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Cat 345 log loader question

gkenworth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
64
Location
Alberta, Canada
Occupation
HD Mechanic / heavy haul truck driver
I gotta haul one from the mill to the dealer next week. Anything I need to be aware of?
Do I have to move or unhook anything before I tilt the cab?
??
 

big ben

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
354
Location
Vancouver Island
Not usually but you MUST watch very closely to all lines under the cab when tilting forward or back. After its loaded just clean out the cab (put everything in the storage box if it has one) and/or secure all loose objects in the cab for obvious reasons. Under the cab riser undo the 4 or so smaller bolts at the front and 6 or 8 big bolts at the back. Its nice to have a guy watching in the cab riser through the door as you tilt it down. If wiring repairs, coolant line repairs, etc have been done sometimes if the cab it not tilted often they may have shortcutted and the lines may be too short when the cab lays down.

More often then not the problems happen when tilting the cab back up - coolant and a/c lines love to get pinched at the front of the riser. Also last year I slightly damaged the cab tilt cylinder on a 345C when tilting it back cause the big cab support cable and turnbuckle caught the oil line on the cylinder and pinched it slightly (I wasn't watching close enough). Also on that machine there was a 12" x 12" or so electrical box installed on the rear of the riser that had to be unbolted (4 M8 bolts) and left laying down as the cab was tilted. Depending on what attachments are installed (grapple, power clam, butt-n-top, etc and who did the install) a couple of things may have to be removed but if it was done right and clean it should be straight forward with very few if any things to remove.

Just have to be careful and watch all lines carefully when tilting. Also when the cab is laying down it usually is right over the trailer tires so have some wood or cardboard to protect the front window from rocks
 

John C.

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
12,870
Location
Northwest
Occupation
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
I don't ever remember seeing a 345 logger. The big machines pretty much went away down here in the states.
 

gkenworth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
64
Location
Alberta, Canada
Occupation
HD Mechanic / heavy haul truck driver
No worries, Nige. Learned a long time ago 'never say never, never say always' when it comes to equipment.
 

gkenworth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
64
Location
Alberta, Canada
Occupation
HD Mechanic / heavy haul truck driver
Big Ben. Thx for your advice.
2014-05-31 Cat 345 log .06_wm.jpg
2014-05-31 Cat 345 log .04_wm.jpg
2014-05-31 Cat 345 log .03_wm.jpg
If I knew then, what I know now . . . . I would.have bypassed my dispatcher
 

big ben

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
354
Location
Vancouver Island
Glad it worked out and thanks for the follow up pics.

John C is correct that they are not that common of a logger (only 1 S/N prefix in SIS of a factory 345 logger) but when they are working they can move a lot of wood !
 
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