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Leop 
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Joined: 03 Dec 2018
Location: California
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 Topic: How do you drive and dig with this thing.
Posted: 31 Dec 2018 at 7:11pm |
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I hope im not asking too many questions, if i am please let me know.
My goal is to drive and dig using my HD6G in a way that preserves it the best, not for the highest efficiency. In other words less breakage.
Here is what i know so far. 1)Check all fluids before starting. 2)Use ether sparingly. 3)Let the machine warm up before working it. 4)Let the machine cool off before shutting it down. 5)Pull the clutch lever before applying the brake. 6)Don't bog down the engine. 7)Drive it around for 10 min or so, at least once a month, to keep the steering clutches and brakes from rusting together.
What other longevity steps have I missed?
Here are some longevity questions: Is it okay to feather the main clutch when inching up to something? Or should I use the track clutches for that. In my wheeled tractors i just put them into granny gear and idle up to stuff. However, the HD6G throttle is very sensitive on the low end and doesn't regulate speed at all, and after the first 10 degrees of movement the pump kicks her up to max rpm. I assume some governor work is called for, but i need to work the machine before i can get to that. Also, i can't tell much if any difference between gears, for forward or reverse. All of the gears seam to drive the tractor at the same speed?
And then there is digging. An art form to do correctly I'm sure. But how is one to learn this art form is my question? Does anyone know of some YouTube videos that show good form?
Edited by Leop - 31 Dec 2018 at 7:19pm
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HD6GTOM
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Joined: 30 Nov 2009
Location: MADISON CO IA
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Posted: 31 Dec 2018 at 7:44pm |
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Dang if it was warm out and you was close I'd slip over and show ya. Ya its OK to use the main clutch to ease into a tree or some such work. All the ones that I had, had a main clutch that ran in oil. Make sure your clutch brake is adjusted directly. I never needed either to start one. If you leave it set for the winter, block the steering clutches back. I forgot to 1 winter and had 1 Stick. I enjoy running them (clankers), unfortunately my dam back forced me to sell mine.
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Sugarmaker
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Posted: 31 Dec 2018 at 7:56pm |
Leop, Not sure you can ask too many questiosn. May just take some time to sort out and or get answers. As the owner of a old tracked machine. I had to learn real quickly some of the same things your going through. I had never drove a "clanker" as Tom calls them! I did have repairs to do but not as in depth as your getting into. But driving one was a real new experience and most of the time I was smiling! They do need regular exercise, which reminds me I need to get mine fired up and move it around for a while too. Good luck and just push some dirt! We need some more pictures too! Regards, Chris
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D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet.
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AC Mel
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Joined: 23 Jan 2010
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Posted: 31 Dec 2018 at 8:46pm |
Ok..found this 5 year old post of one of our 6Gs in action. I think this is the newer model than Leos. we still have the earlier version parked.
Pretty versatile little machines... YOU TOO CAN PERFORM THIS WORK NOW!!...this machine has been sitting for quite some time now. We think we will try to put a canopy on it...some logging forks...take it to the back of the ranch for logging this coming summer...with the 7G...and an 11G..that will be coming soon to the collection. Leo...don't for get to post some pictures
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Coke-in-MN
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Posted: 31 Dec 2018 at 9:37pm |
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Just after i bought my HD5G a friend said he would show me how to run it - 10 minutes later he had it hung up in the sand - setting on belly pan - tracks kind of hanging and no traction - loader setting on a pile so you couldn't push it by curling bucket -
At that time he had somewhere important to be and took off -
First and last time i had a expert help -
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Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something.
"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
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Leop
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Joined: 03 Dec 2018
Location: California
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Posted: 31 Dec 2018 at 9:39pm |
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Thanks guys,
I used to volunteer at a WWII submarine at pier 39 in San Francisco. Loved to work on it, and best of all was all the old timers. Those guys taught me how to do it the way it said to do it in the manual, the real way to do, and the 15min "we are getting depth charged and I need it fixed right now) temporary way to do it.
I miss those guys now as they are all gone. Everything gets done the way the manuals say to do it. It takes twice as long, works half as good but it ain't but 10% as fun having the real heros showing me.
The good news is that my 6 year old loves riding in the dozer, so who knows, maybe I'll get to be an old timer too some day.
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Leop
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Posted: 31 Dec 2018 at 9:48pm |
 AC Mel wrote:
Ok..found this 5 year old post of one of our 6Gs in action. I think this is the newer model than Leos. we still have the earlier version parked.
Pretty versatile little machines... YOU TOO CAN PERFORM THIS WORK NOW!!...this machine has been sitting for quite some time now. We think we will try to put a canopy on it...some logging forks...take it to the back of the ranch for logging this coming summer...with the 7G...and an 11G..that will be coming soon to the collection. Leo...don't for get to post some pictures
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Mel, I envy that full bucket. I think i get maybe 30% full the way im digging right now!
