Complete NOVICE Learns to Drive Dozer
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- Опубліковано 27 лип 2024
- We bought a MASSIVE CAT D8 Bulldozer and there's only one problem... we have no idea how to operate it! Step one, will it start?
We're a husband and wife team who bought 20 acres of bare off-grid land in Northern Idaho. Follow along as we turn a pole barn into our dream shop with an upstairs apartment!
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Riley Casey
105 Vermeer Dr
STE 2 PMB 141
Ponderay, ID 83852
00:00 Best or worst idea ever?
00:41 Neglected maintenance
02:48 Found the problem
4:00 Hand signals
5:35 Firing her up
8:20 First cut!
9:20 Tree down
11:30 No small roads
14:15 Days into hours
16:20 Getting the hang of it
17:55 Our first event!
19:35 Back on the road
22:30 She made me stop - Авто та транспорт
We can't believe we own a bulldozer! 😳 Want to watch our road building journey from the beginning?
🚨 ua-cam.com/play/PLMCvRxq4QdceZ4tpVfv7UzkSPdCmKU20o.html
The pony motor is designed to run with no fuel to main engine and under main compression to allow the cylinders to warm up. If you let it run under compression for three to five minutes, and then add fuel to main, it will fire right up with no puffing and popping.
The right track is too loose it's going to fall off when you least expect, but don't over thighten that's just as bad
I'm more than a little jealous! I want to come drive it. :D
What's the price tag?
Lol that’s not a small dozer
You need to adjust those tracks. They’re too loose. Especially the right one. Do not overadjust. Give the slack adjuster a few shots of grease at a time and operate for a little while.
a roller would be Convenient for that job 👍
Absolutely!
just recently learned about that from Diesel Creek channel lol
Most likely the undercarriage is worn out, but I agree at a minimum adjust the tracks.
@@dill5500 you’d think that but then you’d be wrong. Slack measurements are done when dozer is stopped on flat ground not eyeballed when tracks are under load.
As an ex-dozer operator I say you are doing OK for being new at it. The loose tracks can cause massive problems. Too tight is not good either . If you run it with loose tracks and turn aggressively or work on side slopes, she ( like a ship, its a she ), she will walk right out of the track. You will have a real learning curve on your hands then. Locate a friendly old operator to advise you on this.
Always keep your work area clean underneath you. Avoid excessive rocks and other debris in the tracks that way. Take your time. A major repair or reconditioning of tracks, rollers, front idlers and sprockets on that thing will make you soooo broke.
Avoid sharp, aggressive turns with those worn tracks
Till you know the weight of the machine really well, avoid soft ground. You have 20 plus tons there and when stuck bad it will be like dealing with 40. Or more.
When running down trees never back up while on trees under you. A branch can come up through a hole in the rock pan or elsewhere and can wreck your machine or kill you.
Enjoy being an operator. There is lots to learn and enjoy.
Never let sticks, leaves and such accumulate under the hood especially on the exhaust manifold and turbo charger. Get more and bigger fire extinguishers and keep them current and easy to get at. Don't ask.
Bob from Manitoba, Canada.
Yes! Good advice!
My family has run these dozers for the last 80 years. First. No seat belt. That means the roof and canopy is not a ROPS cab. That’s vital. If it’s not a ROPS cab then they want you to
Jump if it starts to roll off. Ours has a similar canopy and only is there for shade and to protect from tree branches. As far as cleaning, I feel you on trying to clean it. My dad says leave the old grease or if you remove it you’ll find more leaks. Lastly. If you have jacks and blocks, remove your belly pans and clean those from time to time. They build up grease and oils and that’s where fires can start. Otherwise, learning when it free wheels and spending time in the seat is what you need. Check the fluids daily, learn what it uses and consumes and how often and you’ll do just fine.
It is a H model, so that is a ROPS lid. Someone just cut the belts off. All the H models came from the factory with a ROPS. I agree though, starts going over, grab your lunch and join the birds.
