Well, just got word today that were swapping our five 14M for new ones...I certainely hope that the boys from Cat got it right with this batch. The last batch was plagued with lots of issues (a few still unresolved). Oh well, I still have a 14H left to count on.....:
In my 39 years association with the Military I've found myself several times going downrange with "new improved" equipment. I was always told it was "cutting edge technology". I always said we were "guinea pigs". The M has been a huge leap for CAT. I applaud their courage. They'll eventually get it figured out. I'm watching Deere's G model closely. I'll find myself in one in two more years. Hope they have their bugs worked out by then. Good luck with your latest batch.
When I got the last set of software upgrades on my 140m (Speed settings for blade control) it made it a different grader. It took all the jump out of the hydrolics. They did that middle of last summer and I love it now Later Mike
Anyone run a M-series plowing snow after the magic steering update? I talked with a county guy a few weeks ago. They have several of these machines and he was saying that since the update the machines won't move until the hydraulic temperature is warmed up. He said it takes about 45 minutes in the morning to get them up to temperature before they can move. He went on to say that multiple times throughout the day the emergency steering pump warning light will come on, buzzers and lights flash and the operator has to pull over and stop to warm the hydraulics back up. He said they ask the Cat dealer what the Cat factory solution to this problem was....the reply back from the factory....turn the circle back and forth ...that will warm up the hydraulics faster. Needless to say he wasn't too impressed.
Do you know wich model of grader it was ? I have two done with the update and I haven't seem that issue. One of the update feature is that you can put your moldboard cylinders in float mode and leave the cab. It speeds up the oil warming process. The addition of temp sensor will assist the system to adjust comm. rate according to temperature, hopefully reducing the frequency of cold steering oil alarms.
Our 16M just got the latest update 4 days ago. Finally they are starting to listen! I’ve been operating 12 hours a day at temperatures ranging from -33 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit and have only had one level three alarm, which required me to power down for reset. I’ve seen numerous level one and two alarms, but none required me to stop, slow down or power the machine down. As soon as I came to the end of my pass and turned around the light went out and the display reading “Cold Steering Oil” went away. Just the cycling of oil during turn around resets it due to the exchanging of oil in the cylinders. We still have some braking, shuttle shift and lift cylinder modulation issues, which need to be addressed, but this steering update was a huge improvement. Though it’s still not perfect it’s a step in the right direction. Alberta I wish you luck with your new group of machines and look forward to reading more from you on how they are doing. On the update for allowing float without being seated I am somewhat opposed. I can see doing this for a few minutes, but for extended periods, doesn't seem right. This signals the compensator, puts the squash plate at a constant angle in the pump and strokes the pistons when there really is no demand. They (Caterpillar) can call it kinetic energy in their documents, but what you’re really doing is creating fiction on the squash plate bearing and on the pistons and that’s what’s heating the oil. The beauty of an Axial Style Piston Pump is its ability to work on demand only, saving energy (fuel) and decreasing heat. I can see some operators now leaving these things in float for extended periods of time and sending some high dollar pumps to an early hour failure. Only time will tell if I’m right or wrong.
AB...these were 140M's. I am somewhat confused as to how putting the system in float would actually A.) command the pump to stroke and B.) heat up to the hydraulic system. Usually when you put a spool into float all you are doing is opening a passage to allow oil to flow from the rod end to the piston end along with a path to and from the tank. Usually this wouldn't pressure the LS line back to the pump causing it to stroke. I can't confirm this without a schematic, but usually in order to increase oil temperature you need some sort of flow at high pressure. This is usually accomplished by stroking a cylinder to relief and holding it there causing the oil to pass through the high pressure relief valve. Randy, These guys are going miles on end before turning around so that might be the difference between your machine and theirs. It may also be something to do with a 140M versus a 16M:beatsme All I know is that they have 3 or 4 machines and they all do the same thing....in single digit temps.
One of our dealer mechanics told me when we bought our JD770D to put the blade lift levers in float and by the time the engine and you are ready to start the hydraulic oil will be warmed. Works very well. I usually let the engine warm for 3 or 4 minutes before moving anyway and by then the hydraulics are ready. He also warned that if cranking under severe conditions make sure the levers are not in float because the pump is trying to move oil and will take more starter power to overcome that load. So I start machine in normal position and warmup in float.
I should have read down the thread before posting my comments on the float situation. Randy, our State Department removes snow from our blacktop roads like I live on with graders and trucks. The grader operators always run on float. Would that create the situation you are concerned about??? Or maybe they would be using other hydraulic functions that would negate that issue??
Randy and farmboy.. I had the same concern initially when they told us about the warm up strategy, but the Finning service manager told me not to worry and that if this is recommended by Cat, they will back up the product if something happens. I asked that they send me the technical info related to this P.I. since the letter from Caterpillar is pretty vague. I'll keep you posted. Cheers