# Graders anyone?



## lars

Remember when the road grader used to be the mainstay of any township road department? Around here most townships don't have one or have an old one (20+ years) lying around unused. I'm assuming that they are not used now because most roads are now paved and new graders are very pricey. 

Who else has noticed this and is anybody working with townships that still use them? I guess I'm looking for an informal "grader survey." I think graders are great pieces of equipment. They're big, they're loud and they can move lots of dirt.


----------



## BigZ1001

See them used quite a bit in this state for grading shoulders and such. They actually see alot of use in the winter as well with alot of hills.


----------



## Team_Yamaha

I know that our county has 6 or 7 graders, all of them are fairly new John Deere's. Around here they use them on the gravel back roads, where is usually just a farm or two. And also use them in the winter on a few of the county roads that drift really bad. Plus our county has its own hot mix (black top) plant, so they use them to grade the road bases, they service all the roads in our county and in 2 neighboring countys as well.


----------



## fordsrule

My town DPW bought a new grader just so they could use it snow. Theres no real dirt or gravel roads in town. They used it once when they redid the field at the high school but thats about it. I think its a Cat grader.


----------



## 2004F550

A neighboring town with like 1 dirt road bought a 772 Deere all wheel drive w/ the snow wing set up. Seems like a big waste to me, especially w/ the amount of snow we get. Guess if you have the money tho y not spend it.


----------



## Guest

*JD & Volvo Graders in NH*

My town has an old John Deere (1983 I think), with a front plow, wing plow, and it's a big grader.

They also just bought a Volvo with a front plow, wing plow, etc. Also very nice.

They seem too long though. Around here (NH), the town roads are narrow.

I like the more shorter graders you know, the smaller ones. They seem good. I've seen them in Maine in some towns as most of those roads are really really narrow.


----------



## nsmilligan

This is my road punched out with a grader and a V blade the banks are over 10' high

Bill


----------



## AintNoFun

our township has 2 older ones.... they don't even move in the snow.... was talking to the guy that runs the public works the other day... they bought a $55,000 infared pot hole machine two years ago and haven't even moved it since they got it.... townships in NJ are jokes......


----------



## yorkpaddy

I remember in 2003 during our big storm down here (VA) they were using a grader on the beltway, right around 270.


----------



## Dwan

I just bought this yesterday for something to do this winter if it doesn't snow. Plan on restoring it. it has 6 wheel drive and not in to bad of shape.
1964 Austen-Western Super300. Now I have to buy a sand blaster so I can get it ready to paint.


----------



## crashz

Nice machine Dwan!

My father had a old Cat 12 that was a spitting image of your Austin-Western. I can't remember the year, but it had the little pony motor that started the N/A diesel. And the diesel had a decompression switch that had to be disengaged once it started to puff. What a nightmare to start in the winter. Most times we would just pull it with a truck or loader to start it!

How do you like those ancient dog clutch levers? After 8 hours of operating the grader your arms feel like they'll fall off.


----------



## crashz

Oh - I just noticed. You have hydraulics to move the blade. Good deal. I'll never operate another machine that uses dog clutches to move the equipment. 

Enjoy your new machine!


----------



## Dwan

Thanks, I got a lot to learn and it looks like no one to teach me.

Well taking it back to the lot the church next to ware I got it asked me to grade there lot. Then when I got back to the shop I had a call from a bus storage yard that reconised me and wanted there lot graded. last night when I was steam cleaning it my neighbor came over and wanted his mini storage lot graded. I just have to learn to run it now.


----------



## jiriki87

City of Steamboat Springs has 6 or seven Cat 14 H's with wing plows on them. The plow around 15-20 mph through-out the city with traffic. They also run 3-4 cat It 28 G's with 12 foot plows on them. Don't mess with the road graders when plowing. These guys have their routes down- - making 90 degree turns with the scarifer and side plow down at almost full speed. 

Peter


----------



## lb59

Anyone ever heard of the Galion Road Graders?
They are a big name in road graders. road rollers and Grade Alls.

How about Bucyrus Erie drilling rigs ?

The Galion plant and the Bucyrus Erie plants are in a couple of small towns about 125 to 150 miles north west of me.

The towns are
Galion,Ohio & Bucyrus , Ohio.


