Sany SY35U: Problems, Durability, Repairs

If you are working in the world of heavy equipment, you should know the company called Sany. This is the third-largest heavy machinery manufacturer in the world and the biggest company in China that engineers and manufactures equipment for different spheres. It's well known for its concrete equipment, but today, we'll be focusing on the mini excavator.

In this article, we'll tell you about the Sany SY35U mini excavator. We'll focus on its main specs, major problems, overall durability, and repair issues you may encounter. It means you'll be able to learn much more about the model than from the manufacturer's descriptions and manuals. We've checked it all up with people who sell and repair these machines and now we know some truth.

Here's what you will learn in the article:

• The Sany SY35U - main facts and things to love it for.
• What's the longevity of the Sany SY35U mini excavator?
• What are the common problems of the Sany mini excavator?
• Repair costs and service quality in the US for this machine.

Let's get started!

What will you like about the Sany SY35U?

The mini excavator model is pretty popular among businesses all over the world. Given the US has the official dealer of Sany, this model is one of the bestsellers. For its base price of about $30,000, it's the best compact excavator on the market with the greatest specs for this money. We also know that buyers write really good reviews about the excavator and recommend it to others.

Let's make it clear - we haven't used this excavator. But as a niche website, we've gathered quite a lot of information and now we want to share it with you in a more or less structured way. Because when we needed to find something online, there was barely anything about the model.

So, here's what the Sany SY35U is all about:

• this is a very compact lift-and-dig machine made by a powerful Chinese company;
• the model is pretty simple and not overloaded with technologies that would squeeze your wallet too much;
• the excavator will be really helpful for areas with limited space, it can easily maneuver pretty much anywhere;
• the company also offers quite a number of different attachments to use with the Sany SY35U;
• one more important thing - the SY35U is a trailer-ready excavator, so it's really easy and quick to move between different places;
• the cabin is surprisingly comfortable, every excavator is equipped with heating and cooling to ensure comfort for the operator at any time of year;
• the rubber tracks are pretty cool for protection of the surface, so this will make the possible use wider;
• the warranty for the Sany SY35U is pretty good - 5000 hours or 5 years (whatever comes first) and this is the best offer in the niche, as far as we are concerned.

So, if you still worry about the quality of Chinese heavy equipment, the Sany SY35U is the model to cope with those thoughts because it offers a wonderful warranty. But once your Sany hits those 5 years of 5000 hours, problems are inevitable. And we'll explain to you later what kinds of problems can be the first to happen with your mini excavator.

Some technical figures you should know

The Sany SY35U is equipped with the Yanmar 1.6L diesel engine offering only 23-24 hp of power. Not a lot for the heavy equipment of the kind, but we would say this is quite enough for all operations you'll be planning to complete with this excavator.

A dig depth of 3,105 mm or 10 feet 2 inches doesn't seem that bad. We should say that the boom is engineered wisely and allows you to do a lot of different kinds of work without compromising the smartness and compact size of the machine.

Also, the maximum travel speed is up to 2.7 mph which may be a problem if you don't want to use a trailer. It will take you ages to get to the construction site on your own.

With an overall weight of about 8,500 pounds, this is not the excavator that will solve all your problems at the construction site. But as a helper for doing the work in areas with restricted space, the Sany SY35U is one of the best choices, in our opinion.

How long will the Sany SY35U survive?

We aren't very positive about the longevity of Chinese heavy equipment, to tell you the truth. But when it comes to the Sany SY35U, we have no reasons to doubt its toughness and readiness for hard work.

The Yanmar engine was engineered by a well-known Japanese company. All hydraulics are pretty standard and don't make us hesitate about their durability. Also, the metal used for all the parts of the vehicle is not bad. As far as we know, there were no reports about corrosion issues or something like that.

Given you get the 5K-hour warranty, we believe the durability of the Sany SY35U is about 8,000 hours with no major problems and up to 10,000 hours till it's not wise to use anymore. Well, the machine will only live 10K hours in case you maintain it well and store it in a dry and warm place when not used.

Also, the durability will be limited by the age of the machine. We think that the Sany SY35U won't be able to last more than 14 years due to poor corrosion protection. Also, hydraulic elements will require expensive maintenance and sometimes even replacement after about 10 years of use.

What are the common problems with the Sany SY35U?

Even though the mini excavator is pretty tough and reliable, it still shows some problems that will happen to it all the way when you use it. This is not a European or American product where you will expect super durability in every part. But you know what it takes - you don't pay a lot of money and you will need to cope with some problems along the way.

Let's see what the common issues with the Sany SY35U are.

1. Hydraulics problems

If you take a John Deere or the CAT equipment, the hydraulics will be the last thing that breaks and makes you spend your money and time. But in Chinese excavators, hydraulics are actually the weakest parts.

They don't use really expensive materials and this leads to common problems with their pumps, valves, lifts, etc. The worst thing is that the problems are usually because of some small solenoids, seals, or O-rings that start leaking or are just torn apart. This is a one-dollar part that may block your excavator in the middle of the day and make you lose one or two working days.

2. Fuel consumption

You will not encounter a lot of engine problems thanks to a perfect engine engineered by Yanmar. But still, there are some specific issues you should consider. The most important problem is low power which makes the operator rotate the engine. You may know that diesel engines hate when they are rotated too much and they will willingly drink up all the fuel from the 40-liter tank.

First of all, it means that you will have to buy quite a lot of fuel to feed the machine. Secondly, this makes it harder to work in the middle of nowhere with no fuel pumps around.

3. Low-quality cabin equipment

Well, this is a low-cost mini excavator and you shouldn't expect to see here expensive and high-quality joysticks, handles, plastic elements, and different control units. Those are going to look very old and shabby in one or two years after you buy the new Sany excavator. Also, some of them will require replacement in 3 or more years which is not common for heavy equipment.

4. Glitchy electronics

Chinese electronics are not bad at all. It works well, it's very smart, and it's really cheap. But what may cause problems is its protection against different factors that can destroy it. For example, if you spill some coffee or water on the dash or on some of the control modules, you may eventually find that your excavator is glitching heavily.

Sometimes, the electronics may just stop working and you'll end up searching for some parts to get the excavator back on track. But thank goodness, parts are not a problem thanks to official Sany dealers all around the US.

Final words

The good thing is that your Sany SY35U is pretty easy and cheap to repair and maintain. It means you will be able to restore the excavator even after heavy damage. OEM parts are affordable and you won't need to wait for them for ages. This is one of the advantages of buying Sany equipment.

But still, you should consider some of the common problems, especially if you buy a used mini excavator. After 2-3 thousand hours, these excavators aren't going to be really good in terms of reliability. But they will still be able to do some work.