I have not ran the M graders, but I have spent time on the newer dozers with all electric control. On them there is adjustable hydraulic response, changeable by the operator to speed or slow the hydraulics. Is there that option on the graders to overcome the problem with the side shift, wheel lean, etc. that you are talking about?
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Opinions on Best Graders
- Thread starter CAT140H
- Start date
CAT140H
Well-Known Member
We got our 160M a couple days ago.
Radrock
Well-Known Member
Yeah I know what you mean, I have been operating a D-8T for the last four years. It has been a nice change of pace. I got it brand new, got to rip the plastic off the seat. This is the only brand new piece of equipment I have ever gotten in my career. I have almost 8,000 hours on it now. But the electric over hydraulic doesn't work near as good or a fast as it used to. I haven't had too many problems with it but a few. It has three different settings on it for the Hydraulics. The 160 H that I usually run had to go in the shop and they gave me a 140M for a loaner for a couple of days. I was grading a walkway through the park. The first thing I looked for when I got that machine was to change the settings on the Hydraulic. Nope, it didn't have that option at all. But It has had some upgrades and I am sure people has told me that you can now do that. I don't know if you can change the sideshift or not. I have not been around an M for about 3 years. It would be nice if it did have that option. I didn't really have any problem finding the right buttons to do what I wanted to do. but I did realize that all the controls were opposite. The articulation and wheel lean is on the right side on the H and is on the left side on the M Circle is swapped as well. No doubt you would get use to it but how would it be if you were blue topping around a culdesac? I use the blade lifts, wheel lean, articulation and even the blade sideshift. Well this is making the left hand do all of the adjustment except the right blade lift. I'm sure it is a matter of getting use to it. It's kind of like living in a house for 30 years and then moving. You tend to drive home to the old house not thinking hahaha... Heck I can tell you another story, I went to work for a contractor who had a John Deere 772. It was a pretty good blade but it had electric over Hydraulic and the blade lifts are both on the right side of the steering wheel. Anyone else out there ran one of those? Well it also has a shuttle (forward and revers) on the left side. (about where the left blade lift is on the cat) I wasn't thinking one day and went to raise the blade and slammed that sucker in reverse. Scared the bejeebers out of me. I didn't do it ever again but it just shows you that you get in the habit of doing certain things. I even have a little trouble with the differential lock on the H and G series. They are totally different. One thing for sure. I think if you get on an M you should stay there. At least for us older folks. I wouldn't want to be changing back and forth all of the time.
Radrock
Well-Known Member
If I had to run an M series. I'd like to have the 160 M over any others (I think) The 160 H I have not is a horse. It's always had more power than you need. We didn't get it new but only had about 3200 hours on it when we got it. It has about 15,000 now. It is a VHP Is your new one VHP? I was kind of thinking that is about standard on the 160. Send a picture or two..
Yes the default setting are very fast, but these new M's series you can set you valves up so that you can sit there and hold the lever or button for 30 seconds and the blade will move half an inch. The hardest thing ive had to do was shoulder up, or i thought was hard anyways. I usually work on mass grading sites and am usually finishing mainline so that they can lay rock down, and when we do that we run MM gps since we have a tolerance of .0200, im younger generation so that probably why i like the M series so much.
I have heard that with the new M series that its almost impossible to cut hub's since of the elctric over hydro, guys say that you cant feel it when you hit the hub like you can with an H
I have heard that with the new M series that its almost impossible to cut hub's since of the elctric over hydro, guys say that you cant feel it when you hit the hub like you can with an H
And the New M2's have even more options, is the 8T your on a new tier 4, or older tier 3??? I got a brand new 8T when we did the intermodal facilty in KS and it was a tier 3 and your right it only has 3 settings, think default, fine and one other one, i wasnt worth a damn in an of the settings but default, the one setting was so fast it was almost impossbile to keep a clean smooth cut, and the other was just to slow. But on the new tier4 6T's you can make your own, its pretty cool, and i bet you can do this on the 7E's 8T's and new M2's
michael james
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2010
- Messages
- 143
- Location
- Australia
- Occupation
- 36 years working for a council, last 12 as a grade
Bluetop man,
About 6 months ago the komatsu was priced at $300,000 dollars australian
, and the deere with conventional control levers was $330,000 australian.
My grader in the avatar has a frame that is made out of putty, very soft, but my brother's GD 555-3 is a lot stronger, no bits of metal curl on it at all so l would say they have improved the metal quality. His machine has about 9,500 hours on it and the only major hassle it has had is a front end rebuild, a bit disappointing, considering he would be one of the most meticulous blokes around when it comes to greasing and maintenance of a machine. cheers.
Radrock
Well-Known Member
I pretty sure it is tier 3. Only has thee settings on it. Fast default and slow. Our company rented one of those d-7e's. it was different for sure. It doesn't have a decelerator pedal. But you could only set three different Dozer modes on it. But it had a slew different travel speeds
If it was a new D7E i know it did, are company just bought 20-30 tier4 machines and the guy that designed the computer system for the tier4 dozers came down and showed us all the neat tricks. You can actually control your blade and rippers using the computer screen buttons, its pretty fancy.
Radrock
Well-Known Member
Yup it was a new one. The computer screen was a lot smaller than the one on my D-8 but unless I was doing it wrong it only had three choices. Maybe it was one that needed a software update?? I only ran it a couple of days. It was surprising how well it did run. Was he running the Dozer in the service mode?? I'm pretty sure you can do that on my 8 you can put it in limp home mode.
Radrock
Well-Known Member
Yeah. I can calibrate several things on mine in the service mode. You are still pretty limited as to what you can do there. I'll have to check out the m2 videos
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blademan150
Well-Known Member
Good God, I'm feelin OLD, I remember when the only screen on a machine was to keep the chaf out of the radiator......and the only computer sat on a guys shoulders.....I'm so happy I could retire when I did. Clyde
Radrock
Well-Known Member
How long have you been retired Clyde? Oh yes, This whole world has went computer crazy. You can't even get a mechanic to look at any of this new stuff unless they bring their laptop along. And they won't hardly do anything if it isn't logging a code on the computer. Lots and lots of changes in the last 10 years. I only have 4 to go and I can join you at the fishin hole hahaha.
blademan150
Well-Known Member
Radrock
Well-Known Member
What a kewl ride. Wish the picture was bigger. Some of the Elec/Hydro is fine but others is not. It's ok when it's new and working fine but when it starts going bad it's a son of a gun to figure it out. I always thought the Hydraulic in the Cat H & G was pretty good. You still had a little feel for it. I try not to let any of it bother me nowdays as I on the downhill side. I really can't complain about any of it as I've had it pretty good where I work. Been with the same company for 21 years now. Hey you can even work on that ole truck with standard tools huh? Or maybe just a cresent wrench hahaha.
770G
Well-Known Member
I run a JD 770G and very satisfied with it except 1 thing.... No opening window, what was Deere thinking!!!! We also have a Volvo grader 3 years older than mine and looks like a toy when parked beside my 770G. But it has a side slider window... Great feature !!!!!!!!!
Radrock
Well-Known Member
Cat doesn't have a side slider either. The who object is to keep all doors and windows shut because they are all pressurized cabs. Keeps the dust and some toxins out. I ran a JD 772 years ago. It was a decent machine. I wouldn't want to cut grade with it but for what I was doing it was strong and that 6 wheel drive was great.
770G
Well-Known Member
I agree on keepin the dust and crap out, but on those perfect conditions days I love the fresh air.