So here's a question for all you hoe operators. Do you prefer using the pedals or the levers when powering the tracks (ie turning or moving in general)? I've seen some people use just solely one or the other and some people use whatever is more useful at the time... I prefer using the pedals, that way my hands are always on the bucket controls for any reason that may arise. I know some of our operators, pipe guys especially, actually remove the levers all together, because they only use their feet, and it clears their sight more.
For me, my phsyical make up dictates this My feet can more easily reach the pedals, whereas I have to physically adjust my position to use the levers.
I use the levers because the 3 machines we have are too hard(not enough leg room) to use the pedals.
I use the pedals. I take the levers right off. The levers make it hard to see especially when digging sewer and water.
I mostly use the peddles.It is easy and you still can use your other controls. sometimes if I have to be real careful I'll use the levers. I know some operators who don't ever use the pedals. It all comes to personal preference.
Pedals for me. A lot easier to maneuver over trenches when using the boom to help. Have driven a couple of midi's that didn't have pedals and found things awkward.
Pretty much pedal's only, if Im on a machine steady the lever's are history. Better vision when working with men in a ditch, I prefer to have all function's off the machine under constant control at all time's !!
I prefer the old cat style(lever only to steer) these days I remove the levers for visibility.:usa
Pedals. Hello. If I can, pedals only. But, just depends on the machine. I am a little guy so this is not always an option.
Pedals or Levers: Yup... my levers are hanging on a hook, in a shed.... OCR...
When I'm digging I like using my feet to move, unless unloading from my tag trailer, then I use the levers. I dont want to put any pics on here from falling off the trailer if my foot slips off a pedal or something, THAT would be embarassing! EGS, they have my vote in '12! GO CREW! Steve
pedals for sure, easier until you get one of them old dinosaurs that track faster on one side weeeeee!
If I was the only one running them, I'd take the levers off. But a couple of the guys use the levers, for reasons I can't understand. I find it much more comfortable to use the pedals, than to lean forward to use the levers. Plus the need to use the other functions sometimes while traveling. Probably a lot of my preference comes from the fact that I've been running excavators since before they HAD levers on the travel pedals. We used to have a 451 Bantam, that had travel levers up by the seat, one stick for boom, one stick for swing, two pedals for crowd, and two pedals for bucket curl. You almost needed to be an octapus to load the damn thing on a trailer (dovetail type trailer). We also had a 225 Cat at one time, with the lever to steer. It never did walk strait, so when loading it, you held the steering lever over a little bit with your knee, while pushing the appropriate travel pedal, all the while trying to work the boom. For some reason, while traveling, the boom, crowd, and bucket functions hardly worked on it. I don't know if that was normal, as that's the only CAT hoe we ever had, but it sure was annoying when trying to load or unload over a dovetail. I dumped it off the side of a lowboy one day. Got it on the trailer, and was swinging around to let the boom down to the deck. We didn't have outriggers out on the trailer, and it had the long/wide undercarriage on it. The middle of the track rails were right on the edge of the trailer, the undercarriage was worn out... When I stopped swinging (wasn't swinging very fast)I felt that end of the machine kinda scoot... Not much, probably less than an inch, but when it did, that put more of the track off the trailer than on, the rails were worn so much they kinda twisted, and off the trailer we went... Didn't turn over or anything, just one track hit the ground... Very solidly hit the ground. That was in 1986, and I still remember that ride VERY clearly. It was a single drop tandem lowboy, so it was about a 3' drop. Dad decided we had time to put the outrigger boards on before the next try...
We did finally figure out why the Cat tracked sideways though, right before we traded it on a new 125B case. It had an extra track link on one side. Ran it for 5 years like that (it was a 1977 or 1978 model we bought at an auction in 1985)
A different number of links in the tracks will not make a machine turn while walking, it's not physically possible. As long as the drive sprokets are the same size one track could have twice as many links as the other and it wont make a difference so you must have had another problem. I use the pedals only and removed the levers on a machine that I was on for a full season. Now im on the heavy haul side of things and still only use the pedals when loading ot unloading, I just find it more comfortable and feel like I have alot more control.
I use the pedals nearly all the time except for when I am putting the machine on a float or doing something that needs to be really controlled. Shane
i always use pedals even when loading on a trailer, but if i have a long way to tram and my legs get tired of holding the pedals down i use the levers
i always use the pedals...I was actually thinking, how could you run a machine to its full potential by only using the levers? We have a guy that only used the levers when he started working for us and we pushed him to learn how to use the pedals and his production has noticably improved. you need the pedals to bump turn,lift yourself up and down embankments,move implements while tracking etc.... i honestly cant imagine not using the pedals
I don't use my hands on the foot controls and I don't use my feet on the hand controls.
We have a machine with no floor pedals so i can only use my feet for going forward so its mostly the levers. haha. The tracks suck up all the hydraulics anyway so if i move the bucket or boom while tracking it will stall one of the tracks unless barely creeping