Hi guys. Total newb. About to buy a 8 tonne machine for my own use on an isolated island. I’m interested in any advice you guys can give me about how not to kill my machine or myself. This is because I’ve just punctured the fuel tank on my Terex PT80, loading a trailer, and it was a dumb dumb mistake made simply because I did not know anything about what I am doing. I grease my machine daily and check the fluid levels, clean the radiator etc and do what the manual says. I drive slowly and work slowly, never across the slope, but other than that, I’m sure there’s a bunch of stuff my dad should have told me, but he never ran an excavator!
The PT 70's & 80's are nice machines BUT the fuel system get neglected something awful.. I had 6 in my shop in 1 week from a rental co.. I came to hate'm.. FIND the fuel filters & change them regularly.. more often than "the book" calls for.. They're prone to overheat.!!! so keep that rad CLEAN & check the fluid.. Being on an isol. island, is it going to sit "unattended" where anyone could come & start it & tear it up?? IF SO, you should consider some sort of "kill switch".. that could be flipped on-off when the machine is not needed. {battery disconnect, starter interrupt}..
Welcome to the site... Never killed one, myself, but curious as to how you punched a hole in the PT80, any further details?
Did it just like that! Nudged the corner of the trailer approaching it on an angle to load. Forgive the photo...I put the red bar hydraulic cylinder blocker thingy in straight afterwards! I’m worried about doing something dumb like this to a much more expensive excavator. Thx for useful advice pumpguy!
A friend overturned his mini ex with a thumb into a hole. Picked up a heavy piece close and when extended to drop into hole, over she went. I believe working to the side of the tracks contributed to the roll over too.
I'll admit I've done the same foolish thing myself! Problem is on many machines if working by oneself it can be a problem putting the safety support in while sitting in the seat! The most dangerous ones are the machines with foot control for boom and bucket. One wrong placement of a foot can be your last! About the best advice to avoid killing your excavator or skid steer would be to "Engage brain before starting engine!" Might be worth making a sticker to put next to the key that says just that!
What part of Aus do you live? If you know someone who is good a couple of days tuition on site will get you started in the right direction.
Take your time when working your way into the bush . Get an area cleared in the middle & try to keep from throwing to many trees into standing timber . Keep the cleared area free of debris best as possible . Watch out for the small trees & limbs . They break & shear off into punji sticks that will damage Man and machine . Slow & easy at first Mate .
WOW! is about all I can say... Course on my lil ASV RC-30, the tank in under the seat, not hanging out, like that. I'd be welding some armor, front and sides, of tanks like that! All you really can do, is live and learn, and most screwups happen at about 3:30, on a Friday...
Aint that the truth Dave ! We used to call it " No dig Friday afternoon " when installing equipment foundations for a communications company . The locates weren't always accurate .
I don't know, I try NOT to kill any machine. Check the fluids before operating, think about what you're doing before you do it, don't let any fittings go too long without grease. Studying the operator's manual doesn't hurt, either.
Well said Buckethead . Like your avatar !
That was a bad day for some feller ! Don't bite off more then ya can chew .
Tore off the front porch. Walked out on the porch slab. Put blade down. Reached up to sweep the chimney to the right, wall on the left side under the porch slab gave way. Slab broke up. Nothing under the slab for the first 5 feet. No one hurt. Got it righted that afternoon thanks to Frank from Belcher Excavation who was working down the street. Let it sit till the next day, started it up and finished taking down the house. I need 4 pcs of glass and a rear left door panel. Moral of the story, the tracks need to be on dirt or natural stone not concrete slab. The slabs at the other 3 houses had dirt and gravel under them.
Good part was no injuries & sounds like minor damage to the machine . We run in to that on demo jobs where the building has a basement . Make darn sure ya bust the main floor out first before crawling up on top of it .
Yep. You have to know what is under you.
Brave post. Thanks for the reminder!
On concrete that's questionable where ya have to set on …… Drag a chain across it first and the sound will tell ya if she's hollow under the slab . Run in to that when we set up the crane at times in what looks like a solid parking lot . Outrigger over a holler spot under the concrete or asphalt aint a good combination . Nope !
Feller has to be careful on dirt to . You can tell buy that feeling in yer gut when it's startin to get a little funky …. Rig is rocking a little to much ……. Hop out of the cab an notice crack forming in the ground under the starboard side of the excavator . Time to " Haul Anchor "& set sail to a better spot to fish in . " Full speed ahead captain " . Full power ahead fellers ! LOL Where's Jimmy Buffet when we need him ?
Don't feel bad f311fr1 , you aint the only one that's fully " Field tested " an excavator to it's limits . I have to be careful with " Old Roy " on uneven / soft terrain . He's more likely to flip over backwards when working over the side of the truck mount . Uncle Howard tolled the story where they flopped him backwards in the early 1970's . They was moving the crane with boom up & over the rear . Forgot to set the swing brake ….. She leaned a little & house swung to the low side . There she sat resting on the counterweight , truck rocked over at a 45 degree angle . Good thing it has " Boom stops" ! They hooked on the mainline with a dozer & got him back up on his tires . Cribbed the outriggers and got the boom stowed back in the front cradle . No damage to the machine other then had to wash the mud off the counterweight . Back to work
I do like that mobile drag line. Can you self rig it or do you need another crane to set it up when you get to site? Graham
We road it with the boom in the picture . Hangs out the front a good length . Can " self rig" when adding a boom section working off the lowboy or gooseneck trailer that's hauling the section . It's a Job by your self & I try to steer clear of that work . I aint 25 anymore . LOL !
td I sure do like that drag line
What was Old is now new . The Cat's & Chicks all dig it ! My God ….. Calendar shows it's 2018 ? Must have had some kind of time warp as I thought it was still 1972 . LOL Like Theodore Roosevelt used to say …. " Speak softly & carry a big grease gun " . Or something like that .
Love the video. Must be interesting at junctions. Trees on the corners need to watch out as well. Graham
The 404 Waukesha get's along decent considering its age . Yep, have to keep an eye on the boom tip for trees stop signs & utility poles . My " Blocker feller " runs in front to assist at the intersections .
My b-in-l has crawler draglines. When I move him on and off these plantations and farms around here, we hang the boom off the back of the lowboy and he rides the machine with the engine running so he can swing as I go around curves and corners, to keep the boom out of the trees.
That sure saves time vs pulling the boom apart He run 3/4 yard bucket on the Bucyrus 22-B ?
Back to the OP. The base rules for safety in an excavator, especially when you are by yourself in the sticks a lot.... Keep your stick low when swinging. It helps to have a kick stand ready if it tips. Only use a lot of pressure toward or away from the excavator. Dont be lazy and try to use swing if it can be avoided. It causes more wear and tear on the machine anyways. Dont be afraid to test the stability before you start working. Reach out under load, with it low, especially on slopes. This way you know the limits. If things get crazy, stop. Let go. Jump off. Have a smoke. Take a breath. Calm operators are the best. I've had situations where I'm working fast, pull on something and a piece of concrete breaks and the machine jumps awful close to a building. Sometimes you have to take a breath and think about what you are doing before you go back to it. The operator does the work. The machine just gives you steroids. Dont hit anything, including people. Is that a wheeled excavator you are looking into? A road capable machine may be more useful in your situation. The JCB hydradig is a nifty machine with some cool features.