Don't laugh - how do I operate my D39?

[John Canfield]

Okay - go ahead and laugh, but please help

Here's the controls on my D39:

Two joysticks - left is steering, gear shift, F-N-R, right is blade. Two brake pedals, right pedal is engine deceleration and primary machine braking, Left pedal "activates a spring-applied secondary brake without deceleration engine speed."

There is an engine speed lever to the left and aft of the steering joystick.

I don't want to look like a complete idiot when the machine is delivered and the driver expects me to drive it off the trailer So help me run through an operational scenario..

- steering joystick in neutral position
- be sure right brake (primary machine brake) is locked
- start engine (are there glow plugs? glow plug indicator like a wait light?)
- throttle up (how much to throttle up?)
- foot on brake
- lift blade
- move steering joystick to "R"
- foot off brake (do you normally rest your foot on a brake pedal?)
- pray the dozer moves in the right direction
- ??

Apparently you change gears (1,2,3) by twisting the steering joystick. What is the best way to change gears - throttle down? tap the right brake to decelerate the engine? do both?

With my tractor I can start off in 1,2,3,4th gear - can I move the dozer from a stop in any gear?

What do I do with the decelerate brake pedal?

Thanks guys!

John

 

[stumpjumper83]

If you don't have much experience running dozers, unloading one off a trailer, especially a rear unload is not a good place to start. Things can go bad in a hurry, and you can slide off the trailer, flip the dozer and other not so nice things...

Best off finding a friend that has done it before and watching them, or let the driver unload.

It sounds like your getting a hydrostatic machine. Here is how I start a d5g. With the thorottle at the lowest setting, engage the park lock, might be a switch, double check that machine is in neutral, turn the key to the one notch right and wait about 5 seconds or so for everything to sync up, then turn the key right some more and it should start.

Let it warm up for 5 minutes or so, then increase the thorottle to about 3/4, but keep your right foot pressing on the decelerator. Put the transmission in first gear and the apropriate direction, and as you lift off the decelerator it will start to move. The left joystick steers, and it probably will counter rotate the tracks if pushed too far left or right. I only use my brake when the grade so steep that it overcomes the decelerator.

With cat's I change gears at will without decelerating, and I don't use third gear hardly at all, always decel for foreward reverse changes. That being said, I down know what komatsu sugests.

 

[RTSmith]

John, I can't be anything but moral support. I know how you feel. Bought a D4G via Iron Planet. Having never operated one before, figured I'd piddle around with it on the ground before I loaded it on my trailer for the first time. But where do I finally find I go to pick it up- Carolina Cat. Parked right outside the back of the shop on the concrete apron where everyone was loading & unloading equipment, repair traffic, etc. All the pros- and 1 big rookie. ointhead So like you my very first experiment was "for the money". Good luck, and that pray step- keep on it. It'll work out! At least you've thought to find out what & where the operating controls are before it gets there. By the way- your driver may be more help than you think. Once the guys there figured out a rookie was in the area, I got a lot of good advice on the best way to chain, etc. Once again- probably should have figured that out ahead of time too, but hadn't found HEF at that time in my life. :salute

 

[Arabhacks]

Think! Pensar!

Hello.

There are 2 stickers on one of my hardhats.
The first says "Pensar!", =Think.
The second says "GOAL", =Get Out And Look.
On my clipboard for the load charts and machine report sheets it says "Ask all the stupid questions you want now, or give stupid answers later, your choice".
Finally, the best and most complete accident report by far, is the one you never have to fill out.
Yes, ask all the questions you want, but if you are not sure, get someone you can trust to help you.
I have learned over the years that most superintendents will try and help anyone willing to try, no matter who they work for.

 

[pafarmer]

John,

Let the driver unload the dozer for you. Unloading or loading is no place for a rookie. Can be very dangerous and things happen to quick for a rookie to correct. Be honest with the driver , he will unload it for you and maybe even give you a quick lesson on how the controls work. The day you get a new toy is not a good day to die my friend. Besides the driver more than likely loaded it .:usa

Semper Fi

 

[QuickTrax]

John, I think you mentioned that you hired a roll off truck to bring it. If that is correct, I would bet that the driver will have no problem unloading your machine. If thats not correct and the driver doesn't have the knowledge to unload it, I would call someone who can unload it for you. I have unloaded and loaded hundreds of machines and I still don't like it.
Good luck

 

[Hardcountry]

Great Site

G,Day all, new to this site and i must say its great to see so many people ready to give advice and offer help a beginner

 

[John Canfield]

Hey guys - thanks for the advice! You have scared me into caution - don't think it is a prudent thing for me to unload it myself. I have a friend with a Deere 550 that I might have on stand-by assuming the driver can't/won't drive it off.

I told the brokerage company we needed a roll-on/roll-off trailer - that might remove some of the drama, but I'll let somebody do it.

Hi to the down-under guy G'Day to you!

