You just saved my job here in South Louisiana,as I have No previous Dozer operator experience and we are Grading and doing a Sanitation dump for a small town. I made every mistake you stated in this video ! Yes sir , Verbatim each mistake I operated by , I was doing exactly as shown. Now I can actually Avoid making the machine overwork and get professional results !! I feel better now I have listened to this Pro today ,this assuring I have a job tommorow,as I know my boss will observe my tractor operation on the D- 9 moving all the clay and dirt. Thank you , Mike Edwards crowley louisiana. Much needed video tutor !!
@@flatheadfletch it depends on the make and year of the bulldozer...mine was a 1988 D- 9 with extra filter cans and a hydrostatic pressure release Valve. Top speed 30 Miles an hour. In the deep Louisiana bayou ..about 5 mpn. Before it sinks in the swamp . Multiple recovers . It sat for two weeks in the march and goop if the mud and sticks.
Take a little extra care armoring the hydraulic system, that's where the guy in Colorado failed. The exit strategy might include a finale pass through a tunnel or a large indoor building so you could hop out unseen and join the onlookers, no use dying in it like he did.
My dad owns an excavation company. Dozers and blades were always the trickiest for myself and the new guys to operate. Great job and thanks for your videos. Sometimes the little things mean so much.
The best advice I ever got on a dozer was all the work is done in the seat of the machine. You can feel yourself slipping forward in the seat pull up, if you feel like you are getting pulled back push down. Same thing for side to side.
The first instruction offered me just before running my very first piece of equipment was "know right now that this machine operates at two speeds; dead stop and wide open beginning at a snail's pace". That was the best instruction I ever learned!
Sane here, and if you take a big bite you give lift your foot more. Especially if your high up on a pile at the edge of a drop off, I always use it to control speed.
I agree on the older iron your only choice of speed control was the decelerater, but on the newer machines there's such a finer control that rpms up is better. Especially in the hydrostatic models
Agreed! In fine grading when precision is more important than power the pedal slows down the blade with the machine! Just my personal preference. And also about skimming the top with a empty blade. While fine grading there are set elevations or a FFE. You have to follow so theres not always the need to carry a full blade if the material isn't needed to finish the project! At that point your working yourself twice as hard! Dont be afraid to back drag either BUT ONLY when finishing! I hate to see a dozer make a pass blade down then slam into reverse with the blade on float back dragging with a foot or better from grade
With regard to the 5th step of dropping your blade, I always with my backhoe move all the levers just a bit in every position to release any hydraulic pressure, even though the bucket or digging bucket are resting on the ground. This is done after I shut off the engine.
@Jeff Harmon Totally agree. Also, a bucket or boom should never be raised in a precarious position since not only can the children bump the controls, but a line could burst, especially on an older machine like mine and could easily kill someone. I always assume a line could burst, so I never allow anyone to get into a position where the boom or bucket could hit them if a line bursts.
Yeah, something I learned from grandad and dad. "Unload the hydraulics so the implement does not unload on someone when a hose breaks. When do hoses break?" Answer: "All the time" (They seem to) Answer: "That is why you unload the hydraulics ALL THE TIME."
Wonderful video! The sound quality is top notch. Each subject is addressed concisely yet brief enough to not be boring. The different camera angles a great aid in understanding. This is by far one of the BEST instructional videos I have seen. Keep up the good work and thank you!
Respect the power of the equipment. I learned early on that when using hydraulic equipment that regardless of the speed in which you could react, the machine could not stop or change motion instantaneously. And no computer control can change this, there is an amount of time the fluid takes to compress or decompress that is a physical property of the fluid, and the heavier the parts you are moving the more force and time it takes to change their motion. With hydraulic equipment their are huge forces involved, needed to move heavy equipment, and materials. Respect.
Liquids are not compressible, a compressible fluid is called a gas. Hydraulic fluid does not change density while the equipment operates, this is one of the main reasons it it used. Flow and pressure regulation would be what causes any lag in movement.
A good operator always shovels out their tracks after their shift ,especially in freezing Temps if soil is left in place the carrier rollers can freeze and the track chain will wear flat spots on the carrier rollers ,and a good operator will look over their machine ever day and look for missing or loose bolts ,and never abuses the equipment ,that equipment pays their wages.
I agree but this is on management to enforce in proper workflow orientation and training with inspection. If you cant show the cause of an issue down to an exact person or thing, then its just maintenance absorbed by the company.
