I spent many years operating the 814 and 824 Cat rubber tired dozers in the late 70's and early 80's. The basic concept looks the same however the application of the type of work best suited for these machines was not fully realized. Great video.
As versatile, fast, & capable as these wheeldozers were, it seems that this type of design would still be made today ("degraded" with modern hydraulics, electronics, etc., of course (so as to properly eliminate simplicity), but basically the same design). Modern bulldozers mostly all run on metal tracks, & generally move more slowly. And the cost of replacing tires surely must be much cheaper than replacing tracks & other track system components.
When these first came to the local iron mines in the 50's.nobody believed they coud do real work, so one went blade to blade with a D8 Cat. On good ground it could easily push the Cat backwards. They were perfect for cleaning up around shovels. Instead of a Cat at each shovel one of these could handle the whole pit. They were made obsolete by better designs from others, modified from ever larger front end loaders.
My Grandfather had one in Korea and they wouldn't very good at all where they were so they instead used it to power that camp when they needed the power.
to shadowvanish.versatile?this design obviously went nowhere!the solid welded dozer blade was only the beginning of its problems.Notice it was working in sand and still was poor.L G made lot of experiments that were duds.His double drum cable control unit was good but Cat stole it.His electric motors on wheels ,although a great idea on paper ,didn't work well.
Electric motors on wheels not working well? All the super large mining trucks and locomotives are two major things that use this design. What do you mean? Do you mean the first ones he designed didn't work well? Diesel over electric is used quite a lot today. I think even some of the large pit shovels use this.
About half of the super sized mining trucks are diesel electric, primarily Komatsu, Hitachi, Belaz, Liebher, and the legacy Lectra Haul models from Cat. The other Cats are mechanical drive. Only Komatsu, legacy LeTourneau, loaders are electric drive. You don't want to hear my opinion of these machines. With the development of AC drives and wheel motors there has been a big improvement in reliability for the ultra size trucks with diesel electric drives.
R.G was a hell of an innovator. His biography is quite a good read. You can pick it up on ebay, to this day.
I spent many years operating the 814 and 824 Cat rubber tired dozers in the late 70's and early 80's. The basic concept looks the same however the application of the type of work best suited for these machines was not fully realized. Great video.
Cool! It looks like an over-grown predecessor to a Bobcat without a cage.
It's a big version of a Bobcat! But built much earlier. LeTourneau was a real innovator.
The original skid steer!
That was a giant skid steer before its time
Not yet at least, but there is more film yet to be transferred.
As versatile, fast, & capable as these wheeldozers were, it seems that this type of design would still be made today ("degraded" with modern hydraulics, electronics, etc., of course (so as to properly eliminate simplicity), but basically the same design). Modern bulldozers mostly all run on metal tracks, & generally move more slowly. And the cost of replacing tires surely must be much cheaper than replacing tracks & other track system components.
I wouldn't mind owning one of these but it's hard to find anyting for sale in letourneau
I want one LOL
When these first came to the local iron mines in the 50's.nobody believed they coud do real work, so one went blade to blade with a D8 Cat. On good ground it could easily push the Cat backwards.
They were perfect for cleaning up around shovels. Instead of a Cat at each shovel one of these could handle the whole pit.
They were made obsolete by better designs from others, modified from ever larger front end loaders.
Wow! I wonder if any of these still exist. I'M sure the are still viable in certain types of josbs.
Made some awesome equipment
really fun toy!
The original skid steer dallas had 1 or 2
First giant bobcat
Giant Skid-Steer
Where r his tire chains.
bobcat taking steroids
My Grandfather had one in Korea and they wouldn't very good at all where they were so they instead used it to power that camp when they needed the power.
i always thought this was a good idea,
to shadowvanish.versatile?this design obviously went nowhere!the solid welded dozer blade was only the beginning of its problems.Notice it was working in sand and still was poor.L G made lot of experiments that were duds.His double drum cable control unit was good but Cat stole it.His electric motors on wheels ,although a great idea on paper ,didn't work well.
Electric motors on wheels not working well? All the super large mining trucks and locomotives are two major things that use this design. What do you mean? Do you mean the first ones he designed didn't work well? Diesel over electric is used quite a lot today. I think even some of the large pit shovels use this.
In your opinion Lee
About half of the super sized mining trucks are diesel electric, primarily Komatsu, Hitachi, Belaz, Liebher, and the legacy Lectra Haul models from Cat. The other Cats are mechanical drive.
Only Komatsu, legacy LeTourneau, loaders are electric drive. You don't want to hear my opinion of these machines.
With the development of AC drives and wheel motors there has been a big improvement in reliability for the ultra size trucks with diesel electric drives.