Rare Cat 16E grader NOT a grader.

With the 90 deg. pipe attached and the ability to penetrate 6 ft, I wonder is it was a cable layer of some sot. Parts of the complete arrangement may be missing.

Hi, HFZDL.
That's eggz-aktly what it was/is. I'd guess that the cable spool would have either mounted on the back or trailed and the cable ran overhead through the pipework.

Just my 0.02.

Make a good lawn edger! Plow over guard rails....hmmm.... bet that would be fun to do! lol

Looks like the rear tires are taller than the ones in front of them, you can even see the tilt in the tandem drive housing, that must put a lot of strain on things, and wear on tires, maybe it's just how it looks.

Hi, Josh.
Yep. Hardly ideal and not the way I would want them for sure.

Just my 0.02

This is a communication cable plough set up. would work, and by the looks it has worked by the worn off paint on the tine. Great if the ground is soft or pre-ripped well. trouble is would bog easy. Fact is someone has spent considerable funds on it, hope it paid off!
Deas, let us know if you purchase.

Hi, Davross22.
Me????????? Purchase??????????? NOT gonna happen. M8. 'Twouldn't fit in my suitcase to take back to DowNunda.

Quote:
"Fact is someone has spent considerable funds on it,".
Unquote.

Times three. Apparently, there were 3 of them built.

I agree that the ground would need to be pretty ' user friendly' for that to work on its ownsome. Much resistance and it would at the very least test out the effectiveness of the front wheel lean. With all that weight off to one side, I suspect that it would also lessen the 'tractive efficiency' of the other side.

Interesting idea and engineering all the same.

Just my 0.02.

I would bet it was primary used with the grader running on the road and plowing the cable in just off the shoulder in the ditch. That's where they usually stick the cable around here.

Hi, O-I-H.
Aha!!!!!!!! A bettin' man, are ye???????????????

Firstly, it is NOT a 16G. I think it was originally a 16D that has been specifically modified for cable plowing. It doesn't have grader blade as such and would have had gear lift blade controls before the modifications. It appears as if it still has the gear type control box under the steering wheel and the control levers appear to mounted on the back face of the box a la the earlier 16s rather than on top like the 16E series. I suspect that an extra hydraulic system has been added to cope with the lift rams and the lift slide ram on the ripper tine, along with additional control levers to handle these functions.

The main frame has also been extensively plated to cope with the additional loads imposed on it by the cable ripper. I think that ripper draft frame, lift slide and shank would be way heavier than the original circle and blade.

The original circle side shift would have been mechanical with a gear driven curved rack like the earlier 12s but has been replaced with a hydraulic ram. there also appear to be a ram behind the draft bean which may be to 'steer' the ripper shank. I would not surprised if there were a few other modifications too.

All in all, quite the work of art.

Just my 0.02.