I'm wondering if there was a Dresser 4000 Loader made in the 90s,& if anyone knows where they are working.?? I have no knowledge of it,apart from a brief feature on the web. Any info appreciated. Jim
G,day Jim If you want to know any thing about Hough,Gallions,IH construction,Dresser,Dresta contact I.H.k services from Adelaide .Very knowledgable man and can talk the ears off a bar stool and can source many parts for odd construction machines. He can tell you off hand of any machines that were brought in to Aus. Have your self a good day.
He couldn't find a crown & pinion for the front diff on our Dresser 540. He supposedly tried here and the US. Another mechanic found some on the shelf in Sydney. Just my experience. I have never heard of a Dresser 4000, where did you see it Jim? Rn'R.
I saw a frame for one on a test stand in Peoria while attending a school for Haulpac trucks. The thing was huge but was also a long way from being a production machine. I have heard they did make a few but that was also the time they were going through joint partnership with Komatsu and I don't think they could make a case that the machine were commercially viable.
Dresser 4000 Thanks for the input fellas. My mate in Perth says he has a Transmission from a 4000 loader,which sounded odd to me as I'd never heard of them.I have since found out that there may have been a couple working a coal operation over here somewhere. The tranny is big,but I,ve no idea about specs on the machine. I figured there might have been a few in the US somewhere. Dogger ,I will keep IHK on my contact list.Sometimes there are parts around,but it takes 15 phone calls to find them...often you miss them completely. If anyone finds more info,please post. Jim
According to my source, only 20 or so were ever made. It was basically a Dresser 580 sized machine, and parts are basically impossible to come by anymore. One or two *MIGHT* still be working in the Elk Valley up in Canada, or possibly one or two in West Virginia coal mines.
4000 Loader Thanks Tex42, That's interesting...20 units is a limited run. Do you think they were a modified 580,or a totally different beast? BTW,I see you have a 7H...how is it performing for you?I've heard a few good stories about them so far. Jim
The 7H has been a great little machine so far. We got it with 1200hrs for an absolute steal. Dont have a single bad thing to say about it so far. I will ask about origin of the 4000, and let you know what I am told.
Griffin coal had definently 1, maybe 2 and i think it is made off the 580
Dresser 4000 Tex42, Nice to see the 7H giving good service.There are only a few over here,& I hope to see one in action soon. Gavin84W, Thanks for the info about Griffin.I contact them & see if those things are still going. Jim
Confirmation Of Existence - Dresser 4000! Hi Guy’s, Sorry for the very late addition of my 5 cent’s worth! I only stumbled across the forum site by accident while searching Google for Dresser 4000 info to reminisce on old times. Jim’s post came up in the search, I had a read, then joined the forum to be able to pass on the info I have. I can categorically confirm that Griffin Coal in Collie Western Australia had both a Dresser 4000 and a 580 model. The reason I can confirm this is because I spent 93 thru early 97 doing my Diesel Mechanics apprenticeship there. I spent a lot of time working on both of them and can decree that the 580 was a dog. Great ideas in design just nothing seemed to work real well especially the transmission. I lost count of how many times I was involved with a transmission overhaul on the 580. Despite this the 4000 was a great unit in my opinion. Certainly way better than his little brother. I spent 2 months in Perth during 96 at Komatsu in Welshpool and Kewdale working with the NSK team doing a complete certified rebuild of our 580 which included the trans, final drives and ancillary hydraulics and systems. The 4000 was a scaled up 580, but from memory used the same transmission as the 580. They were both a little different to the conventional loaders that were used to over here, as they had the cab on the front section of the articulated frame, which meant they were completely different to drive. The transmission in the 4000 / 580 was basically a big auto trans with a drop box bellow it. The transmission had a very unique system called a “Pitto” or “Pitta” Governor (can’t quite remember the correct term) on it, that regulated the turbine speed on the out put of the torque converter. It was basically a toothed gear connected to the turbine wheel that flicked oil up into a capillary line that ran around to a diaphragm and valve arrangement on the impeller / input side of the trans. The diaphragm operated a shuttle valve that controlled the oil pressure to the piston on a clutch pack connected to the Impeller. I.E. more pressure more drive, less pressure less drive and thus was a self governing torque converter in its simplest form. The 4000 had a KTTA 50 Cummins for a mill while the 580 ran a KTTA38. At the time of manufacture the 4000 used standard 789 / 630E dump truck tyres (the 580 ran the biggest loader tyre on the market at that time). For the 4000 this caused traction issues due to a complete different tyre grip profile and thus affected its breakout force. So tyre chains were used especially in the winter months (which in Collie is about 10 months of the year). Griffin Coal had the only 