Cat• C-Series backhoe loaders get even better Cat• C

A Special Issue of ON YOUR OWN Magazine
®
®
Cat C-Series backhoe
loaders get even better
—page 8
Ride Control is a big hit
with Louisville contractor
—page 4
7AEDC0583
YOU’LL SEE EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD, BUT YOU WON’T FEEL ‘EM.
The C-Series Backhoe.
Now you can conquer any road— even
when there isn't one. With our new advanced
Ride Control option and standard air-suspension seat,
the C-series backhoe gives you a smoother ride and better
®1999 Caterpillar
H a r d W o r k . E a s y C h a i r.
load retention. Its superior visibility lets
you clearly see what’s ahead. Contact your
Caterpillar dealer and discover how to work hard
and rest easy at the same time.
www.cat.com
IN THIS ISSUE
4
4
Getting more done
Hands-on profitability
6
Work tools help grow
your business
7
Racing BHL winner
Colorado contractor places top
bid for specially painted 416 IT
racing backhoe loader.
8
8
7
10
1999 Enhancements
Cat C-Series backhoe loaders
get even better.
12
10
Canadian On Site
Cat 426C takes on the
frozen tundra.
12
14
BHL inspection
Sharpen your competitive edge
with a daily walkaround
inspection.
17
14
Simple formula for success
17
416C IT
20
Maximum machine utilization is
critical to highway contractor’s
success.
20
Machine versatility
Not just your average Joe.
23
26
23
Staying power
Quality work keeps contractor in
business for 31 years.
26
Backhoe loader operator
efficiency tips
Backhoe Loader Focus Issue is a special issue of On Your Own magazine. It is published by Northbrook Publishing, a division of Randall Publishing Company, Inc., on behalf of Caterpillar
and your Cat dealer. Every attempt has been made to assure featured equipment specifications are accurate. Because specifications are subject to change without notice, check with your
Cat dealer for latest equipment information. Northbrook Publishing, a division of Randall Publishing Co., Inc., 21420 West Greenfield Ave., New Berlin, WI 53146. Phone (414) 650-9260.
Printed in the U.S.A. ©1999 Caterpillar Winter 1999 Editor, David Wolff; Publisher, Tim O’Brien; Client Services Director, Vicki Dollar;
Client Service Rep., Jenny Taglienti; Art Director, Pam Muth; Graphic Support, Brett Erdmann; Production Manager, Bob Quartucci.
ON YOUR OWN • 3
GETTING MORE DONE
Hands-on profitability
SMALL
t 33 years old, Tim Filiatreau would most certainly be considered a young man. But the
managing member of Filcon Construction
LLC, Louisville, Kentucky, brought more than
15 years of construction experience to the company he started a little more than two years ago.
Filcon is a site preparation and utility contractor, concentrating on commercial projects and
residential subdivision work that includes grading
and installation of storm and sanitary sewer and
water lines.
“Our strength is the smaller job,” Filiatreau
says. “In my opinion, there’s more profit in jobs
less than $500,000. We have more control over
quality and scheduling because we can manage
the projects hands-on. And, because we use
smaller machines, we don’t have as much working
capital tied up in larger, more expensive
equipment as a larger contractor. Backhoe loaders
and smaller dozers fit the type of work we do.”
In his last position, Filiatreau worked as a field
superintendent for a large contractor. He saw that
bigger companies shied away from the type of
projects he goes after because they had to keep a
sizable workforce and large fleet of machines
busy, even if the project didn’t offer a reasonable
A
“Everyone
likes ride
control. It’s
made a big
difference.”
— Tim Filiatreau
Filcon Construction
LLC
4 • ON YOUR OWN
CONTRACTOR FOLLOWS
EVERY PATH TO EFFICIENCY
profit margin. Success at Filcon is based on
estimating the job correctly and completing the
work as efficiently as possible.
“We try to be very aggressive and efficient in
our approach to the jobs we do,” he says. “It’s
important to stay on top of crews to make sure
we’re as productive as possible. That’s another
reason smaller work is better for us.”
Run latest Cat 416C IT
backhoe loader
Filcon owns several pieces of Caterpillar
equipment, including D5C, D6R and D5M XL
dozers; 225D LC excavator; 953C track loader
and a 1997 416C backhoe loader. The contractor
is leasing a Cat 416C IT backhoe loader and is
considering the purchase of a 325 excavator.
Filiatreau demo’d the 416C IT earlier this year
at Caterpillar Building Construction Products
headquarters in Clayton, North Carolina, and
was impressed with the Power Shift transmission
and new features like Ride Control.
“Power Shift is very efficient,” he says, “and it’s
a reliable, durable transmission. When an
operator is carrying material for any distance, the
ability to upshift with the flip of a switch is a real
plus. The machines moves along faster, as
opposed to the operator having to reach
and shift gears. The result is that the
machine is getting back and forth faster
and more efficiently.”
Caterpillar’s new Ride Control feature
is a big hit.
“Everyone likes it,” Filiatreau continues, “and it’s made a big difference for
several reasons. I can see where it will
reduce wear and tear on the front of the
machine. I’ve never seen a backhoe with
the front end loaded that wasn’t bouncing and beating the machine while
roading on an uneven surface. Without
Ride Control, travel is rough, which is
hard on the machine and operator. Time
is money, and if our operators can work
more quickly that’s to our advantage.”
“We chose the IT
option because it
makes the machine
much more versatile,”
Filiatreau says.
Work tool versatility
Work tool versatility is the main reason Filiatreau selected the 416C IT
backhoe loader with an Integrated Toolcarrier linkage. A bigger bucket (1.25
yards compared to 1 yard for the older
machine) is more productive for moving
bedding material, stone and pipe. When
it’s time to carry pipe, the operator switches to the fork attachment, which is
completed in seconds without leaving
the cab.
“Operators have told me the visibility
is better with this new Cat backhoe,” he
says. “The parallel lift feature is important when we’re unloading pipe from a
tall truck; there’s more reach. And, with
an IT machine we can add more tools. In
fact, we’re looking at a broom attachment.”
Filcon finds the 416C IT to be the
right size machine for the type of work
it does.
“We don’t do a lot of heavy digging,”
Filiatreau says, “and when we do we use
a Cat 325 excavator. The 416C IT is
faster and more efficient for jobs like
finish grading around buildings. For a
business our size and the type of work we
do, a machine this size is a necessity. We
chose the IT option because it makes the
machine so much more versatile. One
day the 416C IT might be packing
topsoil and finishing around a building,
and the next it’s packing rock, working
with a pipe crew or loading topsoil
on a truck.”
If Filiatreau keeps a machine for a
long period, he buys it. In fact, Filcon
has been adding about three pieces of
equipment a year.
“I’ve always been a Caterpillar man,” he
says. “I have a lot of faith in their equipment and Caterpillar stands behind its
product. That’s worth a whole lot to me.”
Filcon is too young a company to
have established a realistic equipment
trade cycle, but Filiatreau won’t let too
much age get on his primary machines.
