• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Volvo G80 motor grader hydraulic questions similar to a Champion c80 or Leeboy 695

Georgia Iron

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
871
Location
USA - Georgia
Occupation
Concrete building slab and grading contractor
Hello All,

Hope everyone is doing well in these strange times of Covid. I have moved into running motor graders on larger commercial work doing fine grading.

On most work we use machine control running either a 2d laser or a 3d total station. I can build a grade file based on site plans or I can shoot points on site and make sure the slopes are correct and the water goes to the right place.

We currently have 4 small graders, 10,000-12,000 lb machines that we use. The machines we use are like a Gehl 747 / Basic or a TCI / Blade-mor which is no longer made. There is a lot of up keep and we have lots of break downs. You must have 2 machines just to make sure you have a spare on hand to finish a job and most jobs must be done yesterday. All parts are custom made or special order. Our machines are souped up with 80 or 90 hp motors running dual hydraulic pumps and purpose built. The men that made these machines and frames have mostly moved on to the next life.

After looking at every machine that is currently being sold in the US, we decided to see if this older Volvo G80 / Champion C80 will be up to the job. I believe that Lee boy is the one that is now making this design and it is labeled as a Leeboy 695. In some of the Leeboys, you change gears, so I am assuming they decided to use a different drive control.

From what I have seen the drive units can vary. This Volvo G80 has a hydro static drive attached to a 2 speed gear box. It also has the 4bt cummings in it and is running 110 hp. It has a very nice drive control system that allows you to set the speed and rpm exactly where you need it. Fast to go into forward or reverse.

I have seen that getting spare parts for these no longer made machines can be a problem. I would like to find a source for the drive train parts and gear boxs. Or a repair shop that can work on these units. I am not sure what parts were used in this system. If anyone has any information I would appreciate it. Also if you have any experience with these graders or problems that they develop I would like to hear about them.

I also need a wiring diagram. My tach is not working nor is my temp gauge.

If you have any questions about machine control or motor grader work send me a PM.


Thanks.
 

Attachments

  • 20220107-volvo-g80.jpg
    20220107-volvo-g80.jpg
    779.6 KB · Views: 25
  • 20220108-volvo-g80.jpg
    20220108-volvo-g80.jpg
    809.6 KB · Views: 23
Last edited:

Georgia Iron

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
871
Location
USA - Georgia
Occupation
Concrete building slab and grading contractor
Tones,

We have considered a skid steer unit. 1/2 of the other companies around town use them. From what I have seen on small to medium sized jobs they are very handy. The performance of a motor grader on large big areas is hard to match. It is not uncommon for us to place 2000 tons of stone per day on finish grade. We typically have a small dozer, back hoe, a large skid steer, water truck and roller helping on our jobs. 1/4 " tolerance is typical.

A skid steer unit might be added for special applications for us.

Some times we grade mud, soil cement, gravel, lime stone and or sand.

There is a point of dimishing returns with machine size. The bigger the grader gets the less precision it has. Many companies we work with have large frame machines with full machine control. We still come in and do the final finish.

Here is a photo from todays clean up work.
 

Attachments

  • 20220111-basic.jpg
    20220111-basic.jpg
    852.5 KB · Views: 20
Last edited:

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,691
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
I'd go with the LeeBoy. Volvo turned the compact graders over to Champion, and they are no longer in business. I believe LeeBoy did a colaboration with Champion before they went out of business. Not sure what it's like to get parts. Even Volvo quit making production class graders.
DSC4378.jpg
Have you looked at one of these. They are made in the USA by Calder Bros. We have 2 of them, and just ordered the 3rd.
 

Georgia Iron

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
871
Location
USA - Georgia
Occupation
Concrete building slab and grading contractor
Tones,

Their work looks good.

Cuttin Edge,

I purchased the Volvo G80. Same thing as the Champion C80. I was looking for some help on the hydostatic drive unit and maybe a wiring diagram. Just wanted to gather some information on parts and repairs before I put it into service.

Another broken axle today...stopped work...machine shop says 3 guys are out sick with covid... it might be two weeks to make. Parts are hard to get.
 

Attachments

  • 20220114-basic-broken.jpg
    20220114-basic-broken.jpg
    871.3 KB · Views: 26

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,691
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
Tones,

Their work looks good.

