Hello, we are looking to buy a grader to maintain sand races on our dairy farm. Our local acution site has had this one listed for a long time (apparently nearly a year). I dont know much about graders. What do I need to be finding out to see it the machine is suitable? In general, is this model grader (Champion 740A) reliable? Do they have common problems or things that need attention? What are potential things that could go wrong? and what information should I be getting from the seller. Year, Hours, Service History or work on done machine? Engine model? We have a local heavy engine specialist that hopefully I will take to see the machine, so he can give a good indication on the engine condition, but not to sure about the grader... Hopefully I've posted a couple of photos below, otherwise you can view them here http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farming-industry/Industrial/Earthmoving-machinery/Other-machines/auction-384033512.htm Thanks in advance Will
It should be a late 70's early 80's model, Champion had a couple of engine choices in those years.( cummins, Detroit 6-71 and I think Allis) and about 3 or 4 different transmission choices. I have an 81 model 715A( smaller than this one). One of the things I had the most problem with was the Hydraulic pumps (but that might be just me.) Post some more specifics when u get them. The year,hours and service history may be hard to get if it is at an auction house, but worth a shot.
As far as the grader goes will, when you have your engine tech there, put a block under the cutting edge first on the right side and with your tech watching from the rear of the machine, try to raise the right side drive wheels up. Have him watch the axle's for play and then where the tandems mount to the frame for play. Then move the block over to the left side and repeat the procedure again with him watching from the rear looking for play. Then take the block and put behind the front tires and back up tight to the block again checking for play in the front end... and by the way will, what is a sand race for a dairy farm. I'm not familiar with the term. Thanks Gramps.
wwd10 - Personally the only time I would use a grader on a race would be to finish after a race has been formed . From what I have seen graders tend to bring in all the rubbish into the race and it will not compact and doesn't last at all . I quess it would be better if the races were very clean to start with but that is not normally the case . Grandpa - races are where cows walk ( similar to a track or lane ) the get to and from the milking shed as we graze outside normally . Sand race , a race ain't normally made from sand as it would not hold but I quess you use what you got
Thanks Haddy.
Thanks Gramps, I'll add that to the checklist. Will add more specifics and photos when I get to the machine - Hopefully later this week. Haddy, you nailed it in using what you got. We are in the middle of pouring about 400 cube of concrete on the races right off the shed. The rest of the races are sand (with some Iron content in the sand) Just the sheer volume of cow traffic wears the crown off them - peak use is nearly 6000 (1500, 4 times per day) animals across the race in one day. The races are fine when they're dry, as all races are. When it rains and they are flat, the water pools then mixed with cow **** turns it into a puggy mess - you cant get any compaction back in it as you suggested. So it usually involves scraping down to the hard with the digger, then hiring a couple of ADTs to get more sand carted back on - not a cheap operation. We have purchased a huge 3 point linkage hydraulic grader blade, but it can't pull the material back in from right under the fence - usually results in windrow being formed under the fence from material that passes round the front edge of the blade (exacerbated by the fact that you are trying to pull it up onto the crown). Anyway I have overcome this by taking an old 12 or 13 foot blade and mounting in across the front of the front of the tilt bucket on the digger, sticking as far out one side as possible. It works well, you can sit the digger in the middle of the race and stick the blade 1.5 meters under the fence - until the bucket touches the wire, but its relatively slow, and there is not always a competent digger driver round to operate it. If the races are kept formed the effluent is able to wash off it, and the sand stays relatively firm. Keep the 'what to look for suggestions coming'. Will
It is a constant job . The blade on the digger sounds good . The longest lasting way we have found of slowing that windrow down is not to have a smooth surface to the wire . We use a soft rock a lot and as you drag the material along with the digger when forming the crown the rocky'er pieces will seperate a bit and we use them along the fence line . We also have quite a steep rise about 500mm ( foot and a 1/2 ) out from the fence and they don't seem form the windrow as much . I have not yet seen (or built one ) a race that doesn't need work done on it fairly regularly so that is my 2 cents worth ! Have you thought about using a motor scraper instead of those ADTs ? You still need digger etc to set it up but to cart material in , form and compact
We used to use an Aveling Barford grader for doing cow shed races yrs ago over there, 4 x 4 steering and drive more manourverable than a ridged frame Champion. A lot of the County Councils used them for their road maintainence yrs ago.Cheers RDG.
Ye Gods, an Ambling b*****d.... I did my apprenticeship with them .........
I guess I was the same, first grader I operated was an A/B 99H when I was 16yrs old, just as well it came with a operators manual as that was all I had to learn from. Cheers RDG.
Was that the one with the Leyland engine & solid frame ..? A total POS as I recall. The later ones with Scania engines & Allison trannys were much better. I peferred the 6 x 6 models myself, although the driveline to the front axle was a bitch to maintain. Would out-grade a Cat 16 any day. I remember having to scrape in a new set of white metal bearings on the pump that worked the upstroking water press that was used to bend those main frame members. Even red hot they took some bending, the hollow ones from the lower-powered graders bent much easier.
Yep thems the ones, one I was on for a while had a GM 4-53 T, tourque converter drive but a manual transmission, went from that to a 680 Champion. Cheers RDG.
MORE BETTER You look for an old Cat 12 Or Adams 330 They would be better deal for race ways as they are easier to manouvre and you can still gert most parts foreach machine from I think it is Porters from Hamilton and why dont yo0u put River shingle on you race ways this will stop cows from getting footrot and stone bruises, also with the round stones seems to get water 0ff far quicker my Father used to put layer of river shingle and then top it off with Pumice So Thats my 2bobs worth Lesp