• 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!

Are we really this spoiled

DoyleX

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2013
Messages
571
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Lever Puller, Gear Jammer, Pipe Twister
Stopped by the undertakers office yesterday. 320c Didn't want to fix the water seeping out under the head. My father in law worked there during the 80's dismembering bodies. He said quite a difference in the condition of machines that get cut nowadays. All of them drive in.
20161208_134738.jpg
 
Last edited:

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Planned obsolescence, a terrible thing and was supposed to be stopping years ago but seems has only accelerated. Cars too are a growing PITA to work on today, had to put brakes on a 2010 Impala, bent a Snap-On long handle 1/2" ratchet I have used on trucks for years to break loose the caliper retention bolts. Was literally standing on it bouncing to remove 14mm fine thread bolts, come to find they had been 'dipped' in Loctite, all the way up to the bolt head. 1/2" impact just hammered, never once did it knock them loose. Last trip to a boneyard for my Allis I watched as a D6H had a gas axe taken to it for pieces and yes, they drove it up to the cut equipment, it did not drive away. So many newer machines end up in true scrap yards, to be melted down or sent to China or S Korea in chunks.
 

hetkind

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2015
Messages
472
Location
Unicoi, TN
If we can get an extra two hours per shift out of an operator and equipment by upgrading the cab with AC we get ahead in a pretty short period of time. Just do your analysis on operator fatigue vs heat and noise...

Howard
 

check

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2012
Messages
800
Location
in the mail
I can understand (just barely) the economics of chopping up "outdated" equipment back when the price of steel spiked, but at today's low prices it would seem old running open cab equipment would get sold to farmers and ranchers for more than Asians will pay.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Takes too long, and too much money to fix them right. As noted a 320C cut up due to a head leak. Could have put an entire engine in and still had a great machine.
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,128
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Takes too long, and too much money to fix them right. As noted a 320C cut up due to a head leak. Could have put an entire engine in and still had a great machine.

Same with all kinds of things these days. Somethings make a little sense like small walk behind lawn mowers. By the time you pay someone to remove a carb and clean it out or replace it you are a third of the way to a new one.

Now this can be good for the guys like me who like fixing things. I bought one new mower when I lived at the house we rented when I got married back in 1971-2. Right now I have three that run good, one needs a new seal as it is leaking oil. I've probably sold or given half a dozen away over the years and never spent more than the cost of breakfast for two on any one of them!

Just wish I could find someone with a Case 1845 skid-steer who was scrapping it due to a failed coupler on the pumps! Anyone know of one parked behind a barn?
 

farmerlund

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2014
Messages
1,237
Location
North Dakota
Occupation
Farmer/ excavator
Or headphones with am/fm radio built in them. Perfect for my D8H. LOL:thumbsup
 

Buckethead

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2007
Messages
1,055
Location
Waterfront
Occupation
Operator
Why didn't they just retrofit an aftermarket cab and HVAC unit? :beatsme

That was my first thought too!

I was wondering about that myself.
I like enclosed cabs and heat and air as much as the next guy. But I do like running dozers with open ROPS, I think I have better visibility. Maybe it's all in my head just because I learned on dozers with just ROPS. And on a backhoe or excavator, I like keeping that window open so I can hear what the men are trying to tell me.
 
Last edited:

Karl Robbers

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
164
Location
Australia
I think what is even worse is when companies decide that machines must be scrapped even though another buyer offers equal or greater price. One mining contracting company I worked for had the policy that if it is no use to us, then we will destroy it so it is no use to anyone else. Some of the good, servicable gear that I have seen crushed or cut up would make you cry.
 

old-iron-habit

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
4,233
Location
Moose Lake, MN
Occupation
Retired Cons't. Supt./Hospitals
Today I could have used a cab. I was playing in the woods at 11F pushing in a new loging road. No, I was warm enough with my D4D's open ROPS but when that piece of willow brush slapped me hard on the cold cheek I just about cried.
 

td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana
Yeah old-iron , an open station ROPS cab will sure keep a feller from falling asleep on the job .:D

My take on it is window glass & trees don't mix well . It would just get busted out so may as well stay with the standard ROPS cab .:)

Sounds like you are back in good shape & full swing .:thumbsup


When it comes to visibility & communication Open station rules !
 

RZucker

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
4,077
Location
Wherever I end up
Occupation
Mechanic/welder
Today I could have used a cab. I was playing in the woods at 11F pushing in a new loging road. No, I was warm enough with my D4D's open ROPS but when that piece of willow brush slapped me hard on the cold cheek I just about cried.

