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+--- Thread: Doosan DH70 Excavator One-Year Usage Report (/thread-5580.html)
Doosan DH70 Excavator One-Year Usage Report - MikePhua - 06-26-2025
After one year of using the Doosan DH70 excavator, I’ve had the opportunity to evaluate its performance thoroughly. Over the past year, the machine has run for a total of 1,800 hours. Additionally, I also operated my Yuchai 35-6 mini excavator for about 600 hours. Below are my observations and experiences from using the DH70.
1. Mechanical Issues and Improvements
- Arm Joint Gap: Upon receiving the new machine, I noticed that the gap in the arm joints was noticeably large. To address this, I added spacer washers, which effectively reduced the gap.
- Fuel Fill Port Too Small: The fuel fill port was quite small, and it took about 7 minutes to fill a full tank. I solved this by purchasing an electric fuel pump, which now allows me to fill the tank in under a minute, greatly improving efficiency.
- Plastic Odor: The new machine emitted a strong plastic odor, especially when the heat was on. After approximately 1,000 hours of use, the situation improved, and the smell gradually faded.
- Engine Oil Consumption: The engine, a Kubota V3300DI, initially had issues with burning oil. However, after 1,000 hours of operation, the oil consumption has decreased significantly and is now no longer a major concern.
2. Operational Experience
- Cab Storage Space: The cab lacks sufficient storage for everyday items like receipts or a mobile phone, making it inconvenient. To solve this, I made some simple modifications to create additional storage space.
- Idler Wheel Issue: After 300 hours, one of the idler wheels broke down and was replaced under warranty at no cost. At around 1,500 hours, a hydraulic pipe fitting started leaking and caused a loss of about 5 liters of hydraulic oil. Fortunately, the service team replaced it for free and also gave me an extra 20 liters of hydraulic oil.
- Noise During Hard Soil Excavation: When digging in hard soil, the machine initially made a buzzing noise in the arm, but after 1,000 hours, this issue resolved itself naturally, and the noise disappeared.
- Window Design: The small window above the door is a bit of a design flaw. It’s not large enough to extend your head outside the cab for a better view. While this is a minor issue, it does limit visibility slightly.
3. Other Experiences and Improvements
- Air Conditioning Performance: The air conditioning system works very well, keeping the cab cool in hot weather. However, it lacks an external circulation feature and doesn’t have an air filter. I decided to solve this by installing an air filter myself.
- Accumulator Replacement: At 1,700 hours, I had to replace the accumulator, which was done free of charge. Additionally, the locks on the side door and the rear engine cover were replaced, all under warranty.
4. After-Sales Service
I have to admit that Doosan’s after-sales service is excellent. When issues arose, the service team was very professional and efficient. The technicians even delayed their lunch until 3 PM in order to finish the repairs as quickly as possible, which I greatly appreciated.
Conclusion
Overall, the Doosan DH70 excavator has performed well in its first year of use. While there were some minor issues, they were addressed promptly by the after-sales service team. The quality of service has been outstanding, particularly when dealing with repairs and free replacement of parts. There are some areas where the design could be improved, such as the storage space, fuel fill port, and window size, but overall, the machine has shown impressive performance and durability. It has proven to be a reliable tool for my work and has helped increase efficiency on the job site.