16M in the Arctic

[Northart]

Hydraulic Oils

Hello Randy,

The (Military) aircraft hydraulic oils have a colder operating temperature I'm told. So why not switch to a different viscosity ?

Chevron AW 10 has a pour point of -38F , viscosity index of 48. That is their lowest, but we used Polar ??? whatever, forgot it, a synthetic product , was better even.

Why not heat tape and insulate the hydraulic lines ?

Wish I could remember that synthetic product ??? Too long ago .

 

[Randy Krieg]

Re: Hdr Oil

Art
Right now the 16M has Chevron 0W30SYNDELO/HYD FLUID/SYN DELON, which has a pour point of -76 F. This is what Cat recommended and would keep the machine warranted. Dave Cruz let me purchase an extended 48 month or 8000 hour warranty on the machine just before it shipped north. We have discussed insulating the top cover and open lines near the cylinders and installing heaters on the cylinders and some other ideas. It actually steers fine it just sets off the alarm if you steer quickly after a period of inactivity (long straightaway). Even when the alarm is going off and flashing "lose of steering control" it still steers fine. I have a meeting with our dealer TC next week, I'll let you know what I find.....

 

[Northart]

Arctic Hydraulic Oil

Hello Randy,

Had to do some digging to find the info, I was looking for.

It was Conoco DN-600 Polar Start Synthetic Oil we used. Expensive stuff at the time $600 a barrel ??? , if I remember ! Late 1970's ??? .

Can't find any current info on it.

I found the Aviation Hydraulic Oil specs also while I was looking.

 

[Haul-Pak]

Nice Pic's of a NICE machine.

The few here do well, Alot better than the 24M's.

As for the Oil in the steering cylinder's not getting warm? Forcing oil through the port's of the cylinder's will warm them up a little, As far now, No Problems's at silly -temps.

Mountain top mining is different to Long straight Grade's though so ... Good luck to you guy's!

 

[AtlasRob]

A real eye opener! :notworthy

Very, very intresting info and insight into a difficult and at times very dangerous job you do.
I am suprised to hear you say that the tankers sometimes run off iceroad in the snow alongside for better traction. Not suprised about the traction but I understood that was a no, no, as the snow protects the ice and can be weaker out there. BUT, I am only an armchair "Ice Road Trucker"

Thank you again for the very valuable insight. :drinkup

 

[ovrszd]

Thanks for another great update Randy!!! Your descriptions and pictures put me right there. Also am very interested in the technical reporting Thanks again for keeping us posted!!!

 

[Randy Krieg]

Richard
Thanks for the comments. As I said I'm looking at better cameras will I'm home and will hopefully have more to show on my next R&R.

AtlasRob: Sorry I responded to your question in the wrong catagory, but here it is again; In regards to the Stiegers running beside the Ice road: The majority of these iceroads are over tundra. When they cross the rivers and lakes they do have to get on the iceroad and many times spinout. That's why they have winches on all these Stiegers. They un pin run out their line and winch the sleds ahead, once they get back on shore they pin back up. That was a good question! Regards, Randy

 

[Big Tackle Boy]

Suberb pix Randy, real interesting to hear how you cope in that sort of harsh environment. Worlds away from what I've ever done, (kinda jealous as would like to have a go....lol)

Anyway, I was thinking, say it did get down to -30 with wind chill down to -60 or whatever. Worst case scenario and the CAT or machine you were operating had mechanical failure......

How much time would you have, how long could you survive till you were picked up?

BTB

 

[Randy Krieg]

Respecting the Cold and the Forces of Nature

Big Tackle Boy:
A great question, but one which I honestly can't answer. I have thought about it many times. I have a fear of the extreme cold and that's a good thing. People who don't fear or respect it tend to get in trouble. It's like avalanches and snowmachining. I've seen guys get caught in them because they weren't afraid and they didn't understand. When you have seen a D8 get shoved a couple hundred feet by an avalanche it makes you realize this stuff can take your life in an instant if you don't respect it. As I've gotten older and learned to value life more I don't take the chances I use to.
This is digging through the avalanche know as "Superman's Climax". We had to do this so we could get an Excavator up above this rockfailure, which was about to fall on the railroad and the hwy. Very exciting

 

[ovrszd]

Is that cable his lifeline???? Kind of a mental security thing more than a reliable lifeline isn't it???

 

[AtlasRob]

AtlasRob: Sorry I responded to your question in the wrong catagory, but here it is again;

No prob Randy I found it, and Thanks again very intresting :thumbsup

Is that cable his lifeline???? Kind of a mental security thing more than a reliable lifeline isn't it???

