Dozer Blade does not dig

Is that a cable blade??
Pitch forward for digging....back for carrying.
Seems it's all in the angle of attack on those cable units.
I'm sure you will get some good advice here.

It depends on how hard the ground is you are trying to dig. Here it is beautiful loam in the winter time but in the summer it bakes as hard as concrete. The cable D8 wont touch it.

As OM says pitch the blade forward. If it still won't dig you can try tilting it down on one side. You may be able to root it up with the corner of the blade. Once you get down a foot or so it may dig better.

Tom

You might also check into back up rippers. These ripper teeth hinge along the bottom back side if the blade. They fold up when pushing forward but drop down and rip in reverse. I have had this set up on every cat I have owned and have gone through stuff that would have been impossible with out them. That old 8 would rip through anything. Check out Kenco manufacturing in Atoka Oklahoma for some info and photos. Good luck, Charlie

Hi, White7.
Both 8C 361 and D4C Charlie have given good advice, as did Old Magnet regarding the pitch. Charlie's advice does work and work well but may require an injection of some 'green fix-all' while 8C 361's is very cost effective - read no cash outlay.

You didn't say whether you have an angle blade or a straight 'dozer - doesn't make a lot of difference - the straight dozer is narrower thus presenting less cutting edge to push into the ground while the angle blade is wider but also has a heavier frame.

If you do choose to tilt your blade down to gain extra penetration, do NOT extend the tilt braces beyond the point where the threads start to show as this increases the risk of bending under heavy loads. You CAN wind the high side brace out to the thread-show point and then wind the opposite side brace all the way in to increase the tilt angle.

The above extension limit on the tilt braces also applies to pitching the blade forward to improve the cutting angle and is a Caterpillar recommendation.

If the tilt braces haven't been used in a while, some 'persuasion' may be required. Diesel fuel or a penetrating oil squirted down the tube, some well-calculated use of 'percussion' and lots of brute force and basic ignorance can all play a part in freeing them up if stuck.

Prevention is WAY better than 'cure' in the above situation, if you get my drift.

You didn't say if you are on a farm or wherever. If you are on a farm, do you have a sub-soiler, mole drainer or similar - or do any of your neighbors? It is sometimes quite amazing what one of these jiggers can achieve, even on a 3 pt linkage wheel tractor. Even a moldboard plough may do the trick. Once you get through the crust, you may well have the battle won.

Hope this helps.

It could be your cutting edge is worn down and needs replacing. It is very hard to get any penetration with a worn out, blunt edge.

Great idea on checking the cutting edge. Worked on a job once along side another cat that wouldn't penatrate some moderate hard rock, my blade dove right in because I had a new cutting edge. Charlie

A new cutting edge and corner bits can work wonders, especially with heavy duty corners which extend below the blade when it is tipped well forward.

Hi, White7.
Fossilisation must be setting in and I'm getting slow. I missed the last line of your post where you wrote that you have a straight blade. Sorry.

As mentioned by several others above, cutting edges and corner tips can make a HUGE difference to a blade's ability to get into the ground. If yours are worn and you plan on doing a bit of dirt work with your machine, it may be well worthwhile to replace them.

Please let us know how you get on.

[quote="Deas Plant."]Hi, White7.
Fossilisation must be setting in and I'm getting slow. I missed the last line of your post where you wrote that you have a straight blade. Sorry.

As mentioned by several others above, cutting edges and corner tips can make a HUGE difference to a blade's ability to get into the ground. If yours are worn and you plan on doing a bit of dirt work with your machine, it may be well worthwhile to replace them.

Please let us know how you get on.[/quote]

I tipped the blade forward quite a bit more. It works much better. Did not know how far I should go before. I probably should replace the end bits as they are worn even with the blade.