Back in the dark ages when I was being taught to run a dozer my employer said never run in 3rd gear reverse due to increased undercarriage wear. This was pertaining to a D7G, but he also did not want me to back his 17A or 9U tractors in the higher gears. I understand the mechanics of the track slack bunching between the sprockets and the ground on conventional tracked dozers, but it would seem that the high drives would be less likely to have a problem with this.
I now will travel in 3rd gear in the high drives, but only at a reduced throttle level that roughly matches 2nd at full throttle, and even then I can hear my old employers words in my head and feel a tinge of guilt.
When finishing topsoil or cleaning up (going forward) I find myself in 3rd gear quite often, unless the topography is is such that you have to chase the contours quite a bit.
I am curious to hear others thoughts, and I enjoyed the slot dozing thread so much that I thought this may be interesting as well.
I now will travel in 3rd gear in the high drives, but only at a reduced throttle level that roughly matches 2nd at full throttle, and even then I can hear my old employers words in my head and feel a tinge of guilt.
When finishing topsoil or cleaning up (going forward) I find myself in 3rd gear quite often, unless the topography is is such that you have to chase the contours quite a bit.
I am curious to hear others thoughts, and I enjoyed the slot dozing thread so much that I thought this may be interesting as well.