Im new to the field and am getting sent to a road job on monday driving a cat scraper (not a paddle wheel), im trying to get a head start so I was interested in the basic operation and controls, and tips or tricks would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help.
Welcome to the board. I wouldn't think any contractor would just throw you on a scraper without some training. OSHA would would be very unhappy with that. What scraper are you going to run?
Thank you, and its a 621f. Im sure they will show me but I would feel more comfortable if I knew something before hand.
Yair . . . bobrec1228 . Welcome from me too, you have come to a good place, this board is a mine of good information. Like DPete I find it strange you are being thrown in at the deep end. Not to put you off but there is more to "driving" scrapers than knowing the controls. Looking back I had lots of hours on drawn scrapers behind dozers before I got on a motor scraper and I knew not to turn uphill or out of a slot or over a rill at full lock . . . if you don't understand why (or have never been told) you really need to sit down and think about scraper dynamics . . . and don't be afraid to ask here. All the best with your new job . . . I was young and sappy when I started and I remember high-balling back to the cut and thinking, "and they actually going to pay me for doing this?". Cheers.
Thanks for the info and I have some equipment experience so I fully understand what you are saying about there being more to it and I know it takes many years for someone to be a good operator. Around here its very common to be put directly into a scraper after your first hired. I think this forum will be extremely helpful and a great place for my career in the future.
You will have to run it the way they want, couple of quick things, the trans will upshift and downshift according to ground speed except downshift to 1st is manual. So if you load in 1st then move the shifter to 5th (as an example) it will continue to upshift to 5th as the shift speed is reached for each gear. There is a trans hold button on the hoist lever which will keep the trans from shifting beyond the gear it is in when you press the button, press again and the trans will shift up to the selected gear. The diff lock is on the floor and looks like the old dimmer switches on older cars, I tell my guys to stay off the diff lock. Some new operators will grab the steering wheel when entering the machine, this will make the nose move if the engine is running.( use grab handles ) Load and dump with the cushion hitch down, the switch is by the right arm rest. I could go on and on but won't. Hope you had a good 1st day
Thanks for the great help I ended up running a E model instead of the F. Everything went smoothly and after a hour I was load for load with the journeyman so all was well.