----------



## Ole JIM

lb59 said:


> Anyone ever heard of the Galion Road Graders?
> They are a big name in road graders. road rollers and Grade Alls.
> 
> How about Bucyrus Erie drilling rigs ?
> 
> The Galion plant and the Bucyrus Erie plants are in a couple of small towns about 125 to 150 miles north west of me.
> 
> The towns are
> Galion,Ohio & Bucyrus , Ohio.


Galion graders are a Nice Machine--I have a Bucyrus Erie Shovel--Here graders are still a popular Items--Here in Augusta,MAINE our PWD hads several graders--after 11 PM they Pull Snow off the Side walks-& curbs into the center of the street--where a snow blower mounted on a Big Loader blows this Snow into Dump trucks & its hauled to our Snow Dump!--& just so you don*t get Confused?--Time Wise!- the Graders work in teams of two & it don*t take E*M long to do a street--then Loader & trucks take Over--as the graders do another Street--so No ones in the others WAY!--& NO they don*t do Every street--the main Business Sections-& main Arteries--Schools ECT--Works pretty GooD! if I were 25 again--thats what I would Buy--like Our freind in ALASKA--Hes NO DUMMY!--as WORK will come to HIM & He won*t have to Advertise!--Niether!--I remember operating an Ole CAT--Crank Grader--where I had to Stand UP all DAY--& Crank my Butt OFF!--the New Ones are TiT to operate!--that new VOLVO WOW! some kind of Machine!-big Bucks Though!--any ONE know of a Small grader thats for SALE-CHEAP?--Ole JIM--


----------



## Dwan

Thanks for the good coment there ole Jim.


----------



## HIGHWAYMAN

we have two graders one galion and one dresser we don't plow with them we use them on dirt rds. make ballfields things like that we also use it to patch with hottop, rebuild the crown and firm up soft spots have to be good to do hottop theres no time to make misstakes 

did dresser buy out galion? dwan nice grader (not to big)


----------



## lindsayC

Interesting. I did not know they still made Gallions. I have not seen one for a long time. We used to rent one years ago when any of our graders broke down. They were quite a machine when you had to stand up to run it and it made for a long day. They also were not to forgiving when you snubbed the moldboard while scarifing the force would pull the levers in the cab and they say some operators broke bones in their hands. Currently running a 1976 CAT 12 & 1995 CHAMPION 720 Graders w plow and Hydralic wings. Graders seen to of lost out to trucks because of plow speed and sanders. I still like the Graders better than Trucks. No offence to truck drivers but Graders are more versitile and can use moldboard ,articulation and wing to get out of the ditch when nessessary. Just don't forget your tire chains they won't plow much deep snow without them.


----------



## 04superduty

around here they still use graders to push snow banks back. They rarely use wings on any of the trucks since all they use is belly blades. kalamazoo has 10 or 12 graders.


----------



## lars

I believe Komatsu bought out Galion's grader division. Dresser (or at least a part of it) was bought out by Ingersoll Rand. On a side note, Volvo bought out Champion. The new Case and NEw Holland graders are come from the O&K (German) and Fiat designs as they are all a part of CNH.


----------



## Ole JIM

lars said:


> I believe Komatsu bought out Galion's grader division. Dresser (or at least a part of it) was bought out by Ingersoll Rand. On a side note, Volvo bought out Champion. The new Case and NEw Holland graders are come from the O&K (German) and Fiat designs as they are all a part of CNH.


 Hi lars--We all know Komatsu is JAP--so they Own Galion--I thought??-Ingersoll Rand made Air Compressors? & VOLVO now Ownes all the Heavy Duty Truck lines here in America!--except-Kenworth & Peterbuilt--Case & New holland are from O & K?--Who are They??--GERMAN!--& What dose? C-N-H stand For??--as I Dono?--Fill Me IN!--THANKS --Ole JIM--


----------



## BigZ1001

Ole JIM said:


> Hi lars--We all know Komatsu is JAP--so they Own Galion--I thought??-Ingersoll Rand made Air Compressors? & VOLVO now Ownes all the Heavy Duty Truck lines here in America!--except-Kenworth & Peterbuilt--Case & New holland are from O & K?--Who are They??--GERMAN!--& What dose? C-N-H stand For??--as I Dono?--Fill Me IN!--THANKS --Ole JIM--


You are a funny man Ole Jim. Who cares where the Komatsu is based (much of the equipment is actually manufactured by Germany), not sure it has anything to do with the post. Ingersoll Rand does make air compressors, paving equipment, drills, and the list goes on. O&K(Terex) control New Holland, O&K(make some of the best mining shovels), Fiat Kobelco, and Kobelco.