As far as cleaning, you will have to do it sooner or later if you keep it. Steam cleaning is the only answer and in this day and age, you need a collection pad for all the grease and oil you clean off. As you say, you will find more leaks as you clean it.
@@knotbumper The early Hs didn't have ROPS, though many were retrofitted. That definitely looks like a ROPS to me.
Never fucking jump trust in the rops id contact caterpillar and im sure they'd happily send somebody out to investigate and give him a awnser if he's interested install a seat belt. Otherwise I doubt this thing will tip over unless he's on a sheerwall I've put a d6t on a over 100% for about 3 seconds while shitting myself cause my bench failed under me and I didn't tip. keep the blade down and stay in the cab. Stay buckled up
@@knotbumper Collection pads???? BWAAAHAHAHAHAHA... this is Idaho and any grease and oil only serve as dust control!!!
@@HiddenValleyHomestead No doubt about it, but you never know when you can get tagged. Friends spread oil for years down around Athol and finally got tagged. That cost them a chunk of change. Neighbors rated them out. (4th generation neighbors)
You have no idea how much I respect the phrase "We have No Idea what were doing". I have learned so much after uttering similar words.
I have 20+ years experience on heavy equipment including older D8's, so I mean it when I say that your catching on quick. I can't critique your work from what is on video but I don't believe you need my input. I would like to see you tighten the tracks though. Putting one back on is not fun in the best conditions. Enjoying the show. 😎
The man knows how to pack bearings the old fashion way.
The palm press method. Love it!
At 41, that's how I've always done it. I've never seen anyone do it any other way.
@@freighter1097 41 here too, wondering what the new way is
@@BeardedPharmacist small press usually plastic....works quick...less mess usually. You'll find them on Internet 15-30 dollars
@@cbc229 And Mr. Clark is spot on with his answer!👏🏼
Lisle 34550 Bearing Packer "Handy Packer", for Bearings Up to 3-1/2" O.D.
I don't think I ever in a million years thought I'd ever say this, but I want more bulldozer footage hahaha
My favorite toy as a kid was my bulldozer. It just said power. Drove a few front loaders but one day I'm gonna rent a dozer.
A tip for convenience of use. You can buy a vehicle blind spot camera kit like they have for large semi's and RVs that come with multiple cameras for all those hard to see locations and set it up on the dozer.
Id put it at the end of a selfie-stick to see whats in front of the blade
The problem with your idea is that machine is 24 volts. Without a power inverter you back up cam won’t Last one minute. People using a backup cam are far more liable to steer themselves into a rollover when working on a slope. I used to be a cat skinner building lease roads and leases for drilling rigs. Trust me when you are working you don’t have the time for gizmos. D8s are made to push dirt and to build roads not working around houses. Put the blade down and start pushing dirt
@@trevorjones8520 yea doing great ,taken in what ur M8 showed you ,you're getting the feel of the blade,as we would say doing less.air blading
Yesssshhh!! Are you back to posting twice a week, if not, please do.. Only once a week is not enough to see you guys work and do something fun.. Best of luck..
Riley you killed it! You are a quick learner, for sure. And it's already been said, the tracks need to be tightened a bit.
THAT IS SO COOL!
I could watch you repair your road all day.
I'm 70 and don't want to travel the world, I want to run a D8 Cat.
Your dogs look so happy. That makes me smile.
It would have been cool to see a little more video of your "meet and greet." Maybe next time.
Harbor Freight is my go to place for odds and ends big or small. Especially tools I will only use once or twice. Love that place. I'm glad they sponsored your "meet and greet".
I looked up your used oil stove. That was quite a gift.
Your sponsors are very generous.
Fortune is smiling on you.
Have fun!
I'm 62 now but when I was just out of high school my job was cleaning equipment like that and bigger. we used a steam genny , steam pressure washer.it worked great. keep up the good work, it's nice watching you two use your heads to get smart and entertaining results !!
Your doing a good job with the dozer. Don't be afraid to lightly back drag material when finishing the road surface.
