Howdy, I work at a Met Coal mine in the Rockies up here in B.C. The job I have moved into is a type of informal "make problems go away" deal. I have never run Heavy Equipment for and received a pretty quick 5 minute check-out. As in engine running with the doors open "This is for this, this is for that, don't touch that". I would like to eventually evolve into an Operator out of this job and want to get into the right habits early on. Any suggestions for an effective daily walk-around at shift start? I have been of course checking the Engine and Tranny Oil and try and get a good look at my cylinders and cutting edges. The equipment I will mainly be running are D11-R's & T's and Cat Excavators (385's). Thanks! S.
Blimey, that is what you call going in at the deep end Have they not got something a little bigger for you to set off on Have never seen anything that big so wouldn't know where to :beatsme Only peice of advice I know applicable, As Goose said on Top Gun, " lets kick the tyres and light the fires"
Got to be a wind up!:beatsme Thrown onto D11 or 385 without knowing the job is asking for some serious trouble! Are they that short of experienced operators over there! Wish you the best of luck and I'd take the handbook home!
While I find it hard to believe anyone would turn a rookie loose on such pricey machinery I would suggest for starters to learn to open engine covers and have a good look around. Check for fuel leaks and look at the air filter indicators. If you don't have a lube crew get used to looking at the lube charts and follow them at the recommended intervals. Start keeping a log book of hours on the meter so you will know when service(like oil and filter changes) are needed. Look for loose hardware on tracks and cutting edges or buckets. Clean the windows every morning so you are less likely to get into bad situations without realizing it. When you run a dozer use the decelerator when changing directions. Watch for loose tracks and broken pads. Above all BE SAFE!
Go to caterpillar.com, they have a few start up/walk around printouts on their site. You can print one out and photocopy it, and use them for daily checklists
go to 385 cat walkaround on you tube by vantagetes.
The fact that your asking here is a good thing I would say: If you want to know things, you can ask your fellow operator and on the Internet you can find some things also. And you can always ask here , there are some pretty experienced operators here that can help you out. The size of machinery you start on is pretty big but i don't see much harm in that ,only thing is the view, so be sure you're safe. On the Cat's keep an eye on those airco drains, they can clog up in dusty conditions and your heaterbox will fill up with condensed water which make your windows steam up. I learned a lot from watching. (make sure you pick a skilled operator to watch) Most of all use your head and be save. Good luck :my2c
a good habit to get into working with excavators is to check your hydraulic hoses going to the cylinders for excessive wear or cracking. also check the arms down by the bucket that run from the stick to the end of the bucket cylinder for excessive slop or cracks.
Don't they have any experienced operators where you're at? Learning to use equipment via the internet is well.........humnh........unusual. It is better if someone on the ground shows you what to do and more importantly what not to do. Well anyway at least you got enough get up and go, to try and learn how to look after the machine. It pays to every know and then switch off the radio and open the cab door while you are using the machine to listen to it. When using equipment you have to use all your senses, sight, sound, touch and smell. Yes even smell can tell you when something is wrong. Better to smell a hot bearing than touch it and burn your fingers, speaking of which, it is a good idea to use the back of your hand to determine if something is running hot.
make sure osha doesnt come and visit you!! here in ontario they hired 700 more officers to come and check people out, i just got out of school yesterday they showed up at our site and checked all our cards and paper work... a good thing if your doing shift work is to make sure or make the other guy clean your tracks, make sure your properly greased, give the air filter a squeeze to get all the gunk out of the tip. there are a coulpe videos of walkarounds Vantages made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukjjkW8fQ_k&feature=channel_page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5faJZqc2T8&feature=channel_page hope this helps!
Oriden- I make sure that all of my employees clean the tracks that they got dirty before they get off the machine-not the guy who is getting on the machine.