Hello all! New Here. Anyone recently switch from an H to an M?

[Proper Operator]

I run an H for Summer road construction and Winter plowing ( with snow wedges; a V-plow; a wing; and buttons! ), and am quite happy with it, but we recently had a Cat orientation for the M-series, of which we already have several. It seems to be the way of the future but I'm not looking forward to the changeover. Anyone already done so?

Cheers,

P.O.

 

[Glen Bell]

I run an H for Summer road construction and Winter plowing ( with snow wedges; a V-plow; a wing; and buttons! ), and am quite happy with it, but we recently had a Cat orientation for the M-series, of which we already have several. It seems to be the way of the future but I'm not looking forward to the changeover. Anyone already done so?

Cheers,

P.O.

Once you get the hang of running all the functions on two joysticks you'll love it. You can put your feet up on the dash and smooth the road at the same time. Don't show the boss that trick though.
I'm in mining, we used 16g & h series, but as they are retired we have more 16 & 24m than anything else. Keep an open mind and your back and knees will appreciate the m series a lot more too!

Glen

 

[Radrock]

Oh,, and use the seatbelt. There is nothing to hold you in the seat anymore....

 

[Nige]

Oh,, and use the seatbelt. There is nothing to hold you in the seat anymore....

Plus there is a sensor in the seat to detect the presence of the operator that will neutralize the transmission and apply the park brake if you stand up. So get used to sitting down ...........

 

[Graderfan1981]

Oh,, and use the seatbelt. There is nothing to hold you in the seat anymore....

Have the older graders more holdings in the seat? I have seen older ones from other manufacturers, that the seat place was most the hole cabin.

 

[cuttin edge]

Have the older graders more holdings in the seat? I have seen older ones from other manufacturers, that the seat place was most the hole cabin.

I think Radrock means that the new M is like driving a Doser ( really got to get my letter after y key fixed). There is nothing directly in front of you because the control rack and steering wheel, which are normally in your lap, are gone.

 

[Graderfan1981]

Ah, that is what he mean, that in the front is nothing. HBM have Joysticks too, but they have still a steering wheel on the front and Caterpillar not.

Here a example picture from a HBM:
http://www.codesys.com/typo3temp/pics/035903b38b.jpg

 

[R.D.G013]

Ah, that is what he mean, that in the front is nothing. HBM have Joysticks too, but they have still a steering wheel on the front and Caterpillar not.

Here a example picture from a HBM:
http://www.codesys.com/typo3temp/pics/035903b38b.jpg

The 12G I was on a couple of months ago went down so they rented a 12M from Cat rental for me, had never used one before, took a little bit of getting used to after 40yrs of levers and a steering wheel but a few days after a few days was able to final trim for A/C on a subdivision between kerbs without to much trouble. Good visibility out the front but not so good out the back as the bonnet is to high as well as the LH joy stick is a bit tricky as up against a kerb u r steering ,articulating and blade control all on the same lever some times all at the same time. If I was going to own a grader I think I would go for a late model 12H, lot less electronics on it and it will still do the same job and easier to fix. An M would be a nightmare down the track a bit when it starts to play up.

 

[cuttin edge]

Chief engineer Montgomery Scott once said " The more they overtake the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain."

 

[cuttin edge]

I think it just comes down to leaving what you are most comfortable with. I had an old tractor man tell me that when he ran an old cable hoist tractor, that he didn't want to touch one of those new fangeled hydraulic tractors until he was forced to, and then they came up with a blade that you could tilt side to side. I guess you need to keep up with what is new, so you don't get left behind. I have never ran a nerd grader, but a lot of contracts are calling for GPS. I have heard that a lot of the fine grade operators have a terrible time with GPS because they won't trust it to do it's job.

 

[pabear52]

M Series are just the dux nutz. Similar to excavator pattern and did not take more than a couple of hours to get my head around it. Tended to badly over correct with steering for a while but ok now. Keep your speed down until you get used to roading and reversing. These graders are magic and I turn my nose up at the others now as these are so comfortable to run and all the guys on them I work with look forward to the next days work! Some minor issues from time to time but still the best Cat has brought out yet. We have for gas pipeline work run 12, 140, 14 and 16M's and am running a 14 at the moment on backfill. Well done Mr Caterpillar!

 

[Radrock]

Plus there is a sensor in the seat to detect the presence of the operator that will neutralize the transmission and apply the park brake if you stand up. So get used to sitting down ...........

Yup, And darn thing resets everything too. It seems I always forgot to flip the park switch to on and then back off again. Transmission is the same way. I don't know if it is normal but often you have to re-calibrate the steering again too.