Thinking they might just buy a roller 🤣🤣
@@marklar7551 renting a vibratory roller for a day
@@marklar7551 or maybee a grader....soon Riley will have enough equipment to start a construction company
Seems like the dozer was exactly what you needed. Heavy tools for heavy tasks, and years and months long projects start turning to projects of weeks, days and maybe even hours. I like how easily it moves all those big rocks, you definitely must make sure you utilize the dozer to the max. Just remember to keep some healthy respect to the dozer, safety before anything else.
Exactly. Once it starts to roll over ... 🤯
Thank for taking the huge effort it takes to make these vids. not to mention what a screaming bunch of fun it is to watch you two do your thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great start! Operators try to become part of the machine. A dozer is all about feel rather than sight. You have to view the front of your blade in your minds eye whilst operating. You also need to understand what the earth does to the dozer as you push it. This is especially important when you are cutting into a hill; the dozer will be pulled into the hill the more material you have on your blade. To keep a level cut you have to feel the dip where the blade first cut the earth and adjust the blade accordingly. You may also find using a higher gear may help once you have the hang of things, don’t just keep it in first.
When I worked for a construction company as a shop assistant I used to clean dozers and all sorts of equipment with a hot pressure washer. Getting the water hot helps clean old grease and grime off really well. Just don't forget a poncho/face shield and thick gloves!
We also used some sort of acid spray/wash but I can't remember what that was and wouldn't recommend it unless you're trying to clean off concrete.
Awesome job to both of you. It definitely is a skill to operate blind like that. BTW I think that dozer has a grease zerk that tightens the track on both sides via a piston.
Impressive how quickly Riley picked up operating the dozer. They aren't easy to operate and you can quickly do a lot of damage. He certainly has an aptitude for operating.
Correct it should be under a plate on tin between the track sprockets.
I just had my 80th birthday. I’m retired and spend a lot of time watching UA-cam videos. I stumbled on you guys and have been binge watching ever since. I haven’t gone back to the beginning but have watched much of your Idaho adventures.
Over the course of my life, I have done a lot of the things that I have seen you do. Mine have not been as classy as yours but I know what you are going through and very much enjoy watching you do it. Your building is absolutely stunning. With the increased danger of wild fires now, I would like to see you do a lot more clearing around your site.
I hope that you never stop making videos; they are fantastic.
I love you guys: all four of you.
Thanks for supporting the channel Jim! I agree, we have A LOT more clearing to do before I'll sleep well at night during fire season.
Maybe push some extra trees next to the road away? Creating extra space and light? With the dozer it’s so easy, what a beast : )
What amazing footage!!! I’m so excited for you guys! You won’t have worry about being trapped at your place in the winter time.
Hopefully this means the cement comes back up soon.
My thought exactly!
I agree, wish it was longer (sorry Court)
Spent 25 years on D-6 and D-5 logging cats building roads and skidding logs. You are doing a great job and picking it up very quickly for being a complete greenhorn.
The comments about tightening the tracks are correct. But there needs to be some slack in the track. There is a formula you can look up where you place a straight edge from the first upper roller or idler on top to the front main idler and measure the gap to the track. An inch or two droop is usually about right. Eventually you can do it by eye.
It should be a new enough model that you open the door midway on the roller guard and in there is a zerk which extends the piston that tightens the tracks. Pray that the seals are good on them because the repair is a nightmare. As little as you are likely to use the machine loose tracks will not be a wear problem but a track-coming-off-the-idler problem - another, though smaller nightmare.
A few other things - with practice the blind spots become irrelevant because you get a feel for what is going on in front of the blade.
There is a tendency to use too much blade then overcorrect then back to too much and you end up with a corduroy road. Practice fixes that too.
Learning to back-blade properly gives a nice finish to the road.
Most important, despite its weight, the contact area of the tracks makes cats much less efficient at compaction than you'd think. Fortunately you have a lot of rock in your fill and the soil looks like it had good moisture content for compaction, but even so when you get a lot of rain you may find the areas you filled softer than you bargained for.
