160m

[637slayer]

i got to sit in a 160m today, wow!!! what a nice machine. i drove by while the cat demo guy was demoing for the bosses didnt have my camera so no pics, sorry. when i got in my machine i asked a boss on the 2-way if they were buying it and he said it wasnt for sale just showin it off, he said it was so new that it wasnt for sale. i told him the m has been out for years, about that time i couldnt here him anymore. made me wonder if the 160m was new? i hear alot of peeps on here talkin about the 24,16, and 140ms is the 160m their latest addition? after work i stopped by where they parked it for the night got in and checked her out, pretty damn nice, i was like :cool2:cool2 for a minute.

[MKTEF]

Check this one:
http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5256

Even a AWD, all they way acros the pond...

[637slayer]

ya thats what i thought, it was too late last night to search, thanx.

[Northart]

Here's some pix of a Cat 160M the City of Soldotna, Alaska got last fall.

Had a front plow and a snow gate.

[bushcat]

Nice machine!

[AtlasRob]

Here's some pix of a Cat 160M the City of Soldotna, Alaska got last fall.

Had a front plow and a snow gate.

Go on then, :) I'll ask. Whats the gizmo on the end of the blade ? ............. A snow gate. Ye ! what the hell is a snow gate?..........................
DONT say the gizmo on the end of the blade !:D

[Northart]

Hello AtlasRob,

The snow gate, when closed, as in the picture, prevents the spillage of a snow berm in private drives, or wherever,like bus and postal turnouts.

People get irate:mad: when the grader plows a snow berm across their driveway.

Normally it is in the raised position, so the snow rolls off the end of the moldboard.

I'd say most if not all Municipal blades are configured this way. Summertime they take them off,usually.

[AtlasRob]

Hello AtlasRob,

The snow gate, when closed, as in the picture, prevents the spillage of a snow berm in private drives, or wherever,like bus and postal turnouts.

People get irate:mad: when the grader plows a snow berm across their driveway.

Normally it is in the raised position, so the snow rolls off the end of the moldboard.

I'd say most if not all Municipal blades are configured this way. Summertime they take them off,usually.

Thanks Northart, they say you live and learn, and I just learn'd :D

[Grader4me]

Thanks Northart, they say you live and learn, and I just learn'd :D


Here is a good video of a snow gate in action.

http://www3.telus.net/public/ws9295/index.htm

[AtlasRob]

Here is a good video of a snow gate in action.

http://www3.telus.net/public/ws9295/index.htm

Thanks for the link. As somebody else is heard to say you have aided my edumacation.
Such a simple but effective piece of kit :thumbsup

[MKTEF]

Mesta is the privatised part of our States road departement.
They have ordered a lot of M's i hear.:)

Here is one i found on the new part of E-6 in Stange.
This one was parked at Haehre's barracks, se Norway pics for the rest of equipment in action there.
Operator lives in the area.

This one also got the snowgate from Veekmas/Vammas.
It got a quick coupler to the blade.:)

And it seems to me that all Cat blades are to low?***
This is the third one i've found with added rubber to increase the height.;)

And check out that nice storage box at the back!:)

And the two mirrors to see the blade from the front.:)

[MKTEF]

More of the 160M AWD.:D

Got Michelin Snowplus tires.
Holder is for spare blades i beliewe, but look like they will make a lot of noise in that cage.:cool:

Trimble gps system mounted.

[MKTEF]

Last one:D

This one got back fenders looking different than the others i've found.

And another pic of the storage box, can be demounted.:D

[Northart]

Well what else can you add to customize your grader. :) LOL

1. Tinted bullet proof glass.
2. Radar for seeing through the fog ,snow.
3. Barbecue Grill on the back for lunchtime.:)
4. GPS for locating yourself on the road in blizzards.
5. Remote start , and burglar alarms like cars.
6. Stay Back 50' sign and Slow Moving Vehicle Sign
7. And finally Laptop computer so you may stay in touch with HEF's , seeking feedback, advice, and letting us know of your activities. :)LOL :falldownlaugh,:falldownlaugh

[Grader4me]

My My My..what a nice machine:eek::notworthy

[equipment fan]

she`s "sexy" and very beautiful!I also like the front mud flap...