“Downtime is too costly during the
peak work season,” he says. “I can’t afford
it. We’re leasing the 325 excavator to
replace the 225. I don’t want to depend
on an older piece of equipment as a primary machine. The new 325 will work
day-in, day-out with no downtime.”
Filiatreau has a long history with
Caterpillar and his local dealer.
“I know I’ll do better with them,” he
says. “I know I get better service from
them than I could get with anyone else.”
Contractor starts strong
Filiatreau got into the construction
industry at age 18 as a laborer. For 11
years he worked for a site and utility contractor, the final period as general superintendent in charge of day-to-day field
operations.
Filcon was started in April of 1997.
The company did $1.5 million in business its first eight months and $3 million
last year. Revenues for 1999
are projected
at $4 million.
“I saw different ways of
doing things
to become
more profitable,” Filiatreau says. “It’s
always been a goal that some day I would
have my own business. We go after
$300,000 to $400,000 jobs in the
Louisville area and surrounding counties.
I don’t see us growing a lot more; we won’t
add much more than $1 or $2 million in
revenue. I want a smaller company where
I can stay involved with what’s happening
on a daily basis. Today, we have about
three projects going on at once, and I usually see them every other day.”
What are the keys to success? According to Filiatreau, it’s knowledgeable, experienced supervision and good, dependable
equipment.
“Estimating correctly is critical for
any job to succeed,” he says. “On the one
hand, we’ve got to keep work for our
people; but on the other side we can’t
starve the company by doing work that
isn’t profitable. I’m not out here just to
throw a bunch of hours on equipment. I
want to have something down the road.
We’re trying to build a future for everyone involved in this company.” ■
ON YOUR OWN • 5
WORK TOOLS
Let work tools help
grow your business
ersatility. It’s the name of the game in today’s
marketplace. The more tasks your backhoe
loader can perform, the fewer single-purpose machines you need.
With versatile, multi-task backhoe loaders
from Caterpillar, you can be more efficient on
each job, and you’ll be able to put more on the
bottom line.
Caterpillar C-Series backhoe loaders are available with an Integrated Toolcarrier linkage and
standard hydraulic quick coupler. This innovative
configuration makes it fast and easy to take
advantage of numerous Cat IT work tools. And,
you can add a quick coupler to the backhoe end,
too, for versatility on the front and rear of your
machine.
V
Many work tool choices
The most common attachments used on the
front end of a backhoe loader are general-purpose
buckets, multi-purpose buckets, pallet forks and
brooms.
The most common applications for GP buckets are earthmoving and grading. MP buckets are
used for earthmoving, grading and stump and
debris removal. Pallet forks are used for unloading
trucks and moving palletized material such as
bricks, pipe, mortar mix and other construction
materials.
The most common attachments utilized on
the rear end of a backhoe loader are buckets of
various sizes, hammers, augers, and compactors.
Bucket widths range from 12” to 60” and can be
designed to handle a variety of materials. For
example, heavy-duty buckets are a more rugged
design than standard-duty buckets, extreme-service buckets are able to withstand highly abrasive
6 • ON YOUR OWN
materials, and high-capacity buckets combine the
design and construction of the heavy-duty bucket
with a longer tip radius, resulting in a bucket with
increased volume for more productivity in many
materials.
Backhoe buckets can also be fitted with
thumbs for pinching and grabbing, and are available with ripping teeth along the bottom of the
bucket for extra ripping action in frozen or compacted material. Swinger couplers or tilt-ditch
buckets assist in applications such as ditch cleaning. Hammers are used in road construction and
demolition as well as in breaking concrete to
repair water mains, bridges and parking lots.
Augers can be used to dig postholes or holes for
planting shrubbery or trees. Compactors are used
to help finish jobs by compacting material that
has been backfilled into a trench.
Cold planers are used to grind and remove
asphalt or concrete. Grapples are common on
hydraulic excavators and are now available on
backhoe loaders.
Versatility spells success
Versatility has always been critical to the success of backhoe loaders. As Caterpillar and work
tool manufacturers expand the versatility of these
machines, Cat backhoe loaders will continue to
be in high demand. The use of quick couplers on
the front and rear of the backhoe loader will expedite the use of compatible work tools. Quick
hydraulic disconnects will speed the interchange
of hydro-mechanical tools.
At Caterpillar, versatility is such a vital issue
that we have a dedicated group, Work Tools and
Services, to focus on this business for Building
Construction Products. ■
NASCAR UPDATE
And the winner is . . .
Colorado contractor places top bid for specially
painted 416C IT racing backhoe loader
ene Bonds was surprised — and very pleased —
when he was told he placed the winning bid for
Caterpillar’s specially painted 416C IT racing
backhoe loader.
“I never imagined
I’d win this machine,”
he says, “but now that
it’s part of our equipment fleet, I’m going to
be pretty picky about
which of my operators
gets to run it.”
Bonds is owner of
Bonds Construction
Co., Durango, Colorado. The contractor,
in business since 1983,
does excavating, road
building and commercial site preparation.
And Bonds is no stranger to Caterpillar
machines. His fleet includes 426, 416C and
416C IT backhoe loaders, 950E wheel loader,
D3 and D5H dozers, 307 excavator with an
articulated boom and a 140G motor grader.
The company is renting two 315B excavators.
“I bought my 426 backhoe loader in 1990,”
he says. “It’s logged more than 10,000 hours
with no problems. I purchased a 416C IT
about a month ago, so I knew what I was getting with this special racing edition machine.
Caterpillar equipment is very dependable, and
the parts availability from my local Cat dealer is
great. This new machine will fit right in, even
though it’s bound to stand out.”
The bid competition was in celebration of
the production of Caterpillar’s 100,000th backhoe
loader. Caterpillar will split the proceeds of the auction
of this 416C IT race backhoe between the Motor Racing Outreach program and Special Olympics. ■
G
Gene Bonds, left, and
his wife, Lori, who
had an equal part in
the bidding process.
ON YOUR OWN • 7
1 9 9 9 E N H A N C E MEN TS
Cat C-Series backhoe lo
aterpillar® backhoe loaders are very versatile
and popular machines because they combine
many features of a wheel loader and an excavator. In fact, many contractors started their businesses
with only a backhoe loader because of its versatility,
maneuverability, transportability, low operating cost
and overall value.
C
C-Series improvements continue
C-Series
upgrades
enhance
an already
proven
winner.
Since their introduction in 1996, the added versatility and comfort of C-Series backhoe loaders
have been well received. The introduction of the
Power Shift option a year ago further improved ease
of operation and productivity. C-Series improvements continue with changes that provide you with
better horsepower and hydraulic performance, a
smoother ride and increased productivity.
A stronger backhoe with greater lifting capacity is
the result of many key changes. A larger bore boom
cylinder gives the backhoe more lift capacity. The
heavy-duty boom structure provides greater strength
and durability. The new, open boom nose design
provides easier access for inspections in high-hour,
severe applications. The backhoe Quick Coupler has
been improved for higher rotation and therefore better vertical wall digging capabilities.