 

[Radrock]

Have the older graders more holdings in the seat? I have seen older ones from other manufacturers, that the seat place was most the hole cabin.

The cat H & G models have the controls and steering wheel in front of you. I often place it on my lap and would use my knees against it especially when on a slope. If you hit anything hard it would keep you from going in the windshield. I wasn't in the habit of using the seat belt until running that M. If you hit anything hard with it without a seatbelt you would definitely take an unexpected trip..

 

[Radrock]

Ah, that is what he mean, that in the front is nothing. HBM have Joysticks too, but they have still a steering wheel on the front and Caterpillar not.

Here a example picture from a HBM:
http://www.codesys.com/typo3temp/pics/035903b38b.jpg

That is about like the Volvo with joystick controls. We had one on loan for a little while before buying the 140M. I heard here on HEF that Volvo was not going to produce any more graders??

 

[Radrock]

The 12G I was on a couple of months ago went down so they rented a 12M from Cat rental for me, had never used one before, took a little bit of getting used to after 40yrs of levers and a steering wheel but a few days after a few days was able to final trim for A/C on a subdivision between kerbs without to much trouble. Good visibility out the front but not so good out the back as the bonnet is to high as well as the LH joy stick is a bit tricky as up against a kerb u r steering ,articulating and blade control all on the same lever some times all at the same time. If I was going to own a grader I think I would go for a late model 12H, lot less electronics on it and it will still do the same job and easier to fix. An M would be a nightmare down the track a bit when it starts to play up.

RD, I feel a lot like you do. I'd rather do serious blue topping with a 12 H. I can't see grading a tight corner very well. and I missed the Hydraulic Controlled wheel lean as I used it a lot for trimming against curbs. I could do minor steering with it keeping close. The electronic button on the 140M was too fast and uncomfortable.

 

[Nige]

RD, I feel a lot like you do. I'd rather do serious blue topping with a 12 H. I can't see grading a tight corner very well. and I missed the Hydraulic Controlled wheel lean as I used it a lot for trimming against curbs. I could do minor steering with it keeping close. The electronic button on the 140M was too fast and uncomfortable.

Did you try adjusting the hydraulic system to the "fine" setting ..?

 

[Radrock]

M Series are just the dux nutz. Similar to excavator pattern and did not take more than a couple of hours to get my head around it. Tended to badly over correct with steering for a while but ok now. Keep your speed down until you get used to roading and reversing. These graders are magic and I turn my nose up at the others now as these are so comfortable to run and all the guys on them I work with look forward to the next days work! Some minor issues from time to time but still the best Cat has brought out yet. We have for gas pipeline work run 12, 140, 14 and 16M's and am running a 14 at the moment on backfill. Well done Mr Caterpillar!

They are nice graders and are still a CAT.. If I could stay on a building pad, a fill or blading county roads. It is a great machine. The steering part didn't bother me a bit. I like that part a lot. It takes a while to get use to if you are an old blade man as everything seems to be in the opposite hand. I think any New guys that break in on them will do well and they don't know the old way at all. haha. The 140M I have is like a Cadillac. It is very quiet and comfortable. My biggest issue is the wheel lean I think. And the circle seems to turn slow. When working on a building pad you are constantly having to turn the circle and it seems to get tiresome to me. It's too bad they don't have computer setting for those two items to adjust the speed to your liking.

 

[Radrock]

Did you try adjusting the hydraulic system to the "fine" setting ..?

Yes but it only controls the up and down for the blade lifts. Another problem with this machine is that if you have the blade shock turned on and in the fine setting it hesitates too much. It may be the nitrogen cylinder's are low on charge. I haven't ever had anyone check it out.

 

[Fatgraderman]

I run an H for Summer road construction and Winter plowing ( with snow wedges; a V-plow; a wing; and buttons! ), and am quite happy with it, but we recently had a Cat orientation for the M-series, of which we already have several. It seems to be the way of the future but I'm not looking forward to the changeover. Anyone already done so?

Cheers,

P.O.

Hey man- whereabouts in Alberta are you? Can't tell you anything about the m's myself, all the contractors that had them got rid of them after 2 years and went John Deere. Sounded like summer was fine, but hated them winter, but that's all they ever mentioned.

 

[Cat 140M AWD]

I made the switch from running conventional controls to the joystick controls 4yrs ago and I run a Cat 140M AWD2 for a local township my other township has a 04 772CH Deere so I switch back and forth regularly. I plow snow in both machines and I'd rather run the M for snow plowing lot easier on your body then the rack controlls on the Deere. Once you get used to running the M you won't want to run anything else that's my opinion anyway good luck on the change. Here's a picture of the machine I operate