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NEW Cat 150 AWD

ovrszd

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Glad things are going well for you!!!! When my neighboring Township gets a few hours on their new 150AWD I'll visit with them and pass on their experiences.

Hoping to also get a couple hours seat time and will report that if it happens.
 

ovrszd

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I haven't got a chance to run the 150MAWD yet. But was visiting with the operator a couple days ago. They have only put 50 hours on it so far. No problems of any kind.

He was complaining about the lack of power. Especially when roading the machine. I recommended using the AWD when moving heavy material or when grading hills. Point being to get the advantage of the HP boost. This is the first AWD machine he's ran. He wasn't in favor of doing that at all.

I told him I always use AWD when moving heavy material or doing any type of dirt work. And us it when maintaining gravel in steep hill terrain.

JD does not do the HP gain thing. If they did, I'd use AWD most of the time to benefit from that. I can also see why he thinks it's powerless if not using AWD.

Still hope to get some seat time in the machine this Summer.
 
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Welder Dave

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What's the sense of having AWD if you're not going to use it? Sounds like that operator needs to get with the times. The county that bought it could have saved a lot of money not getting AWD.
 
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JPV

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I couldn't believe how much more productive AWD made a grader until I ran one with it. Now I wouldn't want to be without it. I use it when I need it just like ovrszd.
 

20/80

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I find my 150AWD seems to be balanced to use the AWD when grading, just using the rear wheels to me feels like they break traction to easy, I'm comparing this to my H series which was balanced more for the rears to maintain traction where it was not AWD, It may not be the case but feels like that way to me, the only thing about using AWD all the time is the amount of fuel, these new 150AWD's are thirsty in AWD when you push them, I'm looking forward to ditching season when things get a bit drier, I will soon find out what my 150AWD won't do.
 

ovrszd

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What's the sense of having AWD if you're not going to use it? Sounds like that operator needs to get with the times. The county that bought it could have saved a lot of money not getting AWD.

I own seven 4WD vehicles. I use that feature when it's needed.

In reference to JD's system. In the case of AWD it's different in the sense of the technological intelligence of the system. With the gain setting on zero it will function with little adverse effect. Almost no notice of HP required. Put the machine in a wheel slippage situation and that changes. For example, moving forward under load, AWD engaged, gain at zero. Then advance the gain to a more positive number. You can easily hear the HP needed. More gain, more HP needed. So it can be used at zero gain with minimal wear on the machine. A neighboring township operator runs his JD with AWD engaged all the time. I don't. I see no gain in doing so. I use it when I feel it increases productivity.

In reference to CAT's system. 20/80 or other operators of their system can better speak to when it should or should not be used. I have learned in this thread that CAT's system is quite a bit different than JD's. Thus the need for the HP boost when AWD is engaged. Having no seat time, and just going by statements made by operators, I think I'd use the AWD on a CAT machine more. Simply to benefit from the 35HP gain. I'm anxious to run one to experiment with it.

With all that said, I'm not ready to support your statement above.
 

ovrszd

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I couldn't believe how much more productive AWD made a grader until I ran one with it. Now I wouldn't want to be without it. I use it when I need it just like ovrszd.

I think I've made this comment before. But it's worth revisiting. My Township has purchased 8 new machines since I've been their operator. The first 7 trades I advised them to not spend the extra $25K for AWD. I didn't think it was a valued option.

When we traded for our current machine we were able to get AWD for $10K. I suggested it would be a cost effective time to try it. After I had put 100 hours on the machine I told the Township Board that I had been wrong. The productivity gain is worth every penny of purchase cost.

As the past 3 years have went by I have repeatedly reinforced to the Board that it was an excellent expenditure. Pointing out that I have pushed snow 10 times. Only using the chains 1 time. I run approximately 100 miles each time I push snow. That's 900 miles of savings on chain wear alone.
 
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ovrszd

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I find my 150AWD seems to be balanced to use the AWD when grading, just using the rear wheels to me feels like they break traction to easy, I'm comparing this to my H series which was balanced more for the rears to maintain traction where it was not AWD, It may not be the case but feels like that way to me, the only thing about using AWD all the time is the amount of fuel, these new 150AWD's are thirsty in AWD when you push them, I'm looking forward to ditching season when things get a bit drier, I will soon find out what my 150AWD won't do.

