In looking at many online equipment sites, I've noticed that many of the inspection reports on Cat 416,420,and 430 indicate that the park brake isn't functioning. Do many of you owners of Cats find this to be a large problem? Is it a huge expense to repair? I've been considering putting a bid on a 04 Cat430 4x4, 4-in-1,Ext hoe with approx 4000 hrs on it ...the inspection report shows a very nice machine considering age and hours, except for slight oil residue on transmission and that park brake failed to operate...Should I avoid this one?
Guy's pull the brake up and forget to put it down and drive away. It's common with the Cats and the Case backhoes. It's no big deal......the bucket and stabilizers make excellent parking brakes.
On my 420D, the alarm for the park brake is so faint that you can't hear it so most guys drive around with it on till the wind gets just right and you can hear it beeping. You can adjust it. Look in the operator's manual and it has a section on how. It sure doesn't adjust like common sense would tell you, I remember that when I adjusted mine. I bet that one's not worn out, just needs an adjustment.
I have never owned one but I see most of them with 4000+ hours with a bucket or outriger down...... Not a big deal for a one owner/operator but if its on a job site and OSHA come by ...... it better be taged out of service!
Most of the time they just need adjusting. it can be adjusted by turning the knob on the park brake handle. Once there isn't enough to adjust it tight enough, loosen the knob back up and then under the machine you need to tighten a 3/4 nut on the center of the caliper. loosen the jamb nut and turn the nut a couple turns. you can then fine tune it with the knob. The park brake should hold the machine in 3rd gear, full throttle on an auto shift and 4th gear full throttle on a standard shift. To drive with the park brake on, shirt to forward, then back to neutral then forward. you will override the interlock and can drive with the brake on to test it.
To solve the drive thru problem put a simply relay on the Parking brake light, that locks the Transmission lockout switch.
The parking break system on the Cat backhoes is a pretty simple one. It's cable operated with a mechanical caliper over an external rotor (which sits at the front of the rear differential). I doubt it would cost much to fix even if there is something wrong with it. My parking break still works, though not all that great. I'm probably due for new pads (416C has over 12,000 hrs on it). I would not be affraid of a Cat backhoe if the p-brake was not working.
I am occasionally called upon to operate one of our 12 432E's and find that the handbrake is poorly adjusted. This has a lot to do with the fact that the adjustment is in the "twisting/rotating" (anti-clock wise to release adjustment/ clock wise to apply adjustment)of the hand brake lever so if don't take care when you apply the lever you actually slightly "un-adjust" (if thats a new word then I claim copyright). The CAT 432E actually has a transmission lock-out when the handbrake is applied, so its impossible to drive off with the handbrake actuated. NB I may have the "Adjust/release" directions around the wrong.......sorry can't remember and honestly don't really care.
Thanks, I appreciate the information...
PDG X, that's a good idea on the relay to the trans lockout. I was threatening to put a backup alarm speaker in the cab in the place of the original.