Owner had a hydraulic failure at a jobsite. I went to look and bring the machine back to the shop. Though I don't show it, either the rotary coupler, or one of the hoses feeding it has failed. The machine was sitting it a "lake" of hydraulic oil. I backed the trailer right up to the back of the tracks, and dumped 10 gallons into the reservoir. I then had the owner start the tractor and back as far up the tailboard as possible. He just started to get onto the flat deck when it starved out for oil. I then winched/dragged it onto the trailer deck as the tracks were very well lubricated shown here: Having a larger skid steer on site also it was then centered onto the trailer once I got out of the mud: I then chained down good as didn't want it slipping anywhere. Trip back to the shop was uneventful and the trailer deck boards surely are not going to rust for a while with all the oil as the whole undercarriage was full and draining profusely.
Once back to the shop I used my skid steer to pull the excavator from the trailer as it will evacuate oil faster than can be poured in: Shop guys sprinkled oil dry onto the trailer deck so I could get traction with the skid steer and everything went according to plan from here as the excavator pulled right off the trailer and onto the floor. This one although less than a year old is being traded back in on a larger model with an enclosed compartment. This is another I hauled last month and the same model this one is being traded in on:
What a cute little digger, bummer it broke so young. Almost small enough to just slide the forks under the tracks and scoop it up!
Yes, it is a "cute" little machine. It is amazing, (to me) just how much work can be accomplished in confined areas these do. Just like skid steer loaders in the 70's did on construction sites. They sure are expensive however. I don't really talk too much to sales but that last one I hauled was busting through $100K with all the options installed. And the guy that purchased it told me I was welcome to borrow it whenever needed!!! We've been friends for years and I'm going to do some bulldozing for him later in the spring so it's a bit more than just a hauling job.
It's nice it died where you could get the trailer to it .... I hate working on stuff out in the mud. If I had a service truck with all my tools it wouldn't be so bad, but I always need something I didn't bring ...
They are more like working on an aircraft than a piece of equipment, very tight confines. Lots of taking off this, this, this, and this to get to that.
Just got word back the return line from the rotary coupler assembly separated from it's hose end. This of course is full pump flow right out to atmosphere. Should be a simple repair. Hopefully I'll run in with my granddaughter this afternoon and return the machine to the owner.
I've never had the option of putting something like that on a trailer and moving it to the shop. Had to hand dig a trench under a machine in order to get enough room to crawl under and remove the leaking component. Put on rain gear and dive in.
Usually the same with me also. However they don't pay me to be a mechanic so I don't offer as they would be graciously accept at a greatly reduced cost to them. I've leaned that lesson quite well over the years a time or two.....
Well done on the recovery. On a side note that's a mighty fine looking F350 Tremor. I have one on order since Oct with a build date of next week and hoping Ford can pull it all together.
Thank you. It was a bit of work to make it come together but I've done a lot of winching in days gone by..... That F350 is very nice; far too nice for me. I was quite surprised how quiet and smooth the diesel engine runs.
I have the same trailer as u. Think I’ve asked u before what’s the most weight you’ve hauled in it. Seems like I remember seeing it bowed in the middle in one of your pics lol. I’ve got a 19K dozer to move and was thinking about putting it on there. I’ve moved a 15K dozer many times with it and it handles it with ease. I’m aware it’s the woah not the go to be more concerned with lol.
The most I've hauled was a large Allis-Chalmers tractor with fluid in all six tires and that was about 26K in weight on the trailer. A 450 mile trip in the colder month of February last year. It was handled it just fine but did "bow" in the middle. Trailer has good brakes and I have a proportional brake controller in the cab which is quite powerful in application if needed to be. Almost worthless in slick conditions however as if it doesn't sense deceleration, it doesn't apply the trailer brakes as needed. Manual override is close to the steering wheel on the dashboard and habit is I always have my thumb on the slide control when stopping is slick conditions. I'd probably pull that larger dozer without any problem but you need to watch your tires for temperature and pressure as you progress. Damned trailer rated tires in the sizes used on these trailers like to roll their tread off under heavy weight and temperature, or just zipper and explode into a thousand pieces before you can get stopped. I've blown seven of the original nine already. The last two are getting changed this weekend as they are getting thin after about 10K in mileage. I'm not going to haul my Allis-Chalmers dozer home on it as too heavy at 16 tons weight.
Tenfo. Yeah I’m familiar with the tires and temp. I wouldn’t be moving it far enough to heat them up. 16” Trailer tires pretty much suck. Even the 14 ply don’t hold up. I have way too many of them on 5 trailers. I’m always replacing them.
Gent was very happy to have his mini ex back. Turns out yesterday was so rainy it was a washout so back to work it goes today: Dropping off: Messy trailer deck: Getting ready to back her down: Last photo shows my 10 year old granddaughter lowering the tailboard. After this was on the ground and I got the chains pulled, she backed the machine down and off the trailer. I was paying attention to her and coaching so did not snap a photo. Unless she snitches on me, nobody will ever know; especially my daughter..... Her dad would just laugh and be proud, mom, eh, not so much at times what grandpa allows.
Mechanic sent me these photos. First photo shows separated hose from it's fitting: Next photo shows connection point for hose. It's hard to see but this is the return to tank port: All good now after the air was purged from the system. Owner called me back telling me all is good with the machine and he really appreciated me coming in to bring his machine back today. He's spent enough money with the dealership in construction equipment and mowers we kinda help him out best able. He also was the prior owner of my Clark TLB.
Wow, good news! My f350 and wife's navigator were ordered in early Dec... maybe we will see them before '23...
Good for you!
I run 17.5s on my smaller trailers. Its a world of difference compared to 16s. More expensive but defiantly worth it in not changing tires on the side of the road. I am pretty sure you can upgrade the 17.5s onto the heavy 16" dual wheel setups on 12k axles. It is a bit pricey though.
Must be the northern climate, but an open cab machine is really rare here. One time, there were a lot of dozers with no cab, but very rare now. Unless it's a roller, and it seems like a roller is always a cold job... even in summer. Rare that they ever have a cab.