Overall, very impressive for your first day or two. Better than some guys after a year or two.
DOZER OFF TRACKS IDEA: I think I thought of these once (or twice ...) before: make friends with Idaho National Guard Armor Division, and find a few mechanics to invite up for a BBQ. Then when/if a track comes off spinning around you have a "rapid response team." Just a thought. GO ARMY!
This is a very intelligent couple that are doing this work! They are the kind of people that will go far in this world!!!
U two r great makes me wish I was there with u enjoying that kind of life
Who cares? Why do you old men always gotta "I shpent 25 years on this or that"
@@trxtech3010 Because it demonstrates his qualifications for his opinions.
Riley, I have driven a D8 Cat like this Over 30 years ago maybe even 40 years ago!
When starting up the diesel engine when it’s Stone cold,
Did you know it’s best to let the pup engine run for about 5 minutes To warm up👍
Then engage the main engine, with compression off and let run for another five minutes👌
Now when you put the compression on, the main diesel Engine it will start up immediately, with very little smoke 😀😀👌👍
Another little trick to do when it is extremely cold outside.
Make some changes so you can easily empty The antifreeze Into some clean containers.
This way Riley whenever you want to start up your dozer, take the antifreeze any warm it up to about 120°F and pour that into the rad this way you’ll make starting much easier and faster.
Please let Dan know if this makes sense, OK
Thanks for the tips Dan!
For the excessive noise that is partly just having a dozer. You may be able to help it some by getting the muffler for a large semi truck and an elbow with a few fittings you can mount the muffler horizontally on top of the cab. This will quiet it down and gat the remaining exhaust noise above the roof.
I was thinking the same thing - a long stovepipe attached to that muffler would guide that exhaust smoke straight up higher and away from the operator as well.
Yeah great for the sound but with this guy I’m sure he’s gonna actually use the roll bars at some point to catch a tree
D8Hs didn't have mufflers until the end, just before the D8ks came out. It's supposed to be loud. Caterpillar back then considered the turbo to be a muffler.
You two are definitely making good progress. Just a tip on when you are building up the level of roads etc, do it in no more than 6inch lifts/raise, compact, then another lift, until you get to the desired height. This will minimize settling and it won't be as boggy in the wet.
Nice surprise to see a Wednesday video of your journey. I'm proud of you two in all you are accomplishing.
So awesome. So excited to see this. I'm much older than you and just got my mini excavator last year and it brings me joy. Riley must be in machinery heaven with that D8!
Nice job Riley. The way to learn is to familiarize, then get on it and ride. The way to improve is to practice, practice. The D8 & D9 are mountain movers, so that little road is not even working it hard. Love the progress!
Thought for you (and your neighbors) - You should set up a GMRS (that's a radio system) repeater on the peak of your mountain. The setup is relatively cheap and depending on the line of sight you should get a few miles of coverage. It's relatively low wattage, so you could set up just a solar panel and a small battery to keep it going (or run power to it). Excellent for primary use around the property, talk to neighbors or, and this is the kicker: If the cell service goes out in a storm or some other event, it's a solid backup that doesn't require much maintenance. Good solid handhelds and a cheaper repeater could be sub-$500 in all. Heck you might even have a GMRS club around there already, but having one on your property that you manage means you'll always have it for emergencies.
This is a great suggestion, a few hundred in gear would go a long way.
Another option is to take a little time and get your ham radio licenses. Their range is further, more people listen to them especially in times of disasters. And while you would need a repeater for GMRS you might have access to a ham repeater in your area.
@@terrygardner3031 Yeah or not. No one on a construction site uses a ham radio lol.
Where can i get online?! Is it on Amazon!
@@terrygardner3031 waste of time. I know, I have both. GMRS 100%. Retivis rt97 repeater system. Mine is in the mail now.
Perfect tool for such a massive project, and for your 'Reckless Riley'
It looks like you are making great progress and will be ready before fall.