I disagree a good operator gets out of the cab without a run down and jumps into his truck and heads straight to the bar to tell everyone how awesome he is
New backfiller here, some tips I’ve been told by some pro dozer guys are these 1. Get some dirt in front of that blade, it helps huge to avoid the washboard shit 2. Try to avoid back dragging, “real dozer operators don’t backdrag” 3. Always start on a flat surface 4. Once you get good enough to run in 2nd or 3rd, going faster can make it easier to push grade if you know your machine 5. Sand is the best to learn in because it’s the hardest material to keep smooth , one you master sand everything else is a cakewalk
been dozer operator since 1992 and my father before that since 1968 and we both backdrag to put that sheen on the finished product and I consider myself a professional operator
The new equipment with cabs and electronics are awesome! It chaps me to see the cab interiors cluttered and filthy, which happens way more than it should. remember, the cab is supposed to keep you out of the grime! I started out on an older dozer also, but I'm also really happy that the technology has advanced so much, because as you mention, most operators today would have no idea how to start a pony start machine or rethread a cable blade when you were a little slow to get out of the cut and snapped it in too.
I’m a new operator and I bought a D6C and it has none of those amenities! I like that it is also so simple that I have to go old school learning to grade etc.
@@carysanders26 I have an old school d3c that I still have to use all of the old lessons, but I am learning to integrate newer technology, i.e., lasers and grade controls, but I also have to truly appreciate the up to date "creature comforts" that come with newer cab dozer that I have as well.......I'm getting long in the tooth, but I am still learning new things all the time, if you want to stay ahead in the earthworks world as it is today you HAVE to keep learning!!!!!!!!
Having been an Equipment Operator for going on 44 years now I can safely say that you are definitely NOT a finish or shaper operator. Yes it takes hours/years to develop finish skills but all the things you say do not do are crucial to finish control over a dozer. It is sad to see the skills which took me over 4 decades to develop can now be duplicated by pressing one button. But GPS Machine Control doesn't always work, if you can't do it the old-school way you might as well stay home.
@@BigBlock632 I believe it, both Topcon and Trimble are good I use both. But I can still finish grade or shape a golf course better than any GPS can and faster. I learned how to operate a dozer when I was 12, a 1953 D5, pony motor, cable blade, direct drive, no ROPs not even an umbrella. That old dozer could finish smoother than anything I've run since...
@@BigBlock632 I don't think this guy runs a school more like an amusement park with iron instead of rides. Good for him but, if he's not a truly qualified operator he should keep his opinions to himself. As it is, qualified operators are very hard to find. At some point there won't be a need for us anymore. The latest Trimble revision will actually steer a dozer.
Well said, I was training a new hand on a D9T. He asked me about the grade control buttons. I said they were broke. Learn the old school, then you can be lazy. But get the skills.
I purchased a little case 310-f dozer a couple months ago.Going over it and correcting lots of issues from the past owners.One item is some one removed the foot brake pedal and linkages.Owner prior to me did not know why.I am planning on using the machine to assist my Kubota Bx23 s in removing trees and stumps and grading in a driveway.Also benching a spot on a 14 percent grade to put my new home.All if not most of my work will be in First and reverse.My suspicion is the person who removed the foot brake was to keep from riding it and wearing out the brake bands.I learned a lot from this video and I thank you for the help!
Excellent video some of old school operators had the opportunity to learn from older operators that didn't necessarily want to teach new guys but helped the when they made mistakes I learned from a fellow that ran an old d7g he would start out with a shovel full and end with a full blade at the end of his push some operator don't want to teach skills they have acquired
Great video! For you new guys those conditions in the video are rare. You'll likely start out in a pos with with zero traction or horsepower which means you'll need to operate a little different than in the video to compensate. Without horsepower traction is worthless, without traction horsepower is worthless. The big issue with new operators is not parking on a level spot so the fluids can be properly checked the next day. Be sure to lock out the transmission (set the parking brake) everytime you go to get out like for a piss. A 2 year experienced operator did that, he left the blade up and stood in front of the blade. The dozer ran over him. Wear YOUR SEATBELT AT ALL TIMES. A dozer cutting edge can catch a rock an it will throw you out of the seat.
That would make the advise "piss down wind, but not down hill from the tractor". I work on agricultural tractors and find the parking brakes horrible. I always try and leave an implement attached to stop it from rolling down hill.
I've never been on a dozer, but a lot of what you're talking about also applies to grading with a skid steer.. Loading the tool (bucket in my case) is critical to getting consistency.. Also, I couldn't agree more about keeping the throttle up and staying OFF of the accelerator pedal.. Although I've had some old school operators suggest otherwise, I always want full power available to my tracks, tool and lift arms.. There's plenty of sensitivity in the joystick of my Cat 299d to track at whatever speed is required..
Same thing applies to loading a front end loader bucket. Go into the pile slow and apply more power as you lift and curl the bucket back. You should get a full bucket every time without digging holes with to much power.
I read these comments and I am really honored by the wisdom of my fellow Americans..and to be starting my heavy equipment op training. I opted against OTR CDL last minute to do this. Great comments that will also help me use a dozer to prepare my slab on grade for a new house on land my gf decided to buy in the sticks after she had a dream that China dropped an EMP on us.
