Confirmation Of Existence - Dresser 4000!
Hi Guy’s,
Sorry for the very late addition of my 5 cent’s worth!
I only stumbled across the forum site by accident while searching Google for Dresser 4000 info to reminisce on old times.
Jim’s post came up in the search, I had a read, then joined the forum to be able to pass on the info I have.
I can categorically confirm that Griffin Coal in Collie Western Australia had both a Dresser 4000 and a 580 model. The reason I can confirm this is because I spent 93 thru early 97 doing my Diesel Mechanics apprenticeship there. I spent a lot of time working on both of them and can decree that the 580 was a dog. Great ideas in design just nothing seemed to work real well especially the transmission. I lost count of how many times I was involved with a transmission overhaul on the 580. Despite this the 4000 was a great unit in my opinion. Certainly way better than his little brother.
I spent 2 months in Perth during 96 at Komatsu in Welshpool and Kewdale working with the NSK team doing a complete certified rebuild of our 580 which included the trans, final drives and ancillary hydraulics and systems.
The 4000 was a scaled up 580, but from memory used the same transmission as the 580. They were both a little different to the conventional loaders that were used to over here, as they had the cab on the front section of the articulated frame, which meant they were completely different to drive.
The transmission in the 4000 / 580 was basically a big auto trans with a drop box bellow it. The transmission had a very unique system called a “Pitto” or “Pitta” Governor (can’t quite remember the correct term) on it, that regulated the turbine speed on the out put of the torque converter. It was basically a toothed gear connected to the turbine wheel that flicked oil up into a capillary line that ran around to a diaphragm and valve arrangement on the impeller / input side of the trans. The diaphragm operated a shuttle valve that controlled the oil pressure to the piston on a clutch pack connected to the Impeller. I.E. more pressure more drive, less pressure less drive and thus was a self governing torque converter in its simplest form.
The 4000 had a KTTA 50 Cummins for a mill while the 580 ran a KTTA38. At the time of manufacture the 4000 used standard 789 / 630E dump truck tyres (the 580 ran the biggest loader tyre on the market at that time). For the 4000 this caused traction issues due to a complete different tyre grip profile and thus affected its breakout force. So tyre chains were used especially in the winter months (which in Collie is about 10 months of the year).
Griffin Coal had the only 4000 in the Southern Hemisphere, while there was a total of four 580’s on this side of the line. Both Griffin and Western Collieries (now Westfarmers Coal) had a 580 and there were two over in the Hunter Valley at some stage. Griffin ended up buying Westerns to use as spares for theirs when western bought a couple of 994’s when they first hit the market in the mid 90’s.
In late mid / late 98 they parked the 4000 up in the grave yard on the hill with the H485 Demag Face Shovel (in its hay day the biggest Hydraulic shovel made) before trading it in on a WA1200-1 when they were first released in 99.
I will try to dig out some photos and some more info to post if I can lay my hand on it. I believe that I may even have a workshop manual for the 4000 somewhere in storage. I had my own because I spent so much time working the Dressers in the Dozzer Shop at Griffin.
I can inform you that the man to talk to, or get in contact with regarding the 4000 and / or 580 is Ian Dawson. I spent a lot of time working with Ian at Griffin as he was the Field Service Rep assigned to Griffin and Western. Ian was the resident expert on the models and came across from Hawker Noise when Komatsu bought Dresser out in 92 / 93. Hawker Noise was the local Dresser representative in W.A. Ian is / was the Field Service Manager - Western Division for Komatsu in 2002 and I still with them. Great bloke, drop him a line I’m sure he will be happy to give you some more info. If / when you do tell him that Clint Messenger said “HI”.
Jim, hope I’ve been of help and I hope you see the message after two years.
Best Regards
Clint