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Leop
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Posted: 31 Dec 2018 at 10:00pm |
HD6GTOM wrote:
Dang if it was warm out and you was close I'd slip over and show ya. Ya its OK to use the main clutch to ease into a tree or some such work. All the ones that I had, had a main clutch that ran in oil. Make sure your clutch brake is adjusted directly. I never needed either to start one. If you leave it set for the winter, block the steering clutches back. I forgot to 1 winter and had 1 Stick. I enjoy running them (clankers), unfortunately my dam back forced me to sell mine. |
Funny you should mention the clutch. The other day I noticed the main clutch was slipping when I dug into a hill. I put her away thinking that the last thing i wanted to do is change what i assume is a super heavy clutch. On the way back to her shed i noticed that the clutch worked great right at the top of its resistance as you pull it back. In other words think of the lever as riding on a cam shaft and being in the "on position" maybe 10 degrees past the lobe. Thats where she slips. Now if i push it 10 degrees back towards the off position it doesn't slip at all. Its basically sitting right on top of the cam lobe at what would be peak lift on a real cam. Does all this mean that the clutch needs adjustment, or does it mean that i have a new project? Leo
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JC-WI
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Posted: 31 Dec 2018 at 10:05pm |
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Watch the old fellows that have done it for years... some can make them machines do amazing things while some 'experts' like Coke was telling of tear the things apart in no time and never get the 'hang of it' either.
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He who says there is no evil has already deceived himself
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dadsdozerhd5b
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Posted: 01 Jan 2019 at 11:04am |
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The clutch is an over the center clutch, which means once the lever is pulled all the way back it is engaged. if it is slipping it needs adjusting. not a bad job to do just make sure the lock engages for the clutch adjuster or it could adjust up to the point it will not be able to be backed off and then needs to come apart. check for wear on the throw out bearing pivots also and grease the bearing while you are in there. you will not have to go much to adjust, maybe 2 or 3 notches. good luck!
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HD5B, HD5G, (2) FARMALL A's, CUB. DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, IGNORE THE LAUGHTER. FLANNEL IS ALWAYS IN STYLE.
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JohnCO
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Posted: 01 Jan 2019 at 11:57am |
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I was reading the post's from Mel's picture post, got to wondering what happened to ac-sd, he last posted almost a year ago, Jan 6, 2018.
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"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer"
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DMiller
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Posted: 01 Jan 2019 at 12:22pm |
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Digging a hole is not so much digging but scraping up lifts of material. Putting the bucket a few inches into the material and then slicing away layers for a full bucket. If digging into a hill similar but as reach the wall with the bucket flat curling slightly while raising to again slice a layer into the mound. You don't try to fill the bucket standing still or forcing it into a spot until full to curl it out.
Almost forgot, will be using all four hands and three feet at a time, swapping with just two and two gets a little wild until you get the hang of it. You will make errors just part of it.
Edited by DMiller - 01 Jan 2019 at 12:23pm
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Sugarmaker
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Posted: 01 Jan 2019 at 1:57pm |
DMiller wrote:
Digging a hole is not so much digging but scraping up lifts of material. Putting the bucket a few inches into the material and then slicing away layers for a full bucket. If digging into a hill similar but as reach the wall with the bucket flat curling slightly while raising to again slice a layer into the mound. You don't try to fill the bucket standing still or forcing it into a spot until full to curl it out.
Almost forgot, will be using all four hands and three feet at a time, swapping with just two and two gets a little wild until you get the hang of it. You will make errors just part of it. |
DMiller is right. They must have all been similar back in the day to run, because my off color IH, tracked loader takes two men and a small boy to move all the controls! Not sure how my Uncle Jack ran it for years and made it look easy too? Regards, Chris
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D17 1958 (NFE), WD45 1954 (NFE), WD 1952 (NFE), WD 1950 (WFE), Allis F-40 forklift, Allis CA, Allis D14, Ford Jubilee, Many IH Cub Cadets, 32 Ford Dump, 65 Comet.
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Leop
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Posted: 01 Jan 2019 at 2:01pm |
DMiller wrote:
Digging a hole is not so much digging but scraping up lifts of material. Putting the bucket a few inches into the material and then slicing away layers for a full bucket. If digging into a hill similar but as reach the wall with the bucket flat curling slightly while raising to again slice a layer into the mound. You don't try to fill the bucket standing still or forcing it into a spot until full to curl it out.
Almost forgot, will be using all four hands and three feet at a time, swapping with just two and two gets a little wild until you get the hang of it. You will make errors just part of it. |
Well being a helicopter pilot im used to using both hands and feet plus my wrist for the throttle. Whats hard is that the clutch is on the left side, so when i need to pull the left steering clutch and work the main clutch i find myself reaching over to the left steering clutch with my right hand, while my left hand works the main clutch. But my left hand is connected to my right foot, so i end up applying right brake. By then im all tangled and fangled up.
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DMiller
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Posted: 01 Jan 2019 at 2:09pm |
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Try it all with a four in one bucket and a third bucket control.
My 7G came with two hyd. hand clutch controls, two brake and one decelerator pedals, hand throttle, three sticks for the bucket and power shift control.
Managed to get relatively decent with it, ended up setting up my own design swizzle stick single boom/bucket control leaving the 4/1 to its own. May eventually come up with a foot steer system but for now deal with what I have. The reason for the stagger in lever positions is so one hand does both and knows by feel which is which.
Edited by DMiller - 01 Jan 2019 at 2:10pm
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Leop
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Posted: 26 Jan 2019 at 3:20pm |
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Thanks everyone. We had a string of storms out here that have had me cooked up inside, so not much to post.
Well im getting better by following your advice. Never ever knew how much coordination and skill it takes to drive one of these. Especially fast enough back in the day to make a living with her. Looks so easy in those old black and white movies. Hats off to you guys that did.
I do have some pictures finally since 100% of my questions have multiple request for them. Just warning you, she ain't pretty. Now i just need to find a place to host them.
Leo
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