know it all equipment operator

I remember a loader with the center so loose it was like that, ditch to ditch was all you could do when running down the road, was pretty funny, "just keep it between the Hedgerows"

My one cousin had a C4D tree farmer Skidder with tiller steering, the tiller was hooked to a spool valve, to stop turning the frame you had to center the valve, then to straighten the frame you had to turn the opposite way, Took awhile to get used to bumping that handle back and forth, trying to aim it through the trees, especially when the front tires would dance in the air with a full hitch!!

I do not remember the exact model but was an old cat grader, think a 12 ?? Anyway was worm drive, or something, I never Ran it, only moved it once, but you had to be committed to move any function on that, it was like snapping over center clutches in and out and if you moved the handle only a little, like a spool valve, it would Snap the handle at you, like a ball peen hammer, OUCH.. You had to just shove the handle alltheway, to make it start moving and then yank it out to stop moving.

 

Then you know that there are "operators" and there are "OPERATORS" just as there are
TRUCK DRIVERS and there are "steering wheel holders / throttle jockies.
CCO Certified.
Class A but started out with a Chauffeurs License in the 80's.
The guy described in the OP comment is what gives others a bad name, we all obviously know that. I hate it when some "Cowboy" that thinks because he knows how to start a machine makes him an automatic operator. Those are the ones wanting big pay for little knowledge and lots of BS talk. Ya'll be safe out there.

 

I've got a bunch of stories to tell but the best one has to be loading a old D6 Cat dozer.

A local farmer called and said he had bought a bulldozer and wanted me to go pick it up. I get there and it's a old straight shift D6. When the guy that was selling it drove it out to the road where I was parked, I noticed something wasn't right. I'm not for sure what the problem was but something was wrong with the steering clutches. Sometimes it wouldn't turn when you wanted it to, other times it would just turn on it's own.

I normally insist on loading any equipment on my truck but I could see I wanted no part of this thing. I was pulling a old Phelan trailer that was already beat to crap and built really heavy so I wasn't worried about the trailer (that's the reason I pull that trailer on jobs like this).

The guy managed to "herd" the dozer up to the ramps and proceeded to get off to let me load it. I stopped him right then and there and told him if I was going to haul that thing he was going to be the one to load it. It looked like things could end badly, especially considering the dozer didn't have any ROPS.

It's been several years ago but I remember the look on his face while he climbed the ramps. You know that place in the loading process when a piece of tracked equipment is right at the point of breaking over the dovetail and things can get a little squirly. He managed to get it that far and stopped at that point, eyes as big as hubcaps, and I remember seeing his hand on the clutch lever, shaking wildly. He did manage to get it loaded and I got it delivered.

Looking back, I should have just walked away but that was when I was young and dumb and would take any challenge thrown at me.

 

What's that?

 

Roll Over Protection Structure.

 

Use to own a 1940-41 Cat D2 dozer a 6 way blade, yes 6 way guys, Hyd up and down but rest was Manuel. Between the hand clutch, 2 steering clutches, 2 brake pedals and a blade control lever it kept your hands and feet very busy lol.

 

There's a difference between an operator and a truck driver. I load my own #### on my trailer..Operator digs the holes, doesn't load the float. Thats the way I look at it!

 

I think it can cut both ways. I move equipment for a construction company so I move multiple pieces every day so I see a lot of variables. It is true we have guys who can run a hoe or dozer like no tomorrow but have a little trouble getting one straight on a trailer. I on the other hand am a terrible operator but have loaded enough to stuff to figure out little tricks to getting it right. But I have found it just about as easy to tell the operator what I want, slow the engine, come on easy, swing here or there etc. as it is for me to make them get out to load it myself. I have ran into a few I've made get out and I've had some good ones struggle and get out themselves and tell me I better do it. But if someone comes up on a D6 or some other smaller machine that's a simple thing to load I can't say it's ever been worth it for me to make the get out. Again personal opinion.

 

4020, our operators are all pretty good at putting smaller stuff on the trailer & now that I know who can do what, I just wave them on. But they all walk away from the 325s & 336 & 140M or when I hook the ramps on the back of the Cozad. lol

 

So what's the biggest piece of gear anyone here has ever loaded? Mine would be either a Manitou MHT10225 or a JLG 1250AJP. I wish the last company I worked for would have let us load excavators. I think it'd have been quite the experience to load an Hitachi EX1200 high cab.