 

[plantman.uk]

they are NOT easy first time out but get the lowloader driver take it off for you and then to teach yourself push a heap up and climb it but be careful it's feels odd at first but you CAN do it push a heap and level the top that should give you a little confidence but keep it level and very wide and be safe.......good luck....if you get a problem give me a call and i will do it for ya.

 

[Buckethead]

If you don't have much experience running dozers, unloading one off a trailer, especially a rear unload is not a good place to start. Things can go bad in a hurry, and you can slide off the trailer, flip the dozer and other not so nice things...

Best off finding a friend that has done it before and watching them, or let the driver unload.

Good advice!!!!

 

[John Canfield]

I talked to the freight brokerage house I'm using a while ago and asked him if most of the drivers can operate the equipment, and he said they can. Told him I need to know upfront if the driver can unload, if not, I'll have my friend here.

Things are going really well so far with the purchase.

 

[diggerman57]

John, it sounds like you know where all the controls are, and what they do. So what are you worried about? As long as you're aware of what you're doing, and go slow you'll be fine. First of all, try to unload on the most level spot you can find. Then make sure the parking brake is on, and the machine is in neutral. It may not start otherwise. Start the machine, pull back on the throttle only about 1/4 that's all you'll need to unload. Then pick up your blade only about 6-8 inches, so, in the unlikely event something happens, you can put your blade down quickly to stabilize yourself (you will have to adjust the blade as you go to maintain that height). Now some dozers will move when in gear even with decelerator fully depressed. So do a test by pressing down fully on your decelerator, which should bring the engine to an idle. Then release the parking brake, and put it in forward. If the dozer moves, then put it back in neutral, press down on the brake (at that point you will be using both of your feet at the same time, one on the brake and the other still pressing down on the decelerator), and push the throttle lever back down to idle position. Now with the throttle in idle position let your foot off the decelerator put it in forward or reverse (whichever way you need to go to get off the trailer), and idle off the trailer using the brake to control your speed as needed. Back to the test, if the dozer didn't move when you put it in forward ( which is the more likely scenario), then engage the dozer in what ever direction you need to go to get off the trailer, and use the decelerator to control speed and stopping. Be careful, but be confident, and don't forget to put on your seatbelt. Good luck.

 

[John Canfield]

Ah - somebody has confidence in me Thanks digger!

The right pedal is engine deceleration and primary brake and the left pedal is the "secondary" brake with no deceleration. When would I use the left pedal and when the right pedal?

If I'm going to change gears, I assume I would press the right pedal to idle the engine?

I think I'm really, really glad I bought a dozer with a joystick - an old Case 450 I looked a year ago was totally perplexing as to what did what. Even the salesman wasn't sure what did what but at least he could make it move.

 

[diggerman57]

For the most part I never use the brake pedal on a dozer. If your machine engages the brake when the decelerator is fully depressed, then you probably won't use the actual brake pedal (on the left) much either.

You can change gears at full throttle, but I usually decelerate down about 1/2 to take the edge off. Does your machine have gears, or does it go up in increments by pressing a button?

 

[John Canfield]

You twist the joystick to change gears - three forward, three reverse.

 

[D6c10K]

I'm pretty new to running a dozer so anytime I do anything that makes me the least bit nervous I use the seat belt. Might be a good idea getting started, especially when loading/unloading.

 

[CM1995]

John, when your shipper said a "roll-on/roll-off" that means the shipment, which is your dozer, is able to roll-on/off the trailer not necessarily that the truck or truck and trailer is a roll-off type bed. You may want to check on what type of trailer they are using.

 

[John Canfield]

I think the seat belt is inop on the dozer I do use the seat belt on my Kubota tractor once in a while - not often, but I do use it sometimes.

Roll-on, roll-off is my term for the type of trailer I wanted, I have no idea what the correct terminology is in the trucking world. I told the freight broker there was no loading dock available at either end and the dozer would need to crawl on and off the trailer from the ground. In the marine world, they call that a ro-ro - roll on, roll off.

 

[roddyo]

You twist the joystick to change gears - three forward, three reverse.

You should twist the joystick to turn.

There should be two buttons on the joystick for the gears.

I would unload it myself. You got to learn sometime.

The worst thing that could happen is flipping it off the trailer. Just shut the key off when it starts going over.

The biggest thing that makes people look like a fool on a Komatsu is they have a lockout lever for the Hyd also. Make sure and flip it up so your blade will work.

 

[RDG]

If its got 3fwd 3rev it wont be hydrostatic drive, sounds more like 3 speed powershift. Komatsu had in the D31, D37 ,D 41 what they called a Hydroshift transmission which was a powershift transmission but without the torque converter, direct drive powershift in other words. I think you might find that the left pedal will work the same as a foot clutch in that it disengages power and then applies brakes, Komatsu called it an inching pedal, I have operated D31 D41 and they all have it. In the D37 they put the steering on a joy stick but stll used clutch and brake steering just moving the lever left or right in stead of in a console in front of the operator. I would think the D 39 would be similar given that its a D 39-1. Hope this is of some help.