I really enjoy your channel 😎
You two make work and relationship look fun & easy - wishing you years of future success
You are marvelous combo not afraid to take huge risks😊
Keep your wife happy. Having a Fire Extinguisher around especially in the brush or woods is very smart especially if you are just getting to know a new to you old machine in brush or woods . Just remember the triangle of fire is oxygen heat and fuel . Dry chemacle extinguishers remove the oxegyn. When they are empty it comes back and so can the fire. Having water to remove the heat is key. Smart woman are key when is men are not so bright.
Not too bad on that dozer. People don't realize how nice a D 8 is and how much power they have. The more you work it the smother you can make the road. Back drag it when you get done building it . Tighten those tracks up before you brake one. For first timer you a great job.
YES finally a Wednesday video and a great one at that! Hope this a start of a new routine for your channel great work guys 👍👍❤️
20:47 dude....someone with a welder had some SERIOUS time and a bunch of rod to kill....I fricken love it!!!
You’re one of the first people who actually packs a bearings correctly. Most just gob it all over the bearing and install it. Great job!👍🏼
This is a MUST WATCH video! Amazing what you two are accomplishing!!
Love it, guys. I have gotten many ideas for my own homestead-to-be in east Tennessee (only 6 acres . . . for now), though I do have to say that a fair number fall into the "what not to do" category. I also loved your . . . imaginative spelling of turnign 🤣. Keep going, wish you well
Dyno-mite. Moves dirt and rock and is a blast to watch. 😂
Well, it looks like life is complete. "The only difference between men and boys is the size and price of their toys". You're having wayyy toooo much fun, and if some work
gets done in the process....so much the better. Love your vids, you give me great cause to smile in these crazy times. Party-on!
Riley it’s a good idea to get and keep a medium to large fire extinguisher on the dozer. Also, run the dozer at least half throttle constantly and get a hang of using the brakes and hand levers to steer. Great video. Just think if you keep that old iron you can help your neighbors keep everything clear during problems that might crop up. And just think how easy it’ll be to grade out the pad for your building expansion.
and snow removal
You Mean AVALANCHE !!! RUN !!
From an operator...great job Rile. That is a big machine to learn on and you killed it. Also great filming and editing, that is also tough to do and make it entertaining.
Thank you so much Scott! We've got a lot to learn, but this felt like a good first step.
Welcome to heavy equipment repair.
Oven cleaner soak, then pressure washer.
You will learn how much you are cutting/pushing based on how much the tracks are slipping and slight changes in the diesel engine's speed.
"This machine can move a lot of dirt" is a complete understatement. You guys aren't even working it hard. It will push a full dozer blade of granite up a 45° slope.
Guaranteed, this will give you much more appreciation when you drive down some of the mountain highways. You can begin to understand what it takes to cut a road through the mountains.
Courtney, you know.... you know.... you can't let the boys have all the fun. Get up there dozer girl.
We have SO much appreciation for any hillside road we drive on these days. Riley usually says something along the lines of “woah they had to do a lot of blasting for this road!”
I've been watching your channel for a while now and I've come to the conclusion that there is nothing you two will not try or do yourself. Most of the time it ends in success! You guys are so awesome. Keep cranking out the good content.
Right!!!! So cool.
Another nice Jump there, 211K! Glad none of my tractors are that involved for starting. Something about running equipment that puts a smile on our faces. Like to see a good headphone setup too, I could use one. You guys are great to watch. Depending on how much you use the dozer, they do make regular starter conversions for them.
The understanding of each other that these guys have is just astounding! And always consier this a request for more videos! 😀 you guys are awesome 😎
Hurry up to the next video, can't wait for it. Thanks
About a month after we got married, I brought my bride to work with me. I fixed her a cozy place to sit beside me on the hydraulic tank, very similar to dozer you are on! 50 years later we are still married, and Dozers For Me, all the way!!
