Tricks of the Trade

Harry Balzakke · Dec 12, 2014

Hey Guys/Gals,

I've been running hoe the last few weeks on out new job and they needed a hoe operator for the trucks and I was just wondering if I could hear from some other operators on good habits on loading trucks, carrying grade, gettig yourself and your benches set up.

Any other work scenarios are great too. Thanks a lot guys

Shimmy1 · Dec 12, 2014

Top of truck box/trailer should be even with boom hinge pin. As far as carrying grade, that's only going to come with time and a good eye.

dozerman400 · Dec 12, 2014

One habit, at the beginning of the day I say to myself " be safe, I want everyone to go home in one piece today".

For set up, put a wheelbarrow full of material in front of both tracks and walk forward into small piles. This will help you from rocking to much while swinging and dumping.

For benching, before you dig, paint a line for the edge of bottom then a paint line at top of bench. That will help keep you dig nice and straight.

For loading trucks, I like to load over the side with trucks perpendicular to the boom. You have the whole length of the dump box to start dumping into verses when the trucks back in square to your boom, you have a 8' wide or so target only.

For carrying grade, pull your stick in at a steady pace while adjusting boom lever up and down to stay level.

Hope these few tips help.:thumbsup

Harry Balzakke · Dec 13, 2014

Thanks guys, keep the tips coming.

When you are loading over the side, do you find you normally turn the full 90 degrees and use the counterweight? Or is it better to load more at a 45degree or so? Also when loading the bucket you try to use the stick or boom more to load up?

One issue I'm having is trying to prevent myself from getting tippy, but on the backside of my tracks. And when the truckers are too far away, I'm reaching way out there to let the material go! And with the sticky wet goop having your bucket way out there and the dirt sticking is no fun!

lumberjack · Dec 13, 2014

The less you have to swing the better.
Loading over the side, don't swing over the cab.
The better you keep your balance, the faster you will cycle. If you have to reach to far to reach the trucks to stay stable, try moving the trucks closer. Turning the tracks to face the trucks will decrease your performance loading the bucket.

Harry Balzakke · Dec 14, 2014

Ya, Ive been trying my best to cut down on my loading and cycle time. The material I'm working with is swampy wet dirt and the odd bit of frost. The hardest part I'm finding is getting set up to stay set up.

dozerman400 · Dec 14, 2014

Hi Harry Balzakke,

When loading the bucket, use the stick more aggressively than boom. Just use boom to dig enough to keep level cuts.

I like loading 90 degrees into trucks when they have enough room to pull next to you with there cab away from dig area (!00 degrees). If they need to back into you, I like them somewhat square to your boom but still seeing the side of the box. If all you see is there tailgate it's harder to judge the front of the box when dumping your bucket unless you hoe is higher than the truck.
At 45 degrees, it's closer to your dig but your target is smaller for dumping fast. At 90 degrees you have longer bigger target to dump bucket and get out of trouble if you start tipping (less a chance of hitting dump box).
When coming out of dig area I swing and extend stick aggressively while raising boom at minimum to just clear dump box by 12 inches or so.

Sticky wet goop, mud, dust, rocks, roots...... all part of the game.

gwhammy · Dec 14, 2014

It seems to work best if they back up to you with the drivers side of the truck lined up with your nose. This lets the driver see you and puts the bucket in the center of the bed. You can't line them up this way but having two trucks at a time back to you will greatly increase cycle time.

A good loud horn on the hoe, one beep means stop two means pull away. Keep the swing as short as possible, take a full bucket every time. I always face the ends of the tracks toward the cut, that way if the cut breaks you have a chance to stay upright.

Don't let the drivers start deciding when they want to stop and leave, you are the boss. Also pad the ends of the tracks till the machine is stable and fairly level, Nothing worse than a rocking machine trying to do precision work.

Probably won't work in your sight but I like to have the trucks down in the cut so you are only lifting to get over the bed.

CM1995 · Dec 14, 2014

On-road or off-road trucks?

Harry Balzakke · Dec 15, 2014

On road end dumps.

We have mostly been loading over the side, just because we are required to have spotters for the trucks to back in for this particular site. I'm trying to keep my swing time to a minimum. For some reason the other guy loves makes 150* degree turns loading. Hence why his load time is nearly 2mins longer.

Another quick question for you guys, do you have the sprockets behind you and idlers in front? I was always taught to dig with idlers in front. Is this correct? Can you guys or gals elaborate some? Thanks again

dozerman400 · Dec 16, 2014

Yes, Idlers in front.
1. Less weight by your dig if you happen to go deep and want to safely walk over the edge a little to reach something.
2. If you stay with same habit, It's easy to back tracks up with out guessing which way it's going to go.

farmerlund · Dec 16, 2014

I do a lot of digging with sprockets at the end where my work is. When started learning to run hoe my first machine was used up and the idlers moved up and down in the track frames. by putting the sprockets by the hole it was more stable.

I agree with Dozerman set up the same as much as possible, in the end will make you faster and smoother.

CraneInnovation · Dec 22, 2014

When grading, try to keep the end of the boom centered over the swath you're working. This does two things....you adjust the boom elevation evenly on both sides of the arc (up a bit then down a bit). It is also *usually* when the stick cylinder is more or less working with the most mechanical advantage on the stick. Power isn't necessarily what you want, but the speed will be the least (stick tends to accelerate as it leaves the center of its range of motion). I find I'm more productive producing a good grade working smaller swaths faster/more precisely than when I get greedy and try to maintain a grade when the stick is near the ends of travel. I.e....no reaching far.

digger242j · Dec 22, 2014

It seems to work best if they back up to you with the drivers side of the truck lined up with your nose. This lets the driver see you and puts the bucket in the center of the bed.

I wonder if that's why the cabs are pretty much standard on the left these days, as opposed to some older machines which had them on the right?

Shimmy1 · Dec 22, 2014

fftopic So, of the major brands still around, I believe Deere is the only one that ever had a righthand cab? Koerhring, American, other oldies but goodies started with righthand cab, some like Koerhring switched before going out of business? It's too bad that anyone that would have any insight on the design of those old timers is probably long gone to that big mine in the sky. :salute

reddot556 · Dec 30, 2014

i agree with above posters about loading 90 degrees over the side of the tracks..as the truck comes in your boom should already be as high as its gonna get,then follow the truck with your bucket..honk the horn and dump!! repeat!!

Francesco · Dec 30, 2014

Hi guys my name is Francesco and it's my first time in this forum.
I need a information about a license because I'm looking for a job abroad as heavy equipment operator, and I found that some company want the 1,2,3,8 license restriction and I don't know what is it. Can you help me please ?
thank you so much
Francesco

Shimmy1 · Dec 30, 2014

reddot556 said:
View attachment 128850

i agree with above posters about loading 90 degrees over the side of the tracks..as the truck comes in your boom should already be as high as its gonna get,then follow the truck with your bucket..honk the horn and dump!! repeat!!

Dam you Reddot and your pics. I won't be in the dirt til spring. This looks like fun. Pretty good drivers?

reddot556 · Dec 31, 2014

Shimmy1 said:
Dam you Reddot and your pics. I won't be in the dirt til spring. This looks like fun. Pretty good drivers?

hell no!! all truck drivers are idiots

Shimmy1 · Dec 31, 2014

reddot556 said:
hell no!! all truck drivers are idiots

You know what they say, those that can't do become drivers. And I'm a driver! Part-time anyway.

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