Issues with cat 140m2 seat and shoulder injury

memgard · Jun 7, 2015

I have been running some different graders over the years but I was put in a new Cat 140M2 2 years ago. I love the ease of operation using the joystick controls but have some issues with the arm rests not moving with the air ride seat. I was roading the machine on a gravel road over a year ago and ran across a length of rumble strips that were in the gravel road. I could not let go of the left steering control joystick or I would have rolled the machine in the ditch. Ever since then I have have battled torn rotator cuff and other shoulder issues.

Has anyone else had similar issues? Does cat offer a seat that the arm rests move with the seat or are all of them stationary? I know JD tractors arm rests move with the seats.

I have searched this site the best I could and have found no other mention of issues such as this.

Thanks

Nige · Jun 7, 2015

All the M Series grader seats move independent of the armrests. The reason for this AFAIK is that the joystick control wiring harnesses wouldn't last very long if they were continually being moved up and down with the seat.

As a matter of interest how fast were you travelling when you ran across the rumble strip..?

memgard · Jun 7, 2015

Nige said:
All the M Series grader seats move independent of the armrests. The reason for this AFAIK is that the joystick control wiring harnesses wouldn't last very long if they were continually being moved up and down with the seat.

As a matter of interest how fast were you travelling when you ran across the rumble strip..?

I was running near 25MPH or so. I was on a flat section of road heading to town.

Fatgraderman · Jun 7, 2015

I haven't ran one of those. But every grader and truck I've ever ran, I've had the air/ hydraulics cranked up as high as It can go. Upshifting or downshifting on older machines/ truck where you gotta match RPM's or time it just right and bouncing doesn't work. And when you bottom out, that's worse then if the seat doesn't move at all.

memgard · Jun 7, 2015

I agree, but when the air is all the way up in the seat I can hardly run the pedals. It is more comfortable on my shoulders though. I wish there was a way to lock the seat in one position.

Nige · Jun 8, 2015

memgard said:
I agree, but when the air is all the way up in the seat I can hardly run the pedals.

I seem to recall that there was something that could be done to the seat aseembly for shorter operators to address that problem but for the life of me I can't remember what it was.

memgard said:
I wish there was a way to lock the seat in one position.

Then you'd be looking for a way to carry your spine home in a bucket after a day's work IMHO.

Fatgraderman · Jun 8, 2015

For me fixed is better. What happens to me is when roading, if the grader bounces once, you might bounce in the seat ten times. A Pete 378 winch truck my boss had the passenger seat mounted on the battery box, so it was fixed. That was my preference. If the wiring for the joysticks won't take the up and down movement, that gives some idea what an operators knees and arms are subjected to. In all fairness, this is a good line of work. After 19 years, I don't have any real physical issues, other then some slight shoulder issues from the older Volvo, Champion wing controls being by the door post. That's minor compared to what many of my friends who are rig hands or carpenters or mechanics have to deal with.

memgard · Jun 8, 2015

Ya, it's a good job but I never had the lasting physical issues from any other equipment that I have operated. I would rather have the middle back pain from running an H than the shoulder pain of an M. After mastering the steering, this is the best as far as ease of operation of the controls.

I did try to make the seat as hard as possible and I had to use my toes to operate the foot controls and I am 5'9" so it is not like I am 5' or something.

I guess it is just something I will have to figure out or just have my shoulders reworked.

Fatgraderman · Jun 9, 2015

Could a guy get a turnbuckle or ratchet strap on the seat suspension somehow? Be a shame to have to do that, but I'm not sure what an alternative would be.

Nige · Jun 9, 2015

To the OP - does your 140M2 have electrically adjustable arm rests..? I note they are an optional extra.

memgard · Jun 9, 2015

Fatgraderman said:
Could a guy get a turnbuckle or ratchet strap on the seat suspension somehow? Be a shame to have to do that, but I'm not sure what an alternative would be.

:thumbsup

oregon96pd · Jun 17, 2015

I'm really not trying to be mean here, honestly I'm not.......but if your body cant take sitting and moving your arms, maybe its time to look for a new line of work?

memgard · Jun 18, 2015

oregon96pd said:
I'm really not trying to be mean here, honestly I'm not.......but if your body cant take sitting and moving your arms, maybe its time to look for a new line of work?

Maybe you should have read the post before you commented? The problem is the seat not the arm movements or lack there of.

"I'm really not trying to be mean here, honestly I'm not" :duhThat is usually followed by some stupid ass comment like the one you left. But I am not meaning to be mean Lol

:spongebob

oregon96pd · Jun 19, 2015

memgard said:
Maybe you should have read the post before you commented? The problem is the seat not the arm movements or lack there of.

I did read the post, and it says that you got hurt sitting in a seat. Hard to get a shoulder injury without arm movement. Presumably the injury occured when the seat moved and the armrests did not, causing your arms to MOVE up and down. Maybe try stretching during the day so your joints can deal with MOVEMENT? A lot of our operators have trouble their first couple days with holding the left joystick to tight while roading, maybe loosen your grip so when you hit bumps your arm can kind of MOVE with the bounce of the grader? Or go with a less physical job lol.

Garrie Denny · Jun 19, 2015

memgard: Suck it up. This thread has been going down the How Do I Get Compo from someone from your first thread.You want compo ? see a lawyer.

Garrie Denny · Jun 19, 2015

People like you make insurance Expensive.

R.D.G013 · Jun 19, 2015

Garrie Denny said:
People like you make insurance Expensive.

Good one, Garrie Denny, I agree.

memgard · Jun 19, 2015

I am not looking for comp you ****ing retard. I was looking to see if there were other seat options. Go **** yourself

memgard · Jun 19, 2015

I was hoping that this was a group with professional people that may have some experience in these machines but I see it is a bunch of dickheads with nothing better to do. I will not be back on the message board. Good luck with YOUR miserable "got nothing better to do" lives.

Garrie Denny · Jun 20, 2015

Bye.:beatsme

Issues with cat 140m2 seat and shoulder injury

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