One of my regrets in life was not working in this field. I owned a bobcat a small excavator and i did spend a little time on a finish dozer and full size excavator. I absolutely loved it. Trying to get grade with a small dozer ia definitely a lot harder than you might think. Those guys out there are really skilled
Dozer operator here! I been working on Cobblestone mixed with top soil and tree roots for a big project to do final grade for 3 weeks now and let me tell you nothing is more Frustrating. There is times I get off the dozer and just walk away for 15 min and come back to it.. I just subscribed to ur chanel love the videos
Thanks for the comment. First, good call on sometimes just taking a break! Often it's good to step out and even get a different perspective. I will say, that hopefully you got tree roots removed because it will be virtually impossible to get a finish grade if you are dealing with those.
Greetings from Vancouver Island British Columbia Canada 🇨🇦 Great video for beginners Built logging roads for 30 years Loved it Ran Dozer, front End loader, rock Drill and excavator
I build logging roads now, been doing it for 5 years. I like figuring out how to manage steep slopes for log trucks to go up. I run a D-8H and a 330B. What did you use?
You are not a boss, you are a leader. Lol. Thank you for your calm and easy to follow demeanor. You would be a breath of fresh air as far as a Forman goes. Your team is fortunate to have you around. God bless my man
Well, yep, put those attachments on the ground before exiting the machine. I couldn’t care less about the climbing on and off part, but safety would be my main reason. Nothing like a missing body part because of failed hydraulics. I’ve seen it on the job site, not a pretty picture. What not to do’s in this video are spot on, of course there are countless more. I learned on a D7f over 35 years ago. Glass and a heater in the snow? Ha ha. Joysticks? Not a chance. Try a cable operated with a straight shift and pony motor to start it. My dad learned on one of those in the 50s and 60s. My oh my how heavy equipment has changed. For the better no doubt. Just remember, safety is always first. That will never change.
Thanks for the comment. I would love to be able to try one of those old cable operated units...I'm quite certain it would be entertaining to watch...lol
ExtremeSandbox yeah, dad used to put me on his with him when I was in diapers, really. I ran one for fun years ago. No tilt, no swivel, just up and down. Some of course you could manually lock into a 45 degree angle to windrow. Amazed me they ran off a winch. Simple, but effective.
CHEERS!!! Well I started on "stomp and pull" but worked on cable rigs back from Greenland and even ran cable hoes back then! Yep I agree on grounding anything raised as we had one of the worst ever incidents here in Arizona involving a parked push pull with an elevated can. As you can guess.....an ENTIRE family of farm workers took a siesta/break under the can and it dropped on them (kid accidentally engaged lever) Fatalities info available at OSHA circa 1990> Anyway....this vid is ok I guess but I run skinny lifts regardless of machine type just as instinct to produce max efficiency with compaction for anybody rolling into my track But these kids got no clue and they think 1 foot lifts are really cool....jeeezzz.....if it passes I get it-but I do it faster and skinnier and geo techs dont even check me.....yawwwnnn...blah blah..... CHEERS!
I always tilt my trailer a the end of the day if I'm expecting rain, so that it drains off instead of sitting, but I always put blocks beneath and have it rest on them. Same when you need to work on it; *always* make sure it's resting on something.
Man that thing is Sooooo nice. I've played on crawlers since being a kid. Even been on cable lift blade cats. Only one time being on a joystick dozer. It was worn out , but felt like a dream. The old man knew I had seen me on equipment and was in a bind to finish up several houses. He drove by seeing me gutting firewood and put me to work. It was like mowing grass with a zero turn mower compared to a plain old riding mower. I still have my old Mitsubishi with a manual gear transmission and steering clutches. After a couple hours of using it hard I'm whipped. But his little worn out D4 I covered 8 septic systems and graded all the yards and still felt good to drive home. His dozer looked like a DAWG compared to your plush piece of modern furniture. Like my old Mitsubishi is super tight as far as the pins n bushings are concerned. But it shakes , beats me like a Lifetime movie actress. I've never operated anything like what you were in , but you were talking in normal voice , and we could hear you fine. Nothing I've ever sat on is anything like that. Equipment has really been built to save operators from early deterioration. In college we had an old 2 stroke Detroit Alice Chalmers crawler that we used to push out the landfill on campus. (yes I went to RedNeckTech) We had a work study program. I always volunteered to do landfill , just to play on that antique. My ears would ring for a couple days after pushing with that thing.
the first key to operating a dozer is to understand how the mechanics of said machine to control grade. I believe the machine wants to maintain a grade, which is either a level grade or a sloped grade, i.e. building roadways. Therefore understand that in order to maintain a grade is to first set up the dozer to sit on the proper plane. if its level/flat set that first, and then go for distance. if building a road set the profile, up down, or cross slope. itsthen just a matter of setting the grade to the ground and with minimum movement of the blade, carry the grade. adjustments are then only needed as the dozer traverses different earth conditions. my adjustments are made only to compensate what is happening under the tracks. So its really by the seat of my pants. No horizon, trying to keep the blade at ground level.... keep material on the blade, let the dozer do its thing and it wants to cut the profile that you set. I like to keep my speed up, which I find that it smooths out the the dozer over the small ups/downs that the tracks encounters which in turn limits my adjustments to the blade, which by nature reduces the divets/speedbumps that are left behind.
