Help me stay alive building road with TD-18

[Willie B]

Where I come from every square foot of earth offers a suitable rock. I too have a tilt blade. If my blade were manual tilt, I'd try it.

Willie

 

[Willie B]

Yair . . .

I dunno about a waste of money there Willie B I reckon hydraulic tilt was one of the biggest dozer innovations I experienced . . . even more significant than powershift.

Given the choice I would take a direct drive with hydraulic tilt over a manual tilt powershift every time. I have never experienced a PAT blade but I don't think I would be comfortable with the apparent fragility of the system.

In the days before integrated rippers backing up onto a log, rock, or scratched together dirt was the only way to tilt the tractor to get the corner of the blade into the ground and, consequently, there was a generation of operators who knew nothing but side cutting.

As evidenced by the sometimes spirited discussions a few years back it has/is taking some time to alter.

Cheers.

I make no pretense of knowing, the statement was made by an old logger trying to sell me a dozer with only one blade valve; up & down. I was unconvinced by the sales pitch. I do have a 6 way blade on a 14600 lb crawler. Small tractors don't push all that hard, so far so good. I think the first 3000 hours were grading lawns.

Willie

 

[td25c]

Looks like your doing fine chevy43 .

Pretty hard to go wrong using IH equipment Bro . TD 18 and a Scout , perfect combination :thumbsup

 

[movindirt]

That Scout with the Cummins is great! Dad had a couple of Scouts, being in the midwest rotted the frames away pretty bad, yours looks like its in pretty good shape though!! Got any pictures of the engine compartment with the 5.9 in it?

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . .

I only got to do a few hours on a TD24 . . . that job of movindirt's that is to say side casting on a slope is where the two speed planetary would shine compared to clutch and brake.

I suppose the same could be said of differential steering these days . . . much nicer for the operator but I don't know how much difference it makes at the end of the job.

Cheers.

 

[chevy43]

Some more work this afternoon. It was about 100 deg. out and the TD-18 got a little hot. Water leaving the head was 200 Deg. Not sure why it runs a little hot - Ive done everything to make it run cooler. My TD-9s run very cool.

I took the advice to cut deaper on the steep. I makes for a bunch of material moved but it feels safer for sure.

Hopefully Fish and Game won't show up!

 

[chevy43]

That Scout with the Cummins is great! Dad had a couple of Scouts, being in the midwest rotted the frames away pretty bad, yours looks like its in pretty good shape though!! Got any pictures of the engine compartment with the 5.9 in it?

I'll get you a picture.

 

[lantraxco]

Just a couple simple words of advice. Your road looks good. You will have the opportunity to cut it further into the bank after you get it roughed in if needed. If your dozer has a seat belt, use it. If not install one, it appears that you have a decent canopy to protect you. If you do start sliding down, keep some power on, and turn downhill. You chances of rolling will be substantially less.

My opinion to add to the safety side, yes use the seat belt, and if God forbid she starts to lose her footing, fer chrissake stay in the seat. I've read too many after accident reports where the operator tried to jump clear or was thrown out and the machine rolled over him.

 

[Willie B]

I've known numerous loggers all my life. One large operator ran several 4 man crews. I'd guess he was once up to 20 JD 350s. National Forest timber sales are most active in winter. Crawlers placed in service before being caulked were sure to take a Chevy Chase sort of sleigh ride in Christmas Vacation. Small crawlers seem to tumble sliding down hill. These guys risked life so many ways, but were compulsive about safety belts. They talked of always needing new pants. Either $hit, or battery acid would be all over them. They all survived. My mother's brother was less fortunate. His death certificate lists cause of death as crushed skull, crushed vertebrae. The crawler he was driving was older with no ROPS, or seat belt.

Willie

 

[old1]

I'm enjoying this thread; I have a much smaller job to do. much like yours.

I check this everyday. to learn what I should be doing. As I really never had to do much steep work, except some logging.

 

[JNB]

Reminds me of the first solo job. Monday morning the boss told me to grab a grease gun and load a fuel tank in my truck. Gave me directions to the TD-15's location in Malibu Canyon and told me to cut a road to the top and clean off a good size pad. Similar terrain to yours there chevy43. I was too young and dumb to be scared. I thought I died and went to heaven!

 

[check]

Pics of my driveway. In the first pic you see a switchback which is too steep. An 18 wheeler can make it OK. I had a trailer jacknife there one year going downhill.
In the second pic is a switchback mistakenly located where there was no finger ridge. An 18 wheeler other than a log truck can't make the turn. I'll have to bring an excavator in and tear another 400 yards out of the side of the mountain which will look awful. As it is, I have to clean it out with a loader every year to keep it open.
The third pic is a switchback that's located on a finger ridge. The switchback itself is pretty level. An 18 wheeler can easily negotiate it.

 

[Willie B]

Reminds me of the first solo job. Monday morning the boss told me to grab a grease gun and load a fuel tank in my truck. Gave me directions to the TD-15's location in Malibu Canyon and told me to cut a road to the top and clean off a good size pad. Similar terrain to yours there chevy43. I was too young and dumb to be scared. I thought I died and went to heaven!

I worry that Heaven might prove to be overregulated. You need a permit, feasibility study, public impact study, traffic impact study, and archaeology testing before planting a posey.

Willie

Oh, and don't forget to call Dig Safe 6 days before planting.

 

[Willie B]

Pics of my driveway. In the first pic you see a switchback which is too steep. An 18 wheeler can make it OK. I had a trailer jacknife there one year going downhill.
In the second pic is a switchback mistakenly located where there was no finger ridge. An 18 wheeler other than a log truck can't make the turn. I'll have to bring an excavator in and tear another 400 yards out of the side of the mountain which will look awful. As it is, I have to clean it out with a loader every year to keep it open.
The third pic is a switchback that's located on a finger ridge. The switchback itself is pretty level. An 18 wheeler can easily negotiate it.

Wow!!

 

[Graham1]

Pics of my driveway.
The third pic is a switchback that's located on a finger ridge.

That's some driveway. Beautiful view. But what is a finger ridge?
Graham

 

[td25c]

Pretty awesome landscape you guy's are working with , love to get out that way for a visit someday .

Oh yeah , be safe on those slopes guys . Don't get in a situation where the crew at station 51 get dispatched . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CneHsNsceTw

 

[check]

That's some driveway. Beautiful view. But what is a finger ridge?
Graham

I guess "finger ridge" is mountain man jargon for the small ridges that go down mountains. Any convex contour gives you an area to excavate without taking out as much material to make a small flat spot.

 

[Graham1]

I guess "finger ridge" is mountain man jargon for the small ridges that go down mountains. Any convex contour gives you an area to excavate without taking out as much material to make a small flat spot.

Thanks. I think I get it, basically a bulge out from the general down slope. Makes sense to use the natural contours rather than relying on just shifting more dirt to achieve the same effect.
Graham

 

[chevy43]

No seat belt and no ROP's - this a 1955 TD-18 and that is just a sun and limb canopy. I hope I can jump to the high side if I feel it coming!

I actually gained confidence yesterday by cutting deeper and pushing the fill over and out of the way faster so I could cut better.

I use little hook cuts and angle cuts. To control tilt I use every available opportunity. Sometimes I'm tilted into the hill too much so I'll let the track climb the bank a bit while backing to level the next cut.

I make sure I have the clutch in my hand and not the steering lever as I approach the edge!

Since the cutch has to be engaged to operate the blade I have to hold the right steering clutch with my right leg ( so the left leg can be on the steering brake ),right hand on the blade lever and left hand on the clutch when back away from the edge. This is when I have gone near the edge and I don't want to lift the blade until I back away and I need to steer back towards safety all at the same time. Often at the end of the cut the tractor slews towards the hill so I have to correct immediately as I back up since I'm on the edge.

 

[chevy43]

Here is a picture showing the ROP's - "Rain Overhead Protection system".