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your preffered blade

JDOFMEMI

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
3,074
Location
SoCal
Don't mean to hijack this thread, but can you or someone explain this tilt a little more.

If you are familliar with a grader blade, it is like tipping the blade forward or backward. If you tip the blade forward, you get a more aggressive cutting action, for easier penetration into the material being worked. To get this, you give up some pushing capacity. On the other hand, if you tip it back, you can't cut as hard, but you can carry more dirt in front of the blade, and especially with the dozer, the blade is easier to control, less "jumpy". This is because the angle of the cutting edge lets it slide over the ground easier. On the V-PAT blades, the tilt is controlled by an adjustable link at the top of the blade, instead of a fixed link like the standard PAT blades use. The adjustment is a turnbuckle set up, giving a few degrees of tip forward or back. Most operators never change it, but it is usefull to change when operating conditions change, like hard or soft material, rough cutting or finish grading, etc.
 

Catmantwo

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2008
Messages
7
Location
Chicago Metro Area
Thank for the response. I guess the reason that I asked is I’m a little confused by the 2 attached images. One is a grader blade showing that tipping the top of the blade back is for making aggressive cuts and tipping the top forward is more for carrying material and spreading. The other image is from Caterpillar showing just the opposite when using a dozer blade.

As you probably figured out I am no operator, I just own a small Cat to do some work on my place in the north woods. Anything I can learn from these boards or by talking with experienced people is a very big help.

The machine has a V-PAT blade with the turnbuckle adjustment. As of now the blade is tipped as far forward as it will go. I think I’ll adjust it back and give it a try and see if it makes things better for me when trying to grade my road.

Grader-1.JPG Dozer-1.JPG
Thanks
Jerry
 

dirtmonkey

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
342
Location
norman oklahoma
Occupation
dozer monkey , self employed
I guess im one of the few who use top link and really wish they would put a worm gear or hyd. cylinder on the blade. That would be nice to change pitch on the go ::cool2
 
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