I operate a D9T with 19’wide 12’ tall blade,we build roads for 988 loaders pushing wood chips been doing it for 25yrs.12hr. Days ,operated every kind of crawler made,this new 9T is a dream to operate
I always say and teach to never push with a straight blade with no angle. 6-12” of angle on your blade with offset all of the smallest adjustment bumps on the rollers of the tracks so the machine won’t rock forward and back when it rolls over the “speed bump”. This dramatically helps a consistent smooth grade without having to “start the pass over”.
I’m learning to operate a wheel dozer on a mine site. I’ve had a few months of mainly pushing off tipheads but am getting used to floor clean ups and general work. Thanks for some of the tips. I can put them into practice tomorrow
One thing I make new operators do Is park dozer on level ground with blade on ground. take notice where top blade is in relation to rest of the dozer, and tell them that's your straight line. And notice how your seat feels, that's your level .
Great advice. We do something like that in our Bulldozer 201 training video where I use a PVC pipe to show them how blade angle relates to their tracks. It seems pretty common sense, but would be shocked how new operators sometimes don't see it right away.
Different tactics for different operational needs. Not everyone is working on level ground. At my operation a level ground or dozer only exists when you exit a very large stockpile with a limited footprint. Workload accumulating 24/7 at massive rates where product turns to concrete if not blended and ripped constantly. Ideal slope is 10-15%, but the misconception that a dozer is a grooming piece of equipment leaves slopes upward to 25-30% due to leaving too much Earth behind and spreading it out. Different tactics for different applications of operation. There is no say all be all when dozing Earth. My best advice for safe operation of a dozer is, "keep the blade FULL at all times".
The guy that taught me to operate took me to a job site that was level within 1/10th over 11 acres. He had me blind folded and directed me via radio were to drive for 1 hr. He then sent to drive with no knowledge to a 2 in cut. That 2 in cut felt like I was rolling that 955. I know the feeling of level. Now when I'm in a basement and below the horizon I'll just stop for a second close my eyes an check level.
Just a heads up, small dressers have the weight farther forward which makes grading a lot harder, but the 1st thing he talked about should help with that.
@@danielkoenes1698 thank you, I kinda figured that out playing around getting a feel for it. From the sound of it you have one of these? I am really enjoying this little machine As for the finish grading I intend on using a tractor and box blade. It more or less gonna be pasture But thank you very much.
@@captnmako I ran one for a couple years, but grading with a box is by far the way to go! That little dresser you have is a great piece though treat her good! Lol
Great video. One of the biggest mistakes I’ve been taught Dozer operators do is, back dragging the blade. The blade is designed to push, not pull. Would you agree or what’s your input on that.
Yep, i dont operate equipment other than a farm tractor once in a blue moon shredding land. Do plan on getting a dozer in the future. interesting to watch..
hey bud, pretty good basics in the video. i been operating 25yrs, about 10 of them in a dozer. everything from a komatsu d21 to a cat D8 with rippers. i'd have to say the one major thing i learned in that time about "new" operators is they forget themselves to quickly after ya teach them to much. so here's a little advice to all new operators, respect Anyone that will take the time to teach you how to better put food on your table and pay your bills. They have spent years accumulating and honing the knowledge they are telling you in the 5 minutes they talk to you. End of lesson.
On bigger dozers, D9-D10 size, I'd disagree with the speed thing. From what I've seen training new guys, they put it in 1st and end up over thinking every move and washboarding. I tell them to put it in second once the get a feel for moving the machine and learn to blade in second. But large dozers are a whole different animal than one of those little lawn and garden dozers.
Set your blade down and ease into your cut. Once you start seeing the material flowering off your blade. You start adjusting your cut based on flow. That is a very tiny Komatsu 61px, the smallest I used was the 65 Komatsu. Then we use 8D Cats and 10 D Cats. I did have my hands on a D7 Electric for about 6 months under trial.
When you are pushing with a full blade and need to cut around a corner. You can use your blade to help steer the machine by digging the corner bit in on the side you are turning towards and still maintain a full blade.
Blade steering. Absolutely needed in slot dozing. You never ever touch the clutches in a D11 unless you're empty and repositioning. You can make some pretty amazing turns while keeping all your material just by using the blade. Also if your blade is loaded on one end and it starts to pull you that way, you counter it with the blade to help remain straight. We do some amazing finishing work with large dozers and waste blades, all done through feel.
I do that a lot when I am clearing land and pushing a heavy load of trees/brush. Just pop the corner of the blade momentarily into the ground and pull it right back up. The steering correction will be made and I can keep the pile moving in front of the machine.
