My daughter Shelby came for a ice bladin tour
Couple more
It certainly does appear that Deere has come a long way since it introduced the first articulated motor grader in 1967. http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US..._forestry_division/milestones/milestones.page
When did they start putting the blade on the side like that?
LOL, good time to dry lube the circle
Good time to change blades too. No more hands and knees, I change blades standing up.
I do too, but when you look at a Cat operator's manual for a H or M series...they still infer to place "wooden chocks" on the ground to rest the lip of the mouldbord on with the "worn" cutting edges standing proud to change the edges????
I remember one time years ago I was going to change blades, so I flipped the blade up on its side and proceded to take the bolts out. I just touched the first nut with the air wrench and down it come. No damage as it hit agains't the tire, but had there been a person standing there holding the bolts in for me it wouldn't have been pretty. The center locking pin wasn't in all the way and I never noticed it. Past practice when I had someone helping me they would always stand on the inside to hold the bolts in while I air wrenched them off. After that scare I always rechecked the locking pin and never, never would I let anyone stand on the inside of the blade. I would get the helper to stand beside me with his arm reaching under the blade to hold the bolts. My point here is that it might be to err on the side of safety would be the reason the manual suggests on the ground procedure? :beatsme On edit...Nice machine 770G
All grader men should check there centre pin when they have the blade suspended in the air similar to 770G's second photo, its pretty obvious what would happen to you if you were dismounting from cab when the blade comes down, ( or not so pretty), I have had the same thing happen to me as grader4me and it was not a nice feeling
I don't know if it's still the same but John Deere use to be able to stand the blade at a 90 degree angle where as cat couldn't quite do it. They had longer cylinders than cat had. I once cut a small ditch like that. I think it was for a starter course for retainer blocks
That is a good looking John Deere by the way. Have you ever ran a John Deere with these controls. It was on a 772 A or B, Can't remember for sure but was very different.
I ran one of those things (I refuse to call em blades) for a season, I still have nightmares and twitch from it.
Yes nobody ever goes on back side of blade EVER. And i always check the pin. But I'd never knock anyone for try'n to save my sorry ass as for the wooden chock's, I don't but I will now. GREAT IDEA!!!!!! And no I've never run an old Deere with controls like that thx for sharing that pic. For me, it would be like when I try to run a hoe on CAT controls..... ALL BAD lol I did run an old little Deere grader with what I'm told is "Deere controls", mold board lift are both on on far right. Awkward but I managed, I only plow town streets with it.
The blade controls are both on the right side of this one. Far right in the picture. It has a forward reverse shifter on the left side of the steering wheel. And the gear selector on the right.
Man, that thing could electrocute you with all those switches in the cab.
LOL...I had a crack at one of those to...same feeling...well.. maybe not the twitch...lmao
haha on getting electricuted. It was a weird setup. I ran it for about 3 years. It was a horse. A funny thing was it was a six wheel drive grader. I had a two way radio in it as I was taking care of an oil field lease so we needed communications. Everytime I keyed the mic on that radio the front wheels would spin faster. We got John Deere on the deal and they installed a filter on the computer but that did not stop it. They said it was protected so it was OK. When I first started running that grader I slammed it into reverse thinking I was still on a cat grader. Just about broke my neck hahaha. I was really really missed the cat when I first got that grader. I got use to it and it didn't bother me.
I guess I never gave much thought to various ways to change cutting edges. I shift the table out the right side of the machine because on a Deere it has a bit more reach. I lay the moldboard on it's "back", forward cutting edge up, horizontal about waist high, bolts coming in from the top. New 8" blades won't lay on the moldboard without being held in place by hand but once they are worn down about 50% they will. I was trying to imagine Grader4me's situation where he would use a helper to hold the bolts?? Can't figure that one out? Maybe you have the moldboard laying with the cutting surface down?? I don't have any pics of the position I use, I'll take one next time I rotate edges. Always looking to helpful ideas though!!!
Yup
Why do you do it that way?? Doesn't that require you to have help holding the cutting edge up to the moldboard until you get a couple bolts in??
