977H Increase traction?

[koalamotorsport]

Trying to re-dig a water-logged, clay sludge, filled pond with my old 977H. Trying to back up the slope with anything more than an empty bucket leaves me spinning in the dirt. Grade is pretty steep and I'm not doing very well at lessening it. Keep digging in, can't quite get the technique down. Ground I'm driving on is dry clay.

Thinking of finding a set of bulldozer tracks, or maybe borrowing a big welder and adding some serious grouser bars to the tracks.

Anyone wish to share experience or thoughts?

 

[Operator4100]

Morning, nah don't try to change the loader the way it was built, a 977 is very heavy, sounds like you need to build a ramp into the pond so that you can drive in get a bucket full and drive out (not back out), that material is going be heavy in the bucket, build the ramp out of dry material with a slight incline, DW

 

[DMiller]

I have found that backing up I lose tractive effort no matter the shoes, my old Allis is no where near the weight of a 977 but will do the same as the weight comes off the rails backing(shifts to the idlers with rails sagging and hanging) and back on when moving forward, I believe O4100 has the answer sewn up.

 

[gwhammy]

Cleaning ponds I usually cut a hole right in the low spot of the dam. This way you will have a flat travel spot to cut in. Cut a slot and back out and dump till you are sure you can come from the other side pushing threw the slot. This lets you work flat or down hill all the time pushing the nasty.

It's not that hard to cut the slot wider and roll it in. Also reline the whole dam when done, it's easier now then if they leak from breaking the old seal cleaning it.

 

[koalamotorsport]

Cleaning ponds I usually cut a hole right in the low spot of the dam. This way you will have a flat travel spot to cut in. Cut a slot and back out and dump till you are sure you can come from the other side pushing threw the slot. This lets you work flat or down hill all the time pushing the nasty.

It's not that hard to cut the slot wider and roll it in. Also reline the whole dam when done, it's easier now then if they leak from breaking the old seal cleaning it.

Thanks gwh, I can't cut through the dam because it's fully landscaped including 20+ year old trees. The pond has 4 sides, one is against a road, can't go that way, another is up against the house, missus might say something about ramping through the family room, and the last available side is ironically an uphill slope. That's the way I'm working. Down the slope, into the pond, down the side of the pond and into the muck.

I did spend an hour this morning learning how to cut a better slope and finally succeed. The reason I had to back out is because this clay slurry that has filled the pond is over 6ft deep, no way to grab a bucket and turn around. That and the fact that last year, when I first drained the pond to start this project, I managed to sink the machine pretty good. Took me and a Drott 50 almost a week to get it out. Finally, today, after getting a better ramp done, I was able to clear enough of the slurry to give me a turning spot and it was all uphill from there. Poor machine was working way harder than it has in decades, I'm sure. Finally started to misfire after about 5 hours of back and forth, probably running too hot (none of the gauges work), so I called it quits. Next time, I think I'll take a book out there to read..... such a tedious and LOUD job.....

O4100, thanks for the shove! After reading your reply, I decided to give that ramp another shot.

 

[gwhammy]

Cleaning ponds su$ks. You usually get so much mud in the tracks the machine does good to pull itself. The ones I do are farm ponds out in the open. What are you doing with the pond slop? Try to pile it thin so it will dry faster.

 

[koalamotorsport]

Right now, I'm piling the slop in the only available space. I'll let it sit for a year or so before I get back to it. Going to use it to make a 100yd rifle range back stop on the side of the property.