27 years in and he is spot on. Only one itty bitty thing he could have added on speed. The Dozer easily goes to fast for topcon/trimble to keep up. He'll shoot paint balls at me because I'm a decelerator abuser carrying over from Dozers that's not a variable speed (just 3 gears). Thumbs up to those Komatsu's...OMG you can see everything. Want a good laugh? You can always spot the new guy crawling around with the blade in the air as high as it goes. Back dragging King signing out,..salute!
The GPS systems will easily keep up if you know how to tweak your valve tuning on Trimble or gains on Topcon. The newer integrated systems kind of tie your hands on this but the older add on systems it’s pretty simple.
@@knuttsackjones3094 good to know for an owner. Though I stick rule number 1 as a grunt. Liability on equipment I can't afford, I'm not touching anything, especially the old school GPS that came out in 2003-4 that you'll only find parts from a third party.
flippinrawks I know far more about Trimble than anything else. On that you can save your settings before you do any screwing around. Then if you want you just restore settings and it goes right back to what it was before you started pressing buttons. I’ve only ever seen one cb430 box in use. Like I said I don’t know much about topcon but valve speed is called gains. Keep your raise %25 higher than your lower and you’ll be able to run out stone piles in 3rd. I’ve done it with a 6R. If you have any questions let me know👍🏻
Trimming and spreading can actually be easier with a little more speed but the key is, is starting from a level area and understand the small blade adjustments required to continue tracking level when the conditions change at the blade. Ie, as depth of fill increases, the degree of material compaction under the tracks increases and without small and correctly anticipated blade adjustments the machine will start to pitch forwards and ramp down. A sudden correction will leave a marked difference in the work surface as well as requiring another 2 correctly gauged and anticipated blade adjustments. *You need to make the adjustment BEFORE you feel the machine pitch change. By the time the tracks roll over the work surface the blade has already covered that ground and it's too late. Handy hint*** If your blade has the ability to roll side to side. A handy way to fix the up-down humps causing the machine to increasingly pitch forward and backwards, is to 'rock' the blade. As in, instead of trying to anticipate and correct blade movements to correct undulations in the work surface caused by machine pitching over previous undulations, (significanly advanced skills required for this, meaning you probably aren't reading this.) you roll you blade from side to side with a small and relatively quick repeated motion until you feel the machine pitching reduce and/or cease. This takes a little practice and is not applicable in every circumstance but where it is and you implicate it quickly enough it is a very handy trick for correcting this situation.
Years ago I played a golf course in Sutherlin Oregon with a few fairways that resembled a washboard road. My dad said this was caused by an inexperienced dozer operator. Hard to forget the experience of driving a golf cart over those fairways and shaking your head at the mess left by the dozer.
I always drop the blade for safety reasons. Even with the engine turned off, the blade can be lowered. The same goes for excavators, backhoes, skip loaders. All your points on how not to run a crawler were spot on.
@@BurbSK-bi2wh So you are going to assume a hose or a fitting will not give out while the blade, bucket ,or boom is off the ground when you walk away from he machine?
When I was learning to operate, the boss told me to lower or rest any part of a machine equipped with the hydraulic rams, in order to relieve the pressure on the control valves, also I always heard it was also an OSHA regulation. But what do I know at 70 yrs old, ha ha.
Very good video. I have a dozer and a new operator and trying to level rocky land. It is a chore with all that is going on. I do believe I was going too fast thinking that is how it is supposed to be done. Thank you for the video. I feel better now knowing that going slow is the right way to go. The loading up is very informative also. I was having lots of washboard results and I believe this video helped in knowing "why" this is happening. Thank you and look forward to watching more.
I own a small landscaping company, and I have similar issues teaching new employees how to use the mowers. You'd THINK that would be pretty straight forward, but most of the recruits I get aren't property owners and many haven never even used a lawnmower before.
Yeah, I also think us operators that maybe have done it for awhile just assume others should pick it up quicker. It just takes time for anyone learning something new.
@@HeavyMetalLearning Of course, one has to be patient, but still keep an eye on them and correct when nessesary. The last thing you want is for Strata to contact you about one of the owners complaining.
side cutting piles and loose bank material where the material falls into the tracks or the side of the track is riding on a ridge of material rather than staying in a flat cut. I know it happens but it's hard on the undercarriage and I avoid doing it and fuss at anyone running my equipment. It's especially important on loaders where the bucket is barely wider than the tracks to begin with.
This guy is correct on all he said here. You need to slow down the dozer speed to keep up with the dozer controls. I like to start slow and as the dozer blade gets more material in front it will help stabilize the dozer, to keep the machine from galloping. Far to many operators back drag to much because they can not doze smoothly.
Good advice. On powershift Cats, operators even experienced ones will doze a heavy load in second gear. Why? It doesn't go any faster if you have a good load on and you just waste fuel and it makes the dozer much harder to handle. Drop them in low gear and let them work. I have 20 years experience and I always doze in low gear. Turning with a load on is hard on them. Always lower any raised equipment when you park no matter what it is.
