Caterpillar 18M Grader

[Fatgraderman]

The wheelbase is 15 inches longer so there is adequate room for positioning the longer moldboard. The machine ships with the moldboard on, no pilot cars were required.

If the wheelbase is 15" longer then there are a few changes then. I was thinking that this was an upsize like going from the 140 to 160.

 

[Nige]

Both front and rear chassis of the 18M are different Part Numbers to the 16M.

 

[Randy Krieg]

I still can't help but wonder why an 18M, and not a 20M?

That’s an excellent question. It’s all driven by marketing. When the mining industry rebounds and the sales of a specific size truck pick back up, then it would certainly be worth studying the sales potential of 20' machine. It would require a totally unique platform, not many shared components. None of that’s going to happen anytime soon with this administration’s war on the coal industry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RevRZaZQpk

Mines that historically have replaced theirs fleets every set amount of years aren’t even buying parts to rebuild what they have now and that’s because they don’t even know if they’ll be in business next year. To think that the AFL CIO and the Coal Unions voted for this! Talk about cutting your own throat.

What I really want to see is 36' size machine targeted at the 400 ton size truck fleets.

Randy

 

[miningman]

After what was said here I'm not sure if this one is a 16M3 or 18M3, but sure it looks superb :

(rencetly found on facebook) Click on the link for full res
http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=284006118789538683225965554723418065438044519531o.jpg


Florian

 

[Nige]

Hard to tell but judging by the access platforms and how the whole machine has been "mining-ized" I'd stick my neck out and say that's an 18M.

 

[Cmark]

My vote is for a 16, due to what looks like a two piece cutting edge.

 

[CatGrader]

Well bugger be dead.
All I can say is that when they start putting rails ( and all the rest of the crap ) on Graders ( and all machinery ) is maybe you are in the wrong job.
Besides "No Power No F'N PUSH" Take a 14 G compared to a 14 H series II ( Let alone a 16 H series II )

Railings on Graders ? Oh and the pink dipsticks ? Sort of sums it all up in the Earthmoving Business now days now don't it.

WTF happened ( Not to mention vacuum cleaned out cabs ( no smoking )) Jesus Christ wasn't that long ago it was what cab ? Give Me A Break.
I suppose you want a heater and air conditioning with that to do you ? Stereo ? I phone ? ( Butt Plug ) ?
F@%K me Bring out the Rainbow Flags. ?

 

[Graderfan1981]

Now are more informations on the Caterpillar homepage with all the dates:
http://www.cat.com/en_ID/products/new/equipment/motor-graders/m-series-motor-graders/1000007681.html

 

[Desertwheeler]

Nice! I don't know if I would like looking through the catwalks all the time though.

 

[Nige]

Nice! I don't know if I would like looking through the catwalks all the time though.

Thing is in a mining grader you tend to be looking forward rather than back most of the time.

The plus is that there are no access steps at the front of the cab to keep banging with the moldboard.

 

[Desertwheeler]

I still watch my blade a lot on ours. I guess I don't have to but I like to see what's going on.
Our 16's don't care much for blading the roads with 240's running on them.

 

[KMM4x4]

CATERPILLAR 18M very beautiful grader.

 

[Graderfan1981]

Here is a video from a 18M Grader from the Minexpo:
https://youtu.be/2AEGVrxYifo

 

[Nige]

Well bugger be dead.
All I can say is that when they start putting rails ( and all the rest of the crap ) on Graders ( and all machinery ) is maybe you are in the wrong job.
Besides "No Power No F'N PUSH" Take a 14 G compared to a 14 H series II ( Let alone a 16 H series II )

Railings on Graders ? Oh and the pink dipsticks ? Sort of sums it all up in the Earthmoving Business now days now don't it.

WTF happened ( Not to mention vacuum cleaned out cabs ( no smoking )) Jesus Christ wasn't that long ago it was what cab ? Give Me A Break.
I suppose you want a heater and air conditioning with that to do you ? Stereo ? I phone ? ( Butt Plug ) ?
F@%K me Bring out the Rainbow Flags. ?

I missed this the first time, but never let a chance go by to stick it to the Aussies.

WTF are you whinging for..? It was YOU FCUKERS who started all this SH1T .... everything without exception that corresponds to the sh1tty end of the stick mining-wise originally came from Oz, so try looking in the mirror once in a while when you're asking those questions. What you fcukers started everyone else in the world now has to put up with. Happy now...??

 

[cuttin edge]

Slavery ended years ago. You get more work out of a man riding in comfort, than sweating to the oldies. I've ran the knuckle buster cats, and a plywood cab or two, and even though I still have reservations about machines with joy sticks and grade control systems. Truth is if we don't get on board, we are gonna be left behind.

 

[Nige]

I have no objections to the creature comforts, electronic systems, and all the other bits & pieces designed to make the operator's life more comfortable and thus get more work out of him. It's all the "hangers on" on the outside I was taking issue with, and as I said before every bit of that without exception originally came from Crimland.....

 

[Queenslander]

Crimland.....

Just grab the cat o nine tails and give us a darn good flogging.
I agree with you on the safety overkill bs though, we deserve everything we get.

 

[pabear52]

Quite right Sir Nige. OHS, cultural heritage and enviro crap is up to wards half the cost of some projects. And..... people are still getting badly hurt. somethng is seriously wrong. Operators with no care or respect or common sense. Glad I'm out of it now.

 

[cuttin edge]

I have no objections to the creature comforts, electronic systems, and all the other bits & pieces designed to make the operator's life more comfortable and thus get more work out of him. It's all the "hangers on" on the outside I was taking issue with, and as I said before every bit of that without exception originally came from Crimland.....

Sorry, I was also replying to catgrader's post. I take the fact that I like to work in comfort makes me any less of an operator as a bit much.

 

[Fatgraderman]

I missed this the first time, but never let a chance go by to stick it to the Aussies.

WTF are you whinging for..? It was YOU FCUKERS who started all this SH1T .... everything without exception that corresponds to the sh1tty end of the stick mining-wise originally came from Oz, so try looking in the mirror once in a while when you're asking those questions. What you fcukers started everyone else in the world now has to put up with. Happy now...??

THANK YOU!!!

I have no objections to the creature comforts, electronic systems, and all the other bits & pieces designed to make the operator's life more comfortable and thus get more work out of him. It's all the "hangers on" on the outside I was taking issue with, and as I said before every bit of that without exception originally came from Crimland.....

After having ran a couple machines where the interior is full of plastic and OK fabric, I'd rather just have painted metal that just wipes down, doesn't rattle or hold dust. You can do your best to try and not drag and dirt in, but sometimes it ain't happening. Anymore, I ask for just the functional stuff. And the stereo. I appreciate they aren't like an old farm tractor, but after having had back-up cameras and everything else, I think sometimes they overthink things.