----------



## lars

Jim, it's all crazy now! Ingersoll-Rand owns Bobcat and Blaw-Knox (which bought Neal Pavers) too. Volvo bought Samsung and Champion. They also own Mack trucks. CNH is the holding company for Case, New Holland, O&K, Fiat, and Kobelco. Link-Belt is also tied up in it. CNH was made after Case merged with New Holland which was held by Fiat.

This link may be of interest to you.

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=66889


----------



## Ole JIM

*Lars--thanks!*

I want to THANK LARS-for His Complete INFO on My Question?--on WHO? manufactures WHAT?--as I remember yrs AGO!--magizines--that Had ADDS--had to list the Parent CO the ONE I remember was Kenworth & Peterbuilt--Trucks Owned by PACAR!--the World remoun manufactures of the Rubbish body--PACAR--that--opened my Eyes to wanting to Know! Who Made What?--in my Yrs of Construction & Trucking--I Favored John Deer in the small versions of Dozers--& had several 350s over the yrs--but--prefered CATs in the larger models--last ONE I had was a D-6 LGP high Track--nice Machine--Loaders--Prefer CAT--had a 926 that Did a Good JOB!--had a FIAT before that also Did the JOB w/a DIETZ Air Cooled Engine--but was Older & tired!-- in Wheeler Dumps I prefer MACKs--RST Models--Dono? on late Models? as I have never Had Any!--Personally--the BEST Truck I ever Had? was a 1980 GMC General--380 HP CAT 13 speed R/R--& 44,000 Rockwell Rears w/an 18 yrd Body-- I have had Petes & KW Whoppers-Ints--GMCs--Fords--You name IT--All pretty Deacent--but--the General--well WE all have Our preferances Right!--I just felt more at Home in IT I guess?-DONO?--just Liked in Better than the Rest! I Dono? I assume? after Driving It for 18 yrs & w/NO Problems!--& 750,000 Miles--& once I retired!-& the Wife NAGGING!--I SOLD IT!--& have REGRETTED It ever Since!--& after Kicking MY Own BUTT!--One Nice Sunny Sunday!--the WIFE thinking? We were just Out for a Ride?--I drove to the new Owners Home! & made HIM an OFFER!--the Wife was MAD as HELL!--but-What Does SHE know?--He Wouldn*t SELL IT!-even Though My Offer was a couple of 1000 over what He Bought it for!--& HE handed ME the KEYS! & told ME to take the General for a SPIN!--NOPE!--If I Did YOU would Never SEE it AGAIN!--& He Laughed! & Replied!-I have Your CAR & Wife for Collateral!--I Again Passed HIM My CHECK!--& Said SOLD!!--& YOU can KEEP the CAR & the WIFE! Best Deal I ever Made?--He CRACKED UP!--& WE All LAUGHED! But Relizing I was Dead Serious!--In BUYING IT!--He Did give ME in Writting First Refusal-if HE ever Did desire to SELL IT!--We Shook Hands! & the Afternoon Ended Well! I Guess? I*M just an Ole SOFTY?--but--I Dono? as I*D just like to Have It Sitting in my YARD!--& Tinker on IT!--its FUNNY! how a Man gets ATTACHED to a Machine!--Dono? WHY? Foolish I guess?--but--that Ole General seems to Call Out to ME?--None of the Others Did?--Crazy Huh?--& theres a Few still Around!--But their NOT that ONE!--& perhaps? some of YOU Guys have Felt the same Way about a Piece of Your Equipment?--Am I NUTS? or just getting Old? --Ole JIM--


----------



## Dwan

Jim, I kind of know how you feel. I still have my 63 REO which has been sitting for a few years that I would like to repower and restore. I feel at home in it also, sometimes I just go out and set it it, still runs but is in need of a new or rebuilt air compreasure real bad. May you never for get your old memories.