4000 in the Southern Hemisphere, while there was a total of four 580’s on this side of the line. Both Griffin and Western Collieries (now Westfarmers Coal) had a 580 and there were two over in the Hunter Valley at some stage. Griffin ended up buying Westerns to use as spares for theirs when western bought a couple of 994’s when they first hit the market in the mid 90’s. In late mid / late 98 they parked the 4000 up in the grave yard on the hill with the H485 Demag Face Shovel (in its hay day the biggest Hydraulic shovel made) before trading it in on a WA1200-1 when they were first released in 99. I will try to dig out some photos and some more info to post if I can lay my hand on it. I believe that I may even have a workshop manual for the 4000 somewhere in storage. I had my own because I spent so much time working the Dressers in the Dozzer Shop at Griffin. I can inform you that the man to talk to, or get in contact with regarding the 4000 and / or 580 is Ian Dawson. I spent a lot of time working with Ian at Griffin as he was the Field Service Rep assigned to Griffin and Western. Ian was the resident expert on the models and came across from Hawker Noise when Komatsu bought Dresser out in 92 / 93. Hawker Noise was the local Dresser representative in W.A. Ian is / was the Field Service Manager - Western Division for Komatsu in 2002 and I still with them. Great bloke, drop him a line I’m sure he will be happy to give you some more info. If / when you do tell him that Clint Messenger said “HI”. Jim, hope I’ve been of help and I hope you see the message after two years. Best Regards Clint
Hi Clint, Thanks for the detailed reply.I'll pass this info on to my friend in WA. If you do have any pictures,please post at you leisure. The HEF forums are a great source of interesting pictures & info. Jim
No Drama! Hi Jim, No drama, I'm more that pleased to pass on any information or knowledge that I have. If I locate anything further I will post it A.S.A.P. I'm not in the Industry anymore, as I'm now in Oil and Gas. However I grew up with it (my old man has driven Dozers since he left school at 14, he's 62 now and still pushing dirt) and I miss toying around with the big earth moving gear from time to time. Anyway, I will see what else I can come up with. Later Clint
The Griffin 4000 was on display in Sydney at the mining show in 1991 with the bucket in the back of an 830E but from the rear not the side, think they were just pressed for real estate and that was why. Another big one off loader down under was the SMEC unit that saw time in the Hunter Valley.
The last 4000 loader in the Elk Valley was disposed of probably around 10 years (maybe a bit more) ago. I don't think there are any running in Canada, as SMS has scrapped any old inventory we had for them. From the stories I've heard from mechanics, the one running out here provided a lot of OT for guys changing trannies. They got pretty good at it too, with all the practice.
The last one was still running 4 years ago. It wasn't in a primary role, but it was still running.
Mine still runs... It is unit number 1 first one built. Where'd they all go?
So you lied my friend. Unit 1 still alive and kickin' out digs most of em.
Hi dresser17, here in Mexico we are working with three 580 Dresser Wheel loader and four Wabbco off highway trucks
The dresser 4000 at griffin coal western Australia is listed on an auction site, just waiting for someone to buy and restore!
I didn't lie. I was referring to the last 4000 in the Elk Valley as referenced in the quote below........in fact, the post immediately before mine.
Now just how does the fact that yours still run make Alco wrong, much less a liar?
Dresser 580 still on action
pair of Dresser 580s in Charles Hull yard in Waroona, Western Australia. apparently they were bought from rio tinto iron ore in the pilbara, for the job near perth, but that got shelved and they have been parked up for many years.
Hi Dresser 17, Do you still have the Dresser 4000? Will you sell it? How much do you want for it?
Hi fsmech, can you find out if the Dresser 4000 is still available, I have a buyer in USA.
Dresser 17 actually left the company that owned the loader some time ago......we still have it, still running. We may be looking to sell it in November, price wise - you'd need to send an offer as I have no idea what it's worth. I know how much the consumables are worth & how much we've put into it to keep running. It's actually #10, not #1 - and we've got the majority of the spares that SMS & Transwest got rid of years ago, well those that are useful.
Is this machine still in Tucson, AZ?
Yes, it got moved from Peoria in the early 2000's been down here ever since.
Great, I do have a very interested party asking, do you have any literature on this, such as a spec sheet or would you know the shipping weight and dims?
Kevin, if you send me your email I can send it over. I'll dig it out tomorrow, ive got it from when it came from Peoria plus the spec sheets. We've also got a spare tranny, wheel, pump stacks, coolers etc.....ideally I'd like to bundle everything.
It's a heavy old thing mind.....low boy wise I'd suspect approx 6 plus spares.
Great, [email protected] and my cell is 512-971-5270. Thnx a bunch for anything you can send my way, regarding this unit. Very excited, have been looking for one, as there were only 20 some odd manufactured and most went to mines in Australia and Singapore.
