Finish Grading Tips

[Galute]

If you are washboarding it while finish grading you are taking too big of a bite. Lighten up. Try to keep the load the same the entire length of push. You start the push with an empty blade and then the more it loads the more it pulls down on it. You try to correct for the downward pull on the blade and the next thing you know you are riding the waves. Start out and pick up a light load and maintain that same load thru out the push by drifting onto what is already on grade. Remember its finish grade, you are not hogging dirt. Kinda like the arc the previous poster mentioned. Also when you do the rough in make sure you have just a little too much material so that the final grade is a light cut. It's much easier to finish grade with a light cut than it is to make a fill.

 

[PCSHAY]

Besides the good advice these guys have given, you need to develop a feel for your blade control. Not all hydraulic valves are created equal and for finish grading you need to make fine adjustments. Most valves have a sweet spot where the blade just begins to move up or down. At high idle, pull the control lever back SLOWLY till the blade begins to SLOWLY move and make a mental note. Push the control forward SLOWLY till the blade SLOWLY goes down and make a mental note. Now you know how to make fine adjustments to the blade rather than big jumps.
Like someone else said run a level string line, say 100ft on level ground on good soil (no rocks). Duct tape a dowel to your dozer arm so it sticks out and can reach the string line. Adjust the string height so your blade will cut say 2 inches. Now try to keep the dowel on the string by making fine corrections. This will give you a feel for the blade control and help develop an eye for cutting grade.

 

[Balzomedic]

I like the string & dowel technique. I have found grading diagonally from your first pass helps. My D6C has a straight blade and I am still getting better (I hope) like everyone said I think mostly it just takes lots of practice.

 

[heavywrench]

no one has brought up that if the blade is loose it is almost impossible to get finish grade if the blade has alot of slop in it. more so if you are just learning.

 

[conky]

Before you start you need to get a picture in your mind of what you want your finished product to look like then work to that end.

That is the best piece of advice I have seen yet. When I'm operating I am working inside my head just as much as in the dirt. My mind works 10 steps ahead of my hands. When I climb into the operators seat, I become one with the machine, the blade/bucket are an extension of my self, another limb.

Speaking of which, gotta go get ready for work, reclaiming old trenches today again.

 

[octane04]

first adjust your seat, 90 degree posture .Feet on foot pegs ,bracing your but in the seat.thats how you will feel the ups and downs .i mean 1 inch ups and downs ,than be quick on the controls. thats how i level .i have 20 y. exp. on all sizes of dozers,leveling leases in Alberta Can.

 

[ironpounder]

great comments! I will have to try the string thing. I am learning too, I hadn't tried putting the blade at a slight angle, that would deffinately take the washboard out. I just re-pinned and shimmed my controls, I do have some slop in the blade that really needs to come out too.
TD7E driver....

 

[Taylortractornu]

WHen dad started working with me on the dozer He told me the same thing Olderndirt and Conky stated get it in your head what its too look like. Also what Octane stated the 90 degree posture. i see alot of younger cool operators slouched in the seat trying to finish. I dont completly have it down pat yet. Most of my work has been in the landfill in ur old worn D5B. When I operate I usually site 90 degree with my left foot flat on the floor and the other on the stirrup and decel. I just feels more that way. ALso get ued to your machine. WHen I get off the 5 on other dozers it takes a minute to get up to speed. Also dont be ashmed to get off and walk around and look. I have a friend that bragged about an operator didnt have to get off a machine. I dont trus my eyes on some things.

My big thing that gets me is we have alot of sand there and blading it you need to have a full blade to even feel it. It gives the machine something to feel. The first day dad had me in sand I had to got get the scraper to clean up my mess. My favorite thing to push is sand with soap stone clay streaks in it. Pushing the sand youll hit the soapstone clay and the tracks will spin down, ot the clay will roll out in a huge chunk.


THe other tip here I learned was make on pass and then get one half of the blade on the firt pass it really helps.

 

[Davvinciman]

I would say there are three things that I see people do wrong when they start to finish. (Hah, start to finish) 1.) Slow down. Anybody can carry a flat pass with a load in front of the dozer and never touching the decelerator (well, after you've been on a dozer a while). 2.) Relieve the heavy dirt in front of you. I have seen operators trying to finish the back of the pad while pushing dirt over 1 1/2 of cut in front of them. 3.) Don't look at the bottom of the blade to see what you're cutting. Watch the nose of the Cat (or the radiator, someone said horizon) to tell level. But most of all, SLOW DOWN.

 

[Tinkerer]

Watch the nose of the Cat (or the radiator, someone said horizon) to tell level. But most of all, SLOW DOWN.

Maybe that works for Davinciman, but I ran finish dozers for a lot years and when cutting or filling to finish grade I always watched the corner of the blade. Plus you have to learn to feel what the dozer is doing. Every dozer is different. I always ran in 2nd gear with a ground speed that varied to suit the conditions I was in.

 

[Fastdirt]

I'm with Tinkerer. Gotta be in 2nd gear, the rest of it is just feel.

 

[Dozerboy]

Depends on the type of material and conditions. I have done lots of finish that had to be done in 1st much to my bosses displeasure, but I have "never" had to go back and fix my work.

 

[RollOver Pete]

Thanks for the flash of insight guys. I am a "natural" now....I can cut/fill and flatten with the best.

Classic!
This has some enormous potential as a sig.

 

[vapor300]

You are dead on about the sand, its much easier to do if you have a full blade full, matter of fact its almost impossible to do if you have less then a 1/4 blade full. I never run in 1st unless im in a very hard push, and bulking material, When im finishing im in 2 or 2.5, i get it close then flip the auto on

 

[ironpounder]

You are dead on about the sand, its much easier to do if you have a full blade full, matter of fact its almost impossible to do if you have less then a 1/4 blade full. I never run in 1st unless im in a very hard push, and bulking material, When im finishing im in 2 or 2.5, i get it close then flip the auto on

wow your kidding, you guys run that fast? I need to try picking up the pace a bit. I will defininately have to try this in my practice lot!

 

[Dozerboy]

If you have GPS like vapor there is no reason you can't finish that fast unless its rocky or you have a sloppy dozer.

I don't agree about sand unless its dry then its pretty hard to grade without a blade full. Chunky clay is pretty hard to finish without a bit in front of the blade too.

 

[ryan01]

d5h is a awesome finishing dozer lgp i used one in the yukon for 6 months and thats what i learned to run dozer on it was older and a sloppy blade but learned on that and made me appreciate running one that was well taken care of for me pushing pad/ finishing i keep an eye on my left corner bit usually and have my doors open and with a smaller dozer you can tell when your taking on too much material lol. but like anything all it is, is lots of practice and i have been shown many different ways and i have used lots of tips but also you gotta figure out what works the best for you cheers, ryan

 

[ryan01]

also i was going to post pictures but it says i dont have access is that because im a "probationary member"?

 

[ryan01]

this is proably the wrong section but does anyone know of any places hiring right now either in bc or alberta or some names of some companys. thanks again ryan.

 

[RollOver Pete]

Don't blame me, I was born to doze

Depends on the type of material and conditions. I have done lots of finish that had to be done in 1st much to my bosses displeasure, but I have "never" had to go back and fix my work.

Remember. when you have "natural" status, not only can you run in what ever gear you feel like running, you can also get away with telling the boss, " just shut your trap and pay attention, you just might learn something".ointhead