Cuttin Edge,

I purchased the Volvo G80. Same thing as the Champion C80. I was looking for some help on the hydostatic drive unit and maybe a wiring diagram. Just wanted to gather some information on parts and repairs before I put it into service.

Another broken axle today...stopped work...machine shop says 3 guys are out sick with covid... it might be two weeks to make. Parts are hard to get.
The guy that owned the compact champion company used to be on here. Brian Abernathy. I think he goes by Motor Grader. Not sure when he was last seen. I know he had colaborated with LeeBoy to build their machine before Champion went out of business. Volvo bought Champion, then decided they didn't want the compact line, and sold it to Brian. We bought their 110 model, supposed to bridge the gap between the compact market, and the production class. It had great potential, but it had a lot of bugs. Strongo took it off our hands, and gave us a really good deal on a 940 Volvo. I don't think Champion was around much longer. Would have been a nice machine for someone that wanted a bit bigger than the 80, but not quite a full size.
 

Georgia Iron

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
871
Location
USA - Georgia
Occupation
Concrete building slab and grading contractor
My Volvo is in line to have machine control added once all valves and misc parts are on hand.

Cutting edge I will see if I can get in touch with Brian. Thanks for the information.

I spent another week on a motor grader, 750 John Deere, and wheel loader. This job has the hardest and most compacted lime stone gravel known in the new world. The gravel turned to concrete. With the 450 and 160 excavator my production basically stopped. After several days in the 750 I managed to move some material off and cut to grade. Site was 4" to 6" inches high and in the hard spots it took 8 passes to remove that.

That's me cutting grade on the 750. Joystick control, no machine control. Just doing it by feel. I like the 750. Nice dozer easy to drive and move around the columns. The short side is 27' apart and 51' the other way. I also like the wheel loader. Fast and easy to run.
 

Attachments

  • 20220128_190912.jpg
    20220128_190912.jpg
    4.2 MB · Views: 26
  • 20220128_130306.jpg
    20220128_130306.jpg
    5.5 MB · Views: 25
  • 20220128_165727.jpg
    20220128_165727.jpg
    5.4 MB · Views: 26
Last edited:

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,691
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
Reminds me of doing the walmart here. I had an old 730 champion. The electricians started working nights as every time I would rev the old cummins up, she would roll smoke, and it would hang around the ceiling. They closed the sides in fast and it got too air tight. Had to finish with a skid steer
 

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,691
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
Champion Motor Graders has a facebook page. They just posted about Champion parts. If you have a FB account, do a search
 

Motor Grader

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Messages
230
Location
Charlotte, NC
Occupation
Technology Solutions Expert
Hello All,

Hope everyone is doing well in these strange times of Covid. I have moved into running motor graders on larger commercial work doing fine grading.

On most work we use machine control running either a 2d laser or a 3d total station. I can build a grade file based on site plans or I can shoot points on site and make sure the slopes are correct and the water goes to the right place.

We currently have 4 small graders, 10,000-12,000 lb machines that we use. The machines we use are like a Gehl 747 / Basic or a TCI / Blade-mor which is no longer made. There is a lot of up keep and we have lots of break downs. You must have 2 machines just to make sure you have a spare on hand to finish a job and most jobs must be done yesterday. All parts are custom made or special order. Our machines are souped up with 80 or 90 hp motors running dual hydraulic pumps and purpose built. The men that made these machines and frames have mostly moved on to the next life.

After looking at every machine that is currently being sold in the US, we decided to see if this older Volvo G80 / Champion C80 will be up to the job. I believe that Lee boy is the one that is now making this design and it is labeled as a Leeboy 695. In some of the Leeboys, you change gears, so I am assuming they decided to use a different drive control.

From what I have seen the drive units can vary. This Volvo G80 has a hydro static drive attached to a 2 speed gear box. It also has the 4bt cummings in it and is running 110 hp. It has a very nice drive control system that allows you to set the speed and rpm exactly where you need it. Fast to go into forward or reverse.

I have seen that getting spare parts for these no longer made machines can be a problem. I would like to find a source for the drive train parts and gear boxs. Or a repair shop that can work on these units. I am not sure what parts were used in this system. If anyone has any information I would appreciate it. Also if you have any experience with these graders or problems that they develop I would like to hear about them.

I also need a wiring diagram. My tach is not working nor is my temp gauge.

If you have any questions about machine control or motor grader work send me a PM.


Thanks.
Parts@championllc.us
 
Top