Riley please remember that on the back of the dozer is a very powerful winch, (if it is working) so that any vehicle that gets stuck on your property can easily be moved.
Even the army truck?😲
@@beckycrump8831 that winch will pull out that little truck sunk to the frame i know because i used a D6 with a winch to pull a loaded grain truck sunk in a field and that is about the same size as the grain truck we pulled out and i had a D6 he has a D8
I'm seriously impressed you guys, you are doing such a fantastic job and moving so much dirt so quickly! You both seem to learn how to use all the various tools and equipment so quickly and I am so jealous that you have so much cool equipment. Can't wait to see more videos of you working on the roadway.
Welcome to the wonderful world of heavy equipment maintenance. It is a heavey dirty job. Got to love it.
I’m following the videos in order except today. I scrolled 😂 by at the tiles/ thumbnails. I saw dozer. I had to watch. Now I back in time to videos in order.
Just saw the giant cauldron hot spring. Your very daring Courtney.
Pump up those tracks , the grease zerk is behind the idler (front roller) under an inspection plate, AWESOME JOB!!,!
Way too much fun ….you guys rock.
The difference between a man and a boy is the price (and size) of their toys!!! Go Go Riley.😆
The first dozer I ran was a D-8 serial # 2U, cable blade. I was 10 years old! My dad showed me how to start it and he left me go at it. That's the only way you're going to learn to operate it. Keep up the good work. Timber clearing is the most dangerous, take it 1 at a time, get the timber out of the way and then work the dirt!
That is amazing!! HUGE!! Great job guys!!
Great video. I'm jealous, Riley. You're living every kid who ever played with Tonka or other toy construction equipment's dream.
I notice Boone is getting a lot more time off leash. Both of the dogs seem to be loving country living.
And it looks like nature provided plenty of good roadbed material in the form of those hills composed of fractured rock. Between the excavator and the dozer, you should be all set.
Any news on getting yourselves a well or some other water source?
Enjoyed the video as always. Wish I didn't live on the other side of the continent, as it would have been great to go to your event.
Keep up the great work!
Thanks James! We got a GPS collar for Boone and it has given him a lot more freedom. Maybe we'll have the funds for a well someday, but as of now the plan is a combo of hauling water/rain collection.
It's amazing how much work you can get done with the right tools.
Cutting a new road on a hillside make sure you keep material on the blade. keep filling the low side as you go but be on the watch for the ground to give way if you push to far forward. You don't want to get caught on trees or roll. So turn into slide so you face down and reverse or you can push blade down for brake. That D8 will really stick to the ground enough to make you to confident. Otherwise enjoy the power and the fun running it. Awesome machine
You might want to buy a track shovel to make it easier to clean the mud out of the tracks each day. It is a long narrow shovel. You definitely want to clean the tracks in the winter so mud and snow don’t freeze in the tracks.
Track shovel is also called a trenching spade.
Some old tires to put the dozer tracts on in the winter so it don’t freeze to the ground.
@@richardkremer8313 you don't have to worry about the tracks freezing down. I run a d7 for years in Saskatchewan and never had a problem. You do want to shovel the snow out of the rollers.
This is so great watching this - the size of that Dozer is ridiculous - Riley looks like a tiny person at the controls. I feel a giant on my tiny 1 ton excavator in comparison - 🤣 Great work guys 🚜
I second it. Read the Manuel an tighten those tracks. Trust Me you have know idea how hard it is to get tracks on a machine that heavy.. Chief Equipment Operator, CW Davis, Seabees USN - Ret
I work on quite a few engines, from string trimmers to cars to tractors. “Super Clean” has come through every time. Spray, brush n rinse. Done!
Just an observation , the tracks look kind of loose , you wouldn't want them to come off ,you would have a difficult time to get back on on the road.
Just make sure you build proper ditches! Don't put it off thinking "I'll do it later."
You are living every little kids dream playing with that Doser!
RILEY! over here in the UK we use a product called "traffic film remover" abbreviated to TFR, its amazing stuff at getting old engines and running gear clean, its supposed to be for cleaning vehicle body's, but its actually better at degreasing engines, i have used it to clean a few telehandlers, forklifts, backhoes, and other plant machines in the past, like a cement mixing truck, you spray it on from one of those pump-up weed killer sprayers, have a coffee break and forget about it for about 10 minutes, then wash it off with the power washer, its absolutely incredible stuff
What seemed a little crazy to you at first, has blossomed into a great buy! Just wanted to suggest that you could build a nice water catchment system on the bottom side of your huge solar array using an eavestrough....just a thought. More showers, less trips to the water place.
I'd be contemplating loots of catchments for water security.
I would love to see an aerial time lapse of a section of road being worked on! That dozer is so big, it's hard to get an idea of the scale of the amount of work it can do.
Throw a Drone up above.. Yes..
When I was a kid, my dad and uncle had a road graveling business. Another company would pioneer a road, and then we'd come in and gravel it for the logging trucks. My uncle had D3 and D4 Cats. I clearly remember him yelling at the Cat operators many times. "I don't want to see no backblading!" Because a skilled operator can make somewhat a smoother road surface going backwards with the blade down than going forward. BUT, it was much harder on the equipment and costlier to the owner to replace the biting blades this way. Edit: I also used to sit in a little space on the machine when I was little and I'd ask the operator, "How do you know what you're pushing? You got x-ray vision?" His response was, "Just watch what and how much comes out of the sides of the blade. That tells me what's in front of the blade." Edit 2: Big Cats are easier to operate than smaller Cats. The smaller ones jump around a lot more. The bigger ones such as yours are more stable and easier to make a level surface.
My father used this to cut roads into wooded areas so surveyors could get access. 60 years ago. I also learned at 12. He would gouge a 4ft tree root on the right; then the left; then straight-on but deep. The tree toppled. Then push it off to the side an on to the next.
Riley looks like you're in your element, LOL you big kid!!! Watching your videos always brings a smile to my face, I love them. You're a great team.
I have seen experienced operators buy small then work there way up almost like a right of passage, I am more a go big or go home sort of a guy, so to me this purchase is a no brainer. You guys did real well, this dozer will last you forever. The real good operators understand their machinery is there livelihood and treat the maintenance of there machines as critical, so my only tip is that, maintenance is paramount. As for operating the machine, that’s a time thing, you will work it out. Good job guys, competence is great but respect the power in your hands and feet Riley
Amazing how fast you've caught on to it.. GREAT WORK.. as the old operator that trained me (worked in open pit Coal mines 40 yrs ago) told me Many years ago.. once someone shows you what the controls do you have to get in the seat and beat yourself up to learn.. when ya get tired of Hurting you'll figure out how to operate it without it hurting so bad when you back up over your work. learn to listen to the engine and watch the ground speed beside ya to know what is or isn't in front of ya.. YOU'RE DOING AMAZING for someone with no experience.
I know I cannot be the only one out here that is wishing for videos twice the length of what they normally are now :) :) :)
It's Christmas time every time a new video pops up from y'all. Awesome job!!! Love the heavy equipment
You did an amazing job thinking you got no experience at all in operating the dozer. Good job bro.
Not sure what else you could not operate. Way go to guys.
A D8…OMG, you didn’t just buy bulldozer, you bought a MONSTER bulldozer. It’s gonna be fun watching this!
You both are my new heroes! Riley, operating and FIXING so much on that dozer is just astounding. Courtney, your skill at operating the Kubota is really impressive. Except for some of the massive repairs on the dozer, it looks like you two are having a lot of fun!
Great video glad your getting the hang of it awesome job !!! When you going to build the deck ?? Be nice to sit on deck watch the sunrise and have coffee lol
Dozer,skid steer and excavator is this pieces of equipment every person should have
Get it started and go have a cup of coffee, that 15 minutes makes a world of difference in warm up.