Very good points.

I wonder if fuel consumption is part of the reason CAT detunes when not using AWD?? I don't notice any difference in fuel economy with JD. But again, I believe the two systems are designed very differently.

My friend hasn't used AWD enough to notice any of the advantages. All he comments on is lack of power. I don't think he's realized the benefit of using AWD more to utilize the HP boost.

I have a constant smile on my face when ditching or sloping banks with AWD. I can also go into soft, muddy areas that I had to avoid with only tandem drive. Once again, productivity is so much greater with AWD. Especially when using the front dozer blade.
 

Welder Dave

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I own seven 4WD vehicles. I use that feature when it's needed.

In reference to JD's system. In the case of AWD it's different in the sense of the technological intelligence of the system. With the gain setting on zero it will function with little adverse effect. Almost no notice of HP required. Put the machine in a wheel slippage situation and that changes. For example, moving forward under load, AWD engaged, gain at zero. Then advance the gain to a more positive number. You can easily hear the HP needed. More gain, more HP needed. So it can be used at zero gain with minimal wear on the machine. A neighboring township operator runs his JD with AWD engaged all the time. I don't. I see no gain in doing so. I use it when I feel it increases productivity.

In reference to CAT's system. 20/80 or other operators of their system can better speak to when it should or should not be used. I have learned in this thread that CAT's system is quite a bit different than JD's. Thus the need for the HP boost when AWD is engaged. Having no seat time, and just going by statements made by operators, I think I'd use the AWD on a CAT machine more. Simply to benefit from the 35HP gain. I'm anxious to run one to experiment with it.

With all that said, I'm not ready to support your statement above.
I was just making a rhetorical statement. My own opinion would be if you have it, use it.
 

20/80

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I own seven 4WD vehicles. I use that feature when it's needed.

In reference to JD's system. In the case of AWD it's different in the sense of the technological intelligence of the system. With the gain setting on zero it will function with little adverse effect. Almost no notice of HP required. Put the machine in a wheel slippage situation and that changes. For example, moving forward under load, AWD engaged, gain at zero. Then advance the gain to a more positive number. You can easily hear the HP needed. More gain, more HP needed. So it can be used at zero gain with minimal wear on the machine. A neighboring township operator runs his JD with AWD engaged all the time. I don't. I see no gain in doing so. I use it when I feel it increases productivity.

In reference to CAT's system. 20/80 or other operators of their system can better speak to when it should or should not be used. I have learned in this thread that CAT's system is quite a bit different than JD's. Thus the need for the HP boost when AWD is engaged. Having no seat time, and just going by statements made by operators, I think I'd use the AWD on a CAT machine more. Simply to benefit from the 35HP gain. I'm anxious to run one to experiment with it.

With all that said, I'm not ready to support your statement above.
Where i'm still getting use to the AWD I'm glad you mentioned the gain option for the front wheels, I am still experimenting with the gain when ditching and in muddy conditions and last winter on the ice, when cutting a hard road I have been using about 10-15% gain and that seems to be about right for me, you just have to be careful about the amount of material you pull in this setting, you can easily pull more than you bargained for. lol, in muddy conditions with a solid base I up the gain maybe 25% or a bit more, you can now hear the hydraulics coming on in the front drives more, this amount of gain helps keeps your front end pulling strait or helps recovers a slip, still experimenting in the ditches but the AWD is a big improvement but be careful it can get you in trouble to, lol.
 

ovrszd

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Where i'm still getting use to the AWD I'm glad you mentioned the gain option for the front wheels, I am still experimenting with the gain when ditching and in muddy conditions and last winter on the ice, when cutting a hard road I have been using about 10-15% gain and that seems to be about right for me, you just have to be careful about the amount of material you pull in this setting, you can easily pull more than you bargained for. lol, in muddy conditions with a solid base I up the gain maybe 25% or a bit more, you can now hear the hydraulics coming on in the front drives more, this amount of gain helps keeps your front end pulling strait or helps recovers a slip, still experimenting in the ditches but the AWD is a big improvement but be careful it can get you in trouble to, lol.