Dwan


----------



## HIGHWAYMAN

ya some things grow on you i learned on a 955 cat at the landfill years ago. at the time it was the hot machine (or i thought)now i can't hardly find one . loved that cat


----------



## Ole JIM

a Really GOOD Grader operator is a Wonder to Watch!--We have an Ole SEA-BEE that is GOD w/a Grader!--I followed him Home the last Snow Storm--30-35 MPH--scraapped the ROAD down to the TAR!--Beautiful--the Next DAY!-He Winged it BACK!-made Our Narrow Road look like the Turn Pike!--Nice & WIDE!--right Out to the Tree line!-& I have Talked to HIM--about when He was Young! & in the Military-Building AirFields in the Pacific-can YOU Imagine? Unloading Equipment on an Island & have a Limited Time? to Build an AirBase?-Knowing theres 50 B-29s Comming w/NO Place to LAND?--unless YOU get this Runway Done before they Get Here!--& your just 19 yrs old-& have a Marine Sittng on the Motor Ready to Shoot any JAP Snipers that may take a shot at YOU?--& We think? We have PROBLEMS?--Ole JIM--


----------



## Oshkosh

*Believe it or not Marblehead still uses Graders.*



HIGHWAYMAN said:


> we have two graders one galion and one dresser we don't plow with them we use them on dirt rds. make ballfields things like that we also use it to patch with hottop, rebuild the crown and firm up soft spots have to be good to do hottop theres no time to make misstakes
> 
> did dresser buy out galion? dwan nice grader (not to big)


 Hello, My old home town(Marblehead Ma) still uses graders to plow snow,even have a couple Vee's hanging around.
Hamilton Ma uses graders on a few of their remaining gravel roads and for plowing also.
I've noticed up in The Madison/Conway Nh area they still use graders year round.Still allot of gravel roads up that way.


----------



## lb59

Oshkosh said:


> Hello, My old home town(Marblehead Ma) still uses graders to plow snow,even have a couple Vee's hanging around.
> Hamilton Ma uses graders on a few of their remaining gravel roads and for plowing also.
> I've noticed up in The Madison/Conway Nh area they still use graders year round.Still allot of gravel roads up that way.


 My brother lived in Galion,Ohio [for a while back in the sixties] home of Galion road graders and road rollers.

The County State and townships still use road graders around here.


----------



## Oshkosh

*A Penn Turnpike grader*



lars said:


> Remember when the road grader used to be the mainstay of any township road department? Around here most townships don't have one or have an old one (20+ years) lying around unused. I'm assuming that they are not used now because most roads are now paved and new graders are very pricey.
> 
> Who else has noticed this and is anybody working with townships that still use them? I guess I'm looking for an informal "grader survey." I think graders are great pieces of equipment. They're big, they're loud and they can move lots of dirt.


 Here is a photo of a Penn Turnpike grader at Auction.


----------



## Oshkosh

*One more photo of Township grader.*



Oshkosh said:


> Here is a photo of a Penn Turnpike grader at Auction.


 One more photo of a township grader at auction.


----------



## sixspeed

Hey OSHKOSH, do they post the auction list online where you go???? That PA Turnpike grader looked low hours....


----------



## Oshkosh

*Its is junk almost 1,900 hours.lol*



sixspeed said:


> Hey OSHKOSH, do they post the auction list online where you go???? That PA Turnpike grader looked low hours....


 Here is the listing on it(see below).
I'd say as close to new used as one could find??????

1986 Champion Grader Model 710A (EQ#20-027)
This Lot Available For Onsite and Webcast and Proxy Bidding
PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTION ONLY
Final Description and Further Condition Notes Will Be Posted 8:00 AM Monday 10/10

ALL ITEMS OFFERED AS-IS
SEE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING PAYMENT - REMOVAL - BUYER'S PREMIUM

This Item Titled

VIN: 710A15716917312
1853 Hours


----------



## sixspeed

My toll dollars at waste I love it... And you thought Mass dot was mismanaged.


----------



## Oshkosh

*Check it out*



sixspeed said:


> My toll dollars at waste I love it... And you thought Mass dot was mismanaged.


 Check out the listings.The info the dealers didnt want you to know about.lol Lots of low hour clean equipment going off.
http://www.asset-auctions.com/auctions.html


----------



## Grader4me

Hi, I am new to your forum. Here in New Brunswick Canada our public works department has lots of graders that are used continually in the summer and winter. Most of them are the newer 720 champions(1996 - 1999) Of course up here we have lots and lots of snow to plow!! 

Great forum site ...I am glad that I found it!


