Raglan 1966/67

[alan627b]

New guy here, although some of you might recognize my handle. Glad to have found this forum, love all the pics!
As far as Cat scrapers work, they have an 8 speed front transmission and a 4 speed rear, synchronised by a "clock" which sends shift signals to the rear shift solenoid.
Gear 1=2 in front, rear in 1
Shifts to 3rd up front, rear shifts to 2nd
front shifts to 5th, rear to 3rd
front shifts to 7th, rear to 4th.
Rear throttle works off of air, the rear injection pump has a plunger on it, and the throttle for the rear engine is just an air valve.
Even if we are being pushed, we usually use the rear engine, but I don't usually "give it the gas" until the bite is set and the pushcat has a good set on me. Ticks the pusher off something fierce if you run a way from them, or squirt out from in front of them. Mud just adds to the fun. A good scraper hand can use part throttle until 1/2 a load is in or better.
Why make the dozer do all the work?
Although I imagine rock is a whole different ballgame, I 've been told you load the scraper "dead stick" using the dozer for most of the power, to save on tire wear.
Hope this helps,
Alan627b

[Martyn Henley]

Greetings to you Alan, and a big welcome to CMN

Glad you found us,

Martyn

[Neil D]

Alan 627B
Glad to see you found this forum-will speak to you soon

Neil

[nick lamb]

Hi Alan,nice to see you over the water

[tctractors]

Alan , good to see you posting on this site, RichardJW, on the starting/driving thing, on big twin power scrapers like CAT 657s' you start the front motor with a key/electric starter motor, the rear engine is started with a hydraulic motor piped to the ejector plate system, on the newer kit both engines are started with seperate electrical systems, the monitoring of the engines is, on the old stuff a horn would sound etc, on the new bangers its E.M.S. and flashing lights plus alarm going off, the rear transmission can be switched on/off so the gear selector works only the tractor box or tractor and scraper box, both engines have to be running when you move or you will damage stuff, the gas neck can be switched on/off, on for moving, off for loading, the rear power unit is an assist item and should not be dogged to death trying fancy tricks, the Slasher (muck shifting forman) will soon put you right on the correct way he likes things to progress??? the whole idea of the push load is to stuff it full with the least stress and damage in the fastest time, there is a saying "Load em Heavy and Drive em Steady"

tctractors

p.s. the gear matching front to back, is electrical with flashing red light if things are not in sincro.

[RichardJW~]

Thanks for the explanations, folks.......fascinating stuff

[Mark Williams]

Hello Guys,
This is addressed to Nicky Lamb in particular.Regarding brakes.
Before becomeing a fitter I was a plant operator for Shephard Hill down in South Wales,on a Cat 769c,Cat 245 shovel and a short time on some Terex TS14s (Grasshoppers as we call them).Our leading driver was Verdon Bishop (Bishy,god rest his soul).
Myself and the other opertor were told to listen to Bishys every move by the muckshift foreman,as we had never operated these green meanies before,especially because of the rear engine,which I was always aware of in the back of my mind.
Anyway,Mike Lewis the muckshift foreman cut the fence for us to follow Bishy over this old topsoil tip to gain access to the field we were going to strip to advance the open-cast coal site,so Bishy a total head case of an operator goes over the top of this tip which was about 40 ft high flat out and dives over the top.The soil in the tip was soaking wet and the Terex scraper radiator was bearied up over the filler cap.The Komatsu 155 then came in to push him out and also got bogged.We then got our Terex 72-31 with a rope and finally got them out.
A nice morning of never forgotton entertainment.
We finally started stripping topsoil after dinner,when the other operator reported to Mike Lewis,that he had no brakes working on his scraper,so he told him to take it to the yard and get it seen too,everybody as they do on the site started to have a gossip about this,as the foreman fitter Emrys was a sort of fiered man,so Mike lewis got to Emrys before the scraper driver to warn him of the situation which was comeing(a little bit of s..t stirring going on if you get my drift).
Inocently the driver which will as you can see will remain nameless goes into the fitters cabin and states his complaint,all to be met with a barage of ranting and swearing,what do you need your foot brake working for,you have the biggest brake youll ever need with that middle lever youve got up there.
With his tail between his legs he was back up in the dig in no time,everybody haveing their own little giggle.
Just thought I would share my story,
regards from Canada,
Mark.

[nick lamb]

Quite right too Mark,'when in doubt,throw the longest lever out!' .
Where are you in Canada Mark?I've been to Alberta loads of times and B.C a couple of times.

[Mark Williams]

Hello Nicky,
Im at the other side of the country,in Stoney Creek Ontario.
I used to work for Finning last in the coal mining area of Tumbler Ridge Brith Columbia.
We had some very large equipment working in those mines out there,quite the experience compared to the machines I had worked with in Wales.
I have a good friend that you know I notice from Ireland in Noel Ruberry.
Nice talking with you,
Regards from Canada
Mark.

[alan627b]

TC, You've got 657's with hydraulic starters? Every Cat twin I've ever seen is started electrically. Most of ours has had a battery and ignition switch added to the rear engine, probably to make the operators at least look at the rear engine, if not actually check the oil and water!
International 443/444's had a hydraulic rear starter, I can only imagine how much fun trying to pump thick cold oil from the front to the back had to be in the winter! Thank God those things have largely passed into oblivion. Our outfit used to have 5 or 6 of them, they held up until you tried to use the front trans higher than third gear, and then they would shortly blow up.
Kinda cuts down on productivity....by the end of the first year, one one stripped almost to the frame to supply parts to the other 5. The dealer had to put it back together under warranty....
I think they bought them, mainly to show the Cat dealer they weren't the only game in town.
Now we have all Cats.... 30-40 627B's and 9 631D's.
No Internationals.