With AWD, I can side shift my table two holes, extend my blade fully to the right, blade lift left end, blade lower right end into a shallow ditch, and clean the ditch with all 6 wheels in the road. Add 20% gain and the front tires will hold themselves in the roadway without being dragged into the ditch. Couldn't do that with tandem drive only.

Or to open a silted ditch so it can drain, articulate to the left, drop the right front tire into the ditch, add maximum gain in AWD, move forward. The front tire in the ditch will spin in the mud and open a drain trench in the ditch so it can drain and dry out.
 

20/80

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Something that occurs little more often now with my 150AWD is my front drives stop working, seems to do this right when you need them the most, rear wheels spinning but no help from the front drives, you have to reset the switch, the green activation light is still on but no front drives till you reset the switch, has anyone else have this happen with the Cat AWD, wondering why its doing this.
 

Cat 140M AWD

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Something that occurs little more often now with my 150AWD is my front drives stop working, seems to do this right when you need them the most, rear wheels spinning but no help from the front drives, you have to reset the switch, the green activation light is still on but no front drives till you reset the switch, has anyone else have this happen with the Cat AWD, wondering why its doing this.
That’s strange I operate a 2016 and 2017 140M3 and have never had that happen to me that definitely would not be good for it to do that when you need it wonder if it’s a wiring problem I’d definitely have dealer in the loop and hopefully they have a solution for your problem.
 

ovrszd

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That’s strange I operate a 2016 and 2017 140M3 and have never had that happen to me that definitely would not be good for it to do that when you need it wonder if it’s a wiring problem I’d definitely have dealer in the loop and hopefully they have a solution for your problem.
Yep. Sounds like an electrical problem.

I have a dozer blade on the front. I can cause my front tires to quit spinning if pushing a heavy load and slightly raise the dozer blade while pushing. The fronts are still pulling. They are just getting so much traction that they won't "spin" at the same rate as the rears are. I have noticed this a couple times when pushing with poor traction.
 

Welder Dave

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Your machine appears to have been built on Friday the 13th. Maybe you'll get royalties from the movie???
 

20/80

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That’s strange I operate a 2016 and 2017 140M3 and have never had that happen to me that definitely would not be good for it to do that when you need it wonder if it’s a wiring problem I’d definitely have dealer in the loop and hopefully they have a solution for your problem.
When I first got the machine when you activated the front drives they were on and would bounce your machine with them digging in, when you turned the gain up you could here the hydraulics on the drives increase, not so any more, not all the time but every now and then, there's nothing I can do to really get the drives to kick out its sporadic, seems just when you need it the most and shows no code, our sister shop to the east has a new 140AWD that does the same thing, they have to turn off then on again to get them to engage, another of our shops to the west has a new 150AWD like mine and has had to replace 3 sensors for the front drives so far, Mother Cat has been notified.
 

20/80

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Yep. Sounds like an electrical problem.

I have a dozer blade on the front. I can cause my front tires to quit spinning if pushing a heavy load and slightly raise the dozer blade while pushing. The fronts are still pulling. They are just getting so much traction that they won't "spin" at the same rate as the rears are. I have noticed this a couple times when pushing with poor traction.
Yeah mine kinda does that, what I notice is when they are going to stop working it seems they spin abit then stop , spin again then just stop working all together till I reset the switch, then both front wheels fully engage, this has happens more in soft conditions.
 

20/80

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Put on some grader training in Cape Breton for a week, mostly on road recovery and ditching, had two new operators to share some info with, they were very eager to learn, they both had some seat time but were very misinformed on operating a grader, which happens, operators with bad habits showing them what to do, they listened very well and came away from the training with a new outlook on grading roads, at the end of the training they accomplished 4000meters of road recovery and 8000meters of ditching in about 3.5 days, not bad for two operators that had a hard time spreading a windrow of pure class A at the beginning of the training, very proud of them
 

Welder Dave

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A good instructor can really motivate those who want to learn. They had very good instructors when I took my apprenticeship but some of them were a little lazy and I remember one of them who could almost put the whole class to sleep. Just the way he talked and explained things made it very boring.
 
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