I have many hours of work to do on fairly steep slopes with my mini excavator. I can either: (1) back up the hill and keep the machine level by digging over over the back of the machine with the blade lower than the machine to keep it somewhat level. I understand this may stress my tracks by backing up the hill and digging over the drive sprokets is to be avoided if possible OR (2) drive forward up the hill & dig over the front of the machine but with the machine on an steep incline, slewing up and down hill. Which technique is easiest on the machine? Thanks;
What size Mini is this? and how steep of a slope are we talking
Cat 303.5C CR with steel tracks (9,000 lbs). It feels quite steep but I can usually get to where I need to go without having to pull myself up with the bucket.
Hi Countrylad, I usually keep the blade uphill and try to stay perpendicular to the slope for stability and to be easier on the machine.
One thing you might consider is if you have the room, just make a small platform for the excavator to sit on. Just pull some material out of the hill so it's nice and flat and then climb on top of it, just be careful that you don't sit too far out on the loose dirt you've pulled out in case it collapses, otherwise you could potentially go for a ride.... Just my 2 cents...
I will commend you on buying a unit with steel tracks. That in my opinion is the way to go with these units that size and largers. I am with spitzair I would bench out a spot if you can and dig that way. If you are doing a trench up a slope I run blade forward this gives you added weight in front not much but some.
I would run it blade down, and level yourself. Done it many times, and seen it done many times. The blade is designed to hold thew machine, and and you are really not putting any undue stress on the tracks or drives.
in the sheo school they wanted me to but the blade (on a 312) on the down side and prop my self up, makes it eaiser the only stress would be on the balde. cutting a bench is also a great idea
Thanks folks for your input. Much appreciated!
Hey countrylad, let us know how it went and what you ended up doing. If I were digging a trench up a slope I would have my blade downhill and in the dirt to hold me. Pretty much anything else on a slope I would be blade uphill, especially on 3:1 or steeper. Use caution when "slewing up and downhill", keep your full bucket in close to the machine and be aware of whats underneath your tracks, even little rocks can cause instability and when swinging with a full bucket on steep slopes you want to slowly and cautiously make sure you are solidly positioned before going for production. Everybody has to do what works best for them . . . just keep it safe.
Just to clarify, if my work on a steep slope was mostly above me I would be blade uphill and firmly on the ground without lifting the machine. If my work was mostly below me on a steep slope I would be blade downhill with the blade in the dirt but still not lifting the tracks off the ground.
Hi Grouser (and others), Thanks very much for your ideas. It has been raining here for the past couple of days and because my CAT is just my toy for working around my land, I'm going to wait for the mud to turn back to dirt. I'm going to try a few different techniques and see which one(s) feel best for me. It seems that you tend to dig mostly over your blade. Is this for stability or because you think digging over your drive sprockets is bad for your machine? When you have your blade downhill, why don't you want level out your machine? Finally, do you guys know of any good tutorial re: how to build and get up on / off of a bench? As you guys can tell, I'm a newbie to the world of excavators. I have a whopping 100hrs experience. But I know of no more enjoyable place to be than in the cabof my CAT! Thanks again for your input.
First of all make sure you always wear your seatbelt! I'm not all that experienced either but I'll do my best to help out where I can. To build a little bench I would reach up to about as far as I needed and pull the material back towards myself making the top of it as level as possible. Then reach up as far as you can and use the arm to help pull yourself up the bench over the material you just dug loose, keeping the blade aimed down the hill... That way once you're on top of your bench you can drop the blade and use it for extra stability. This, to me anyways, has the added advantage that if you feel the machine start to tilt because the bench is giving way, your tracks are likely still on firmer ground and you'll have a chance to correct the situation. Others may disagree but I generally keep the blade facing down the hill regardless as it could get in the way when you're going up the hill or when you need to pull yourself up, and it can act as a handy brake if you start to slide on some slippery surfaces. Just be really careful and know your limits! I've seen many guys get themselves into situations they can't handle.
Thanks Spitzair. Your description is easy to visualize and I'm clear on it. I have several spots on my land where I can try this out. I'm also trying to get into the habit of always using my seatbelt - even if I'm just going for a casual crawl. I presume I paid good money for the rollover protection of my cab, so why not be ready for it!