----------



## joeco129

My regular job, during the non- plowing season, is a Foreman for a Paving company and I am also a Grader Operator.... We do a mix of residential driveways and commercial lots.... Industrial too... 

As Cigam was referring to about the more compact graders... I run a Huber M850, a Leeboy 635B (my favorite) and an Athey MM600... all nice for the residential jobs... The Athey has a loader bucket on the front and the Huber has a push blade on the front... 

We also have a large CAT 160H VHP and Case 885 for our big work...

Gotta love Motor Graders!


----------



## 91AK250

they use a ton around here, every city road is plowed with graders, only the state highways are plowed with plow trucks.


----------



## Dwan

Dwan;162842 said:


> I just bought this yesterday for something to do this winter if it doesn't snow. Plan on restoring it. it has 6 wheel drive and not in to bad of shape.
> 1964 Austen-Western Super300. Now I have to buy a sand blaster so I can get it ready to paint.


well here is what it looks like today.

Still have the wiring to do and a few small things but it is running


----------



## cog-1

We have a 2002 John Deere 772CH with hydraulic front wheel drive and plow we use to cut snowpack/ice in our town, works great! (Don't have any dirt roads in town anymore so only use it in the summer for shoulders)


----------



## Dwan

Dwan;447406 said:


> well here is what it looks like today.
> 
> Still have the wiring to do and a few small things but it is running


Something missing in that picture. It just doesn't look quite right.

Maybe if I added a little of that white powder we all like so much.


----------



## WingPlow

we run a JD 772 with a wing set-up
i wonder if ours was the one that 2004f550 was talking about ??


----------



## cog-1

We would be lost without our grader right now, cutting pack as we got 2 1/2' snow last couple days, 18" more on the way!!!


----------



## 92XT

To Bid Or Win A Contract For Penn Dot You Must Have A Grader Or 2 Avail. Depending On Route Bidded On.


----------



## HAZMAT

Here in Livingston county theres a lot of dirt roads that are crap year round. County has road graders and dump trucks with underbelly's to maintain the roads during the spring/summer/fall time. The operators of the road graders keep them at there house along with a front plow. during the winter months you will see them in the northern parts of the county pushing main roads. I believe most of the graders are John's.

- Kevin


----------



## Big Chief

*Excellant Job Dwan!!*

Wow, You really did that Ol Boy justice!!! I really like your paint scheme. I have 2 old Oshkosh's I plow with here in the Mtns. and I love the old Equip. Thanks for sharing your Grader with us! In some areas of the country they call them Maintainers. I had never heard that till in North Dakota. They had never heard them referred to as graders. GOOD JOB and thanks again, Grant.


----------



## Dwan

*Austin Western rebuild*

Here is a link to the progress from start to last spring. I will be updating it with the electrical work I am doing later this month.
http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2015&highlight=austin+western

Thanks for the comments
Dwan


----------



## 04superduty

Dwan i have been watching your restoration of your grader on heavy equip site. you did a great job, not only replacing things but making them better in the process.


----------



## 3bladz

Our county uses a big Deere w/ a v blade and a post mount wing. The wing is so heavy the grader leans to that side. Last year my buddy was running it after a storm and he would back up to get a run at a real deep stretch and ram it only to gain 5ft.
All the townships around here have graders. They are the only way to open the roads after the wind blows.


----------



## bowtie_guy

Our residential streets used to be done by a grader, mostly champions. Contract came out and how it's brand new internationals. Maybe in the event of alot of snow the grader might make an appearance but don't remember seeing one last year or so far this one.


----------



## Turf Surgeon

*Nice machine!*

Dwan:

Excellent job on your restoration. I grew up in Nebraska running similar machines for my dad. They were years ahead of the competition with the all hydraulic controls, AWD and All Wheel Steering. They do an amazing amount of work. I bought a 1965 Pacer (4 wheels instead of 6) a number of years ago to build a road for a friend of mine who was doing a subdivision. It came with a V plow so I use it occasionally when we have large snow fall events to do search and rescue for the local fire department. Your going to love it.

Pretty much any part you need can be found at Thill Track and Tractor. 
Their address is:
West 5010 State Road 85
Eauclair, WI 54701

Phone: 715-832-2128
Fax: 715-832-2687
Talk to Dino.

Good luck with the old girl!

Larry


----------

