Review: Deere’s New 350 P-Tier Excavator is in It for the Long Haul

On this episode of The Dirt, host and equipment operator Bryan Furnace tests out John Deere’s new 350 P-Tier excavator. Bryan gives his review of the excavator, pointing out several improvements made to increase machine life, make maintenance easier and make the operator more comfortable. The undercarriage also gets heftier components for owners who want to go beyond the 15,000- to 20,000-hour mark. “It’s really nice to hear a manufacturer thinking about longevity on their machines,” he says. He also found it had no trouble getting heaping bucketfuls of hard, blue clay. “This is a great machine.” The 40-ton 350 was one of the first excavators to come under Deere’s new performance tier naming strategy. The P-Tier is the next level above the base G-Tier machines and comes with upgraded technology, safety and comfort features. The 350 runs on a 271-horsepower Deere engine, and the company offers a variety of 2D and 3D SmartGrade control options. Bryan tested SmartGrade with grade and slope control and offers his views. Some quick specs on the excavator: Max dig depth: 26 ft. 10 in. Dump height: 25 ft. Max reach: 36 ft. 5 in. So to find out why Bryan says the 350 P-Tier is a great machine, check out this episode of The Dirt. Equipment World serves up weekly videos on the latest in construction equipment, work trucks and pickup trucks – everything contractors need to get their work done. Subscribe and visit us at equipmentworld.com! Newsletter Signup: https://randallreilly.dragonforms.com... In This Episode: 00:00 - John Deere 350 P-Tier Excavator Review 00:47 - Exterior: Bucket Bushings and Pins 01:34 - Exterior: Lubrication Points 02:06 - Exterior: Undercarriage Improvements 03:03 - Exterior: Cooling Package Design 04:07 - Interior: Cab Design 04:58 - Interior: Screen Size 05:58 - Interior: Operator Seat Comfort 06:55 - Performance 07:39 - Machine Control Overview 10:47 - Machine Control Feature: Bucket Angle Hold 11:45 - Machine Control Feature: Slopes 13:35 - Machine Control: Room for Improvement 16:06 - Final Verdict