A much smoother ride is very noticeable with the
new Ride Control option. Improved operator efficiency, better load retention and improved cycle
times will be achieved with Ride Control.
Combined with the new, standard air-suspension
seat, operator comfort is significantly enhanced.
The advanced controls of the Cat load-sensing
hydraulic system will continue to offer superior performance while saving you money in fuel and
component wear and tear. A new dual-setting torque
limiter automatically optimizes
the hydraulic
system for backhoe or loader
applications.
Better lifting
backhoe
With the new
larger diameter
boom cylinder,
actual lift numbers have increased up to 20
percent over current C-Series machines. These new
machines will provide industry-leading lift capacity
while maintaining fast cycle times.
Improved boom design
The new heavy-duty boom structure design
matches the backhoe’s larger lifting loads and more
aggressive digging performance. This new design is
open at the boom-to-stick pin bore and is supported
by 30 mm (1.18 inch) thick solid steel boom side
rails. In addition, the new boom nose allows easy
inspection and access for second-life repair on highhour, severe-duty jobs.
Splined boom pins with longitudinal grease slots
trap grease between the pin and bushing providing
more lubrication in highly-loaded applications.
Backhoe Quick Coupler
The improved backhoe Quick Coupler provides
12 degrees more rotation for better vertical wall digging and easier changeout of tools without changing
bucket pins. This increases rotation to 175 degrees.
The new Quick Coupler allows digging a deeper vertical wall while still being able to close the bucket for
truck loading. Clamping distance is improved by 1
to 3 inches for the ability to close the bucket for
loading materials like concrete or asphalt slabs.
This coupler is a pin-grabber type, which will
pick up all standard pin-on work tools such as buckets, hammers, augers, cold planers and rippers. This
improved coupler not only offers the ease of changing work tools quickly, but also the added value of
more rotation, eliminating the need to switch pin
locations. Most work tools can be changed in about
one minute.
Ride Control System
The Caterpillar Ride Control System is now
available on all C-Series backhoe loaders. The system
incorporates a nitrogen accumulator in the loader
lift circuit to smooth the ride in all conditions,
including load-and-carry, highway roading or general maneuvering around the jobsite.
The system is easily engaged with a flip of the
switch on the front console. On the Power Shift
machine, the Ride Control switch offers three positions: On, Off and Automatic (on machines without
Power Shift, positions are on/off ). In the automatic
position, the ride control engages automatically as
travel speed increases to 6.2 mph. At low speed (less
than 4.4 mph), the system disengages for loading,
grading or finishing applications.
aders get even better
trols of the Cat load-sensing hydraulic system
offer superior performance while reducing fuel
consumption, component wear and cooling
costs.
More product and
reliability improvements
• Newly designed control kits reduce the labor
required for installation from approximately
four hours to one hour. The improvement in
design from a multi-piece kit to a pre-assembled kit will facilitate quick changing of control patterns and at a reduced cost because of
labor savings.
• E-stick wear pad retention has been improved
with larger bolts to ensure that the pads stay
in place in the most severe applications.
• Stabilizer cylinders have an improved seal system for long, leak-free life.
Ride control benefits include smoother ride, better material retention during load-and-carry,
• A new steering hand-metering unit provides
and increased operator comfort.
lower steering efforts and eliminates feedback
through the steering system if tires impact
Ride Control benefits include smoother ride, which reduces
curbs or other objects.
machine loping while roading, better material retention during
• A new steering spinner knob is available as an option.
load-and-carry operations, and increased operator comfort.
There is a Ride Control kit available for field installation or
• The heavy-duty axle is now standard on all-wheel-drive machines.
retrofitting earlier C-Series machines.
This axle provides wider planetary gears and bearings for more
endurance and durability.
Air-suspension seat
•
The front axle oscillation bearing is now grease-free for reduced
The exclusive Caterpillar air-suspension seat is standard on all
maintenance costs. Self lubricating and sealed for the life of the
Cat backhoe loaders. The seat utilizes an air adjustment mechamachine, this improvement removes all potential for leaks.
nism instead of the traditional mechanical linkage found in most
• Caterpillar Electronic Technician is standard on Power Shift
backhoe loaders. This allows for a greater operating range and
machines. Electronic Technician allows for diagnostics and trousuperior ride in all conditions. By simply pressing a button, the
bleshooting as they apply to the Power Shift system. Failures are
seat can be tailored to offer support to different body weights. The
logged and retained up to 100 hours.
variable height and weight adjustments provide a wide range of
settings so every operator is comfortable operating the Caterpillar
Versatile performance, proven value
backhoe. The seat swivel has been improved for quieter and more
Whether you dig, load, grade, trench, backfill or handle matedurable operation.
rial, you can do it better with a backhoe loader from Caterpillar.
Versatility is one reason for this capability. You can easily and
Hydraulic system improvements
quickly change work tools on any Caterpillar C-Series machine
Enhancements to the variable displacement pump in the loadwhen equipped with front and rear quick couplers. And, Cat leads
sensing hydraulic system now provide better performance in both
the industry with state-of-the art design features like the excavabackhoe and loader operations through a dual setting torque limtor-style backhoe, load-sensing hydraulics, All Wheel Steer,
iter. The new pump torque limiter control improves power
integrated toolcarrier (IT) linkage and Power Shift transmission.
distribution to the hydraulic system during backhoe operations
These machines are designed from the ground up to help you
and optimizes power balance between the loader hydraulic circuit
tackle more jobsite chores and extend the range of tasks that your
and drivetrain during front loader operations.
backhoe loader can perform. No matter what job you’re working
The operator will notice this primarily when using the loader in
production digging by providing more engine speed under load,
on, or which Caterpillar backhoe loader you’re using, it’s built to
therefore leading to more efficient production. The advanced conwork as hard as you do, and be more than a machine, a partner. ■
ON YOUR OWN • 9
CANADIAN ON SITE
Cat 426C takes on frozen tundra
BACKHOE LOADERS POWER THROUGH FROST AND ICE X
Although Ken Palson Enterprises handles any
type of commercial excavation, the contractor’s specialty is environmental projects such as gas station
tank removal and site cleanup. His equipment
works all year round throughout the
province, and as far as Thompson, 500 to the
north, so the frozen ground is a frequent adversary.
Six years ago, the company became one of only
three firms issued a permit to haul contaminated
soil. Now Palson has contracts with several major
oil companies.
This year, the company became only the third
operation in Manitoba to receive a safety accreditation. Independent jobsite audits consistently found
Palson’s crews working safely and wearing hard hats,
safety glasses and boots.
“Being safety conscious has gotten us into the oil
companies,” Palson says. “We talk safety everyday.”
Integrity builds business
Since frozen ground can
extend to seven feet
deep, Palson says,
“We like the extra
power of the Cat 426C.
