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New to me 941b

ncmoore77

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Messages
23
Location
North Carolina
Hello all
I am new to the heavy Equipement world
I have been around farm equipment my whole life though
Now I am the proud new owner of a 941b cat
My question for right now is when shifting the machine do I need to throttle down
If I’m digging or pushing and need to go to reverse 1 from forward 1 do I need to pull the throttle down and back up once in gear agin
I have been shifting without moving the throttle and it seems to work just fine but I don’t want to tear anything up if that’s not correct
Thanks for any help
 

Welder Dave

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Oct 11, 2014
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Canada
You can change direction without reducing the throttle but it's easier on the drive train to reduce the throttle for a couple seconds when changing direction. Cat recommends it for longer transmission life. That's why dozers have decelerator pedals.
 

DMiller

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Should be a Foot Decelerator on the floor with steering brakes, not all had them but makes life easier as noted on drive train.
 

bam1968

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Nov 1, 2014
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IA
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Excavating Contractor
I don't have any experience with a 941 but I do have some with a 977. From what little info I have gathered they pretty much operate the same. Assuming that is correct, for the most part I did not throttle it back when changing direction. That being said the 977's I ran mostly had a dozer blade on them and when changing direction with a little load on the machine (like while turning) seemed to be alot smoother than just running straight and changing direction at full throttle. Now when I would take the blade off and put the bucket on and use the machine as it was intended to be used that changed things tremendously. I would use the throttle alot. Especially loading dump trucks. What I learned very quickly is you don't want to be sitting there stopped with both feet on the clutch/brake pedals at full throttle and put it in reverse (or forward) and just let off the pedals. It doesn't sound good and it doesn't feel good.
 

245dlc

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Normally Cat track loaders like the 941's, 951's, 955's, and 977's didn't have decelerator pedals at least not that I ever saw. They just had steering pedals and a brake pedal. However other brands like Komatsu and I believe International Harvester had decelerator pedals which in my opinion made them nicer to run. But if anything have a little pause when your gear shift is in neutral instead of slamming it right away in to forward or reverse and I'd recommend getting an operator's manual to find out what the manufacturer recommends as boring as it might be to read. lol
 

guisep3

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Oct 6, 2013
Messages
140
Location
Pittsburgh, Pa
Yes, you should absolutely throttle down when pulling the machine out of reverse and into forward. Over time your muscle memory will automatically do this without thinking. You'll save the wear and tear on the clutches. If you're driving into a pile, downshift before you load up on it and use 1st gear and pull that throttle wide open! Perform the curl and lift while slowly driving, then simultaneously throttle down and slap into neutral and instantly into reverse. Keep practicing and you will get smooth and you will feel the machine running like a swiss time piece. If you make abrupt shifts or break applications, you'll feel the knocks and bangs underneath u.
I learned from an old timer who ran all the older cats for his whole life. U could hear the machine load up and idle down based on his movements. The small plume of smoke that bellows from the stack as the engine throttles up and down. It's like watching a well choreographed dance.
My 2 cents, i love running my 955L. Old dinosaur that keeps on ticking!
 

Metalman 55

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I vote that it is not necessary to throttle back with changing direction on the power shift loaders of that vintage. I ran both a 941 & a 977L when new back in the early to mid 70's & we never did throttle back when shifting. Larger dozers, yes, if they have a decelerator, it should be used. I currently own an old 941 & a 955L & do not throttle back with them when changing direction. Always helpful to reduce the strain of shifting, if you begin your turn when you need to turn anyhow, when changing direction. Sort of takes the strain off of things by doing that.
 

Welder Dave

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Not much difference between a dozer trans. and loader trans. It's cheap insurance for longer transmission and drive train life. You aren't always turning when changing direction. When you're the one paying for repairs changes everything.
 

bam1968

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Nov 1, 2014
Messages
529
Location
IA
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Excavating Contractor
Years ago I was having this discussion with a cat mechanic. At that time we were comparing a 977L to a D7G. IIRC he basically said the transmissions were the same but the torque converters were set up different on the 977L and that was why it didn't need to be throttled back when changing directions. Just my $.02
 

petepilot

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Jul 7, 2018
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central shenandoah valley va,
Years ago I was having this discussion with a cat mechanic. At that time we were comparing a 977L to a D7G. IIRC he basically said the transmissions were the same but the torque converters were set up different on the 977L and that was why it didn't need to be throttled back when changing directions. Just my $.02
same thing cat told me `said if it needed a decel they would have put it there dozer is different story
 

Welder Dave

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My manual says that although the powershift transmission can be shifted between forward and reverse at full power, decelerating provides for longer life. It has to be hard on clutch packs snapping from forward to reverse. My machine has an optional twist throttle on the gear shift. On the larger loaders I don't think there's a decelerator because your feet are busy working the brake pedals.
 

