Hi everyone! I just bought an ex-county machine off of BigIron Auctions. CAT0143HV1AL01163 Pretty low hours, around 4500. Called to see if oils needed changed up, they said it had been in shop last winter. Oils changed, drive chains changed, trans solenoids replaced, and some maintenance done in the front wheels. So a couple questions. Should the front wheel assist be used at all times? Is there a choice? Any quirks I should know about on that machine? Thanks, Kent
First question: If you plan on doing your own maintenance do you at least have an Operation & Maintenance Manual for it.? To download a pdf version from Cat go to - https://catpublications.com/ When the popup appears, click on Continue as Guest Type SEBU7063 in the box and click the Search button. You should see the illustration below. (Paper & CD versions have S&H charges on top of the posted price)
Yes, it comes with operation and maintenance manual. Also get a service manual, so yay! Haven't got the machine or manuals yet. Bookmarked the link, thanks.
Be aware that the link works better if you know the Pubication Number of the document you're searching for. Sometimes searching based on a model number it can return all sorts of spurious results.
Curious why a county would sell a grader with only 4500 hours? Most I've seen have been around the 10,000 hour mark or more when replaced.
Just curious did Bennet County have that grader? as far as the all wheel drive goes there’s a switch on the right side of the cab by the ignition switch that will turn your front wheel assist on there’s a lever on the left of the control rack you push it forward to make the front wheels pull more I generally don’t use AWD unless you need it.
Yes, Bennet County was the seller. I will be using it on terraces. Digging is mostly with the "belt". video of belt When blading we keep moving dirt towards the back, wider is better! Generally will be blading to move some more dirt over when cleaning up. My plan is that this blade will be ran by my helper. He has ran the 613 and belt. I won't be running it, and he is inexperienced, so thought some guidance would be a good thing.
Dave, I would guess they sold it because of age? It'll be 20 next year.
It might have been less headaches for them to keep it than get a new grader with all the electronic and DPF issues you could keep hearing about.
That machine is configured for snow plowing. The post in the back is the rear mount for a wing and the front linkage is for a push blade. Operating time and age are pretty typical for snow machines. Salt and sitting for long periods of time take a toll on all the linkages. Government gets a big advantage over private buyers in that there are lots of programs the provide huge breaks in initial costs plus there are guaranteed buy backs and lots of competition from Deere and Volvo for the business. Around here, government graders get traded out just before they go out of warranty. That being the case, they are not a bargain buy when they hit the used machine markets.
In my opinion you can't go wrong with an H series grader. Super reliable, infinitely rebuildable and plenty of aftermarket parts available.
Well John C. was right about the linkages being worn more than I would of expected. And man was the radiator filthy. And there might be another problem. The first time we used the grader was a very soft waterway that had dried up some. Noticed that when I pushed the front assist power lever forward it gets noisy and seems to come from transmission. I tried it again on regular ground a different time. It makes noise from the transmission like a bearing is out. It gets worse when the power is turned up, and goes away when the power to the front is turned down. Without the front assist on things are pretty normal. Reverse 4th gear has just a bit of wine, but nothing I would of noticed if I wasn't listening for problems. And they sent me the books for the newer serial number. Other than that it's just like new lol!
I would say an oil sample may be in order. Maybe an inspection of the filter as well. Probably cheaper to fix it before it fails completely. Just my opinion
The front wheel drive is hydrostatic so if you're taking oil samples the hydraulic is important. The FWD pump is driven by the transmission so this may be where the noise is coming from.
Have you serviced the transmission & hydraulic systems yet..? If not don't forget to have a good look at the suction screens for the transmission & diff housings when you do.
Planned to get serious when the weather goes south. Will check screens and filters and change hyd and trans oils. Need to tighten up lift cylinder sockets then also. There aren't any shims left, they are pretty loose, figure will have to weld on new stud-balls.
Thats why I own cats parts are available all over the place
Have the inserts (#6) gone totally south as well..? New inserts will often give you a bit of additional life without having to resort to welding on a new ball.