Basic lessons that use to be taught. People do a one week course and get a certificate and think that’s it. Nothing beats time in the saddle and experienced operator watching on.
I have run all kinds of equipment. I have my own dozer, trackhoe, farm tractor, motorcycle etc. No mater what it is always review the basics of operation and you have a good chance of staying out of trouble and doing a good job. Thanks for the video !!
I have had many many complain that the dozer just doesn't have any power and my first response is to ask if they cleaned the air filter and the look on their face is priceless. Then they go pull out the filter and you can see the dust pouring out as the filter is removed then when they start tapping it on something there ends up being literally a big pile of dust on the ground and a look of shame and humiliation on their face. Most do not realize if conditions are really dry then there is alot of dust in the air and sometimes that air filter needs cleaned multiple times throughout the day
Been operating 34 years only made it to step 3 and you have been right on so far these young ones want to go balls to the wall slow down make one good pass and work off that but just slow down
I am a dozer owner & operator. One of the critical mistake i see with new operators is running the machine hard and then just put it park and kill the machine without letting idle for a few minutes. This mistake burns the seals in the turbo and subsequently fries the engine.
From a safety stand point, never trust hydraulics! Another good reason to lower all hydraulic equipment to rest. Controls can be hit or bump causing equipment to drop suddenly..
One thing nobody happened in mentioning it comes with experience is listen to your engine and the way it bogs down it'll let you know that you're picking up dirt and you need to lift your blade 1/2 inch listen to the engine bog and pick up RPMs
I deal with a lot of new, young, and inexperienced operators, and I agree with point #1 100%. I see a lot of newer guys with only a few hours of experience on the machine start to get overconfident and up the speed well beyond what their skill level is capable of handling. "Washboarding" the cut/grade is the usual result. I have to pull these "operators" repeatedly and tell them to slow down, and explain how it will help them with the result. There is a bit of a macho thing with the newer operators, they think they need to show off to the super, or other operators on the site. Either that or they see a more-experienced operator make smooth cuts faster than them. It takes a lot of instruction to get these guys out of the "need for speed" habit, so hard for them to accept the fact that they just aren't at that level yet. The other thing I see on occasion is overloading cuts. Newer guys want to take 12" or better cuts on small dozers and end up having the same washboards. More experienced guys make 4-6" cut passes and have excellent results.
Point #1 is the same in pretty much any field. I work in landscaping, and I constantly need to tell people not to mow at high speed. If the mower is jumping around, you're not going to make a good cut. If the machine doesn't have time to chew it's food, you're not going to make a good cut.
its a testosterone issue with young guys. its across the board doesnt matter what industry it is..theres that drive for speed. . . and thats possibly where the old saying orriginated about the tortoise and the hare.
If you drove around all day with your foot off the deselarator on a real dozer d10 or d11 all u do is burn fuel and spin tracks deselarator is key to control
@Kenneth Schauer for real. I operate a d6 haha. I'm used to being around 7's and 8's but I got on with a company that only has 6's I've never seen a 9, 10, or 11 in person.
On old dozers without hydro drive, and especially straight shifts, you sometimes have to use the decelerator to do slow, precise work. Like right beside a wall or something where you've got to go slow and easy.
Started on a cable operated D8 the pony motor was broken so you set the blade on a Railroad tie at the end of the day so that you could run a chain under the blade in the morning to pull start the Dozer with a dump truck , What fun a machine with a clutch and gear shift levers and a one way fixed blade , you could only pick the blade up ,gravity made it go down , The only heat you had in the winter was from the engine and in the summer you got an umbrella.
Cletus I have found you can get on the same machine from a different one and thay just feel different running them at least for me on backhoes. Same machine different feel.
@@rp1645 That's the truth, and to add to that, a good operator should be fluid in going from one machine to the next. After the first few minutes or so, the operator should have most of the little nuances figured out and they should be able to start compensating for it, not going "well on my usual machine."
@@louisianagator95 On a job site we use to have 2 580-C and I ran them both and you could feel the difference in the front bucket controls. The feel of the machine as I drove around the site and you are right after a few, you got good with the machine you where on. CASE use to do a excavator rodeo and had different control patterns on each machine you picked up bowling balls or cones on each station. It was really fun experience.
I use the decelerator primarily pushing rock up hill to keep from spinning or bruting. Nice level dirt like you're in you'd only need it to change directions, unless you're in a higher gear getting your grade started. Then gradually increase as your blade fills. Those little dozers hydraulics are a pain to get use to.
You want to be a dozer operator. That's why you're interested. Similar to myself+ as having driven truck all my life. Challenge yourself to do whatever it takes to gain access to some experience. A friend or bosses machine for example. Offer fuel $ or maybe a grease job on the machine or something for the opportunity to goof around with the machine to see if it does anything for you. If you have , virtually, any degree of talent it will get you out of the cab of a sleepy, boring truck cab. I know personally, that running equipment can be much more challenging and rewarding than driving truck. You'll be low-boy hauling your (the bosses) equipment to your (bosses) job site and operating your dozer and looking at the truck all day instead of falling asleep in the truck. Think about it.
