most common grader

[9420pullpan]

I'm curious what model grader is most commonly found in your area. i know in our company we have a 14H, 14G, 143H, 140G, and maybe a 12G.

[Dozerboy]

The 140G is what I have spent the most time on and see the most.

[Grader4me]

Most of our Graders are 720VHP Champions but we still have some of the old 140G Cats in operation.

[CAT245ME]

The only Cat graders I've seen were 14H & G models and they had belonged to a massive company called Diamond Construction that closed up a couple years ago.

[farmerted44]

we have a 140 H.

[Vahighwayman]

VDOT used nothing but the 770C John Deere machines until they were being replaced by the Volvo's. Mine 770 was replaced 3 years ago with the Volvo 720G which is a great machine for comfort and machining, but for heavy pushing, I take back my Deere anytime

[Grader4me]

VDOT used nothing but the 770C John Deere machines until they were being replaced by the Volvo's. Mine 770 was replaced 3 years ago with the Volvo 720G which is a great machine for comfort and machining, but for heavy pushing, I take back my Deere anytime

Just a quick question....was your John Deere six wheel drive?

[DR RPM]

The 770's Deere's are in the power class of the 740 Volvo/Champions, so the Deere should be able to outpush the 720.:bash

[D10N]

All I ever see/run are 16G's.

[Vahighwayman]

Without a doubt..the Deere 770 I operated was a horse compared to the 720G Volvo. When I pulled ditches, the only time I had to lock the differential was when I was in mud over the tandems..the Volvo..if you don't lock it at the start...your :Banghead and with the Deere..at least you can lock it in on the fly..the Volvo...only when your stopped..and we all know what happens then...forget about it..look for a chain..
VDOT had 6x6 graders used up in the mountain sheds...here where i am..what is called a mountain is just a sledding hill being from upstate NY initionally. I personally haven't operated one.

[Grader4me]

Just to give you a little comparison between a four wheel and all wheel drive grader....I was ditching with a 140G cat bringing the material up onto the road. We had another operator leveling the material on the road with a Deere. Came to a boggy place in the ditch and I did well to wallow through with the moldboard up (diff locked in). I asked my buddy if I could try the Deere (all wheel drive) in the bog hole. I locked all the wheels in and went through with the blade full :yup What a difference!

[plowking740]

I have found that grader types vary from region.
In South Western Manitoba, for example, a lot of the Rural Municipalites (Countys to You in the USA) run Champ/volvo. Some stick with the Cat, just operator Pref. In the city of Brandon Manitoba, it is almost all Champion, this includes the local Paving company. and a few old, old Cat ,120, 12e, and 12f (what I learned on)

Here in the City of Calgary Alberta, it is Cat country. Mostly 140g but the H is starting to take over. (the company I work for just bought 3 this year to replace there old G models.

There is still a few of the other brands, but Cat has the 'world by the tail' as it seems

[Grader4me]

Throughout my years as a grader operator I have operated Gallions, Hubers, Wabcos, John Deeres, Champions and Cats. The Gallions, Hubers and Wabcos were good machines in their day. The John Deere is a very good machine especially the all wheel drives. The newer Champions/Volvos are nice (I used to have a 1977 Champion that was a piece of s***) as they have come a long way since the 70'S.The last grader that I had was a 1997 Champion(very nice)
But my favoite grader was a 1978 140 Cat. It had articulating steering, a 6 cylinder motor (the 1977 champion had a 4 cylinder screamin detroit) and controls that laid in my lap. A cadillac compared to what I was used to.
In my opinion although there are many very nice graders out there, the Cat would top my list as the best and most "common" grader :thumbsup

[Steve Frazier]

In my area, I'm still seeing a lot of Cat No. 12s. There's not a whole lot of roadbuilding going on here, and most roads are paved, so there's not a lot of grader work to be done. Graders are no longer used for snow removal here either, it's all truck now.

There are a variety of different modern grader brands in use by the highway departments in the area, but the one I see most often is the old Cat No. 12!