When I get it in I'll see if the inserts will do it!
A friend came by and we got to spend a little time on the grader. The speed sensor has quit I think, the speedometer stays at 25 mph all the time. So on the front assist I use manual mode. And I used the front assist in 2nd and 3rd, so when it's turned up it's really pulling. I showed my friend, turned up the power to the front, and he was pretty sure it was just pump noise. It pulled the 613 out of a mud hole so yay!
Those AWD pumps are noisy when new, but the splines that drive them are the weak link in that system. Hoses to front drive motors are vulnerable, and the seal between hub and spindle was troublesome in the earliest models.
So got the transmission and hydraulic oil changed and got a look at the filters. Magnets were good, not perfectly clean but no pieces of anything, a bit of fine black stuff.
Well I am disappointed that I got the wrong service manual. I should probably just get the one for the 1AL series? Seems the things I look for like fixing the speedometer aren't the same. Anyone have one to sell or trade? The Pic is the sn's the 2 service manuals cover. I was also looking, but couldn't find, to see if any calibration was needed when changing the shifter control module. The plastic loop that comes out of circuit board was broken where it encircles the shift lever. Tried jbweld, broke again after couple months. So have the new part that comes with the lever and all. Will get it put in soon.
The shift control is plug n play. I think you will find it comes without the black handle though. Don't throw out your old one yet.
What is the publication reference number on the spine of the folder.? It will be something like SENRxxxx. The AWD graders are a bit weird as regards service manuals. Everything APART from Disassembly & Assembly is covered in one manual (SENR9180), and D&A is covered in SENR8550. So a "complete" manual for a 1AL-prefix machine would actually be two volumes.
Manual Form RENR4135 and Manual Form RENR4140 Both also say ARL1-Up and APN1-Up I bought the right parts books and did get the right maintenance/operation manual in the machine.
New inserts with 1 shim on each side tightened up the lift cylinders! Will buy a more inserts for the circle side shift.
Yeah you've got the wrong ones for your machine. You need SENR9180 & SENR8550. You could put the two you have now up for sale on an auction site to finance the purchase of the correct ones. RENR4135 currently lists at $775 in paper form and RENR4140 is $295. There are a couple of them being offered for sale right now in conditions nowhere near as good as yours at not far away from new prices. CD format would be an option for buying new. SENR9180 is $355 and SENR9550 is $225.
Thanks Nige! Got both off of ebay for $451. Progress is being made!
Progress got slowed up a bit. Machine wouldn't always shift into forward, play with the handle get it to work. Figured out broken shift mechanism in shift control. JB weld held a couple months. Order new shift control and install. Machine won't start, somehow neutral safety switch-it seems to me. Take both shift controls to cat parts, looks right, send me another one. Same result, key switch turns things on but won't engage starter at all. Help would be appreciated. I got the books, but am not quite learned on them! First pic broke shifter, 2nd machine connector, 3rd old shifter number, 4th new shifter number, 5th new shifter connector Only other known problem is speedometer doesn't work.
Studied a bit, with new shifter installed, turn on key, get a "43" code (140H VHP Autoshift) My code should be "45" (143H Autoshift) Finally found diagnostic plug, had active code 61, stored 62 and 81 61= shift lever input invalid 62= shift lever open circuit 81= auto manual lamp open circuit. erased stored error codes took orange covers off of deutsch connector, maybe better connection to shifter. Then got error code 72 72= check programmable parameters. Then tried to manually program the right code for the machine in and was not successful. Ordered new ET software from Cat, should get it in a couple days. My 2015 computer might choke (i-5, 2.6 ghz 4 gig ram)
Front wheel assist is great on any grader. A Clark Super 301 I ran back in the 80's had mechanical AWD but traction was let down by the loader style tyres it was shod with. It came from France as 100 of them were earmarked for Iran but as we know the turmoil which erupted there, the order was cancelled.
You're in the right state for spare parts, dealt with Weller Tractor Spares for many years. Never a problem having parts shipped to Australia. Tom Ruble was my main contact, real nice bloke too.