You're very lucky. A good friend lost an eye from the same thing 5 years ago.
 

old-iron-habit

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
4,233
Location
Moose Lake, MN
Occupation
Retired Cons't. Supt./Hospitals
You're very lucky. A good friend lost an eye from the same thing 5 years ago.

I always wear my safety glasses on my old machines and much of the time I work on them. Every once in a while one hears or feels a spot of dirt or crap hitting them, especially when dealing with half frozen, stick covered ground. Wearing safety glasses is a good habit left over from years of having to wear them on the job. The eyes and upper face actually stay warmer in the cold breese when covered with the type that wrap around to the sides. It was bright enough yesterday that I was wearing the medium dark ones.
 

kevin37b

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
Messages
145
Location
illinois
Occupation
Operator #841
My name is Kevin and I am a spoiled operator Local #841 . Confession time ? If I had wanted to labor , pipefit , ironwork , I would have . A cab with appropriate climate control is a must . I am 60 yrs old and the fun of bashing away on an open machine is gone . I grew up on the farm and planted corn , disced , whatever it took on open tractors . Dust, dirt, rain ,cold with those crummy old canvas heathousers . I sat on an open mini for a contractor last year in feb . 1 day and good by .
 

RZucker

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
4,077
Location
Wherever I end up
Occupation
Mechanic/welder
I always wear my safety glasses on my old machines and much of the time I work on them. Every once in a while one hears or feels a spot of dirt or crap hitting them, especially when dealing with half frozen, stick covered ground. Wearing safety glasses is a good habit left over from years of having to wear them on the job. The eyes and upper face actually stay warmer in the cold breese when covered with the type that wrap around to the sides. It was bright enough yesterday that I was wearing the medium dark ones.

He was wearing safety glasses, the branch came up underneath them and pierced the lower eyelid and... too gory to go any further.
 

RZucker

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Messages
4,077
Location
Wherever I end up
Occupation
Mechanic/welder
My name is Kevin and I am a spoiled operator Local #841 . Confession time ? If I had wanted to labor , pipefit , ironwork , I would have . A cab with appropriate climate control is a must . I am 60 yrs old and the fun of bashing away on an open machine is gone . I grew up on the farm and planted corn , disced , whatever it took on open tractors . Dust, dirt, rain ,cold with those crummy old canvas heathousers . I sat on an open mini for a contractor last year in feb . 1 day and good by .

I hear that Kevin. Years back I was on an open 780 backhoe on an emergency job and got my fingers frostbit, ever since then I cant really take much of the cold.
 

fast_st

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,468
Location
Mass
Occupation
IT systems admin
I always loved mowing in open cab machines, be going just enough to keep ahead of the dust and enjoy the outdoors. One day mowing with a full cab JD6300 I hear this tick tick, tick tap tick noise, well jeebus I ran over a white faced hornets nest that was bigger than a case of oil, they were hammering against the glass, I made sure to take a few more close passes to really mulch them up, that day, for certain, I was glad to have a cab, I was miles and miles away from anything and likely would have been a goner! That reminds me, on my 350 dozer, for the winter, I swap the forward cooling fan out for a reverse, blows all the warm air under the floorboards :)
 

Desertwheeler

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
404
Location
Ca
Occupation
Miner
I used to push for a mine with an old d8k open cab. I would wear earplugs and muffs motorcycle goggles and a respirator. I would leave a beautiful golden tan color head to toe and make a muddy mess in the shower. I was very happy to get my d9n back after I broke the frame on the 8. We have cabs on all our skid steers at work and they spoil you. I run my open can at home and like it on good weather days!
Cabs are nice and essential sometimes, other times I love feeling the open air.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Bumpsteer

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
1,333
Location
Front seat on the Struggle Bus
Occupation
Mechanical designer
Many moons ago a friend and I were having breakfast at a local diner on Sunday morning....late January, extremely cold, single digit wind chills.

Have to go dig up a frozen water line at a dairy farm when were done....

Better you than me, you have cab & heat.

Need to unload the dozer, then go get the backhoe.

I'll give you a hand......

Guess what, his dozer wouldn't start, neither would the backhoe.

Hey, think your Bobcat will start?

Hope not.

Guess what? It started. Froze my arse off for half the day sitting on the backhoe attachment picking through 5' of frost to get to the break......never hated my own equipment so much in my life.

Ed
 
Top