@@joezech1686 well I like everything that has an engine so basically everything: cars, bikes, trucks, busses, planes, tractors, heavy equipment ecc... 🤣 So you're kinda right
Hi my name is Jim I'm a member of local 66 operating engineers that was a very good tutorial there and I like the way you go about it You're not demeaning or anything like that one of the things about turning with a load if you still have more material to cut off you can angle your blade into your turn in other words if you're trying to turn left angle your blade down and then it'll actually help assist you going around the turn if it's just a slight turn anyway thank you for what you're doing I really like your your messaging You're very respectful hey you have a good day and you be careful bye
Too much backblading is what I see often. Dozers are meant to push. I like to leave material at the end of my push to keep road base level and give the trucks something to back up to. Another thing I do is leave the cut a few inches high the trim on last push through.
one of the most important things ,maybe most important is to stay focused and cool minded,very often situations ,emotions ,some in vain hurry, or pressure from other people can obscure the mind of the operator and cause fatal mistakes ,for example when i get in the cab of the dozer or excavator i leave everything out of the cab ,if there is something that bothers me , i mean i am not thinking for this or that or some rubbish stuff at all ,just stay focused ,examine very carefully the area and is the ground stable ,than get up in the cab and enjoy the work with this mighty boy with shovel ,or other big vehicle and drive safely .the hurry gets us nowhere .
I currently operate a d11t and most of the common mistakes I see is gouging and then trying to raise the blade too fast creating ups and downs. A lot of people I work with often times will backdrag everything because they can't cut a road properly so they end up with a smooth roller coaster road. Also we do a lot of slot dozing due to mining and moving a lot of overburden, if they have a slot they shave the top layer completely across as apposed to short large deep bites and then carrying the material off the pit. That dozer weights above 200000 lbs so every time you track across the fresh ripped ground your compacting it making it harder to get a blade full also your not using the full potential of the blade by using your slot side to keep material in front of your blade. There's a whole lot more I could go into but I don't have the time for it. Hope this helps.
U-blades can be a trick. Good "Okee" dozing (back-dragging) can be a art form for technical reasons though would I agree that most are not very good at it. They just put it in float and wear out undercarriage.
I'm a quite novice operator with about 3 years on excavators and wheelloaders. I have been fascinated by bulldozers ever since, but it looks like here in Germany, dozers are used less and lesser. I know some old chaps that did rock ripping in quarries or highway construction and they were able to give me good tips on this. But a really good fine grade? "Get a full blade. You have to feel it.". .... Hurray. So I really enjoyed watching this video, was spot on. Looks like I have a new favorite channel. Thanks for sharing.
I admire the Germans for the continued production and use of small draglines for excavation and small mining operations. A long reach excavator is only for light cleaning and no good for hogging material. I have operated both. The rubber tired equipment made today on the other hand, has gotten so good that it has replaced crawler equipment for many applications.
Hot tip #1, if you are advancing in boggy conditions and you feel the front of the machine start to sink, immediately de-accelerate (try not to apply the brake if possible.) enguage reverse and move off BEFORE raising the blade. It only has to be a very small distance before you start raising it to avoid accumulating material behind it and again start dragging the front lower but keep it where it is for the initial backwards movement then very slightly raise it minimally until most of the track rollers are comfortably back on firm ground. I see this mistake all the time and from some fairly experienced operators too. Such a simple trick avoids many-most situations where the front end has sunk and becoming helplessly bogged is only one or two bad decisions/movements away. If you do start to sink the front and decide you need to retreat and for some reason decides you should lift the blade before reversing, take note off how much worse it makes the already 'too risky too continue' situation. (This is only if you've been considered and cautious enough to be aware of the risk and proceed in a manner that allows you to o stop the MOMENT the front drops enough to cause the machine to become bogged.) Bad feeling when you're already thinking 'ohh, no.... Better try get out of here' As you lift the blade, take note of just how much worse it makes the situation... Hint: It is a LOT.... Now you are faced with the option of trying to reverse with the machine, now technically aready stuck but possibly still able to be saved with correct actions, or lowering the blade and intuitively thinking it will hamper the machines ability to reverse. (It's better to lower it but difficult to now correctly try help take the weight without digging into excessive or relatively solid ground which the blade now has to drag as well.... If youre first attempt at this point fails, don't persevere, before you completely disturbed the ground raise the machine up to let material fall in under the tracks and if the rear section of the tracks is still is decent material, manipulate the machine to lower the rear of the tracks gradually into the material enough so they grab the material and transfernit to under the front. You can lower the machine and attempt moving or you can repeat jacking the machine up and transfer material to the front again , all depends on the situation. And remember, They are heavy things, a little momentum can help alot. So when you feel the tracks do have purchase try capitalize on it. DONT LIFT THE BLADE
So, you must be talking about when a lad lifts the blade and throws it in reverse simultaneously while in the soup. Then we end up with the tail of the tractor facing the sky much like the stern of the Titanic? The you make the tractor do pushups like Jack La Lane believing that will somehow do the situation good. Then you remember Jack La Lane do the breathing thing which actually does help you gain composure before the boss shows up. Been there, done that.
