Chain length

[Cam85]

Hey scrub this ones 4 u. I have read somewhere b4 but did not pay enough attention to the method use to match scrub chain size and length to the dozer obviously timber is a concern but I recon u would have some idea on the formula used.

Thanks in advance

Cameron.

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . . Cam85. Geez mate, that's a curly one. I don't know about any "formulae" as such . . . different blokes had different ideas.

Generally speaking (in my opinion) you should use the shortest chain you can to pull your width and maintain neutral steering . . . that is to say, you don't want to struggle to stay straight which means you will need fifty to a hundred feet of chain pulling straight behind the tractors before it curves around the scrub.

One rule of thumb I saw in some publication was to take the width of strip as the diameter of a circle, work out the circumference and that's what you needed. That is to say, if you were pulling chain and a half strips (say one hundred feet) then 100 feet x 3.1416 gives you 314 feet which I think is a little short . . . workable but short and giving no leeway to widen out a little if there was a some lighter country in the block . . . on the other hand, say up there in heavy Arcadia Brigalow 250 feet was quite enough.

In general with D8H's/Allis 21's we had four to five hundred feet two and a half inch stud link in each camp and dropped off or added as required.

I have seen blokes on here talking about running 600 feet but (in my opinion) that is getting up into D9G territory and 3 inch chain . . . the other consideration of course was cost. If you were using it the chain was wearing out at the same rate if you needed it or not, not so if it was laying back at camp.

It started to get problematical with Nines. Ideally we would have used three inch Esco long link but it was too bulky and until we got the four axle Drake we had to stick with two and a half as the big stuff would not fit under the tractor on the float . . . you had to be able to shift the plant in two moves.

Cheers

 

[Plant Fitter]

Yair . . .
It started to get problematical with Nines. Ideally we would have used three inch Esco long link but it was too bulky and until we got the four axle Drake we had to stick with two and a half as the big stuff would not fit under the tractor on the float . . . you had to be able to shift the plant in two moves.

Cheers

I have seen one of your photos before with the chain neatly stacked on the float with the dozer.

How did you load the chain?

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . . Plant Fitter.

We had a single sheave housing welded up under the gooseneck of the float reeved with a length of blade rope.

First off the float would be lined up with the chain and then, with the tractor working back and forth at ninety degrees to the float and an offsider on the rope poking the eye through links and securing it with (say) a piece of one inch shafting the chain was pulled on over the back a section at a time.

It was relatively easy and could be done alone with a lot of trips in and out of the tractor. Some outfits used the behind cab truck winch but it always seemed slow and painful compared to our method . . . I think I have a picture somewhere I'll try and dig it out.

Cheers.

 

[Cam85]

Anouther way is to bench the side out of a hill coil the chain up back and ford back and ford u get the idea then put the float against the bench and push it on and use transport chain to pull it on and off at the outher end.
Anouther way was to push a hole to back the float in coil the chain up and push it on and again with the transport chain.

Hey scrub thanks 4 the reply yes it's a curvy question alright timber changes all but u gave a good rule of thumb thanks.

 

[hillbillywrench]

I'm a new member and just wanted to say that i've thoroughly enjoyed reading the posts that you guys have put up. (Sometimes I think I need a Google translator to understand some of your unique phrases, but i can usually figure it out from the context). I used to work with an operator that had grown up in the Ozark mountains and sometimes I wasn't sure he was speaking english. (He had worked for many years in the Maryland area, I'm sure he kept them guessing and entertained.) I have never seen the scrub chain used here. When we cleared timber it was usually large hardwoods and we would salvage the logs/firewood as we went. It was time consuming, but helped defray the cost of clearing. (I hope I didn't post this twice, I had it all typed up and hit the wrong key, fat fingers + small keypad).

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . . hillbillywrench. Gotcha mate, no worries . . . some of the US lingo cracks me up at times.

You are in a good place here and don't be afraid to post . . . especially with pictures.

No matter how mundane and "ordinary" you might think something is folks in other countries and places can get an insight into how you work and live . . . even from stuff in the background of a photo.

I am way beyond ever seeing your country but this forum gives me a window on another world I would not have had had it not been for the internet.

Cheers.

 

[Garrie Denny]

Hey Cam,if youre goofing off I can get you a job, My Place.Job description : work on beautiful Fiat 70 CI dozer,Pay; Woofer rates.

 

[Cam85]

Hey Garrie I can't come fore a while I'm of to Miles 2morrow to push scrapers 621 with a d8r I'm a bit dubious but I'm going any way I can call in on the way home though in about 3 to 4 weeks.

Now when u say work on a fiat do u mean spanner work or run the old beast a bit more detail would b good.
Don't b scared to ask 4 some help I understand if ur to old n worn out I'm happy to help as for rates well the old barter system still works u know.

I'll catch u all later.

Cameron.

 

[Garrie Denny]

Good luck Cam, By the way I was only joking about the work,my sick sense of humour running amok again.

 

[Cam85]

I figured and tried to push it a bit more

 

[Garrie Denny]

Im 59 this year,Ive felt a bite 1 c or 2c before. save the pushing for that other stuff,good luck,well catch up for a cold one one day.

 

[Cam85]

Sounds like a plan I'll b in that we will have to c if scrub is keen 2 join us

 

[Cam85]

It will b a muti generational gathering of dozer junkies

 

[wilko]

....... well the old barter system still works u know.


Cameron.

Will work for beer?

 

[Garrie Denny]

Wilco. I used to have an old mate up I Townsville years ago who I went camping and fishing with,he was a mudpuncher driller having had a number os Southern Cross drilling rigs. He rekoed that a spare slab of beer was worth more to you if you were stuck in the bush and needed help than a fist full of 20 dollar notes. It was the currency back in them days.

 

[wilko]

Absolutely. A few years back I made one too many trips hauling rock to a contractor and started sucking air pulling into the job site. The guys pumped about 15 gallons of diesel into my tank, all they wanted was a half rack of beer the next day. We were both happy.

 

[Garrie Denny]

All good Wilco