From the CAT website, this photo from the operators station in a new K Series Caterpillar Motor Grader: Unless I'm next to blind, there are no joy stick controls on this machine. And the cab is back to normal. Thank you, Jesus. I actually saw one last week, looking brand new, sitting on the Mustang CAT yard in Beaumont, Texas, so I know I am not delusional. https://www.cat.com/en_IN/products/new/equipment/motor-graders/k-series-motor-graders/18375118.html I wonder how long CAT choked when it realized it had made a mistake with the M Series and it was time to bring the traditional design back to market. CAT is offering three sized of K Series graders: https://www.cat.com/en_IN/products/product-comparison.html?productId=18375118&type=new This is enough fore one to push the 'ole hemorrhoids back up inside and go back to work.
Unfortunately they are export machines We are still stuck keeping the G and H's working
As far as I know, they weren’t sold new here either, but I did see a s/h one advertised just today, obviously imported.
I avoided those M series for a long time, done 500hrs on a 140M now not real good for arthritic fingers, rather my levers. Frightening to transport along the road @ 46 kph when the oil is hot. Steering is like a rudder on a boat, very easy to over correct, one side of the road to the other
I don't get their claim about operator fatigue. Unless you're in an underpowered machine spreading Sandy material behind poor dumpers, it's not like you have to work that hard. I haven't had a crack at something with joy sticks, but think I still prefer my deer antlers and steering wheel.
I liked the M series for grading. Snow wasnt to bad but ice was a loooooong day. Roading isn’t a big deal after a few hours.
It was a lot more difficult to eat a quick snack using joysticks also.
Young blokes shouldn't have an issue with joysticks & fatigue. They've grown up with them. The 140M I was piloting for a while, was a pain not to have the steering "shivering" while you were using the blade. The bosses dickhead son was having a go at me about it, not long before I "pulled the pin". These new machines might work well with the "auto pilot" electronics running the show but using on manual operation mode might not be as "slick".
One of my favorite jobs, constructing irrigation syphon ditches on cotton farms. The first one I'd done with an M
I'll will keep the M... you can have all my antler racks.
If the M is not fully accepted by the rest of the world, FFS why is the U.S. forced to accept them??
Your country built them ! Third world countries won't touch all the late model equipment because of too much electronics, hence the sale of the last of the old style gear to those countries. The M series aren't doing highwayroadworks out here. The RMS (our state roads dept) won't have them as, no steering wheel on a road/highway !
That’s funny how important the wheel is thought to be. It offends me if I have to run a machine that still has one.
I ain't a fan of joystick steering ANYTHING! Walking a loader up a pile with a joystick is plain creepy, I couldn't imagine driving a long assed grader trying to control a pile with joysticks. We're forced into this joystick world by the insurance and regulatory committees. They want everything to be electric in the cab. No servo, no linkage, they want to build for the crayon-eatin' window-lickin population. Can't have servo, a line might rupture subjecting the operator to oil and burns. Can't have linkage and lever, the operator may be harmed by the linkage in a collision. Pretty soon, we will probably have external coolers and heaters piped in because we can't have scalding hot coolant or freezing refrigerant in the cab. I ain't knocking a guy who's comfortable working with them, I just dont like them.
A joystick in a 627G was nice to operate after running a B model but I hope they don't take steering wheels out of scrapers. Really, what do I care, I'm nearly at the end of my operating career anyway. Autonomous machinery is where this electric over hydraulic deal is heading. Thought it was cool years ago to put the bowl control of a 222H on "auto" with a laser. How far things have changed
One of the biggest dangers to me for operators is is slipping and falling when getting on and off the machine. What’s next elevators.
They claim our PPE will keep us safe
Completely ignoring the fact that the most important piece of PPE that anyone can use is the grey matter between his or her ears ......
100% tie-off and fall arrest harness combined with auto retracting staircase. Then as you enter the cab , you are encapsulated in bubble wrap.
Again Nige, here in America, we have to protect the incapable from the inevitable.
Again Nige, here in America, we have to protect the incapable from the inevitable. Darwin be damned, safety devices for everyone.
The mines already have man lifts on 10s and 11s
Please remove child from stroller before folding it up. Here's your sign!
Speaking of elevators, that was what I missed on the M series, not being able to set the blade to use as a lift up & down, once the machine was running (like my old Dresser or any other "antler control" machine).
Wrong thread? Lol
Common sense reference
Whats wrong with a G or H
Nothing.
Cat is coming out with the H series controls again in the states with the new 140 motor grader its an H cab and controls on the M frame I think it’s going to be a good machine for them but I will stick with my 140M3 I wouldn’t go back to a steering wheel now after running an M for the last 6 years
I like the "Ape hanger" style light bracket The old style flat one was hopeless. If you had to move your blade for batter work, "bang" another light in the bin (trash can, USA speak) Still amazes me why they don't continue the black cab colour inside the cab. I've painted all my interiors "flat" or "satin" black for years. Makes for better vision & mentally "feels" cooler too but we don't have to work in sub zero temperatures for months on end either !
Just about every major road construction site in the Northern Territory of Australia are using M series graders and they can be registered for use on a public road.
I blade country roads. I don't like the visibility out of the M CAT. Looks like this new design goes back to better visibility. I had an opportunity to run JDs armrest finger controls on a 672GP for 30 hrs or so. I also ran an M for about 50 hrs. The machines we've had have always been racks. We also use one hand blade lift setup. For what I do there doesn't seem to be much difference in regards to fatigue and is a personal preference in regards to which is best.
Just a few weeks ago out here in a QLD mine an operator was killed by the hyd stairway on a large excavator, lord only knows how, but it happened, so whats next, sit in an office and operate by remote control.
I just saw this on another website. Did an image search and can't seem to find any supporting information, just this image. I can't imagine needing a grader in a coal seam, but someone made one to do it.
Underground grader. Like you I have no idea what they are actually used for other than to say that not all underground mines are coal. Possibly to maintain roads on mines where they run big fleets of underground rock trucks..?
I had a chance years ago to go operate a grader underground. 2 weeks on, 2 off. At that time it was 52 bucks an hour. 9 miles of underground road to maintain, including a 3 mile haul road to the surface. I didn't go. Wasn't too keen on the idea of working underground, and I was more girl crazy than money crazy. Think it was an iron ore mine. Northern Ontario