Komatsu D20A-6 ?

[GuglioLS]

The hairpin turn about halfway up the Road Rob & I constructed needed some fill dirt to cover up some bedrock outcroppings that will not budge. So it was time to put all this new stuff to work. Using the dozer and tractor, a large pile of dirt was made, then loaded into the dump trailer connected to the dozer:




The dump trailer held 5 overflowing FEL buckets worth of material.
I then hauled the dirt up the road and dumped it onto the area that needed to be built up. I made 8 trips, I need to make about 16 more and there will be enough material to make a very nice smooth and well banked hairpin turn in the trail. It was late in the day and this was my last round trip before supper. Esther came up in the ATV to see what the heck I was doing and shot the video. The sun is low and casting a shadow on the dump trailer so it's a little dark, but I think you get the idea:



After dumping the load, I turned the whole rig around then bladed smooth what was just dumped on my way back down for another load.

Larry

 

[3RRL]

Larry,
Great job installing that hydraulic valve to your Komatsu. I had no idea you were doing that too, but it sure makes sense since you're using the dozer for much more than just "dozing".

I was and have been worried about one turn even after I left your place. I remember telling you that needs additional work to make an easier transition. As I recall, it was the best place to make that turn since the other areas were like impossible to do it. Looks like you are getting it done nicely.

How cold is it getting at your place now?

 

[GuglioLS]

Rob -
Yea the switch back, After driving up & down the road for three months cutting firewood, I decided to make an "adjustment" to it. The rear end of the ATV kept getting pushed sideways when descending that curve with a trailer load of wood. Esther said "something needs to be done about that" She scouted around for another route, but quickly discovered where you laid it out and I cut it with the Dozer was THE only choice. Some of those "rocks" in the way are solid bedrock that would dwarf a battleship. Then she said - "well can't you just blast it out?" - I don't think I have enough powder left in the magazine to blow it all to smithereens. So I will keep hauling fill dirt and work it with the Tractor & Dozer.

How cold is it getting at your place now?

22 - 29 F in the mornings 55 - 60 in the afternoons. We are building small fires in the morning & evening for about two weeks now.

Larry

 

[3RRL]

I was asking about the temps because I had a 36F morning at camp.
Might not seem cold to many out there, but it is for out here.

 

[tommu56]

Rob
I was up state at my cabin and i had ice on my truck window about 3 weeks ago it has been a little warmer lately only down to 40 or so but it will get worse.

tom

 

[GuglioLS]

Rob,

I understand 36 at camp is cold, especially since it was 100 degrees there just last week. Man your weather changed fast. I remember freezing my butt off at your camp for 3 days. I don't think it ever got above 38 the whole time I was there and you never even built a fire! I had to chew gum to keep my teeth from chattering. My hair color never recovered from the permafrost and my voice is now one octave higher.

Larry

 

[3RRL]

Rob,

I understand 36 at camp is cold, especially since it was 100 degrees there just last week. Man your weather changed fast. I remember freezing my butt off at your camp for 3 days. I don't think it ever got above 38 the whole time I was there and you never even built a fire! I had to chew gum to keep my teeth from chattering. My hair color never recovered from the permafrost and my voice is now one octave higher.

Larry

 

[GuglioLS]

Today I hauled another eight loads of dirt up the hill with the dozer and dump trailer combo to build up the hairpin turn. It's all working out quite well. I had to increase the relief pressure setting on the valve for the dump trailer about 1/2 turn so I could max out the load capacity of the dump trailer and still dump it.

Working conditions were quite dusty it's very dry and windy. Last week I installed a filter minder on the dozer to monitor when the filter needs to be cleaned. It was a good investment.

The Dozer had a 1/8"-27 threaded plug in exactly the right location to measure inches of water column of vacuum. The thread mount Filter Minder came with a 1/8"-27 threaded nipple that screwed right into the Dozer intake manifold plug threads, so it was super simple to install:



Now I don't have to guess when to clean or replace the filter. The cool thing about these filter minders are they lock into position, indicating the highest vacuum achieved so the engine does not have to be running to note the reading. There is a push button to reset it. After working the dozer 8 hours over two weekends in the powder dusty dirt, the filter minder is indicating that the air filter is about one third the way to needing service. It's seams to be doing it's job.

Larry

 

[EddieWalker]

Larry,

You keep coming up with things that I need!!!!

Where did you get the filter minder and what did it cost? Does it have a size limit? Was it 24volt?

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[GuglioLS]

Eddie,

Thanks man, I'm glad you find some of this is interesting. I have always enjoyed and learned allot form every single posting you have written. In some small way I was hoping this Komatsu Blog is helpful to others to return the favor.

The Filter minder is zero, nada, nothing volts, no wires to run so that even better. It runs off vacuum created between the intake manifold of the engine and the Air filter. I don't know if it has a size limit? I'll bet it will work on your dozer no problem.

Here are all the NAPA part#'s with direct links to the product.
The one I used on the dozer is the first link below, the FIL 4800
There are four different mount options / styles to choose from for your particular application or need. The FIL 4800 is 52.49 a little pricey, I thought it worth the investment now I'll never have to guess when the filter needs cleaning or replacing.

FIL 4800 Thread Mount
FIL 4801 Grommet Mount
FIL 4802 Remote NON Dash Mount
FIL 4804 Remote Dash Mount


Larry