Here is a video of the position I place my moldboard to change blades...I don't tilt it ahead that much though and I don't use the tool that they show ..lol. I dunno..way I always did it I guess. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wzduY4NUuY
That's cool!!! Never seen one and doubt my work will bye one lol looks expensive.... When I change blades I position moldboard opposite with blades on top, and no ratchet......... 3/4" impact gun for me
I never tried with the blades on top..really never even thought of it..lol
I've done it both ways. It depends on what kind of a grader (or the size of the bits anyway) and how many people you have. That tool would be nice for doing it by yourself. Never had one though. Me and one other guy changed bits on a 16G once with the bits down and about broke our back. It's a beach to hold those monsters up and start a bolt. That's when I learned that it was a lot easier to put them on face up. Of course then its a bear to hold the impact wrench up. Best to just get a few bolts in and then turn the moldboard facing down again to finish the job. We usually have two or three people around and change them face down.
Usually have extra help to change blades, so it's not really a big deal. When the blades on top all you gotta do Is steady it till a couple bolts/nuts are in finger tight....... Still a 2 man job
I knew a mechanic and he always wanted to change the blades with the edges facing the sky. He always had trouble with running the air wrench backwards. One day he showed up to change out, and I already had the circle shifted with the edges down. We did it that way, and he was amazed, apparently he had never done it like that. From then on, we changed out with edges down. I'd just as soon just raise the blade and get on the ground myself. Comes from all those E's and F's over the years. Ain't much can hurt ya' that way.
As long as you have two people, I would prefer the edges down. The impact wrench is easy to handle and when you can just back off when you drop that last bolt on the edges. Putting new ones back on aren't too bad if you have that extra set of hands. Once you get a bolt started it's easy. But those 16G bits is a 3 man job to hang them. I'm old enough to know better than to get hurt doing anything anymore hahaha
I always hung them out like G4Me shows, just a quick ? how many of you are running the full width edges i.e. 12 or 14 ft long compared to the 2 piece? and the preferred thickness I always liked the 3/8 when I could find them or the 1/2". I had never seen the full width until I was finishing soil cement in Florida a few years back.
I never knew that you could get them in one piece. They would be fun trying to get on..lol. Well..I'm happy that some of you install them the same way as I do..beginning to think I was doing it wrong all these years..lol
This is a great discussion. Little offtrack for the OP but hope he doesn't mind. I run a 14ft moldboard, cutting edges are 7ft x 8in x 3/4in. In my 23 years as an operator, have never had a helper to change edges, always done it alone. As I mentioned earlier I set the moldboard face up bolts go in from the top. When I'm removing edges I take out all bolts except one near the center of each edge, leaving it finger tight. Then I lean my waist against the edge so it doesn't fall off and remove the last bolt. I screw the nut back on a turn or two and hang it on the moldboard so it's there when I put on the new edge. If I'm simply rotating edges I remove the first one and stand it on end against the front tire. Then I remove the second one and simply slide it down the moldboard into position at the other end. That's where the bolt I left hanging comes in handy. It's right there where you need it to install finger tight to hold the edge in place. Then pick up the second edge and put it in place again fastening it with the hanging bolt I left there. Then pick up all the bolts and nuts and pile them on top of the edges. Then put them in by hand, starting the nuts. If the threads are good and clean I hand snug them so the heads of the bolts are caught by the square edge. Then grab the air impact and within a minute I have all the bolts tight. I've never timed myself but I'm guessing I can rotate or replace cutters in 4 or 5 minutes starting when I loosen the first bolt, finishing when I tighten the last bolt. As for the video. I chuckled all the way thru. I guess if I used one piece edges I'd have to use a helper because I know I can't lift 14ft of 8in edge alone. But with 7ft edges, I can do a complete change in less time than it takes to setup the gadget. I'm certainly not condemning anyone that changes edges with the nuts up. But I would only say, one time, try it with the bolts up. I think you'll chuckle all the way thru it as you realize what you've been missing!!! Edit: Next time I rotate I'll have the wifey video and we'll see how long it takes and how easy it is.
I can easily don't it on my own but we have a "don't work alone policy" lol. As for blade lengths, I use 2-3' & 2-4'. I still prefer blades up, wrestling the 3/4" impact ant all that bad.
