New operator running cat 988K. Arms dore

[Tetonfan]

Hello all!
I recently started a new job in early may running a 988k, loading shot rock. While I’m not new to big ag/construction equipment I’d been out of the game for the last 11 years ( was truck driver)
I’m having some noticeable soreness in my bicep/triceps area of my left arm on an almost daily basis. Some days are worse than others, today being one those worse days.
First couple weeks I just figured I needed to adjust and build some additional muscle for muscles I hadn’t used much before but as I said it’s still regularly sore. Maybe it just needs more time but has anyone else had similar pain?
I’ve been playing around with adjusting the arm rest up/down and sliding the joystick in/out. Currently the joystick is all the way in and the rest is up 2 notches I think.
Any advice?
Thanks

 

[Acoals]

Don't those new loaders have fingertip joysticks?

 

[BillG]

Keep your arms on the arm rest. Too many guys use to older machines with levers have a tendency to reach, as in reaching for levers. Make a point to keep them on the rest and use your wrists.

 

[Welder Dave]

Doing some shoulder and arm exercises will help. If you had a stretch band would be good to use to add some (not too much) resistance. After stretching slowly let the band retract and do 2 sets of 10. You could do straight pulls looping the band on a door knob or something similar. Do some facing the door and some with your back to the door pulling in front of yourself and put your arms above your head and stretch outwards like a clam shell are a couple examples. I'm doing something similar as part of an exercise program for cancer patients. My right arm was aching just from using the single lever bucket control on my track loader for a couple hours.

 

[skyking1]

It's your wheel hand. I would guess you are trying to force it a little faster than it moves naturally. This is really easy to do, I have strained this or that over the years doing the same thing. You don't even realize you are doing it to yourself.
You will also have the wheel against the stop a lot with a big pig like a 988. Relax a bit and it will get easier.

 

[kshansen]

It's your wheel hand. I would guess you are trying to force it a little faster than it moves naturally. This is really easy to do, I have strained this or that over the years doing the same thing. You don't even realize you are doing it to yourself.
You will also have the wheel against the stop a lot with a big pig like a 988. Relax a bit and it will get easier.

Would agree with all above. I know I as a mechanic had a tough time getting used just driving the, at the time new, 988H we got at the quarry. Just tying to move it around the yard and into the shop for service I probably looked like a sailor on leave after a long time at sea. After a time I was able to even fill-in a few times loading haul truck and never hit one or killed anyone!

Have to wonder when the next machines come along if they will be steered by you just looking where you want to go? Or do they already have those?

 

[skyking1]

It's pretty funny @kshansen , I've operated 988 several times over my career and every time it's been a B model
those things just won't die

 

[kshansen]

It's pretty funny @kshansen , I've operated 988 several times over my career and every time it's been a B model
those things just won't die

Well I can beat you the first 988 I worked on was one with no letter after the number! I memory serves me right it was s/n 87A1964 and I believe it was a 1964 year machine, just a coincident. Maybe Nige has access to information that could confirm that. I know it had the fiberglass cab, way before anyone invented ROPS!

Recall operator changed engine oil in it one day and short time after it had a major knock. Pulled engine to rebuild and on disassembly found chunk of cork plugging oil galley. Seems oil filter end gasket was made of cork and guy changing oil did not see some had broke off when he pulled old one out.

 

[cuttin edge]

No steering wheel in these. I know I get sore sometimes running excavator in hard digging, Just trying to help her along. Like Dave said, exercise and stretches. Lots of therapy videos on youtube. We tend to grip that stuff too hard, even though it can be moved with a little finger

 

[Acoals]

They had this ancient Yale loader where I worked years back. It had a detroit that made you deaf, a great big wheel that took every bit of one arm to work, and two great big long levers for the bucket that had to be firmly grabbed and pushed or pulled hard to make anything happen. Run that a couple days and then get back into that 988K. It won't hurt a bit then . . .

 

[skyking1]

Armstrong Power Steering

I know that the Armstrong steering was license built all over the world for decades.

LOL I saw an ad for an Altec Lansing outdoor bluetooth speaker and they called it the hydroboost. I thought GM had a patent on that term

 

[eastroad]

Dailey bought a new 988 87A to load rail cars when they built new route 7 north from Bennington in the early 70’s. There was a big fill that we supplied material for that came from a gravel pit adjacent to the tracks not far from the plant. RR had two strings of eight side dump cars that they shuttled back and forth on a 7 or 8 mile haul. The 988 and a 966 were kept really busy having them loaded before the engine got back to switch out the cars. Later that 988 went into another pit to load trucks hauling to the crusher and they started to phase out the 22-B shovels. That loader really liked her fuel.
That was quite a machine to service and work on. I still have a blank-off plate somewhere in my toolbox that I used to block off oil to a wheel when a brake bladder started leaking so they could keep running until Saturday and we could replace it.

 

[kshansen]

I used to block off oil to a wheel when a brake bladder started leaking so they could keep running until Saturday and we could replace it.

I had to change a few of those over the years! Real fun when you don't have a fork truck or crane! Lucky for me the few I had to do out in the field they had the big tire company come out with his boom truck with the pinchers that could grab to wheel like you would a wheel on a little push mower! And the guy from the tire company was very good, swear he could thread a needle with that boom!

 

[Tetonfan]

Keep your arms on the arm rest. Too many guys use to older machines with levers have a tendency to reach, as in reaching for levers. Make a point to keep them on the rest and use your wrists.

I adjusted the console out all the way actually and that seemed to be helping on Friday. i noticed when I first hopped in that my left arm was all offset. Thanks!

Doing some shoulder and arm exercises will help. If you had a stretch band would be good to use to add some (not too much) resistance. After stretching slowly let the band retract and do 2 sets of 10. You could do straight pulls looping the band on a door knob or something similar. Do some facing the door and some with your back to the door pulling in front of yourself and put your arms above your head and stretch outwards like a clam shell are a couple examples. I'm doing something similar as part of an exercise program for cancer patients. My right arm was aching just from using the single lever bucket control on my track loader for a couple hours.

Thanks for the idea!

It's your wheel hand. I would guess you are trying to force it a little faster than it moves naturally. This is really easy to do, I have strained this or that over the years doing the same thing. You don't even realize you are doing it to yourself.
You will also have the wheel against the stop a lot with a big pig like a 988. Relax a bit and it will get easier.

You might be on to something. I noticed when I got into some harder digging again that I seem to be tensing up and trying to force the lever some and I could feel a tingle starting to come back. Thanks!

Would agree with all above. I know I as a mechanic had a tough time getting used just driving the, at the time new, 988H we got at the quarry. Just tying to move it around the yard and into the shop for service I probably looked like a sailor on leave after a long time at sea. After a time I was able to even fill-in a few times loading haul truck and never hit one or killed anyone!

Have to wonder when the next machines come along if they will be steered by you just looking where you want to go? Or do they already have those?

That’ll be a sight to see!

No steering wheel in these. I know I get sore sometimes running excavator in hard digging, Just trying to help her along. Like Dave said, exercise and stretches. Lots of therapy videos on youtube. We tend to grip that stuff too hard, even though it can be moved with a little finger

Yea I think I’ve been trying to force it when I get into harder digging.