I was told lifting the blade in mud just helps the suction that is already pulling you down. you get STOPPED, back up before you settle while tilting the blade to neutral, and lift it as traction returns.
Running a small farm with a tight budget, we tend to have to make equipment last and even on my small tractor, I always put my hydraulic equipment on the ground and after shut down, run through all the different motions with the controls to make sure there isn't any high pressure fluid left in the cylinders to cause leaks or blow seals. It's just the way I was taught and has always served me well, still use the same front end loader we bought in 1998 on the tractor we bought at the same time and haven't had to tear down the cylinders yet
Yeah, it's kinda like a time capsule. It has a hydraulic ripper bar and a blade made by Holt. It just chugs along. I also have a 1965 Agricat dozer. It's powered by a Wisconsin motor. It also has a blade and rippers. It weighs in at 1800lbs, it's small but mighty for it's size.
I’m a 40 year experienced operator and first gear is what I use when I want to do a good job your hydraulics cannot respond fast enough in high gears to keep it smooth
Dale Doty so true i run a blade and i wish I could finish in 3rd or 4th gear but it just ain't going to happen trick is make each pass count move material as little as possible. Cut to grade not fill to grade unless you're coming up in a controlled over X. Take care be safe everybody
That is a fancy cab! I started on a straight drive 6c. Dozers have come a looong way!!!!! Ran a 12g &14g grader alot. Looked in a new cat grader the other day and didnt know what a damn thing was......
I have been a mechanic for linder komatsu for 26 years my biggest is fire up cold equipment and run it full bore till end of day you dont always need the full tilt power
You have to use your decelerator on regular transmission dozers. This one is hydrostatic which does not require deceleration......also tell all new operators to look behind them constantly when backing up.
I'm not experienced with dozers, but even on hydrostats, you cause excessive wear by starting and stopping too fast. They're not cheap to replace on any piece of equipment.
I own a John Deere 450 e dozer with a rebuild motor I love driving dozer it fun for me at first it was hard made bumps everywhere and mistakes like making a big mud holes in a creek by accident it was a learning curve been operated sice may 1 2021 when I got it running now I don’t make bumps any more I can make smooth roads now it fun to learn to do it it takes time and I I learn from it thanks for the vid learn some more never stop learn .
Great video. When I started running a dozer I was blessed to have a great guy teach me. I remember some of the things he said. Go slow with full throttle try not to turn with a blade full of dirt never chase a little pile of dirt in front of the blade and nothing fancy just keep it flat.
Most the machines I ran it was here's the keys, have at it. Needless to say I have some unique way of doing somethings. Had a foreman say he could never understand what I was doing but it was always right when I was done.
Good video good machine. Your advice is good for a grade cat. How ever most of my experience has been mass cuts with D-8 or larger. On Big cats it's the concept of cut and carry. If you have to make a turn and you have the room push material to a stopping point leave in a large pile and then hit that pile at a different angle to get the material to the final destination. Always push in a trough. And when ever possible create some kind of a down hill push. 45 years in the saddle of a dozer if you need advice or any help feel free to reach me.
@@jcrdesigns719 yep, definitely depends on what you're doing. I learn to create a trench as it allows maximum amount in front of blade. One company I worked for claimed to never see such a thing. Company I work for now does it too. Knew I wasn't crazy.
I'm a newbie dozer operator on my own farm. I'd like someone to tell me how to cut in drainage ditches on the woods roads. Better yet, a video on how to repair washed out woods roads and build them so they don't wash out again
I've been in the dozer business all my life,it takes a few years to get fairly good,dozers are not intended to travel fast,a dozer didn't even need a3rd gear,you will become seasoned operator in about 20 years if you make it that long,don't forget maintenance, a new undercarriage is about 20 thousand,don't forget your truck and lowboy ,all I can say is try it you can always sell it
Ive graded plenty in 3rd gear on a d6. Day after day. Some people are just better than others. Spread 3 or 400 loads of dirt a day and you will use 3rd gear a lot.
I learned to operate a bulldozer on one Caterpillar D6 which was loaned to us at our church to work the soil where we was going to level the ground where the building was to be sat up at. My cousin taught me how to use the machine and it was a modern machine and worked perfectly except for hydraulic fluid which had to be added each day due to a problem the owner knew about. There was a problem with trying to level one area as the clay soil was hard and the machine would bow up when I hit that one patch. I tried several ways of cutting that soil, but got the same results. My cousin had the same results as well when he got on the machine.
