Wow 14m

[Cam7775]

got my first crack at a 14M today......we had a demo..no pics guys sorry.

but holy cow.....will make that old 772c we have got feel realy old:D

[Grader4me]

Soooo....come on now, tell us a little more of what it was like..:)

[Cam7775]

it was great

I think we are going that route.

great vis

easy to pick up smooth operation

very quiet in the cab

it just makes sense . I found it easy to transition to.....I hope we get one

[surfer-joe]

I started a new job this morning operating a D9R. Project also has a brand new 160 Cat grader, someone stole the steering wheel tho. Other Cat dozer on site is a new D9T w/slopeboard. I declined that, never liked slopeboards. 160 hand is slowly getting used to the machine, went thru the training at the dealer in California, Hawthorne Machinery. They'd have to do a brain transplant on me before trying to run that thing. I had trouble with Clark skidders thirty years ago when they showed up with simple joysticks instead of a wheel.

[Grader4me]

it was great

I think we are going that route.

great vis

easy to pick up smooth operation

very quiet in the cab

it just makes sense . I found it easy to transition to.....I hope we get one


Those four words tell me everything I need to know :thumbsup

They'd have to do a brain transplant on me before trying to run that thing.
:D I'm sure that you would catch on just fine

[Squizzy246B]

They'd have to do a brain transplant on me before trying to run that thing.

Ummmm......:o :rolleyes: :cool2 :D

[surfer-joe]

Oh absolutely Squizzy. I have trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time you know. When I muck up the TV control, I have to have our live-in IT guy sort out what I did wrong. Sometimes my hands and fingers do not do what I intended for them, with the result that joy stick controls are hard for me to master. Even the old Atari games were difficult, no single-function control levers you see.

Remember the Case backhoes with foot-swing? Impossible for me to run!

Now, if I had a nice slightly used brain from some twenty year old installed, it would already be hard-wired with the necessary manipulative controls installed with all the updates. I could run a new M-series Cat with one hand, whilst text-messaging two dozen pals with the other. This all the while using my headphones to listen to some rap-dude explain in grunts and howls how he's going to score some dope and have a good time roughing up some folks. Course, I'd have a hard time making it to work every day on time too, but who cares about the little things, eh?

Fortunately, Cat still makes a D9 with fairly straight-forward controls, tho the fact that they did away with the throttle handle did give me pause for a bit, till I found the rabbit-turtle switch, conveniently hidden slightly under the blade control lever. They could have at least placed it near the former handle location.

I know the guy running the 160 is unhappy, he can't wait till the other blade gets in, the one with a steering wheel.

[Grader4me]

Oh absolutely Squizzy. I have trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time you know. When I muck up the TV control, I have to have our live-in IT guy sort out what I did wrong. Sometimes my hands and fingers do not do what I intended for them, with the result that joy stick controls are hard for me to master. Even the old Atari games were difficult, no single-function control levers you see.

Remember the Case backhoes with foot-swing? Impossible for me to run!



I'm sure that you would catch on just fine

Okay..I respectively withdraw this statement :D

[surfer-joe]

Well, the 160M has been banished from the project. It had two strikes against it. One, the operator -- a long time company hand -- didn't like it. Two, it would have cost $55,000.00 to equip it with a GPS system, even though the wiring and other electrical was already factory installed.

A 160H has taken it's place, with a GPS already installed.

[Cam7775]

We just sealed the deal for a new 140M

I know what you guys me though ....I had some reservation about the joysticks too.........I have about 10 000 hrs operating with about 2500 to 3000 on the grader but I gotta tell ya I can't wait after the demo we had.

[MKTEF]

Nice that you guy's like joysticks too.
What delivery time did u get on the grader?
So we know when we can get to see som pictures....:D

[Tigerotor77W]

I know what you guys me though

It appears you are excited.

Very, very excited.

:D

[Cam7775]

:D

Very excited.have been waiting along time for a nice grader( no offence to deere fans the new deeres are very nice) I think we should see the roaddozer alittle before Christmas.......... and yes there will be lots of pics:D :D :D :D :D :D

[Grader4me]

:D

Very excited.have been waiting along time for a nice grader( no offence to deere fans the new deeres are very nice) I think we should see the roaddozer alittle before Christmas.......... and yes there will be lots of pics:D :D :D :D :D


It must suck to be you :) Congrats!...and yes we will expect lots of pictures, and plenty of long detailed explanations on how everything works.;) Hummm....you know... like I do...:Pointhead :)

[alan627b]

I've been wondering ever since I saw the press releases...just how hard IS it to get used to the joysticks? Even if you are an experienced blade hand? Which I can't say I am...

I won't get to run anything like that, until all the windows are gone, the AC is removed, and the joysticks have been replaced with something stolen off a weedeater....
alan627b

[leftlanetruckin]

been lurking for a while, but thaught i'd post up regards the 14M.
i just hauled one out of decatur to mesa,az (our biggest customer) and the way they redesigned the center is nuts....
no tie down points, and with the ripper on the back of the machine, no way to get less than 41,000 on the trailer tandems...which is ok for il, and out west, just a big no no for Mo etc.
99% of what i do is out of decatur, aurora and peoria, so i kinda have an idea on what the deal is with the various machinery.
a 14H could be backed upto the neck after reattaching, and get the trailer under 40k lbs, but the new ones cant be done like that, guess the freight rates will be going up, seeing as they need a 3 axle trailer! shame the smart engineers couldnt figure that one out huh?:mad: that or leave the rippers off from the factory i guess.....
i do pull a 3 axle from time to time, when the need (and pay) requires it, but normally just stick to my 2 axle trailking detach, gotta pay for that 117,000lbs registered weight somehow i guess... maybe will be with a 14h in the near future.....:confused:

martin

[ILLICEMAN]

I Just Went To A Day In The Dirt Program Put On By Cat.i Had Never Operated A Grader In My Life And Got To Run One Of The New M Series. Very Easey. I Am And Old Guy But Was Able To Pick Up On The Controls Very Fast.
As Usual Cat Has It Together. Thanks Jim:)

[Countryboy]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums leftlanetruckin! :drinkup

[leftlanetruckin]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums leftlanetruckin! :drinkup

cheers!!:drinkup

martin

[bugeater]

I've been wondering ever since I saw the press releases...just how hard IS it to get used to the joysticks?

The short answer to this is, it depends. For me it was pretty easy to learn the controls, but I'm not an operator, at all. I memorized the controls in a simulator and became pretty proficient after about 30 minutes. I haven't tried one in the dirt, so I can't speak for that.

Some of the feedback I've received is that generally speaking, it doesn't take long to learn the controls. They are somewhat laid out in the same 'order' as the traditional controls (that's easier to show than explain on a forum). The difference is in the operators. Each guy reports a different learning curve in regards to operating the machine without having to 'think' about what he is doing.

[bugeater]

Maybe you have already see this, it shows an animation of the control with the corresponding function.

Enjoy!

M Series joystick functions on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czgb2sssxhI&NR=1)

[Boilermaker]

Bugeater,

Thanks for the link. That is a pretty neat video. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the other manufactures to eliminate the steering wheel and offer that level of visibility and ease of operation.

:usa