Mother Deuce

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Jul 17, 2016
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1,603
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New England
Yes, you should absolutely throttle down when pulling the machine out of reverse and into forward. Over time your muscle memory will automatically do this without thinking. You'll save the wear and tear on the clutches. If you're driving into a pile, downshift before you load up on it and use 1st gear and pull that throttle wide open! Perform the curl and lift while slowly driving, then simultaneously throttle down and slap into neutral and instantly into reverse. Keep practicing and you will get smooth and you will feel the machine running like a swiss time piece. If you make abrupt shifts or break applications, you'll feel the knocks and bangs underneath u.
I learned from an old timer who ran all the older cats for his whole life. U could hear the machine load up and idle down based on his movements. The small plume of smoke that bellows from the stack as the engine throttles up and down. It's like watching a well choreographed dance.
My 2 cents, i love running my 955L. Old dinosaur that keeps on ticking!
Your post reads like a tutorial about what I was told and like you it is how I ran the 977's and 955s. Bumping the throttle during the the shift did become muscle memory. It was no more cumbersome than the few minutes it took to learn & appreciate the reversed bucket valve. Do you have to do it? Does not seem like it, after reading through the posts. Is it worth doing? Having stood in line at the Cat parts counter with my own money... it is to me.
 

DMiller

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Can remember a local paving contractor I worked on the side for, Glen was hard on machines and about as ornery as Dave Kolb was back in the day, only wanted to see smoke and hear engines squalling. Glen would roll his 955L onto its idlers when shifting only to ballerina off the sprockets coming back into grade, never once backed out of it unless had to come off or await another truck. His worst day and angry at the machine was busting a track master link doing that. Bolts had to have been slightly loose or failing but popped it just the same, I got the honors of a re-rail that week along with lower rollers and both idlers, sprockets segments were still 70%, parts order by his decree.
 

guisep3

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Oct 6, 2013
Messages
140
Location
Pittsburgh, Pa
Your post reads like a tutorial about what I was told and like you it is how I ran the 977's and 955s. Bumping the throttle during the the shift did become muscle memory. It was no more cumbersome than the few minutes it took to learn & appreciate the reversed bucket valve. Do you have to do it? Does not seem like it, after reading through the posts. Is it worth doing? Having stood in line at the Cat parts counter with my own money... it is to me.
Haha, i agree and ive had many shifts i forgot to decel and it will at times snap out of gear roughly when full throttle. I never thought of the reverse bucket valve until an older operator of mine made a fuss about how we needed to switch the valve. I refused of course because i'm programmed now to use the machine as is! Once your right hand gets good running both levers together in your palm it's nice and smooth.
 

RustedHeroes

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Apr 27, 2016
Messages
171
Location
Bonnyville Alberta, Canada
I don't have any experience with a 941 but I do have some with a 977. From what little info I have gathered they pretty much operate the same. Assuming that is correct, for the most part I did not throttle it back when changing direction. That being said the 977's I ran mostly had a dozer blade on them and when changing direction with a little load on the machine (like while turning) seemed to be alot smoother than just running straight and changing direction at full throttle. Now when I would take the blade off and put the bucket on and use the machine as it was intended to be used that changed things tremendously. I would use the throttle alot. Especially loading dump trucks. What I learned very quickly is you don't want to be sitting there stopped with both feet on the clutch/brake pedals at full throttle and put it in reverse (or forward) and just let off the pedals. It doesn't sound good and it doesn't feel good.

well said! Had a good chuckle at that last bit. I can picture myself doing exactly that... Full throttle and a full bucket. Kinda look around after to make sure no one saw the tractor jump and lose a quarter of what was suppose to go into the truck! HAHA
 
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