It gives us plenty of
extra force.”
igging a trench in mid-winter in Winnipeg,
Manitoba, can be a job so tough that it takes
two Cat 426C backhoe loaders. One machine
hammers away at two to three feet of frozen ground,
while the other delicately digs around underground
pipe and conduit.
“Working like this for 10 hours in winter is like
20 hours in summer when it comes to wear and tear
on a machine,” says Ken Palson, president of Ken
Palson Enterprises, Ltd. “In summer, we just dig.
Now we’re chopping and banging; it’s like digging
in concrete all day long.”
D
“Necessity is . . .”
The beginning of Palson’s commercial excavating
business was inauspicious, but promising. Released
by his former employer 11 years ago, Palson entertained several offers from other construction firms.
“I’ve been around equipment all my life,” he
says, “and I’ve been in the industry so long I know
it inside and out. I decided it was time to go on my
own.”
Palson didn’t own a machine his first year in business, opting to broker with independent contractors.
“I had five to 10 machines working and made $5 an
hour with each of them,” he says.
In 1988, Palson purchased his first Cat 426
backhoe loader. Over the years he’s bought 11; the
latest two were C-Series machines last year.
10 • ON YOUR OWN
Another major reason for the company’s success
is keeping its word.
“If we say we’re going to be there, we’ll be there,”
Palson says. “We have good equipment that doesn’t
break down and good operators who know how to
do a variety of jobs efficiently and productively. We
prefer to hire young guys and train them to operate
equipment our way.”
Ken Palson Enterprises’ equipment list includes
four backhoes, three wheel loaders, one track loader,
one dozer, three excavators and five tandem axle
trucks.
Almost all their earthmoving equipment is
Caterpillar equipment. “We bought the first Cat
426 backhoes in the province,” Palson says.
“Caterpillar stuck by me when I started this business. I didn’t have anything, and they financed my
first pieces of equipment.”
Need powerful machines
In winter, frost goes to depths of two to three feet.
However, it’s not uncommon to encounter frozen
ground seven feet below the surface. Taking on jobs
in these conditions requires a powerful machine.
“We like the extra power of the Cat 426C,” Palson
says. “It gives us plenty of extra force. Operating
hammers all day long in winter is very tough on
machines, and our Cat backhoes haven’t let us down.
Also, the curved boom on the C-Series gives us extra
reach, which is important for loading trucks.”
Versatility is extremely important to Palson,
because oftentimes equipment must be trailered
long distances. The backhoes use buckets ranging from 12 to 36 inches, as well as smooth-edge
buckets for cleanup, frost hooks, compactors,
concrete breakers and custom-made snowplows.
“I’ve probably got more than a dozen attachments,” he says.
The Cat 426Cs are specified with optional allwheel-drive.
“In our conditions of ice and frozen ground,”
Palson says, “we’d spend the entire day spinning
without all-wheel-drive. Because of this option
we can push material and load easily, and that
makes these Cat backhoes all the more versatile.”
Equipment is reliable
When Palson says he pushes equipment hard,
he’s not exaggerating. In their first 10 months of
operation, each of the Cat 426Cs logged more
than 2,000 hours.
“In 10 years,” he says, “we’ve put more than
75,000 hours on our Cat backhoe loaders and
never touched an engine or transmission. I think
that says something about Caterpillar machines;
they’re being built right.”
“I find I get maximum trade-in value on the
machines,” he says, “and I don’t take a chance on
having a major component failure that I’d have to
pay for. I always add the extended service agreements to take care of the little things. To provide
good service to my customers, I have to have
dependable equipment.”
Oil analysis is part
of the company’s preventive maintenance
program.
“Oil sampling has
alerted us to some
metal particles in differentials,” Palson says.
“If a machine pops an
O-ring, for example,
that just creates other
problems if it goes
undetected. Compared
to a major component
repair bill of $3,000 to $4,000, what’s the cost of
oil analysis? We’ve always believed it’s easy to justify its use.”
Pride in performance
Ken Palson Enterprises built a reputation on its
ability to tackle specialized work and do the job
well, even in frozen ground. This takes experienced operators and the right machines.
“We do a lot of jobs no one else will touch
because of the liability,” Palson says. “We firmly
believe the key to our success is experienced operators on reliable equipment. If a man stays on one
machine, he gets to know it. If there is a strange
noise he recognizes it; he can even feel an unusual
vibration in the seat.
“And don’t forget the pride factor,” he continues. “Our operators treat their Cat machines like
they are their own. And why not? Those backhoes
are their bread and butter. If they look after the
machines and take care of them, they’re working.
If equipment is broken down, they stay at home.
There’s no question that one of the reasons we’re
thriving as a business after 10 years is the effort
we’ve expended to acquire experienced, talented
operators and dependable, productive Caterpillar
equipment.” ■
“In 10 years
we’ve put more
than 75,000
hours on our
Cat backhoes
and never
touched an
engine or
transmission.
I think
that says something about
Caterpillar
machines;
they’re being
built right.”
— Ken Palson
President,
Ken Palson Enterprises
ON YOUR OWN • 11
EQUIPMENT M AN AGEMENT
Sharpen your
competitive edge
O
Begin your walkaround
by looking for obvious
problems such as
damaged hoses.
n the track or on the jobsite, winners maintain their machines. “To expect peak
performance day in and day out, you’ve got
to take care of your equipment,” says Mark Barden,
customer service manager at Caterpillar’s Building
Construction Products division in Clayton, NC.
Ken Clymer, veteran operator at Caterpillar’s
product demonstration area in Peoria, IL, agrees.
He says, “The old advertising slogan applies: ‘You
can pay me now, or you can pay me later.’”
On Your Own interviewed these experts to get
some quick guidelines for a daily backhoe loader
walkaround inspection.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR PARTNER
A daily visual inspection includes walking around the machine
to ensure that:
❏ Hydraulic hoses and fittings are dry
❏ Electrical harnesses and connections look good
❏ Mechanical joints are well lubricated
❏ Tires are properly inflated and in good condition
❏ Lugnuts are tight and valve stems intact
❏ Steps and grab handles are clean, straight and secure
❏ Work tools and GET are in good condition -- bucket tips and
pins are secure
❏ Pins are in place for attachments like E-sticks and quick couplers.
LOOK FOR DAMAGE AND EXCESSIVE WEAR:
❏ Signs of fatigue such as cracks, chaffed or chipped surface paint
❏ Signs of stress or exposure such as stressed or kinked hoses or
wiring harnesses
❏ Breakage -- cracked windows or mirrors
❏ Damage -- hydraulic cylinder
wear or scratch
FLUID CHECKS:
❏ Check engine oil cold
❏ Check transmission fluid hot
CHECK THE OPERATION OF:
❏ Lights ❏ Parking brake
OTHER TIPS:
❏ Check for concentrated dust
on hose ends
❏ Check the ground under the machine after overnight parking
❏ Fuel and grease at night
12 • ON YOUR OWN
Let’s begin
Barden begins his walk around the machine by
looking for obvious problems such as damaged
hoses or where paint has been rubbed off the hose’s
protective outer wrapping. He looks for dust on
hose fittings that indicates the beginnings of a leak.