[2004F550]

Cat 12's, and Deere 77#'s

[Deas Plant]

Hi, Folks.
Atta ruff gess, and talking about right across the Wide Brown Land (DownUnder) I'd reckon about there'd be about 6 or 7 Cats of whatever model to 3 or 4 of all the others put together. Maybe even higher in favour of the Cats. I have operated Cat, Galion, A-C, Fiat-Allis, Champion, JD, Komatsu, Goodwin, Adams and O&K and I'll take the Cats first, second and third, followed by the 'Kummagutsa'. The 'Kummagutsa' that I operated was an 825, about 2 tons heavier than a 16G and with a bit more grunt, and could that thing move dirt? It was a bit more manoeverable than the 16G too AND you sat on the rear and the front articulated ahead of you so that you could see what it was doing and feel what the rear was doing instead of relying on the indicator which wasn't always reliable on the Cats.

For sheer dirt-moving muscle, out of all the graders that I have gotten my broad backside into, the prize has to go to the O&K G350, a 42 ton machine with 400 hp and a 20 foot blade. It also had 4 x 32" shanks in the ripper across the back which it could sink full depth into the clay ground of that site and march away with them.

I was grading haul roads, tending the fill, ripping the borrow area and occasionally rescuing a wayward Cat 660 scraper out of the fleet of 3 that were hauling. They had a 'Kummagutsa' D475A dozer pushing them and I still had more time to rip the borrow area than it did. I could also push-load a Cat 660 scraper faster and better with that grader than a Cat D8K could. On top of all of the above, I also got called to do other odd jobs around the site and had time for all of them. It was an awesome beast - not a final trim machine in the manner of the Cats but still a very handy grader for fiddly work and just a glutton for bulk dirt work.

You can have some Cat models in 4- or 6-wheel drive and doesn't that 6-wheel drive make a difference. How true it is I don't know but somebody once told me that the 6-wheel drive Cat 140G was equivalent to putting around 70 extra hp on the ground compared with the 4-wheel drive version. With what they can shift by comparison, I'd reckon it would be a pretty fair estimate.

You all have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

[Grader4me]

Hi, Folks.
For sheer dirt-moving muscle, out of all the graders that I have gotten my broad backside into, the prize has to go to the O&K G350, a 42 ton machine with 400 hp and a 20 foot blade. It also had 4 x 32" shanks in the ripper across the back which it could sink full depth into the clay ground of that site and march away with them.
You can have some Cat models in 4- or 6-wheel drive and doesn't that 6-wheel drive make a difference. How true it is I don't know but somebody once told me that the 6-wheel drive Cat 140G was equivalent to putting around 70 extra hp on the ground compared with the 4-wheel drive version. With what they can shift by comparison, I'd reckon it would be a pretty fair estimate.

You all have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.


Hello Deas
The O&K G350 with the 20 foot blade...I never run a 20 footer before just 14foot. Was it difficult to get used to? I know going from a 12 foot to 14 was a little different..almost like putting an extension on your arm and getting use to it. Like you say I bet that beast could move some dirt!
The all wheel drive Graders are awesome. The things that they will do compared to the 4 wheel drives is unbeliveable. You wouldn't think so as there is not a whole lot of weight on the front end but it makes some kind of difference.

[Deas Plant]

Hi, Grader4me.
The biggest problem that I had getting used to that grader was not the blade width - that was pretty much in proportion with the rest of the machine. It was the transmission control. It had a Morse transmission control that had a 'U'-shaped movement with a 'V' bottom to it and a detent mechanism that only allowed you to downshift one gear at a time. Fair enough so far but the detent mechanism was worn and mis-behaved at times so that you sometimes couldn't downshift at all for a couple of tries.

This wouldn't have been so bad except that there were no brakes due to both fluid reservoirs having been stepped on in the recent past by some clod-hoppered idiot of a past operator. So, there were times when you needed the transmission to behave impeccably - - - - and times when it didn't - - - - - and times when these two times coincided. It made for an interesting day.

The other thing about that transmission control that made for an interesting life was the fact that it was set up so that the bottom of the movement, the neutral position, was toward the back of the cab, not toward the front like most machines. The only other machine that I have encountered that was designed in such an idiotic fashion was a JD 670B that I ran for about 2 weeks, 9 years ago, after which I decided that I had had enough of both that employer and that JD grader.

