The Classic Machinery Network

Hi

Just been watching some old cable box scrapers and don't know much about them.

Couple of basic questions - what are the cable drums you sometimes see mounted, spare cable?

Also, what is the main reason for removing the dozer blade? Simply because they aren't used or something like weight saving?

Thanks
Dave

Scraper winch has two drums, one hoist other apron and ejector. If you see spare spools on the box that is extra as you let a bit of rope through a bit each week so the rope doesn't wear and brake in certain places.

Hello Dave,
Blades are removed to obviously save on fuel & to save the wear on the undercarriage rollers,idlers & sprockets as the tractor & box needs all the horsepower it has to self load where possible.They usually have to travel some distances back & forth to the dig & tip area.Also with the blade out of the way there is better visibility for the operator.The Caterpillar dozers have a bracket to secure the rams in the horizontal position on the side of the radiator housing when they are on towed scraper work.This helps if the rams are leaking internally & they wont extend by gravity if they are facing down & no damage can happen to the rods,as they will hit on the track grousers.
The operators are usually good @ adjusting the winch clutch & brake,which has to be done regularly.
Hope this helps,
Mark Williams.

Hamptons local chancers spent 4 out of 5 shifts threading ropes they broke every other tip

Only ever broke one rope and that was on about the third load the first day I had it after the hired had been using it for 3 weeks. He laughed as he went past as I was putting on my overalls and said he was glad it wasn't him! I wanna go hydraulic!!!!!

Oh, I take the blade off to save weight on the front as it makes turning easier . Blade fixed can help if you need weight for traction. Also visibility better with blade off.

Hamptons probably had the largest fleet of D8 model 22A with box scrapers in the UK in the 60s. The M1 in Liecestershire in 1963 was the scene of a lot of these. If my mind serves me correctly, most of the operators were of a good standard, obviously they had moved up from D8 Rs with roller (that,s where one got the hand in) and one seldom saw machines standing with broken ropes.
Sadly these machines are a rare sight today, as are roped motor scrapers such as Cat DW21, 619 and the 631A. Cat Hydraulics made their first appearance with the 631B on the High Wycombe by-pass in 1964 with Chris Blackwell.

I allways remove the blades for scraper box work apart from the first hour or so if heaps need knocking over.
The blade knocks a fair bit of life out of tracks and track frames.

Great info - thank you.

How does the blade wear the tracks and frames? Is it the extra weight or the actual connection point (or just banging around when traveling raised)?

Dave