Both men pay close attention to tires. “Proper
inflation is important,” Clymer says, “because it
creates an equal cutting edge for the front bucket.
Low inflation also increases tire wear.”
Barden judges tire pressure by placing the front
bucket flat on the ground.
“If one bucket edge is up,” he says, “I know the
machine has low tire pressure on one side.”
Next, they check wheel lugnuts to ensure they
are all on and tight.
The last stop on the initial check is a cab
inspection. They look for cracks or breaks in the
glass and make sure doors work properly. They
check lights and turn signals. And they check
other safety items such as steps. Are they bolted on
tight, or are they bent? What is the condition of
the grab handles?
On closer inspection
Taking a closer look at the machine, Clymer
visually inspects all mechanical joints, hoses and
hose fittings and check their condition, looking for
anything that might be broken, loose or leaking.
They say it’s important to make a horizontal and
vertical scan, not just an eye-level look.
At the front of the machine, Barden and Clymer
check for excessive wear on the cutting edge or end
bits. They inspect loader pins and the linkage.
With the bucket flat on the ground, they check the
bolts on the cutting edge.
The daily walkaround is a good time to look
underneath the machine for oil or other fluid leaks
that might have occurred overnight.
Time to lube
When the visual walkaround is completed, it’s
time to check fluid levels. To do this properly,
it’s very important that the machine is parked
To do an accurate walkaround inspection, Mark Barden says, “It’s very important that the machine is
parked on a level surface. If not, you won’t get accurate readings on dipsticks or sight gauges.”
on a level surface.
“If the machine is not level,” Clymer says, “you
won’t get accurate readings on dipsticks or sight
gauges.”
“Check the hydraulic oil sight gauge on the left side
of the machine,” Barden says. “Open the hood and
check the rest of the fluids. Refer to the lubrication
guide decal on the underside of the hood to help locate
the grease fittings. From the top step, check engine and
transmission oil, coolant and brake reservoirs.”
At this point you could give your backhoe loader
its 10-hour lubrication. You could even find yourself
doing this more than once a day, but check the hour
meter.
Barden offers another pointer. “I like to fuel and
grease the machine at the end of the shift,” he says.
“Fueling displaces moist air in the tank, and lubricants
flow better when joints and grease are warm. Also,
lubrication will push any moisture out of the joints so
corrosion can’t develop overnight.”
Check wheel
lugnuts to make
sure they are all on
tight. The
beginnings
of rust may signal
one is getting
loose.
“It’s all right to lube and fuel at
night so the machine is ready to go
in the morning,” Clymer says, “but
still do a walkaround inspection
first thing. Something could have
leaked overnight and you wouldn’t
have seen it in the evening. Except
for the transmission oil, it’s better to
check fluids when the machine is
cold. That way you’re sure to get the
true fluid level. Sometimes oils
expand when they’re hot, and you
wouldn’t get a totally accurate check
at night.”
Visually inspect all mechanical
joints, hoses, hose fittings and
check their condition.It’s important
to make a horizontal and vertical
scan, not just an eye-level look.
Inside the cab
Inside the cab, Clymer and Barden advise operators
to do their housekeeping. A clean cab is very important. Keep window areas and floors free of trash, rags,
grease guns, lunch boxes and anything else. Cat
machines offer plenty of storage space, both inside and
out, for such items.
“Keep the floor free of debris so nothing obstructs
the accelerator,” Clymer says, “and most important,
the brakes.”
So remember, whether its racing or construction,
a thorough daily inspection can give you the
competitive edge to keep you out in front. Plus, a
well-maintained machine looks good and reflects well
on your business. ■
ON YOUR OWN • 13
EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS
Simple formula for
VERSATILE CAT 426C WITH POWER SHIFT
KEEPS CONTRACTOR PROFITABLE
he father and son team of John and Joe
Mauris likes to keep things simple. These
Alpine, California, utility contractors stick to
the work they do best and maintain tight control
over their operation.
“Staying small is the No. 1 reason for our
success,” John says. “We watch all our costs like
hawks and take very good care of our customers.”
John and Joe position themselves as subcontractors. For them, the best way to generate repeat
business is to make
sure general contractors are always
busy. That means
trenches are ready so
workers don’t stand
around.
“We give our
generals an excellent
job at a very competitive price,” John
says. “We have good
rapport with the
contractors we work
T
At right: John (left) and
Joe Mauris watch all
their costs like hawks
and take very good care
of their customers.
Below: The exceptional
maneuverability of
the All Wheel Steer
capability of the 426C
lets Joe work in
tighter areas.
14 • ON YOUR OWN
for, and that’s the best way we know to generate
repeat business. Combine cost control and that
makes us successful. We find well-managed operations get good contracts. That’s the name of the
game.”
Modest beginnings
John, 63, started in 1967 with one backhoe. The
business prospered, and by 1977 he needed help.
Joe, 41, came on board. The pair gradually added
machines and other
equipment, including
an excavator, track
loader, motor grader
and a dozer.
Today, they work
throughout San Diego
County, going as far as
the Imperial and
Cochilla valleys.
Projects are primarily commercial
trenching for plumbing and electrical utilities and some fine
grading. Their most
recent job involved 35,000 feet of utility trench at the
headquarters of the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet in San
Diego. Containment pipes installed underground
will be used to separate oil from a ship’s bilge water.
Years of experience with utility work offers
many benefits to customers. Simply put, John and
Joe can easily identify problems before they
happen, which saves contractors and customers
considerable time and money.
“We know how to correct a potential situation
before it becomes a major problem,” John says. “If
there’s a problem with the ground, we take care of
it. There are no surprises for our customers.”
John and Joe say they have the option to stay
small or get very large, up to 40 employees.
“With too many employees,” John says, “we’d
be working for them instead of ourselves. By
staying small, we can watch every expense item and
also be selective on the jobs we do.”
success
Common pitfalls facing small contractors are
overextending themselves or bidding too low. On
the Navy project, for example, John and Joe
surveyed ground conditions ahead of time to
identify potential problems. They arranged with
trucking companies to have equipment available so
hauling away material would not be delayed.
“To submit an accurate bid on a job,” John says,
“we have to acknowledge our limitations and make
sure we have the equipment to do the work.”
Machine versatility is critical
John and Joe have the equipment they need to
perform efficiently on each job.
“Six machines may seem like a lot of equipment
for two guys,” John says, “but when we set up at a
jobsite we can do anything.”
In addition to several machines, there are
numerous attachments, including concrete
breakers, compactors and pile driver.
“We have acquired a number of machines over
the years,” John says. “We have what we need to do
the kind of work we specialize in.”
Success for John and Joe is more than just
adding equipment. Because they’re a small
company, they can’t have everything. As a result,
every machine must be very versatile.