I have also operated two other 6wd graders, an Aveling Barford (Travelling Ba***rd) and a Clark. Both had traction and grunt way beyond any 4wd competitor and the Clark had a dozer blade too. That was handy, both as a dozer blade and for extra weight over the steer to turn the beast.

I also for ONE day operated an Austin Western 6wd grader that weighed 20 tons, had a 16 foot blade and was powered by a 220 hp Cummins diesel. This machine was different in that it had fully hydraulic steering - both ends. On top of that, it had little thumb levers on each blade control that also controlled the front steering so that you could steer without taking either hand off the blade controls. Great for working in and out amongst pegs with such a big machine. That one stands out in my memory 'cos that was the day that Australia won the America's Cup.

You all have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

[Steve Frazier]

I have operated Cat, Galion, A-C, Fiat-Allis, Champion, JD, Komatsu, Goodwin, Adams and O&K and I'll take the Cats first, second and third, followed by the 'Kummagutsa'. The 'Kummagutsa' that I operated was an 825, about 2 tons heavier than a 16G and with a bit more grunt, and could that thing move dirt? It was a bit more manoeverable than the 16G too AND you sat on the rear and the front articulated ahead of you so that you could see what it was doing and feel what the rear was doing instead of relying on the indicator which wasn't always reliable on the Cats.
Deas, you've listed a number of things the Komatsu? does better, yet you clearly state you prefer the Cat hands down. Can you explain why? Thanks!

[Deas Plant]

Hi, Steve.
To a limited extent, there is a certian bias toward Cat products in general and there may be a bit of what I am more used to as well. However, I also noticed that the Komatsu control lever layout was not quite as user-friendly because they were slightly larger and just a little further apart - not bad, just not as good. Visibillity, while good, I felt was not quite as good as the Cat 16G and visibility is what graders are all about.

Having said that, I think I probably would take the Komatsu 825 if all I was doing was haul roads and general grading but I think I would take the Cat
16G if I was doing any final trim at all, mostly because of the better 'feel' and visibility.

Don't get me wrong. I didn't dislike the Komatsu. In fact, I quite enjoyed my time on it, all 10 days of it. It was only the little things that set it down a step or two.

I have recently been operating an older model 'Kummagutsa' WA600 wheel loader and I'm quite enjoying that too. It handles well and feels pretty stable BUT it has an annoying and DANGEROUS characteristic in the bucket linkage and leveller kickout system. When you pull the bucket crowd lever back into the 'up' position after you have dumped a bucket into a truck, it kicks out via the automatic bucket leveller while the bucket is still tilted down about 35 degrees.

What this means is that if you aren't paying attention and you are loading a truck with high sides or a bigger truck than the loader was designed for, you can back up and hit the side of the truck with the bucket. All the Cat loaders that I have operated have a bucket linkage design that ensures that the self-levelled position leaves the bucket tilted up, not down, when the loader is in the bucket raised position.

They may only be small things but they make the difference between a mediocre machine and a good one and some of them can be plain dangerous.

Hope this helps.

You have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

[Grader4me]

This wouldn't have been so bad except that there were no brakes due to both fluid reservoirs having been stepped on in the recent past by some clod-hoppered idiot of a past operator. So, there were times when you needed the transmission to behave impeccably - - - - and times when it didn't - - - - - and times when these two times coincided. It made for an interesting day.

You all have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

I guess I just must be spoiled or something. I wouldn't operate nothing that didn't have brakes, period.:eek:
It wouldn't be to bad while you was working it in the lower gears etc. but probally a little dangerous driving down the road.
Years ago a person seemed to take more chances with equipment compared to today. If a person wasn't willing to operate the equipment the way it was,then to bad, someone else would. Can't put bread on the table that way, so you took your chances.
Nowadays most companies keep their equipment safe to operate, or if not I would hope that an operator would refuse to work for them.
Don't take chances operating faulty equipment....there are so many other choices...

