Komatsu pc 95 joystick controls

[newoodguy78]

We just picked up a pc 95 excavator, late nineties low hour machine. Does anyone know what's involved to switch it from John Deere to Cat controls. I've looked all over and seems like it requires some hose swapping. I could eventually get used to it but I'm much more efficient with cat. Been so long since I've run a machine plumbed this way I about made myself seasick in the first thirty seconds in the seat :D 

[barbender]

Some machines had pattern changers, if it doesn't yeah you'll have to swap hoses.

[barbender]

I should say, I never actually used a pattern changer, only heard of them. On all hydraulic machines I was under the impression that it was some sort of switchable hydraulic manifold. Machines that have electric over hydraulic controls could sometimes be switched right in the computer.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Assuming your talking ISO to Backhoe pattern?

Look for a pattern changer. Often under the cab floor or in the compartment behind the cab. Not present on all machines but its worth a good look around. Check your OP manual.

Personally I'd get used to standard excavator/ISO then you can hop in just about any excavator and go to work.

[BargeMonkey]

Look in the engine doors and around, probably has a lock or knob of some kind, my SK250 has one, most Kobelcos and Cats it's became real common, Deere not so much. Dealer should be able to tell you which hoses to flip on the manifold, did my fathers 160D with a crescent wrench in the parking lot, not alot to it. 

[newoodguy78]

I've run them that did have a pattern changer was simply a valve you turned. This one is setup so the main boom up and down is in the left hand stick and the dipper is on your right. Which is opposite of what I'm used to. 

[barbender]

Yeah that is Deere backhoe pattern.

[barbender]

 We had guys switching the dang hoses back in forth in one excavator I used to run so much, I just finally got where I could run it either way. I usually was only on it for a short period, so it wasn't worth switching hoses.

It borders on physically painful to get used to out of whack controls like that.

I did learn on my Grandpa's JD rubber tire backhoes so I suppose I already had the nueral pathways, I just had to train my brain to be able to go with the flow of adapting to whatever way the machine was set up.

[chevytaHOE5674]

On the smaller PC88 I think it was the pattern changer was behind a little door below the main cab entrance door, and on a PC170 it was inside the engine compartment basically behind the operators seat. 

[Wlmedley]

Komatsu comes standard with boom up and down on right joystick and arm in and out on the left same as Cat.If yours is different either it has a pattern changing valve or someone has swapped hoses at main control valve.If it has pattern switching valve it should be in compartment behind cab and should have a decal showing it.

[Log-it-up]

It would be worth a call to the komatsu dealer to see if it was ever installed and see where it might be,my money would be there is not ,being late 90's it wasn't common to have a pattern changer,
Good news is when you find the hoses for controls there is only 4 too swap with two people you can feel the hose that need to be swapped by putting your hand on them and moving the the controls you should feel them jump a little, I would mark them with zip ties and take a picture so you can reference back to original you can really get a Japanese/Korean pattern going if you mess up just from experience 

[teakwood]

Japanese/Korean pattern

It's not a japanese/korean pattern it's the whole world pattern. all europe, asia, latin america and who knows where else has the same pattern. the boom on the left joystick is definitively a north american thing, maybe even a US thing. never heard of any brand that deliver a excavator with this pattern. how about Canada? 

[newoodguy78]

Got the backstory from the previous owner. The machine is just old enough there's no pattern changer. He's going to get me in touch with the guy that did the hose swapping for him. 
There's a bunch of colored zip ties on the valve bank, thinking he had a color coded system. Either way I'll figure it out , pretty easy place to get at. 
I learned on controls setup like this, pretty much anyone over 60 in this area still has them set this way. The area here was dominated by Ford and John Deere backhoes in the day. 

By the end of the day it came back to me pretty good but man muscle memory is a real thing. 

[newoodguy78]

I'll throw it out there, I do have the service manual if it helps anyone let me know. 
Appreciate your folks input. 

[Skeans1]

Japanese/Korean pattern

It's not a japanese/korean pattern it's the whole world pattern. all europe, asia, latin america and who knows where else has the same pattern. the boom on the left joystick is definitively a north american thing, maybe even a US thing. never heard of any brand that deliver a excavator with this pattern. how about Canada?

All Deere stuff use to come this way from the factory even their forestry gear, you'd just swap the pilot hoses at the valve or at the junction blocks. 

[customsawyer]

My Komatsu has the switch behind a little door under the entrance door to the cab. Sounds like yours was before that was a option.

[Log-it-up]

TeakWood- 
When I bought my excavator it was set for deer controls went to switch it and ended up with a really funky pattern went to swing left or right and the stick would go out went to boom in it would swing my lack of experience at the time I had some really funky stuff it took me a bit to get things straightened out 

[teakwood]

When I bought my Volvo excavator in California back in 2007 I hopped in and tried the controls,  was so confused I ask the main mechanic what the heck is wrong with this machine?? He told me then that some operators like to work with this Deere style controls, that was a first for me. Well, I was 25 so what the heck did I know. 

[Log-it-up]

I started off on "cat controls" switched a couple times and finally said never again and landed on Deere not saying one or the other is better just it would always take me a couple weeks to get efficient I could never be one of those guys that can run both 

[bitternut]

When I bought my JCB mini excavater in 2019 I was new to operating an excavater and tried switching back and forth between the two systems. I have no idea which one its set for. All I know is when I sit in the seat and grab the levers it seems automatic. I practised quite a bit picking up small stones and placing them in small circles. My machine has a small tool compartment under the seat at your heels that has the selector switch. I will have to look to see what system it is set at. :D

[newoodguy78]

I think what messed me up was I had been running another machine that was cat controls on and off for a couple weeks, ironically it was a John Deere mini. 
Personally I prefer the cat controls it just seems more natural but to each their own. 
Was picking up brush with it so the only harm was taking longer. Was certainly a test of patience having to tell myself the stick you want is in the other hand but I got through it. 
Will say I do like that machine. 

[Southside]

My processor is on  a JD 490 carrier, and the Komatsu excavator runs Cat, try jumping from cab to cab, it's lots of fun.  One day  I will swap out the hoses on the JD.

[newoodguy78]

Your best bet would be to cross your arms when you hop in the John Deere  :D

[barbender]

 I've done it before😂 Actually, the movements are similar enough with half the functions being the same, that sometimes I've jumped in one plumbed opposite to what I was wired for that day, and it took me a while to figure if I was running Deere or ISO. Sometimes having a brain that is mush is beneficial😁

[Southside]

Oh it has it's moments. One time I cut off a 10" or so pine, went to lay it down to limb and cut to length, clearly my brain and hands didn't communicate as the head snapped the wrong way. I remember looking at the head wondering where the stick went when "Whoomp" the part I broke off and tossed in the air with that stunt crashed back onto the cab!