The two recently purchased a Caterpillar 426C
backhoe loader with a Power Shift transmission.
This machine is expected to dig trenches, backfill,
compact and perform many other tasks. It is
equipped with a backhoe Quick Coupler, so
changing attachments is fast and easy.
“The 426 is good for small and bigger jobs,”
John says. “The additional reach of the 426 (one
foot compared to the 416C) is important to us. So
is some extra breakout force because we’re prepared
to handle unknowns at the jobsite. We want the
most production from each of our machines, and
the 426C does the trick.”
Power Shift breaks the tie
Joe has always operated Caterpillar equipment,
while John was more experienced with another
brand. When the two decided to purchase a second
backhoe, the Power Shift transmission was one of
the reasons for choosing Caterpillar.
This option increases productivity and operator
comfort because with one easy motion a single
lever controls speed and direction, as well as shift-
on-the-go under load. An additional gear was
added between the normal working and roading
range for smooth modulation for a total of five
forward and three reverse gears. And, operators
have more floor space because a twist-grip on the
forward-reverse lever replaces the conventional
floor-mounted gear shifter.
With 4th forward gear selected, the Power Shift
control system can shift automatically between 4th
and 5th gears to maintain road speed. When
higher speeds are not needed, a manual 5th gear
lockout switch prevents automatic shifts. This is
especially desirable during load and carry
applications.
The 426C was selected
for its additional reach
(one foot compared to
the 416C) and some
extra breakout force.
CONTINUED —
ON YOUR OWN • 15
All Wheel Steer (AWS).
The independentlymaneuvered rear axle
reduces the turning
diameter by more than
4 feet, giving the
tightest turning circle.
The three modes of
operation are:
(1) Two-wheel steer
(2) Circle steer
(3) Independent rear
maneuvering
“We were very interested in
this option,” Joe says. “We tried
the Power Shift transmission,
liked it and bought the 426C.
We do a lot of load and carry,
mostly picking up debris and
carrying it somewhere else.
Instead of having to shift and
making a jerky transition, or
even trying to watch the
transmission, my efforts are
focused on what I’m doing —
that’s what Power Shift lets me
do. I just flick my wrist to shift.
With other machines, I had to
stop to shift. With Power Shift,
The Caterpillar Power Shift transmission provides a single lever to
I can work faster and more
control speed and direction.
efficiently and there is less
fatigue over the course of my
has good visibility. I can see everything. It’s
typical 10-hour day. The 426C with Power Shift
another feature we really like.”
is just easier and smoother.”
New technology and continually updated
Joe also appreciates the All Wheel Steer capafeatures
are another reason John and Joe choose
bility available on the 426C. This option
Caterpillar
machines.
includes: two-wheel steer for normal job con“I
didn’t
grow up with Cat,” John says, “but
ditions and roading; circle steer for tighter
my
experience
tells me they have a great product.
loading cycles; and independent rear
The
426C
is
my
first Cat backhoe and I like it
maneuvering for crabbing to back-fill
very
well.
I
just
wish our other backhoe had
while driving parallel to a trench, gradPower
Shift
and
All Wheel Steer. These new
ing on a side slope with greater stability
features
are
why
we’ll
stay with Caterpillar. We
or negotiating the tightest turns in concan
work
faster
and
do
a better job.”
fined areas.
“All Wheel Steer lets us work in tighter
Serviceability is important
areas,” he says, “and when I have to get
Service sells. Chalk up yet another factor in the
material into a ditch I can square up the
Mauris’ decision to select Caterpillar.
machine to get a straight bucket so the entire load
“If machines are unreliable or service from the
goes into the ditch, not just a portion of it.
dealer is poor,” John says, “word gets around
Maneuverability is easy, so I get jobs done more
among contractors. Service is a very, very imporquickly, which is a cost savings.”
tant item, and Caterpillar is second to none. We
Newer equipment pays
John and Joe are convinced that newer, more
reliable and dependable equipment is another key
to their success.
“We try to stay with the latest equipment,”
John says. “Without dependable machines we
can’t deliver the goods. We can’t afford breakdowns because contractors don’t want us if we
delay them. They can’t afford to have their crews
sitting around. My motto is: ‘Why run a Model T
when I can have a new pickup?’”
The 426C is specified with an enclosed cab,
rare in southern California. “We need air
conditioning in the desert,” Joe says, “and we stay
cleaner. We have a radio to listen to news or music
so the day goes better. Plus, it seems I’m just not
as tired at the end of the day. This Cat machine
16 • ON YOUR OWN
can get parts anytime, even on Saturdays and
Sundays.
“We had a job in Escondido,” he continues,
“and I needed a starter for our track loader. It was
Sunday morning. I called my sales representative
and he met me at the dealership. I got the part
and was back to work in just a couple of hours
instead of days. That’s another reason why I like
Caterpillar. We like to work on our equipment on
weekends, and if we can’t get parts it is a big factor
in our equipment selection. Parts availability and
service are critical. We want to spend our full
week working.”
Versatile, dependable machines, a strong work
ethic and taking care or their customers is the
formula that adds up to success for John and Joe
Mauris.■
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
Cat 416C IT versatility
provides competitive edge
Maximum machine utilization is critical
to this highway contractor’s success
h, how times have changed since Gerry
Lorusso bought his father’s construction
business 18 years ago.
“It’s a difficult environment today,” says the
president of Lorusso Corp., Plainville, Massachusetts. “We used to compete against another
family business. Today, our competition is a
multinational corporation. It’s caused a real
change in how we compete for business.”
Paving contractors like Lorusso need to be
highly organized and must operate more efficiently. Part of this success formula means better
equipment utilization.
“We must constantly refine our operation and
become more efficient,” Lorusso says. “The
concept of fewer machines using more tools that
can do more jobs becomes very important.”
To measure productivity, an hourly cost is
assigned to every piece of equipment. The compa-
O
ny takes the cost of each machine and determines
an hourly charge based on the time of each job.
Added to this is the cost of fuel and maintenance.
Labor and parts are charged individually to each
machine.
“If we can generate more useful hours per
machine,” Lorusso says, “we can bring down our
cost per hour. The more hours we can put on a
machine, the less the cost of operation.”
Lorusso Corp. produces crushed stone and bituminous concrete. The company does municipal
and state highway resurfacing and reconstruction
and related site work in the eastern two-thirds of
the state. There are 90 pieces of paving and construction equipment and 175 employees.
416Cs join the roster
Earlier this year, the company purchased four
Caterpillar 416C backhoe loaders. Already, two
machines have logged
more than 500 hours
of productive operation.
The addition of the
416Cs was actually
brought about by
Lorusso Corp.’s experience with two
Caterpillar IT28
Integrated Toolcarriers
it owns. “We really
liked the versatility of
these machines,” heavy
equipment supervisor
Ed Kettell says, “so
when the 416C was
introduced, we knew
it would be a great
machine for us. Many
of our jobs are small
“The 416
has power
to handle
everything
that’s
there.”