I used to change them myself once in awhile..yes.. cutting edges down. Know what though?...up, down, sideways... you still have to lift them in place..ain't doing that myself anymore..Thats my working alone policy...
Lmao at Grader4me
I've never weighed a cutting edge, but I'm guessing mine weigh 80lbs max. With 770G's edges he's down to maybe 50lbs on the 4 footers. Grader4me, next time just try it edges up, you'll chuckle at what you've been missing. You'll only need a helper for about 1 minute.
Oh yeah..I'll give it a go for sure..thanks for the info
http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh530/ONTHEPIPE33/32be07ea.jpg
That's a pretty slick shouldering rig on the back of that critter. I'd like to see more pictures of that rig. It sure has dark windows. The Heavy equipment forum has been a little dead this summer. I don't see or hear from many now days and of course I haven't been here much either. I ran the Cat 160 the other day. First time I've been on a blade for a little over a year. Been on the dozer for so long that I have forgotten where some of the switches and stuff were. An gosh I was on that blade for 8 years straight. I was suppose to go back to it but a guy has to have hip surgery so it looks like I may be going on the 345 excavator for a few months. I don't mind it but I think the job we do with it will be boring after the first couple of days. I've done it several times before but only for a few hours (to spell the operator) to 3 days max. I'm not really looking forward to 3 months of it. Hope everyone isn't getting too hot or dry..
Can someone tell me is there any way to adjust the service brakes on a 120 g cat grader. The machine stops ok but the pedel goes to the floor then she runs out of air fairly fast.The machine is an early model about 1977.
I do them cutting edge up drop bolts down through dont even work up a sweat .
I did adjust them once but it was years ago. It seems that there was a plunger that the pedal pushes into the air manifold or whatever you call it. There is a locknut on it and I loosened it then that plunger would screw out and then lock it back down. Forgive me if I'm wrong cause it was years ago when I did it. You have to do this from under the cab. It could be something else is wore out too
Thanks for that ill give it a go.
Let me know if that was it. Got my curiosity up.
Nice ride. it would look better if you colored the red though.
Radrock.... It's has been quite, but I as well have been gone 2. He's some pics of the "Craig" windrow eliminator. http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh530/ONTHEPIPE33/3a2cb31f.jpg http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh530/ONTHEPIPE33/42836945.jpg http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh530/ONTHEPIPE33/fb152e5a.jpg http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh530/ONTHEPIPE33/d13a48ee.jpg
Thank for posting those. I havent ever seen one of those but sure has to be a timesaver
No prob!!!! ya it is a handy unit to say the least
Thanks alot, I'll see what I can do for more pics/video. I know I've got a pic somewhere of my son and I grading in my old 740 Champ. Think he was 2 years old
Well here it is!! A video of my grader doing a bit of shouldering. I strapped my phone to the front scarifier to give a good shot of the board....... Not real exciting though lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGafaq56goQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
A little long of the same thing. I haven't been on here for awhile. The company can't decide if I'm going to run a grader or Dozer lately. My old grader is getting so loose. You can tell your Deere is tight. I sure would like to demo a 772 GP. There isn't any close dealers here. Also only have three years till retirement so I can just stay home and play on my tractor. Haha
Ya the video is kinda boring I know..... Coulda got away with shortening it to 30 seconds afraid I don't know how. As for a GP, I'd love a crack at one too.. I think they'd be slick
Hi, could you help me please? I have a question about John Deere cutting edges.. Especially for the middle blade. We have John Deere 772G grader, and there is a broblem, cutting edge gets out of use really fast.. We don't have access to aftermarket parts, we can by only original blades, but they have problems with quality. Can I change John Deere original cutting edge by Caterpillar edge? Is it possible with out any changes in construction on the blade? May be it's a stupid quiestion, sorry, but it's a big problem.. P.S. Sorry for my english, it's not my native language..
Hello Neighbour, I PM:d you a company whose blades we use here in Finland. Let me know if you need any help with those.
L200, I only run carbide blades (teeth & flat) they last very well. The company that we get ours from is "Valley Blades" I'm assuming that you aren't using carbides, or I'm not 100% understanding your problem.
