I am the proud new owner of an '89 model 931c with a 4 in 1 bucket and rippers that I plan to clear fence lines, dig dams, build roads, clear trees and house and shed pads on my 320 acre hill side block on the Atherton Tableland Queensland Australia. I am a handy kinda guy, can fix stuff and drive things, fly planes and drive boats. Never driven earth moving machines tho. Is there any internet resources worth looking at with regard any "how to's" with regard these machines? Or do you like most everyone else I guess, get in and do it and learn by your own mistakes? My survival neuron takes up a large portion of my grey matter and any advice or basic rules of operation would be appreciated. I asked one old timer dozer drive "how steep a hill can that machine climb" to which he replied "when the radiator overflows and hits you in the chest it's too steep" Thanks GREG
one thing is to not get wire caught up in the sprocet area, if you get into mud, just want untill it dryes up. just take your time and before you know it you will be working a little faster. sounda like a lot of fun. sam.
I have a older style 4 in 1(coming to two years) and I am still working out the methodology of use!! I have managed to use it as blade and a clam pushing stock to a end point and closing the bucket into it, I have used it to move small trees as well grabbing and uprooting smallish trees/shrubs/fence posts. It has places it works great, albeit a heavy monster that when used as a breakout shovel has definite advantage in weight but also disadvantage in break away roll over in really tough soils. In general digging seems to need the bucket angle more severe to start cut in than a GP bucket then as starts begins to dig too rapidly and requires constant attention to keep from rolling in too deeply, then there is the side effect of mass and weight as you cannot fill to a GP bucket load, always lacks around 1/3 of materials a GP can pull out. Many plusses a few negatives and a need to be attended to more than a regular bucket but I own one, mine is a Ulrich on a old Allis. I believe mine is classified more a Multi Purpose than a 4/1, it is a complex menagerie of linkages and pivot points.
Thanks Guys for the input. DMiller, I have seen smaller machines using the clam more effectively in reverse picking up trash loads, coming over the top of the load, reversing, dragging the trash load a little with the open section and then clamming closed and lifting. Seems they get more in each load / lift with this method. Clearing up after what we call cyclones.
My 7G is nose heavy anyway, the addition of the MP and a tail counterweight makes the old monster a little ungainly. I will try the reverse method when it dries here some, I have some old building foundations to come out of a feed lot, they have been a bugger trying to push through. So far this winter I have moved over two foot of snow in quite a few snowfalls, the ground is so saturated it is like swamp at the top of our hills. Sorry to paint a rosier picture than our mates from down under are bearing but nature is seemingly having revenge on us for dry times. Best I can tell frost here is around 10-12" deep beneath the slimy parts.
A few things. I have been able to operate a couple of 931's with 4n1 buckets. When you need to move lots of dirt have the blade section of the bucket near vertical for aggressive digging, when you want to finish grade tilt bucket all the way forward so cutting edge does not want to dig. My advise is for an open bucket. For real fine grading, or grading of large areas get a straight log with a length of 2-3 times your bucket width. Grab it and back drag. This will cut down on number of passes you need to do and thus less undercarriage wear and tear. Dozer operators nerves are about the limiting factor as to how steep a hill you can go up or across. I think a track loader has a slightly higher center of gravity when compared to a bulldozer. Things would defiantly change in a hurry if you lifted your bucket so when on a hill keep the bucket low and always,always wear your seat belt. Cheers Lowbed Driver
Not sure about Cat but on my 455 JD with the 4 in 1 bucket the proper dozing tactic was to open the clam, set the loader down on to the stops, and then roll the bucket forward or back to adjust the cut. It cuts grade and dozed very well that way. We had a Cat 931 in the seventies with a 4 in 1, but I don't remember if the same method worked with it. Might give it a try.
I have gone down hills so steep i couldnt lift the blade off the ground and up hills even steeper
Don't know if this will work, if not go into YouTube and type in "Drott 4 in 1". Two good videos, a bit old, but the principles are the same. Enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tztj9lZLus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE2ax8w9xY0
Thanks ih100, Classic and informative 50's footage
Great videos!
I had watched the videos a week ago and really enjoyed them. Went back to view again and they now say they're "private." Dang! Anyone else finding this? I was going to view again and note the clam and bucket indicators as my Deere 450 is missing those and I was looking for an example to copy and fab my own.