Mental :yup about the best description I can think of

 

[Tracksoup71]

Hi Randy Krieg.
We just received our new 16M at the Ft. Knox Gold Mine near Fairbanks. So far we're loving it. It sure has a heap load of bells and whistles.

 

[G Model]

Cold Cat's

Randy

Why not some sort of small built in leak ( warm up circuit ) for the steering?
Do you think that would work?

Scott

 

[Randy Krieg]

Flushing Valve.................

Scott
We used a flushing valve to solve the problem on the all wheel drives back in 96-97. Stopped the dualcone seals from leaking and helped prevent that surge and wheel hop when it first came on. I run a lot of the validation testing on those updates, but knowing how that system works (AWD) and how the steering works; I'm not sure how they could do it. They will solve the problem, but unfortunately it will take time. When are you going to ship me a new Deere to try out? I have a great cold weather spot right now to check it out. We had to shut down yesterday due to -80 to -90 windchills. Not fun.

Tracksoup71
Hope to here more about how it's doing there; good or bad. Ours is working on the White Hills project just north of the Brooks Range. We have Product Link (satellite system) on it so even through I'm not on that project anymore I still check on it every day. It's still running and I have not seen a steering alarm in a few days.... British Petroleum has two 16M's running not to far from where I'm at. I've heard mixed reviews, just like on here. Some love the things and some don't. I'm still learning on ours. Planning right now to take it to Greyling for an airport job. Should get lots of hours on it out there and hopefully get a little better on it....

Keep in Touch....Randy

 

[G Model]

Randy's Pictures

Wow lots of questions to answer and comments to make. In regards to the pictures I’ll add a couple more at the end of this to help explain what I writing about. I’m planning to purchase a new camera on this trip home since the one I’m using now has only 2.0 mega pixels. Easy to carry, but not really spectacular pictures.

You will get a kick out of this Randy, my wife just scolded me because I was showing her some of you pictures, and without thinking made the mistake that so many people make when they see a good picture that someone has taken. They must have a really good camera. My wife quickly corrects me a says its not the camera its the person taking the pictures. I think you know there are alot of us that enjoy your pictures, and as I said in another post the backdrop your working with doesn't hurt either. My wife is a amature photographer, in fact thats where alot of her spare time and alot of our money goes. Keep sending those pictures.

Scott

 

[G Model]

Self steering Cat Motorgrader

I was on You tube a few minutes ago and ran across this video, has anyone seen this and does anyone have any insight as to what its all about?
spend quite a bit of time on the grader forum and have not seen a refrence to this. If it is a repeat I apologize

Scott
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z04t5D1f3yY

 

[Dr. Ernie]

Randy Krieg, do you keep a survival bag, on each machine incase of problems?

At the oppsite end of the world each machine that goes out on the ice shelf carries a survival bag, in each bag their is enough stuff for 2 people, (I would not want to have 2 people relying on the contents though). Their is a moutian tent, a shovel, a stove and extra fuel, a pot, matches, some food (nasty dehydrated crap), and 2 sleeping bags. The intent of this stuff is so IF your machine breaks down, or somethig happens durring a condition 1 storm, you can survive, till rescue, or conditions change....

Some one stated earlier the unlikleyhood of being stuck in a pice of equipment for 3 days, well I can atest to that happing at the bottom of the world... just this year their was a group at a field camp that was stuck in their tents for a week, could not see the other tents or get to the main tent...

 

[MKTEF]

G modell: I've seen that one live. The grader is located in sweden on one of the real bad winter roads. The conctractor has installed GPS and a bunch of stuff to be able to stay on the road. Road gets totaly blown full and u see nothing in the wind. GPS keeps him on the road. The graders is also a test system for this type of equipment. Road authoroties do some research on theese systems. Its bether to be able to hold the road "snowclearing open" in bad weather instead of closing it totaly.(only plowequip out not.) It takes often a couple of days to reopen a road like the one in the video. You then have to go on with a wheel loader and a snowblower.

 

[G Model]

Self steering Cat Motorgrader

MKTEF,
thanks for the info, Kinda thought that was what it was for but if you notice it say's something about John Deere in the title of the video and it appears to have a John Deere steering wheel on it, Do you know if J.D. makes the self steering unit ?
I work for a JD dealer and have never heard of it but I guess it could have something to do with the Agricultural side if that is the case.

Thanks

Scott