Buying 60,000# machine for farm , grubbing out stumps, clearing land, removing trees ,fence rows, digging ditches, with all of you long term operators I would like to hear from your experience, thank you
Watch out for power lines.
When removing trees.... Always expect the unexpected... Just when you think you have it all figured out and let your guard down a little is when you can get humbled real fast. It is wise to have your tracks lined up with the tree with your sprockets to the rear when you fall the tree. A couple years ago we were cleaning up an acreage. There was one tree that was particularly big. I had it down but was having trouble getting the root ball out of the hole. The guy running the dozer saw I was struggling so he came over to help. I would pull on the root ball then he would hold it so I could get another bite. On about the third hitch is where things nearly went bad. I had my tracks cross ways from where I was pulling (big mistake). The dozer was basically underneath the root ball holding it so I could get another bite. I got a bite on it and he backed up so he could get another bite. The weight of the rootball was too much and quickly sent me into a nose dive. My reaction was to let go. When I did that the machine counter acted and next thing I know I was looking straight up in the sky for what seemed like an eternity til it came back and landed on its tracks. The heck of it is I knew better but didn't want to take the time to get it positioned right. Since then I always take the time to get squared up before I attempt deals like that. Sorry about the rambling but if it saves someone from getting hurt it's worth it I guess.
Always dig over the front of the tracks, even if you are grubbing stumps or small trees. I tell my guys to never swing the boom outside of the outside edge of the front tracks, when grubbing. It accelerates wear on the undercarriage and digging over the front gives you the most leverage.
How to get and excavator stuck ? Get it to a point to where it will no longer swing 360 degrees . Something to keep in mind . Don't hesitate to strip & delimb tree's & limbs before they get caught on the hydraulic hoses / lines on the boom .
Don't back up into a trench you have previously dug. BTDT. Stupid move, but I had 30 things going on all at once. Tracks were pretty much vertical. Of course it was a rental machine, I shut it down immediately and the trusty 9050 case dragged it back out. no damage done.
Don't bang the boom on anything, you can bend the stick cylinder and never swing into things. You can use swing to push some loose dirt but don't try to use the swing to ram things or try to push too much. Also don't use the swing for things like a wrecking ball. In hard digging or frost dig closer to the machine instead of having the boom stretched out. Just let the hyd's do the work and don't force it and you shouldn't have many problems with a 60,000lb. machine.
Check oil levels often....watch for killer branches lol...it is so much fun to have a tree come into the cab....oh and grease often...and remember 60k lbs needs 60k lbs or better to get unstuck lol...yeah and dont walk out of a track...they are very heavy lol
Power lines and utilities, over and under. Not sure if you get any snow, but steel tracks are slippery. Never ever bypass the safety function on your machine and never leave the cab without using it. Coats can catch swing function when you jump out. I know a guy that got killed that way. Lots of common senSe oh and grease grease grease if you want her to last.
Pay very close attention to the bucket when digging close to the cab. I saw quite a few cab floors mangled when the bucket hooked them. A couple of those were done by very experienced operators.
do not get in a hurry! do a walk around before start up and at shut down! look for leaks,cracks,pins coming out,keep tracks at proper tension.then grease, helps things last. keep a extra hose for bucket cylinder and thumb cylinder on board.always saves half a day of running around. keep support equipment very close, because that is what it might be used for!!
You sure know how to bring up the best mental images with that pic
i was in a hurry that day!!
Forgot the most important thing, always have the area checked for underground lines or even pipelines before digging! It's free so there's no excuse not to do it. Who knows what was put in the ground 50 years ago.
When pushing trees over always push away, try to never pull them towards the excavator. Also watch out in stands or groups of trees, their roots can be interconnected. I pushed over a tree once and the roots were mostly on the surface, and the tree next to the one I pushed away came back towards me and landed on my cab. It happens fast! Luckily it was a small tree and damage was a broke window and some metal work I could handle, but in hindsight it was avoidable. If you are going to be working in timber consider a cab guard like the guys in Canada use for protection on their forest excavators. It’s mandatory there to help save lives.
When working in a 'questionable area, make sure you have an unobstructed 360 degree swing. When trying to decide if you should work on a steep incline that is really muddy or frozen, don't. Don't cross 'small' farm creeks at an angle. Don't cross -steep sloped- small creeks, you will sink in at the bottom and have a fun time pushing/puling your way out. Keep your hoe ready for when your 4WD tractor gets stuck and you have to pull it out.