[Steve Frazier]

Grader4me, there weren't as many hungry attorneys back then either.......:spaz

[Deas Plant]

Hi, Grader4me.
You're right about the times changing. That big grader never had to go on the road. It was all on-site work, just wandering around doing haul roads and grading fills and all sorts of other little jobs, mostly playing with machine that were bigger than it anyway.

And you know the REALLY STOOPIDDDDDDDD thing about the manufacturer's choosing to use that Morse transmission control in that application. I mentioned that it had detents to stop you changing down more than one gear at a time. Well there was even a detent on first so that you couldn't change down from second straight through first to neutral. GREAT THINKING, THAT.

And Steve, you are not altogether right about the lawyers. I have never yet met a hungry lawyer. In their case, It's GREED, PURE AND SIMPLE GREED.

Catchyalater.

You allhave a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

[Steve Frazier]

LOL Deas Plant!! I was trying to be just a little diplomatic!:beatsme

[Grader4me]

:laugh This is why I enjoy the posts from Deas so much. He is not shy and just tells it like it is:yup

[Deas Plant]

Hi, Steve.
Sure, there are times when it's worth being diplomatic but very often the first casualty of diplomacy IS the truth. I often wonder if it's worth it when truth goes out the window. Which is a large part of why I have absolutely no problem with the service personnel of both our countries doing their bit in places around the world where the truth and the freedom to speak it has been a casualty.

It was said many years ago that in the communist countries, you had freedom of speech but in the Western world you had freedom even after speech. I Like my freedom.

I tend more toward honesty and truth than diplomacy. I usually call a spade a spade and sometimes I even call it some strange kind of shovel with reproductive powers.

My last employer didn't like me telling him the truth about one of his machines over the phone one day and hung up on me. It seemed to me that if the boot were on the other foot and I had hung up on him, he would not have been a happy little camper so I didn't see why I should accept that from him. I don't work there any more and he can throw his 'tanties' at somebody else.

Grader4me, glad you like 'em but I don't post 'em like that to be liked. I post 'em like that to get the truth as I see it out there and I do stand to be corrected when I am wrong - as in the case of the missing zeroes in the big blade plough thread.

Catchyalater.

You all have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

[Steve Frazier]

Deas Plant, I've got a good feeling you and I could have a hell of a chat over a case of beer!!:thumbsup :drinkup

[Deas Plant]

Hi, Steve.
I suspect you may be right but, if it ever eventuates, bring your best thirst 'cos I don't drink alco-wholic beverages. That however would not stop me sitting down to chat with a 6-pack of sodas (See. I can at least speak some 'American'.) while you worked your way through the beer.

If you want to drop me an e-mail at dplant8961 at yahoo.com, I'll e-mail a work-in-progress manuscript of some of the stories that I have collected over the years. You may get a chuckle or two out of it.

Grader4me, if you want to drop me an e-mail for a copy of that manuscript, feel free.

You all have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

[digger242j]

Sure, there are times when it's worth being diplomatic but very often the first casualty of diplomacy IS the truth.

I have a wee bit o' Irish in my pedigree, and I've been accused of Irish Diplomacy. That's defined as, "telling a man to go to hell in such a way that he looks forward to making the trip." :yup

[Deas Plant]

Hi, digger242j.
Would you care to post the 'recipe' for that one, please. Sounds like it might have a few applications as I get further into fossilisation and less able to 'dance' to avoid the punches from those not so keen on making the journey according to my current invitation - which usually consists of but 3 words.

You have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

[digger242j]

Would you care to post the 'recipe' for that one, please. Sounds like it might have a few applications as I get further into fossilisation and less able to 'dance' to avoid the punches from those not so keen on making the journey according to my current invitation - which usually consists of but 3 words.



I'm afraid the recipe is in the genes. If you want to try a seance, you might ask Great Grandma O'Donnell, or Great Grandma O'Hanlon, but chances are they wouldn't take kindly to being disturbed, and you wouldn't get the benefit of any diplomacy, Irish or otherwise...

[Deas Plant]

Hi, digger242j.
Ah well, I guess I'll just have to keep up my dancing lessons.

You have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.