[CAT D9H]

Them M series are great lookin machines but Im not too sure about the joysticks and buttons that control 14 different things seems like a pain to learn I'll stick to the G's and H's for now

[CatYelloBlooded]

I got the experience to run a 14 and 120, both M series recently. My experience before that consisted of about 4 hours on a 120G. Given that information, my gradework was horrible on the 120G. After about 25 mins of operating the new 14M, i got used to the controls. The visibility is amazing on these machines. If given a chance, any grader man can work faster and learn these machines faster than the conventional levers. They are a breeze.

[GPSGrader]

Heres the deal with the M graders in my opinion: I've spent just over 500 hours on a 12M. I first learned to operate a grader like every one else with the traditional pattern. I loved the levers from day one, never a complaint. I finally got the 12M and was very excited. Brand new grader, how many times does one get this opportunity? Its a really "neat" machine. The first time in it is memorable. Lots of buttons and screens. HOWEVER, I hate to say it but I've been rather disappointed with Caterpillar's machine. And i'm a cat guy...all the way. lets see, i'm still waiting on cat to come correct the joystick steering alignment. Its 9 deg. to the left of center. The pedals are just not smooth like a G or H model. Inching is much more difficult. I've about got it now but its taken a long time. Almost like starting over with a grader. The engine and transmission are computer regulated. Theres a delay for the computer to "think" through whether its ok to go between 1st and 2nd gear. Sooo irritating running 12-14 hours a day. Between certain gears it will NOT shift smooth. The engine also doesn't have near the lugging power of the older larger displacement engines. It took a very short time to learn the controls but thats always the easy part anyway. With the joysticks you can move more functions at the same time but it can be difficult to, for example, twist for the circle and not push or pull for the lift cylinder. My point is that it's easy to unintentionally move the blade or tractor. The lift cylinder speed is not what it should be. Its no problem lift or lower the blade a lot, but to move it just a little, takes a lot of practice. On a H grader, no prob, just leak that valve a little for a 1/8 inch. On an M, if you wobble that joystick it'll go down 2 inches.
I hate to talk about my new tractor so bad, but I really expected better performance from cat. Its comfortable, visibility is great, more horsepower, but all the electronic stuff isn't better than the older ones. I wish I had my old 140H back now. I guess they just worked too well too long.

[Northart]

Took me awhile to realize the difference in the construction.

The M series uses a tubular main frame , not like the old G & H series, I beam style, where the hoses are mounted in the side of the beam. Also the drawbar to the circle is tube stock.

Then the hydraulic hoses are mounted on top of the main beam, under that black plastic cover.

Seems like the chain case is a lot narrower also. Just have not had time to study it further. I'm sure there is a lot more.

[Grader4me]

One of the guys that work for us took a leave and went out west to work for awhile. He's back to work with us again and I was talking to him the other day about some of the equipment that he operated out there. He run a 160m for awhile. He loved the machine and he had no problem getting used to it. The only problem that he found was when he had the moldboard fully extended one way or the other and if he took to much of a bite off the side of a string of gravel/fill the moldboard would swing around by itself.

Now I'm not sure exactly what his "to much of a bite" was but knowing this fellow like I do, he wouldn't be scared to put this machine through the paces so to speak. Anyone else have this problem?

[GPSGrader]

Grader4me,
I've noticed on my 12m is that the circle drive slip clutch seems to take less torque to slip than the Gs and Hs. With the mouldboard fully extended, further away from the circle drive, a "big bite" is going to have more leverage thus causing it to slip easier. I may be way off here, but just a thought.

[Grader4me]

Thanks for the response. I had given up on this one. I was just curious if this was a common problem with the "m" series.

[Vantage_TeS]

The lift cylinder speed is not what it should be. Its no problem lift or lower the blade a lot, but to move it just a little, takes a lot of practice. On a H grader, no prob, just leak that valve a little for a 1/8 inch. On an M, if you wobble that joystick it'll go down 2 inches.
I hate to talk about my new tractor so bad, but I really expected better performance from cat. Its comfortable, visibility is great, more horsepower, but all the electronic stuff isn't better than the older ones. I wish I had my old 140H back now. I guess they just worked too well too long.


That's the same thing as going from say an N model dozer with the old T-handle blade control to say the new R's or something like a JD dozer which both have an upright electronic joystick. With the Ns you are always yanking it back and forth to get a little blade movement. Do that with the new electronic style and you are gonna make huge gouges. Some guys can jump back and forth between the two sticks no problem, others take months to get good on the electronic style. They are just so used to having to make large movements on the controls.

Same thing with the pedals. You are going from manual "direct" control to comepletely electronic controls. It's a huge jump and they react and handle completely different. Some people like em and some people dont. :beatsme