Muck Boots 'n' Slickers - Life of a Livestock Hauler

OMG the movie grease is on tv and the wife has it on.
She likes it, all it does is remind me how pathetic I find john travolta.

 

Nothing like the "feel" response in an old cable dozer. Always wondered how a scraper responded Guess you just drop it, let it fill to stall, get pushed up and out. Never saw one cutting a layered scrape for a distance, was always moving the hump to the low place a tub at a time.

 

How much you cut depends on how much dozer you have pushing, but we would do a relatively thin layered cut till full. You're right though, especially with nothing but gravity to close the apron, you leave a hump when picking the can up.

 

My dad and his senior operator made me learn on the cable machines. There were 2 D7’s and a TD18 here with cable blades. After I dug a basement with the TD18 I guess I graduated or something. I got put on a hydraulic power-shift 7 then and started running the 8H’s a bit. Scrapers were never my thing. I didn’t even like pushing them.

 

I always heard that you lose IQ points for every day you run a scraper. I ran one for one day. One day was enough.
I started on cable blades too. Dad bought a D7 3T back in the 60s when Diamond Match was scaling back their logging around here. It had a starter on the pony motor but when it went out Dad replaced it with a vertical hand crank. You best keep a light hand on that crank 'cause it will throw you quite a ways if it doesn't break your arm.
Still got it and it still earns it's keep. After over fifty years of us running it about the only thing original is the hood, the pedals, the levers, and the data plate. It's had good service. We take care of it, it takes care of us.

 

I got along with pup motors ok. My nemesis was a cement mixer my dad had. Started that with a handle that folded out of the flywheel. Either that handle or the magneto on the thing could put a whole new paint job on your day for you.

 

I don't recall running a 3T, but lots of time on a 17A, 2U, 9U, 46A, and a beast of a 19A.

The hand crank on that 17A would sure enough hurt your elbow if you didn't get through the compression.

The mag on a TD14 that ran the same block for gas or diesel could sure light up your life too.

 

There was one of those 14’s here. Started it on gas to warm the cylinders up and switched it to fuel. I think those engines were in some farm tractors too. Magnetos on a damp morning were hateful things.

 

I rebuilt the trans and finals on a TD-18. Owner told me to use it and make sure it was ready. They were from Ohio and it quit here on a job. He said I trust ya but I’d feel better if you put a few hours on it. 200 hours later we were comfortable it was good to go. I was never around any CAT cable rigs. The 8H is far back as I go. Them old 342’s had a different sound. Why everyone tried to over haul em through them side covers is beyond me. Dad and I worked on an old 8 one winter with a pony starter. I wasn’t allowed around it either. I can’t remember the exact deal but maybe it would spit back on you and you’d be burnt up before they could get you out??? At that age if I couldn’t participate I sorta tuned out. We worked on lots a TD crawlers they were sorta popular in out area. Smaller ones than the 18 but #### I can’t remember the model

 

The 2 speed steer clutches on those TD machines made them. I’ve never been on anything that would turn with a full blade like those would. I know of a couple of TD8’s and a 12 around here that worked their whole lives and never pushed anything but topsoil. Those steer clutches again, people doing finish grade work just loved them.