Embarrassing question from a newbie.

[Stebbo]

You may remember some months ago I asked advice on buying a secondhand mini digger. Your help and advice was very much appreciated. The eventual outcome was a JCB 801.4 (3100 hrs 1995) on loan as often and as long as I needed it from a friend. So far so good. I’m an active ‘old boy’ (74) with quite a wide variety of skills but despite having dug out two large brushes and removed several spoil heaps, accumulated over the years, I find it almost impossible to leave the ground level !! OK, I appreciate that’s where the real skill and experience comes in but despite trying my best to “think it through” I still find it very difficult to not keep digging holes. Accurately loading wheelbarrows to the max and precisely emptying the bucket. No problem, but levelling ground, forget it !!
I have a soak away to dig and fill with surplus building rubble and because it’s in the middle of the drive I’m nervous to start it.
Don’t all laugh at once but any help would be very much appreciated. Incidentally I have a 12 & 22in digging bucket and a 36in ditching bucket available.

 

[V8Druid]

get 'control' of the boom first, then introduce the dipper movement to the equation

 

[hiluxman]

I'd assume at that age and hours it'll be well worn in the pin and Bush department. Also on that age 801.4 it could be cable operated levers, which will make it harder work been precise.

 

[Smiffy]

Check out YouTube there are lots of videos that explain better than we can writing it.
Couple of tricks, bear in mind the machine has to be level to get a level finish
1 don't start grading at full stretch
2 reach out have the bucket 6in off the ground. Pull back on the left stick and as the bucket reaches the level you want start to pull back on the right stick. Only adjust the speed of one lever during the pass.
3 stop grading when the stick reaches 90° to the ground as the a smooth transition from right lever backwards to right lever forwards is near impossible.
4 as you slew sideways overlap each pass by 6in or so and trace that level so it all matches.

Best way to practice that I learn from the ce forum possibly from a member still on here is to just try and trace the bucket edge 1 inch above a flat bit of concrete easier to see where your going wrong.
I did this for hours and can still make an accurate recreation of the somme

 

[Stebbo]

Thanks guys. Useful tips there Smiffy. I was trying it at full stretch but your suggestions certainly gives me a bit more hope. Despite it’s age the only ‘snatchy’ control is the left and right slew (if that’s the cab rotating about the tracks ?) but that won’t affect the grading.
I’d be interested to know which cables to check !

 

[V8Druid]

Thanks guys. Useful tips there Smiffy. I was trying it at full stretch but your suggestions certainly gives me a bit more hope. Despite it’s age the only ‘snatchy’ control is the left and right slew (if that’s the cab rotating about the tracks ?) but that won’t affect the grading.
I’d be interested to know which cables to check !

Have a look under your levers to see if they have cables going to the main valve spool block, or are servo controlled with small hydraulic pipes going to the main block .... if cable they'll need LOADS of lubrication

 

[hiluxman]

Thanks guys. Useful tips there Smiffy. I was trying it at full stretch but your suggestions certainly gives me a bit more hope. Despite it’s age the only ‘snatchy’ control is the left and right slew (if that’s the cab rotating about the tracks ?) but that won’t affect the grading.
I’d be interested to know which cables to check !

It's not so much a snatch but there will be lots of travel in them which makes transitioning between movements harder than it will be on servos.

If you put a picture up of the machineI'll be able to tell you straightaway if it's cable or not.

 

[JD450A]

Use the blade

 

[Giles]

As rory said use the blade going backwards or get a sleeper etc and rachet strap it to grader with angle iron lip for blade to sit under. wider it is easier it’ll be

 

[Stebbo]

Successfully attached two photos but couldn’t see where to accept cookies so they disappeared. Where do I accept them ?

 

[Stebbo]

Seems to have worked this time. No idea what I did differently ? Could only see a single rod from underneath, no cables.

 

[charlie2]

older smaller machines arnt the best for grading or levelling if your not fully used to the machine try doing it a little at a time not in one go it takes time to get a proper feel for machines most people starting out only use one function at a time the machines are gentler to use when using multiple functions but thats hard to do straight off, just stick at it and it will happen dont expect to be spot on right away get fully used to the machines controls and use less revs not ticking over but not full revs either you will discover whats best for you, it is a lot easier on bigger machines where there is a longer working envelope.

 

[V8Druid]

Seems to have worked this time. No idea what I did differently ? Could only see a single rod from underneath, no cables.

clean little machine that

 

[6feetdown]

Successfully attached two photos but couldn’t see where to accept cookies so they disappeared. Where do I accept them ?

Only time you should accept cookies is when they are baked or fresh out of a packet

 

[Smiffy]

Only time you should accept cookies is when they are baked or fresh out of a packet

Really?? The way you lot go on it sounds like you would be partial to a soggy biscuit

 

[Smiffy]

Really?? The way you lot go on it sounds like you would be partial to a soggy biscuit

I had a pair that lasted forever, thing is I hated them, they where really comfy and water proof, but plain black with no scuff protector, and between that and the full hi Vis I felt so council worker I hated it. I wish they did the same pair in brown

 

[V8Druid]

I had a pair that lasted forever, thing is I hated them, they where really comfy and water proof, but plain black with no scuff protector, and between that and the full hi Vis I felt so council worker I hated it. I wish they did the same pair in brown

wrong thread @Smiffy unless you like chewing shoe leather

 

[6feetdown]

wrong thread @Smiffy unless you like chewing shoe leather

Tough cookies

 

[Smiffy]

wrong thread @Smiffy unless you like chewing shoe leather

Haha don't know what went wrong there

 

[6feetdown]

I had a pair that lasted forever, thing is I hated them, they where really comfy and water proof, but plain black with no scuff protector, and between that and the full hi Vis I felt so council worker I hated it. I wish they did the same pair in brown

Which ones