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How to recover a grader

Posted: 30 Jan 2011 23:09
by Ruben
Ok, so it all started about two weeks ago when a quick drive around the farm ended up in an exciting recovery. We first attempted to recover the stucked Patrol with the 4x4 Landini tractor, but the tractor also got trapped. The day ended with me admiring the great benefit of a winch as this was the only means of recovering the Patrol. The Landini was recovered by two other tractors in tandem.
Here is the stucked Patrol
Here is the stucked Patrol
1 Patrol stuck.jpg (328.18 KiB) Viewed 8593 times
This exciting event initiated a call to get a grader to repair the farm roads on the eastern side of the farm as the exit roads on the western side were becoming too wet and muddy for daily travel. So this Saturday the grader arrived to come and cut our farm roads. The problem was that the driver decided to work on the farm roads on the western side of the farm, and this is where the trouble started. I was in town when I received a call that the grader was stuck. When I arrived at the spot I attempted to recover the grader with my winch. I admit that this was a farfetched idea, but I had to try. The next option was the Landini, but the tractor could not even move the grader.
Stucked grader
Stucked grader
2 Grader stuck.jpg (496 KiB) Viewed 8593 times
Check the winch cable
Check the winch cable
3 Grader stuck.jpg (561.28 KiB) Viewed 8593 times
It was here that we realised it was time for the big guns. We had to get the excavator of the nearby mine. The heavy excavator had difficulties reaching the grader and had to at times recovery itself. The grader also had to dig a road towards the grader. The excavator started south from the grader and crawled/digged north towards the grader for about 60 to 80m. This resulted in the transformation of a small “twee spoor” farm road into a muddy road pit looking like a dam.

The photos below describe the event the best.
Look at the size of the excavator tracks
Look at the size of the excavator tracks
4 Excavator tracks.JPG (241.24 KiB) Viewed 8593 times
The main recovery "tool"
The main recovery "tool"
5 Excavator to the rescue.JPG (236.45 KiB) Viewed 8593 times
The recovery
The recovery
6 Grader recovery.JPG (234.12 KiB) Viewed 8593 times
7 Grader recovery.JPG
7 Grader recovery.JPG (64.42 KiB) Viewed 8593 times
8 Grader recovery.JPG
8 Grader recovery.JPG (62.88 KiB) Viewed 8593 times
9 Grader recovery.JPG
9 Grader recovery.JPG (61.74 KiB) Viewed 8593 times
Looking down the mud road in a southern direction
Looking down the mud road in a southern direction
10 Road south (2).JPG (61.53 KiB) Viewed 8593 times

Re: How to recover a grader

Posted: 30 Jan 2011 23:18
by Ruben
Here is two more pics of what the road looks like now. It will be years before we can use it again.
Looking north.JPG
Looking north.JPG (232.12 KiB) Viewed 8592 times
Looking south.JPG
Looking south.JPG (246.7 KiB) Viewed 8592 times

Re: How to recover a grader

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 07:33
by Russ Kellermann
Cool story! and pics!

Cold you not land fill that "dam" now and once it settles and packs, then grade it flat with a light duty grader or dozer with a grading front end? just throwing around ideas, i have no idea what could.... :confused:

Re: How to recover a grader

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 08:39
by Kagiso II
fill up with old used tyres [should be packed but time & labour will dictate if you pack 'm or toss'm ]
fill with sand as you go - and the last section - if you can find some rocks, throw these in. Then cover with sand on top.
Never get stuck again and prevents erosion forever.

But that is BIG work. Just a thought - nt even :mytwocents:

Re: How to recover a grader

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 09:08
by Peter Connan
Hi Ruben

My experience says you must stabilize and fill that hole ASAP otherwise that patch will be a problem every time it rains.

Old tires are good, but building rubble or whatever will work just as well. We also used to use old anthills. They set rock hard.

Cheers
Peter

Re: How to recover a grader

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 22:10
by Tinus lotz
Hi ruben
krisis meneer julle maak groot gate as julle dit doen !!!!!
ek weet niks van padbou nie so ek kan nie help nie maar gelukkig het jou patrol low range en n winch!!!!!
dit lyk of jy dit gaan nodig he :biggrin:

Re: How to recover a grader

Posted: 01 Feb 2011 09:46
by Mammoth
Ek wonner maar net....

Hoekom di gat toemaak as jy nou so lekker speelplek het.... Ek sit wraggies eerder in daai gat vas om in die kantoor agter n' tafel te sit met n' das wat jou wurg....... :lol:

Re: How to recover a grader

Posted: 01 Feb 2011 21:34
by Ruben
Dankie vir die raad manne.

Ek gaan wragtig honderde ou bande nodig he om daai gat toe te maak. EK besluit nog wat om te maak.
Mammoth jou plan werk ook vir my. Miskien moet ek dan eerder die gat in n orderntlik 4x4 baan omskep

Re: How to recover a grader

Posted: 02 Feb 2011 01:07
by Kagiso II
het jy nou jou gat gesien? sal jou leer om met uclids te ry waar Patrol huiwer ... :rolling:

Ek dink meeste van di ebande plekke sal maar te dankbaar wees om 'n gat te he waar hulle bande kan dompel [Ex swaer Koos inni Vrystaat het erosie slote so herwin - [het hom weliswaar 'n klompie jare geneem]

Maar AS jy hom nou wel 'n 4x4 speelplekkie wil maak - Wat gaan jy die "trail" noem? :think:

Re: How to recover a grader

Posted: 02 Feb 2011 20:36
by Tinus lotz
ja!!!!maak dit n speelplek ons gaan vir jou kom kuier :woo: :woo: :woo: :woo: :woo:
hou net daai excavator naby want as my patrol gaan le in die modder het jy n erinstige masjien nodig om hom daar uit te kry!!! :rolling: :rolling: