Anyone have any pics or information on CMI motor graders. I have seen 2 in person, but did not have a camera. The only pics I have found is of the CMI Autoblade, but very little information. If any one has operated one of these please chime in. These are some large machines even by todays standards, and the Autoblade looked like quite the machine.
The CMI autoblade came out in 1969. Its like a scraper and has a power module at each end of the machine producing 225 HP, it is hydrostatically driven as well. I'm sure you noticed the cab can rotate in each direction for better viewing of the moldboard in various positions.
Still no pics but I did find this. In 1969, another massive motor grader, the double-articulated Autoblade, was introduced by CMI Corporation. This machine was 40 feet (12 m) long, weighed 65,000 pounds (29,484 kg), and contained a power module at both ends. Each module contained a 225 horsepower diesel engine using hydrostatic power. Each engine drove four wheels, making it an eight wheel drive machine. This model, whose cab could rotate 180 degrees in either direction, was capable of precision grading in paving jobs. Thanks for the leed HevyIndsMFGng I will keep looking.
why did they stop making them?
Here is one for sale, also photos. http://www.rockanddirt.com/equipment-for-sale/CATERPILLAR/AG65/invnum=33914993
Thanks for the link.....Not to much ground clearance under the front end and that scarifier location would cut down on visibilty....I can see why they're not around anymore, I know I wouldn't want one, but then again I'm no fan of the Cat M's either..... Clyde
Now I remember them! The front end is set up that way to raise and lower the blade w/o changing the side to side grade setting.
Those front ends usually sit higher, they have an independent front suspension,per say, that uses hyd. Cylinders to raise and lower the front end, I'm sure they just drifted down.
WOW Pete, Those photo's bring back memories. In 1986 I-95 was not a complete highway, it ended southbound in Fort Pierce, FL, northbound in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. but was soon to have those 41 miles completed. I was on that project tasked with roadway lighting and the outfit working in Palm Beach Gardens did a demo with a CMI. I recall them referring to it as a CMI Laser Grader. The dealer demo Op and reps set up the laser towers then the Op hopped in it, lit a cigar, fired her up, put her in gear and off she went. Freakin' thing was HUGE! I don't remember the Op making any moldboard adjustments other than the initial set, the machine was automatic. Sadly, they must've had a technical glitch or two, maybe a few 'cause it wasn't long before that old CMI started to dive then washboard a sub-base previously dialed-in the old-fashioned way. Needless to say it was loaded up, carted away and never seen again. Seemed like a good idea at the time I'm sure, CMI, technology and I-95 weren't ready back then it would so appear. Thanks for the photos and memories, kinda dates me though...Oh well, thanks anyway!
CMI was so far ahead of their time it scared most people, truly a shame, their trimmers cut perfect grade, the super 500 was frickin' awesome and huge!
I looked for CMI pics until 4am last nite and some today. I found some pics and some are the same as above but I did find some others. As soon as I can figure out how to post pics I will post them.
I have 1 more but cannot get it to load. Have to run that through the laptop, the Ipad just is not cutting it. I would love to see some close ups of that 8 wheel auto blade.
here is a pic. of a cmi I use to run not this one but just like it...
Cat bought most if not all of their production back then, except the Grader. I did see one of those Hystat Graders the size of a 16, had a D343 engine. All I did to it was adjust the travel linkage to neutral. I'm not an operator, but would have liked to have worked it for a while. Later Bob
There must not of been many CMI graders built. I thought some one may have some more pics, but it is looking thin. Sure would like to see some pics or video of that 8 wheel monster. I guess I keep hunting,
Anyone see the primer pump on that thing....holy crap, you could prime the titanic with that. on edit nevermind, thats got to have something to do with hydraulics.
from hef...
CMI had a series of two tanks for the hydraulics, should the main tank run low, you used that hand pump to pump from the secondary tank through a filter and into the primary tank. They wanted to make sure there were no contaminants in the hyd. Oil.
interesting....thanks for the reply
Talking with some people who owned these in their prime, they never seen the 8 wheeler, and suspect it was a prototype that never seen production. Not sure how true that was, but the CMI was definately the king of the large graders for a time.
Tigercat saw machines do a similar thing w/ the same kind of pump, except it has a suction hose w/ a strainer on it that goes into a tank or 5-gallon bucket. You then pump the hyd oil through a filter into the machine's tank.
thats a beast of a grader thanks for the pic. Next summer i will track down the 2 that I saw in central ND about 4 years ago. I think they winter in a small town in central North Dakota. Same company that runs the fleet of 290m Clarks I have posted some picks and vids on youtube.
We used to own a ton of cmi stuff, placers, pavers, tube float, texture cure machines, trimmers and even a 6wheeled grader. They still have some of it, the stuff is neat, like I said thou, this stuff was so far ahead of its time it scared most people.
It's sad, that are not much photos from the Autoblade, I have found here another one: http://www.album-mmt.it/foto/v/la-s...anni-80/graders_003/0_CMI_a80_grader.JPG.html When someone has photos, I'm happy when you post them Looks very interesting this grader!
Hi there graderfan, there is/was an "autoblade here in Australia. It was brought in by "Henry & Walker" a civil engineering firm located in Darwin, Northern Territory. They thought they had won a very large tender to rebuild and extend a defence force airbase called "Tindall" Strips about 10 miles long to take B52 bombers. They were not successful. The machine then went out to the middle of "no-where" to a project re-aligning the "Tanami Desert " road to a large goldmine. I can not say whether it is still out there or not. When I crawled over it in the early 1990's in the yard at Darwin, the tin covers had been cut right back to get the hot air out. From memory the engines were late D9's. The machine , once set up was controlled by "ra-dist" all computer controlled, the operator just went along for the ride. My son drove it for a short time on the "Rabbit Flat" section of the Tanami desert road. They were the ultimate in final trim blades. regards rayman.
I have seen that in Saskatoon is a CMI AG-55 Grader on Rb auction. https://www.rbauction.com/Construct...j00Mjk0NzQ3MTkzKzQyOTQxMjUwMTkrNDI5NDc0ODA2OQ
In the late 80's I got to spend a 150 hrs or so on a TG? AG? 55 CMI auto grader. The boss bought it thinking it was a cheaper version of the Cat 16... No. The thing was a helpless pig, Being a finish machine it had no blade travel, no clearance under the circle, the hydraulics were slow, and when you were trying to hog material it broke axle shafts. I had to plow snow with it once... you couldn't get the blade high enough to keep from getting stuck doing turn arounds. Great finish machine though.