it on, the lower build height is what attracts me to the rotating option partly.
The 1800 ditcher that came with my Takeuchi when new is far too wide and only exaggerates the need to correct the tilt angle, and because the 1m digging bucket has been used more for grading it’s getting pretty worn , which is partly how I’m justifying to myself anyway, the expense of another bucket.

1800!! ... what size Tak is that on ... my grader for the 'Drema's only 2m (or might be 7ft - can't remember)

 

[JerryRtilt]

1800!! ... what size Tak is that on ... my grader for the 'Drema's only 2m (or might be 7ft - can't remember)

8t. TB280fr. I wish I rejected it when it first turned up. Hasn’t got used much tbh.

 

[V8Druid]

Komatsu upgrades tiltrotator compatibility

Komatsu’s Smart Construction 3D Machine Guidance is now compatible with all the leading tiltrotator brands.

www.theconstructionindex.co.uk

interesting quote .....
" “With over 80% of excavators in northern Europe already equipped with tiltrotators as standard, "