Best part about using a dozer is the action of pushing material along in helps to compact it. A truckload tipped off and leveled takes ages to compact. Great job. Great fun. Now you just need to get on the dozer and Riley can be on the camera. Might never get another chance!!!
Just amazing. I had a design instructor who said as teens, he and his friends used to start up machines on a job site and actually try to do the jobs. Probably super dumb and dangerous, but that's a lot of peoples dreams to play with full sized versions of their Tonka toys. The tips from all the pros in the comments are fascinating. It seems very non-intuitive and reading all of these notes is super interesting. Luck to you guys! Be safe!
Riley, you are a total stud! I can’t believe you learned how to operate that monster in such a short time. And Courtney is such a great companion and I love the way that she shares his enthusiasm.
Riley, you give me good chuckle with your joy in working with your new equipment. You definitely bring to mind the old saying ‘difference between men & boys is the price of the toys!’
You need to tighten your tracks on the Dozer. It is done with your grease gun. There is a cylinder behind each front idler wheel. Pump them so as to keep the tracks with less sag between the track rollers.
I am amazed with your new found ability. You have enough broken rock at your place that you should not have to buy more than a little for surface finish. Be aware that “roadbase” is about 80 percent dirt and maybe 20 percent rock and unless well packed will turn into mud. Use the rock you have, pack it with the Dozer.
Keep up the good work.
bro that grease and oil is your rust prevention
that stuff is THE reason why this thing still exists lol
Adjust the Tracks ,if they get loose you may through it off the drive sprocket. And they never come off in a convent place, and they can be Hell to get back on. From an old Field Mechanic.
Isn’t it wonderful that Mother Nature furnished the rock you need to build the road😊😊😁😁
Go big or go home I always say. Great job. That Dozer is big enough to do anything you want. Think big.
Practice makes perfect but remember to remain "Safe!" Awesome job on the access road and it's great you have the natural resources on site to take advantage of with your piece of "Heavy Metal."
SIMPLE GREEN. SOAK before cleaning , New Fan belt set is a must , track tension / deflection should be around 1 inch to 1 3/4 inches. Keep gun ready every 8 hours.
Yay! Time for a new Reckless Riley T-Shirt with a dozer on it!
Yet another Great video!!! A few years back I was a Rock Truck driver on surface mines (primarily the 730 Komatsu but also wheeled the 797 Cat. The mine operators wanted everybody trained on all the equipment in case of operator shortage/s. When I went for my Dozer/Grader training the first thing the instructors told me was, I can show you in five minutes how to run these machines but, it'll take you years to master them.
Riley, if you want the Dozer to be "clean" the best way to do it is, to completely disassemble it and clean each part/bolt individually as you put it back together. Oh, and don't forget to remove the stickers to get under where they are, many people miss this area when detailing a Dozer :) :)
Just keep her vaguely clean (like it is) and don't allow dust to build up on the engine, you're not dealing with a combustion issue (as with coal) but dust build up -keeps the heat in-.
Say Hi to the Pups for me :) :)
Good job Cheers
well done! My wife and I live off grid in northern Idaho and we also recently acquired an old D8! they are awesome machines! We are clearing stumps, building road and putting in a pond with ours. your viewers might also get value in learning the down side of these machines...might mention in one of your vids about how many 5 gallon cans (at $25 per) you needed to haul in to run it for a day. we run ours VERY strategically. it has a 75 gallon fuel tank that it will run through in about 6 hours of heavy use ($375 worth). Also a regular "service" including oil. oil filter, fuel filters, air filter, and a few cases of grease cartridges tekes me a day and will cost you over a grand in materials. I love mine, but future potential owners of these machines should be aware of the price tag of ownership. keep up the good work! you guys ROCK!!!
That's awesome! We're loving this beast. Yes it does cost both arms, both legs, and a few more to run. Luckily we have a 112 gal transfer tank that makes filling it a little easier.
Great to see those old machines still get there use and do it good too
Yours is one of those channels where you can like a video before watching it and never regret your choice.
Thank you so much!