L200, All motor grader cutting edges are universal. It does not matter who makes them. All you need to know is what length you need. John Deere does offer carbide edges.
Aww that's OK.. I could have just shut it down but thought there might be something else at the end. Too bad you couldn't have had another section showing the windrow eliminator. Does that blade have the auto cross slope on it? I see the the GP model has that. My 160 has a sonic master on it (although it don't work anymore) but it was nice to use when you had the other end of the moldboard underneath where you can't see it. All you had to do was to control the one side.
No it doesn't have that. But man I wish it did radrock
http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums...827EFB1C-381-00000028965C6BDA_zps4330f747.jpg
I sure like the looks of the John Deere. We have reached the end of a big job and they are telling me they are going to sell my dozer and I'll probably go back on a blade. The boss also said the company will probably be selling the old blades and upgrading. hmmmmm I sure wish I knew what too. I really wish I could talk them into a demo on a JD 770GP but we don't have any dealers real close. It's hard to say what will happen. They have a pretty good standing with Volvo so I'm guessing it is going to be Cat or Volvo. I really think John Deere would be better than that. I know we have always used Cat and He may stick with that but it is scaring them because of the fact that not just anyone can jump on a joystick and go. One thing for sure. I only have about 3 years till full retirement so I guess I really don't care one way or the other. I might be purswaded into staying longer if I have something that I enjoy operating. You never know, they might just put me on a scraper or something. Just cause I have more seniority than anyone else doesn't mean squat. hahaha. Hey have a great weekend. And thanks for the picture. I like the roller on the back. I have always thought they should do that for maintaining roads.
I think the 770GP would be great to demo!!! I know I'm more than satisfied with my 770G. Another yard has a Volvo blade and I ran it for 2 days..... Not a fan at all, it was just like running my old champ.....just cleaner also found the controls kinda jerky (but that may have been me). I've never sat behind the control of a CAT yet, but if you can't get a Deere I sure hope you land a CAT. Enjoy the rest of your weekend too
I ran a JD 772C Years ago, Maybe it was a B. It was a good stong motor grader. I don't think I have been on a John Deere since. Was that a newer Volvo you ran? I'm thinking they will still stay with CAT. I did demo a 140M about 4 years ago. I didn't get to spend enough time on it to figure it out good. I wasn't really happy with the joystick as I was bluetopping at the time and just didn't have time to mess with it. It was a hurry up job and my blade had to go to the shop for repairs. Time will see what happens.
Nice discussion. Well said Bluetop I am agreed with your point of view. :tong
So I got messing around with my iPhone and before you knew it, I had this. My grader skills can't be criticized cause originally this was just me screwing around cleaning moldboard. But with the music added, I just had to share it http://youtu.be/Ooi32e0xWQA
I tend to clean my moldboard all of the time like that. I hate rocks and dirt on top of it. Especially if you get rain then it cakes on there. Of course we pull slopes doing that too. That's always fun.
Your lucky!!!!! I don't really get a chance to use my blade to its full potential. I'm getting sent to test run a Volvo next Wednesday....hope they aren't thinking on takin my Deere away to give me it. I'll need to find out they're plan before I give my opinion......cause it's will definitely have a bearing on what I tell them about it
I was looking at Volvo online yesterday. They have a Joystick model now. It has a steering wheel as well like the John Deere. There is a video of it on the home page of Volvo Earth Moving Equipment. I kind of like the set up better than CAT but it's hard to tell until you have hands on. It does not look like there is any wrist rotation (For Articulation and Circle Turn) Let me know which model you get to try out. They have not done anything yet on motor graders here. I finally got off of the D-8. It is suppose to go to the sale next month. It was a good ride for 5 years though. I got it brand new and put nearly 9000 hours on it. I have only been on that grader a few times in the last five years. I may have to learn all over hahaha. Keep in touch
Ya this wasn't a new grader by any means!! But never used at all, it's an '05 G970 6X6 with only 143hrs on the meter. THAT'S RIGHT ONE HUNDRED FOURTY THREE HOURS!!!!!!! What the hell. It was really sluggish at low rpm but rev'd up seems ok but not the power I thought it should have. And not harnessed up for plow/wing which is pretty important for us. Oh and needs tires, lots of tread but they are hard as rocks and some cracks. Doubt the higher ups are gonna buy it but who knows.