— Ed Kettell
Heavy Equipment
Supervisor,
Lorusso Corp
ON YOUR OWN • 17
CAT 416C IT VERSATILITY PROVIDES COMPETITIVE EDGE
The nimble 416C IT uses
pallet forks to transport
a manhole section in a
new subdivision, then
quickly switches to the
backhoe to place the
section (page 17).
18 • ON YOUR OWN
enough that the 416C can handle everything
that’s there.”
The machines use general and multi-purpose
buckets, a material-handling arm, pallet forks and
brooms; and each is e q u i p p e d w i t h t h e
optional Quick Coupler for fast tool changes.
“If a machine is digging,” Kettell says, “it takes
only a few minutes to put on the forks and run
down the street to grab a pallet of material from a
truck. From a time and labor standpoint, these
backhoe loaders work out great.”
Safety first
Lorusso says there is another major advantage
of the 416Cs, a benefit that doesn’t necessarily
show up on the balance sheet. Take, for example,
a subdivision job requiring a lot of pipe
installation. It could take three or four workers
with slings and cables to unload and lay out this
material. The same job is accomplished with one
416C and its operator.
“It’s much safer to use a machine that’s
properly equipped for the job,” Lorusso says, “as
opposed to two laborers wrapping slings around
pallets of pipe. Using the Caterpillar backhoes for
this task, no one is in an at-risk position with a
suspended load.”
Other 416C features were important to the
company’s purchase decision. There is improved
visibility, increased by 40 percent due to the
machine’s sloped hood, divergent lift arms and
larger windows. Plus, comfort features such as air
conditioning and an ergonomically-designed seat
help reduce operator fatigue.
Excellent
maneuverability
and improved visibility
help this 416C IT
operator load and carry
broken concrete out of a
narrow, sunken
railroad bed to load
waiting trucks on a
busy highway
up above.
Strict PM program
Lorusso Corp. strictly adheres to an already
precise preventive maintenance program. At
machine start-up, each operator is responsible for
checking fluid levels, completing a walkaround
inspection and filling out a daily report. The
company just started using a Caterpillar dealer
maintenance program on 20 machines.
“Our Cat dealer comes out any time of the day
or night to service our machines,” Kettell says. “In
our peak season, we’re running 12 hours a day.
With this program, we don’t have to have
mechanics come in late or send two guys out to
the jobsite to fix a machine. Our Cat dealer even
goes to the job and takes waste oil and filters with
him so we don’t have to truck that around.”
Lorusso’s Cat dealer recently extended certain
service intervals to 500 hours, but the company
continues to perform regular S•O•S fluid
sampling every 250 hours. The contractor
specifies only genuine Cat parts and filters.
“We changed over completely to radial seal filters,” Kettell says. “Because this two-stage filter acts
as an air cleaner and precleaner in a single unit, it
eliminates a hood-mounted precleaner. It’s a better
system and saves time. We used to change filters
inside compartments every winter. If there was a
problem before that, no one wanted to take the
time to pull out the old filter. With the radial seal
filters, we can change two filters in three minutes.”
Exclusively Caterpillar
Looking down the list of Lorusso equipment,
it’s nearly impossible to find anything other than
Caterpillar machines. “We like to standardize on
equipment,” Kettell says. “We probably wouldn’t
be so focused on Caterpillar equipment if it wasn’t
for our dealer’s high level of parts and service
performance. More and more highway work has
to be done at night, and machine availability is
critical to us. We simply can’t afford downtime.
The maintenance program our dealer offers lets
us operate without a double shift of mechanics.”
Lorusso remains focused on a machine’s total
operating cost, which includes resale value.
“As our work shifts from period to period,” he
says, “we may find that we don’t need as many
excavators three years from now. Maybe we need
more rubber tired machines or dozers. If we have
the comfort level that when we buy a machine we
can get a good price at resale, it makes the
purchase of that equipment much easier.” ■
“If we can
generate
more useful
hours per
machine,
we can
bring down
our cost per
hour.”
— Gerry Lorusso
President,
Lorusso Corp.
ON YOUR OWN • 19
MACHINE VERSATILITY
Not just your average Joe
KEEN
BUSINESS SENSE PROPELS
SOUTH CAROLINA CONTRACTOR
oes this sound familiar? Young man graduates
from high school. Unsure of future but enjoys
being around equipment. Buys backhoe
loader and starts own business. Earns a respectable
living but can’t get to the next level.
This story line is played out day after day in the
construction industry. What makes this profile
stand out is that Joe Singleton did find success on a
larger scale.
Joe, 34, graduated from high school in Sumter,
South Carolina, in June of 1982. He started doing
yard work, bought a backhoe loader and moved on
to site clearing and grading.
As jobs got bigger,
Joe was forced to subcontract grading and
paving. It didn’t take
long for problems to
develop. He would tell
a project’s owner that
the paver would be
there on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the subcontractor had no
intentions of adhering
to that schedule. Joe
reasoned that to be
successful, he had to
be self sufficient.
D
Singleton’s 416C ITs do
a little bit of everything.
The controls are so
smooth and responsive
that operators can do
a variety of tasks with
the backhoe.
Self sufficiency
means control
“Our customers only
want to make one
phone call and have
one person be responsible for their project,”
he says. “This is our
competitive advantage. When we’re
ready to pave, we
don’t have to wait for
anyone. We get our
clients’ projects completed on time. For us
to be able to promise
20 • ON YOUR OWN
to meet deadlines, we have to be in control of each
facet of the job.”
Joe Singleton Co. has 26 full-time and 15
subcontracted employees and 30 pieces of
equipment. Serving a 50-mile radius around
Sumter, the operation posts annual revenues of
$5 million.
The contractor specializes in complete packages
of small- to medium-sized retail or office building
projects. This includes jobs from site clearing or
demolishing existing structures all the way to
asphalt paving.
“Quality people with experience in every facet of
the project are critical to the success of a business
that wants to provide a total job,” Joe says. “Besides
personnel, we need good equipment to produce the
results we’re looking for. Machines must be available all the time. If equipment goes down, getting
it back up is a key issue. We need the part the next
morning so the machine is back up and running.
We don’t have the luxury of having a stable of spare
equipment. Every piece we have, we need.”
Watching Caterpillar grow
Joe is not a lifelong user of Caterpillar
equipment. It was only in the last two years that he
purchased a pair of 416C IT backhoe loaders.
“I watched Caterpillar come into the backhoe
loader market 12 years ago,” he says, “and have seen
the product mature. Caterpillar always seemed
sensitive to the end user. I was impressed by the
effort they put into eliminating areas that led to
downtime. For example, they’ve done a great job
routing hoses to make machines more productive
and available. Cat also uses beefier pins and
hardware. Plus, their parts availability is fantastic.”
At present, Joe has two 416Cs with Integrated
Toolcarrier linkage and hydraulic quick couplers for
their versatility. He uses forks, buckets and a
stacking rake on the front end of the machine.