Yes, I mostly dig over the front of the machine. When trenching or if I can otherwise set up to dig over the front then I do so. When I am in tight areas or working both directions I won't hesitate to dig over the drive sprockets. Rarely will you see me go to the effort of turning my machine/finals around to avoid digging over them. I was taught to dig over the idlers when practical to minimize wear on the finals. For some reason I feel more stable with my tracks firmly on the ground at all times. It may be because 95% of my time is on full size excavators without blades. The blades are very handy for leveling your machine so if that makes you comfortable then go for it. :drinkup
I think there is some undue concern amoungst newer operators especially newer owners of small to midi range excavators that they are wrong to use the blade to level themselves and then dig over the drive sprockets. I believe this possibly stems from the stories and stick that operators of larger excavators get for digging over the sprockets when they dont need to. With the larger 10t up, I agree not to dig over the sprockets needlessly but at times it is the only option to be either productive or not cause more wear by spinning the undercarriage every two minutes. On the 20t and bigger it is more important to dig over the idlers for umpteen reasons that have been discussed in other threads. With the mini diggers use the blade to your advantage and if that means using it to level yourself up, then do it. :yup
blade i would agree with atlasrob ,i have the blade to the rear at all times unless i need it to be at the front the earlier kh series kubotas had a sticker in the cab stating where ever possible have the blade to the rear cheers graham
Those blades were so far out in front you almost needed a long reach to be able to dig that way around On a mini having the blade behind you also allows you to exert a lot more down pressure for digging in hard ground without lifting the machine up in the air all the time. I am talking hard digging NOT tearing out granite
+1 right on the money!
When I use the blade to level, I sense it places a lot of stress on the blade and frame connection points, especially when at full reach off the downhill sides. Otherwise it works great when needed. I sometimes dig a slot to lock the blade into to keep from sliding.
I would go with number 1 as the problem with number 2 is that you are likely to tip the machine. Working an ex when it is off level is a dangerous practice, as the machine has both push and pull forces during a dig. As you push the bucket in it will push against the ex and then as you pull the bucket out it will pull on the ex. If you are off the level you will not have the same digging power as when the machine is sitting horizontal. Excavators are build strong enough to enable them to work by sitting on the blade and part of the track. However if you can, build some pads to work off. You can still then use the blade for extra support but have most of the tracks on level ground. To really be able to give some more advice we would need to know what you want to do on the side of the hill and how you plan to go about it. And whatever you do make sure you think it through and make a decision beforehand as to what you would do if the machine does go. This depends on your surroundings.
Very good advice!:drinkup
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flq-zl1CAb0 This is a good example of how pre planning saves lives, human instinct is to run from danger but in some situations you are best of to stay put.
good advice Atlas rob, Country and Hendriks are all on the money. I've been operating minis for more than 10 yrs and thats good advice. Bench out a bit, blade downhill, keep your bucket in close and low whilst slewing. Always run through the job mentally first as there is often "more than one way to skin a cat" A bit of forethought and/or planning goes a long way to avoid getting stuck or in a dangerous situation Cheers mate
Tracks one extra thing to keep in mind is that reversing up the slope will have the tracks slack on the bottom and tight on top. On older machines with worn or incorrectly adjusted tracks, the tracks may jump a tooth on the sprocket, particularly if they are worn too. Cheers mate
Although I've excavated in this manner for countless hours keep your wits about you and take it nice and easy until you get used to it. Have fun, Cheers mate.
Very good point to make. You definitely don't want to throw a track on a steep hillside. I'll usually try and take a little stress off the undercarriage by pushing with my stick and bucket. Although, when blending that many controls on "shaky" ground, it helps to be familiar and comfortable with your machine. It might help to practice on small slopes first.
If the tracks are that sloppy it is best to get them seen too before doing difficult digs.
folding stuff If you've got the bucks. I don't know many wealthy owner operators. Just something to be aware of.
folding stuff If you've got the bucks. I don't know many wealthy owner operators. Just something to be aware of.
Just squirt some gease in em and let her eat...:cool2