345C counterweight removal

Hey @johndeere4020 , @superhauler , @truckdad , or anyone else that has experience with counterweight removal on a 345. I am looking to buy a 345CL. The one that I am looking at is 108,000 lbs., and I can't haul that much with my current lowboy. I will need to update lowboys at some point but it looks like I have just two jobs to take it to this year, and I was thinking about just removing the counterweight for transport until I can get a bigger lowboy. The counterweight should be just under 20,000 lbs., which means that I can haul the machine @ 88,000 lbs easily.

I have not taken the counterweight off before. I assume that there is hooks that it hangs on, and then the big bolts hold it in place. So I assume that I have to have a big enough machine to handle the weight to pick it off. I see that some newer machines (349) have a system that allows the hoe to remove it's own counterweight and set it on the ground, but I doubt the one I am looking at can do that. What can you tell me about removing one?

Thanks!​

 

Thanks, that is what my assumption was. I have run a few but never had to remove the counterweight. The one I am looking at has a quick coupler, so I could easily shed the bucket too.

 

Oh cool. I have seen those chains on bigger machines that had the counterweight off but wasn't sure about the 345s. If that's the case, can a person set it on the ground and then swing around, pick it and place it on a trailer? Probably not I suppose because without the counterweight on the back of the machine it might tip trying to pick it.

 

I found a youtube video of the process on a 385, it should be similar?

 

That would certainly do it!
I did see an older Aspen 2+2+2 with a west coast booster for sale, but I would rather not tackle a trailer payment until I get ahead of the 345. Trying to do baby steps!