Pretty low hours for an 05. Maybe nobody liked it. Haha. Ran the old 160H all day today. Gosh it is getting wore out bad. I'd probably like that Volvo haha. That 160 has over 16,000 hours now. Needless to say. My bluetopping job is looking like crap too.
But good to be back in a grader I bet!! Ya i with you thinkin nobody liked it, something was just not right with it. I actually dug out this ancient dozer blade from the grass today, been sitting there for the 8 years I've been at the shed. Dang thing hooked right up to my 770, so I'm sporting a new look for awhile . Think the happy face needs to go though lol http://i1250.photobucket.com/albums...B-8C27-0CE0428363EB-3394-000005852CE62395.jpg I'll be honest!!! It's a nice feature when your dump trucks can't spread worth a damn.
Aww, I had one of those on a 12G once. I posted some pictures here somewhere.. It was a snow plow but it sure worked good for knocking down base trucks. I really really need one of those Monday. We are base rocking a road where we replaced a couple of culverts with some big concrete box culverts. The county now wants to use Geofab on the road and you can't hardly knock it down with the grader as it wrinkles the fabric. We have an old case backhoe that I am going to have to use for the initial knockdown. I really really hate useing that damn old thing. The boss already said no to the idea of letting me try. If I had a front blade then I could do it. I even thought about trying to hang a piece of metal off of my rippers and push it backwards. I'm that determined not to use the backhoe.
Lmao!!! You are determined for sure don't really like back how's much eh? I don't mind running them for short times, ours is a New Holland piece of "****". Wish it was a 310 Deere. Oh we'll still better than a shovel.........I hate those things lol
It isn't that I don't like back hoes so much as a case back hoe. I'm long legged. 6'2" and no matter how you set the seat it is still too short and not high enough. We have a pretty new Cat hoe and it is great. Lots of leg room and a good tight machine. That case is old sloppy and is a true piece of crap. If you aren't careful when you load the bucket it will die on you when you reach the end of the cylinder. Curling up. I guess I will just have to grin and bear it.. mmmm@$&^%#&*. It will only be one day so I will probably survive. Boy the Equipment forum has really slowed down hasn't it. Don't see hardly any new threads at all. It will probably pick up in cold weather. Well I better get outside and get busy. Nice but kind of windy day today. Cool weather hitting up there yet?
Ya we had own old hoe very similar, a Ford 555. Sloppy, loose, smoked, cab leaked, seat was on a lean to the right. A real jem!!! Glad it's gone. It is cooling off here -1 to +5 (Canadian temp) had some snow but nothing that stayed. I'm on holidays for 2 weeks for the gun hunt (whitetail)...... My 770 is gonna be a pig stye when I get back Ya hopefully the motor grader threads will start Rollin soon, cause your right it sure has been dead in here
Here I'll toss a new thread in the motor grader forum... Slope Meter
Well that thread started off good. I really like Randy's posts. I sure wish I had taken more pictures in my days. Have a good day!
Ya it sure did, his posts are good. I've only ever run a slope meter2. There's a lot of other stuff out there..... Guess I've led a sheltered life so far But as far as needing something more advanced for what I do, I think that would be foolish. I'm only maintaining gravel roads, shoulder grading highways, and plowing/ice blading. You guys really get to do the good stuff. Take care Radrock
I can tell that he has been around the block a few times. I think your job would be pretty good just as it is. I'm getting to old to try and remember all that new stuff. Heck I have enough trouble trying to remember how to tie my boots . That Sonic Master I had kept you on your toes trying to remember when and where to adjust what. It was fun in lots of places. I'm at a point in my life where simplicity is great.. Had a pretty good day today. It was nice out so I changed the oil in my tractor and the Hydrostat oil too. It's all ready in case we have snow now. I gathered up leaves and burnt them and mulched a bunch too. I enjoy the tractor and getting away from all that other stuff
Well simple is better for me too. I've been having many days (last 2weeks) outside enjoying life (deerhunting) and this is what makes it all worth while
Hi Pete do you still work as HEO?