10-4, I'll send info tomorrow. You can probably guess where this one has spent it's life (it's not in a production environment), only has circa 9k hours on it. You're correct on quantities, I think it was 24, but I don't think they actually all made it out of the factory. I'll look the history up on #10, but from memory I think it spent a year or so in Texas. Then went back to the factory. They're an interesting machine, this is probably the only one left running. It's definitely got the last set of brake packs in it & we just bought the last two fwd/rev solenoids last month.....
I had didactic material this machine But much has been lost I would like to know where to find ...
Hi Vanderlei, do you own one of this machine?
Here is a pdf copy of the Dresser 4000 Spec sheet I got from a guy in Arizona who has one of these units still in working condition.
Hello , My name is Mike Kolesky. I havent been on this site for some time. Came across this request so I thought I would add a post. If my memory serves me correctly it was the winterof 95-96. I had the pleasure of putting the first 2 of these machines ever builtin the dirt. The first Dresser 4000 was the proto type from Peoria. This was the Trial and Test Run were all machine data was gathered for factory. 17 transports it took to get all parts to Jobsite. : GLENROCK COAL : GLENROCK WYOMING The protto type had a Detroit engine. What I recall the most was how intricate and time consuming it was to install all the sensors Haulpak required for the testing and first run in. Transmission preformance specs such as ground speed and shift times were something closely looked at due to this machines massive size. Operating pressures and Trans temperature data was also something we analyzed in everyway it possibly could be tested. 42 yrd coal bucket empty and loaded, all sorts of ground conditions, such as hard packed roads, soft material type roads with many different type of ground material. soft dirt, mud, dry coal, wet coal, soft sand , packed sand, snow ect. long haul short haul, grades of all kinds. Brake preformance specs , steering times, hyd pressures, engine stalls and HP specs. It helped write the manual. I recall brake problems , we did numerous modifications to brakes as tests were being performed. also driveline and pump piping bracket and support mods. The hyd system to completely fill from empty " all dry components " was unbelievable something like 2600 gallons of ISO 32. Lots of fluids at the qauntities, I have never seen and I was used to working on lots of Big Dozers 455A-1A,s 475A-1 and 475A-2,s. Excavators PC650-3 PC1000--3 PC1500-5 PC1750-5 . miscs Big Haulpaks. This Machine was ******* BIG. !!!!! The Biggest problem we had was manyt manyt oil leaks after initial build and frun in. Thed orings used on the Proto type were all flat square type orings. We questioned using them from the start but the engineers said to use them. Ok we said. The hyd oil leaks finally got so bad, that the mine got on our ass about all the oil on the test road edges from run off as the snow melted or the rain came. WE NAMED AND ACCUALLY CHRISTEND IT WITH A BOLTTLE OF CHEAP CHAMPANGE, UNIT#-01 PROTO TYPE OF THE DRESSER 4000 " THE VALDEZ " becuase of all the leaks. well thats the story of the first Dresser 4000. #2 went ok, just some brake problems and updated all orings to what we use today. i will add pictures , I need to dig them up. PEACE OUT
I'm refreshing the topic. Does anyone have any unique photos or videos of this loader, that they could share here?
What happened next to this machine? In an ideal world they should be restored and delivered to museum of minning technology (or something like that). Such unique machines should be preserved for next generations. Great story. I'd love to see some photos.
This thread was last active in 2018 so not likely to hear from past posters. It would interesting to see how a Michigan 675 compared to the Haulpack 4000 and early Cat 994. I think it's heavier but don't know how it did performance wise. Certainly less of them made at only 14 with 2 bought back and updated to C models.
I like seeing photos of unique machines. Unfortunately, the chance that someone who has worked this loader, will respond here is small. Mike did a great job of describing the story of 4000. As for sizes: I think the 675 and 4000 prototypes were close (operating weight approx. 350 000 lbs.) I think they both ran on dump truck wheels. After conversion to the 675c model (dedicated loader tires, ROPS etc.) it was heavier (+-390 000 lbs).
The 675 was earlier and ran on the biggest tires of the time but they weren't up to the task. I've read tire changes were very frequent. I have a book on equipment that gives the details of the 675 but doesn't state if the 2 bought back by Clark and made into C models were ever sold.
I wonder why the 4000 was produced for such a short time? The IH 580 payloader and Dresser 580 were produced much longer. Didn't it stand up to the competition of the CAT 994 and Komatsu WA-1200?
Sorry. The WA-1200 was first introduced around 1999. The 4000 was produced until 1996 or 1997. As for the 675 prototype, the wheels seemed narrow to me and their tread looked like from dump trucks. The 4000 prototype did not have dedicated tires and used them instead. It is probably the only XXL loader with a cabin in the front section.