On the Road Again

[bam1968]

Probably a stupid question...... Do they use 1 big cooling fan or multiple smaller fans in this application?

 

[BigWrench55]

It's been 16 years since I last touched a 994. I was in a little town called Round Mountain, Nevada. My dad and I had to tear it down and ship it back to Dallas, TX. Where we would go through it and convert it to joystick steering. Since we were shipping it to Texas we didn't have to tear it down all the way. We removed, bucket, loader frame, cab, catwalks, counterweight, and wheels. The company that was hauling it said that they could haul the rest on a beam trailer. After we removed everything we drove it over the beam trailer to remove the tires. Once we got it blocked up and the wheels removed the haul truck driver started to leave the yard. This machine was swaying big time on that beam trailer. We stopped the driver and told him that we needed to remove the final drives because of how much this thing was swaying. That driver told us that it wasn't necessary and he wasn't scared of the load. After failing to convince him otherwise. We told him that once you leave that gate the load is yours and don't call us if you change your mind. It wasn't an hour before he called and asked to come back to remove the final drives. My dad stood his ground and told him that the load now belonged to him and we aren't going to remove the final drives. It took 2 weeks for that load to go 250 miles to their yard in Las Vegas. That load blew out every tire on that beam trailer. I was told that they had to have a tire man chasing him all the way back to Vegas.

 

[Cmark]

There will be more than one machine being assembled at a time. The 789's are coming in 2 batches of 3. Assembling a chassis is probably about 6 days work. There should be sufficient manpower & craneage to build 3 at a time. 994 12 days or so, Hitachi about 14 days.

Are the bodies being assembled on site at the same time?

 

[doublewide]

What are they mining there Sir Nige?

 

[Nige]

Probably a stupid question...... Do they use 1 big cooling fan or multiple smaller fans in this application?

1 big one, hydraulically-driven.

Are the bodies being assembled on site at the same time?

The bodies are arriving a couple of weeks ahead of the chassis. A local contractor will weld them up. Fortunately they are aftermarket and are coming partially assembled so they will not require as much welding as a factory body of the same capacity would.

What are they mining there Sir Nige?

The famous "yellow metal".

 

[DMiller]

KATCHING!! KATCHING $$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Nige]

Joining the frames. The new model does not have the option of shipping with the two halves of the frame joined at the factory. I like liquid cold. It makes pins drop in far easier.......

 

[Truck Shop]

Zip Ties?

 

[Nige]

Zip Ties?

There's one loose sleeve in the bottom side of the upper hitch assembly that has to be zip-tied in place to stop it falling out - unless someone wants to hang off a ladder and hold it in place with their hands while 30 tonnes of front frame is (potentially) trying to crush them against 70 tonnes of rear frame and rear axle combined. Seems kinda safer that way........

 

[Nige]

It's playing chess with large-size pieces.

 

[DB2]

I think it would be cool to be part of the assembly team and then to be the first one to stick the bucket into the dirt.
I hope they use lots of anti seize.

Great thread !

 

[Truck Shop]

Now if I hadn't spy'ed those zip ties.

 

[kshansen]

That big red jig is to hold things lined up while you install the pins?
Much better than trying to nudge one of those frames a couple thousandths one way while you jiggle the pin in before it warms up?

 

[Nige]

That big red jig is to hold things lined up while you install the pins?

A combination of the red jig and an expanding dummy pin seen in the same photo that goes in the lower pin bore to line everything up. The only problem we found was that despite the best efforts the alignment tended to creep off by a hair after removing the expanding pin. As you said it needs to be spot on to start with in order to avoid trying to do final alignment while the pin is warming up. A couple of come-alongs (see photo on post #27 and a good old-fashioned Mk1 eyeball sorted that.... both pins dropped in "slicker than a d1ck in a barrel of lard" to quote a former workmate of mine from many years ago.

 

[John C.]

Lots of good blocking, large cranes and plenty of rigging. Also looks like plenty of hands to accomplish the work. Must be nice to have all the right stuff for that kind of work.

 

[Nige]

Lots of good blocking, large cranes and plenty of rigging. Also looks like plenty of hands to accomplish the work. Must be nice to have all the right stuff for that kind of work.

Good point. The crane fleet is a 130RT, a 165AT, and a 250AT. So long as it's requested in advance we can have whichever of the three we ask for. Struggling with big lumps right on the edge of a crane duty chart is not my idea of fun.
The assembly crew is 6 mechanics, usually split into 3 groups of two once the frames are joined and the axles are in. The crane ops and banksman/rigger are on top of that but they are only there when lifting is going on.

 

[Truck Shop]

I don't know how it could be done any other way and be done on time, not a job to be f@rting around on .

 

[hosspuller]

Nige, When do you connect the cylinder rod eyes ? (steering, boom, etc. ) Noticed the red tie rod between the fore & aft bits in post #30. After engine start up or do you use an auxiliary hydraulic power pack to extend them ?

 

[Nige]

Nige, When do you connect the cylinder rod eyes ? (steering, boom, etc. ) Noticed the red tie rod between the fore & aft bits in post #30. After engine start up or do you use an auxiliary hydraulic power pack to extend them ?

The stering cylinders are connected after engine startup which is one of the downsides of receiving the chassis in two pieces. Back in the day when it came in one piece the cylinders were already connected.

 

[Slidey]

I’ve heard the K’s are a lot better than the H.
That top auxiliary shaft through the guts is an awkward job