Passionhawk1
Well-Known Member
I have 300+ acres I'm mining for gold. 8% of it is alluvial comprised of small rocks, sand, gravel and mud all cemented together. I need to rip it up and take it down 16'-20' to bedrock. This will be done layer by layer so I can check for mineralization. For this I need a 3-shank ripper. The property to the south has been trying to do this same process with a D6 and they are working the dozer to capacity. That is the reason I thought to step up to a D9.
The rest of the property is small hills 500-800 feet tall. Composition is quartzite, phyllite, granodiorite, sedimentary shale, schist, and quartz which runs from 8-inches up to 12 feet thick. The quartz is tough. The country rock has been folded and fractured so I believe a single shank can do the job. Nothing is solid except the quartz intrusive. These hills are quite small and I wish to take them down - again doing this slowly as we gather mineralization.
The hills will require a strong machine. I also believe rock guards are in order. That limits the scope of machines available. The tops of the hills are easy to take down but as each hill is reduced, the base will spread out to a 1/4 mile in width and a bit more in length.
We are a small operation with my wife and son and so one Cat and one steel-tracked loader will have to do the job. We're keeping a small, portable mill at the point of extraction so we don't need to haul the ore. That saves on rubber, fuel, maintenance, capital equipment purchases for haul trucks and labor. I am an american, an old guy, I believe in this country and so I don't want anything in our operation that starts with a "K". Hence, a Cat is where it's at for me. Now come my questions:
I am looking at D9G and D9H machines with a 3-slot 4-barrel ripper and an SU blade. With the exception of the higher horsepower engine in the D9H, is there any difference between the two models? I believe the D9H has a turbo. Did the D9G also have a turbo as well? With patience, will the G perform as well as the H? That's my main concern. Should I only be looking for an H or will a G do just as well?
2nd Question relates to maintenance. I've been operating for years with lighter equipment and I always grease the machine after every 8 hours of work. However, when it comes to lubing the engine, changing out transmission fluids and doing heavier maintenance, my property is a looooooong way from any shop. Moreover, I can't afford to load up a big tractor every time something breaks or needs an oil change. What do other people do with big machines? I always hauled my smaller machines in for service and then back out to the job sites. Can things such as oil changes and routine maintenance be done on site? If I needed to overhaul the engine, then the tractor would get hauled into a shop for cleanliness reasons but let's say a hydraulic pump failed or a cylinder started leaking - can that be performed on the job site and . . . . . who could you get to do it? Are there companies or mechanics who come out to the job site?
3rd Question is about lubricants. I run synthetic in all my vehicles. I have one F350 that just turned over 500,000 and it's still got the torque. Yes, I've changed three injectors but otherwise, that Power stroke likes the synthetic oil. What about Cat engines? What are the best lubricants? It gets -25 degrees in winter and over 110 degrees in summer out in the desert. Do you run a lighter weight lubricant in the winter and heavier weight in summer?
I thank you in advance for your response and your opinion.
Kindest Regards,
Jim
The rest of the property is small hills 500-800 feet tall. Composition is quartzite, phyllite, granodiorite, sedimentary shale, schist, and quartz which runs from 8-inches up to 12 feet thick. The quartz is tough. The country rock has been folded and fractured so I believe a single shank can do the job. Nothing is solid except the quartz intrusive. These hills are quite small and I wish to take them down - again doing this slowly as we gather mineralization.
The hills will require a strong machine. I also believe rock guards are in order. That limits the scope of machines available. The tops of the hills are easy to take down but as each hill is reduced, the base will spread out to a 1/4 mile in width and a bit more in length.
We are a small operation with my wife and son and so one Cat and one steel-tracked loader will have to do the job. We're keeping a small, portable mill at the point of extraction so we don't need to haul the ore. That saves on rubber, fuel, maintenance, capital equipment purchases for haul trucks and labor. I am an american, an old guy, I believe in this country and so I don't want anything in our operation that starts with a "K". Hence, a Cat is where it's at for me. Now come my questions:
I am looking at D9G and D9H machines with a 3-slot 4-barrel ripper and an SU blade. With the exception of the higher horsepower engine in the D9H, is there any difference between the two models? I believe the D9H has a turbo. Did the D9G also have a turbo as well? With patience, will the G perform as well as the H? That's my main concern. Should I only be looking for an H or will a G do just as well?
2nd Question relates to maintenance. I've been operating for years with lighter equipment and I always grease the machine after every 8 hours of work. However, when it comes to lubing the engine, changing out transmission fluids and doing heavier maintenance, my property is a looooooong way from any shop. Moreover, I can't afford to load up a big tractor every time something breaks or needs an oil change. What do other people do with big machines? I always hauled my smaller machines in for service and then back out to the job sites. Can things such as oil changes and routine maintenance be done on site? If I needed to overhaul the engine, then the tractor would get hauled into a shop for cleanliness reasons but let's say a hydraulic pump failed or a cylinder started leaking - can that be performed on the job site and . . . . . who could you get to do it? Are there companies or mechanics who come out to the job site?
3rd Question is about lubricants. I run synthetic in all my vehicles. I have one F350 that just turned over 500,000 and it's still got the torque. Yes, I've changed three injectors but otherwise, that Power stroke likes the synthetic oil. What about Cat engines? What are the best lubricants? It gets -25 degrees in winter and over 110 degrees in summer out in the desert. Do you run a lighter weight lubricant in the winter and heavier weight in summer?
I thank you in advance for your response and your opinion.
Kindest Regards,
Jim