“Our operators can drop a bucket right from the
cab and pick up forks or the stacking rake and move
pipe,” he says. “We call that a key play because it
saves time and is more convenient. Jobs flow more
smoothly if attachments can be changed quickly,
and work quality is better because operators aren’t
Hydraulic
quick couplers
let operators
drop a bucket
right from the
cab and pick
up forks or a
stacking rake
to perform
other jobsite
chores.
stressed as much. It’s little things like this that add
up to the overall success of a project.”
Versatile machines
Joe’s 416C ITs do a little bit of everything.
Operators excavate with the backhoe and perform
load and carry tasks with the front. The rake
attachment is used for clearing small areas and also
handles pipe. He expects to order a broom
attachment soon that will circulate among crews to
clean up jobsites.
“The Cat 416C is sized right for the type of
work we do,” he says. “We like the Integrated
Toolcarrier design because of its parallel lift feature
for material handling and higher lift and breakout
forces.
“We currently have six backhoe loaders,” he
continues, “and Caterpillar ITs are the way we’ll be
going on future purchases because our options are
limitless. Instead of buying another machine, I can
get an attachment that can be used among all the
machines. I can justify adding work tools to my
inventory, but I don’t want extra machines sitting
around. I’ve done that in the past and it’s cost me. I
won’t do it again.”
Joe purchased the first Cat machine and several
months later decided he needed another backhoe
loader. His operators were worried that he might
return to the previous brand and talked him into
renting another 416C IT.
“They really like Caterpillar’s cab design and the
ease of operation of the machine,” he says. “For my
part, Caterpillar machines are just built better.
That’s how the second machine got here. We tried
one, and when it came time to get a second
machine my operators asked for another
Caterpillar. They’re more powerful and they road
better. Plus, as far as my operators are concerned,
there’s a real advantage to running a Cat machine.”
The Cat 416C ITs were purchased with
Customer Support Agreements for maintenance
and service.
“We want to focus on being the best at what we
do,” Joe says. “We don’t want to be mechanics.
We’re a one-stop-shop for our customers, and that’s
what we want from our Caterpillar dealer. Their
level of support is better than anything we’ve
experienced during our 16 years in business.”
Pictured with foreman
Willie T. McFadden,
Joe Singleton (right)
says, “I watched
Caterpillar come into
the backhoe loader
market 12 years ago,
and have seen the
product mature.”
Continued —
ON YOUR OWN • 21
F O U R S T E P S T O SU C C ESS
A rake attachment is
used for clearing, pipe
handling and other
tasks.
“Jobs flow
more
smoothly if
attachments
can be
changed
quickly . . .”
— Joe Singleton
22 • ON YOUR OWN
“I just liked machines”
Joe says he just always liked working outside.
And, he really liked those big, yellow machines.
Credit Joe’s mother for his early venture into
construction. One day she arranged for him to
watch a crew construct a railroad crossing. He was
mesmerized watching the backhoes work, and by
the end of the day he was hooked.
That early fascination with equipment led to
his successful career as a site contractor.
“It was fairly obvious to me that in order to
grow and become more profitable,” he says, “I had
to continually move into areas that were tougher
to get into. The payoff is greater profit potential
because the sheer quantity of competition is
decreased. However, I also learned that the quality
of competition increases because this field requires
experience and business acumen.”
Four steps to success
Joe developed a four-step program for success.
His No. 1 priority is finding, training and keeping
competent people. New, state-of-the-art equipment is step two, quality is step three and
productivity is step four.
“The office might burn down and all my
equipment could be stolen,” he says, “but as long
as my people are here I’m still in business. If we
tend to the first two steps, the next two will
naturally follow. I’ve seen too many other
operations that put productivity first at the
expense of human resources. This may work
briefly, but soon a contractor will be forced to
work with disenchanted crews, abused equipment
and on low budget projects.”
Joe pays competitively and offers complete
benefit packages including 401K retirement
program, health insurance, two weeks paid
vacation and paid holidays.
“We never send an employee home with a short
paycheck in winter,” he says, “and we insist on a
safe work environment and equipment.”
Joe says it’s important to let his people know
they’re appreciated and that the company cares
about them.
“This doesn’t take a whole lot from me,” he
adds. “Just a simple word of praise, showing
concern about an injury or asking about an
employee’s family lets people know we care about
them, and that goes a long way.”
Joe is a firm believer in momentum.
“Young companies can create a magnetism that
attracts good people and retains them because they
want to be part of something that’s successful,” he
explains. “At times, that can mean more than a few
more dollars on a paycheck. Having the chance to
be on a winning team that has a future and you’re
contributing to it means a great deal these days.”
Controlled growth
Charting his company’s growth plan, Joe wants
to handle a larger volume of the same size jobs he
is doing today.
“Too often contractors grow by tackling bigger
and bigger jobs,” he says. “We have done this in
the past and it is very difficult. It requires
constantly expanding our personnel and fleets and
altering our management style. In doing so, little
attention is paid to details. We are set up for
certain types of projects and are becoming more
efficient at this work. The 416C ITs, with their
multi-task capability and ability to change work
tools quickly from the cab are a good example of
attention to detail. This may only save a small
amount of time, but it adds up.”
Joe often explains his thoughts through
analogies. This time the metaphor is car racing.
“On the NASCAR circuit,” he says, “the leader
doesn’t usually win by a mile. Victory is measured
in car lengths or seconds. This is due to making good
overall decisions
and fine-tuning the
team. The same is
true for business
owners. We must
pay attention to
our people and be
k n ow l e d g e a b l e
about equipment.
For us to win the
race, we need to
make key moves in
every way, everyday.” ■
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
Staying power
ohn Marshall’s career spans 31 years, and the
Middletown, Rhode Island, contractor sees
no reason he couldn’t remain in business
another three decades.
“My longevity is based on my reputation,” the
president of J.A.M. Construction says. “I do what
I tell my customers I’ll do, and I make sure every
job is quality work. When business gets tough,
and I’ve seen that over the years, lesser contractors
fall by the wayside. For example, if a customer
wants a driveway with only 2 inches of gravel, we
J
won’t do it. Our base is eight inches. What I don’t
want to have happen is my name associated with
that driveway on the day it breaks up. If we can’t
do the job right, we don’t do it. That philosophy
has worked very well for us.”
J.A.M. is a full service excavating and paving
business with 14 pieces of construction equipment, 11 dump trucks and 30 employees.
Marshall has something of a captive audience
of customers. He confines his territory to a 15mile-long, 5-mile-wide island that includes the
boating headquarters and upscale community of
Newport. To call Marshall hands-on is an understatement.
“I touch everything,” he says. “I am involved in
every job. As good as my men are, there are always
decisions that have to be made by the boss. My
Quality work
keeps Rhode
Island
contractor in
business for
31 years.
ON YOUR OWN • 23
With their new 426C IT,
J.A.M. Construction has
discovered true machine
versatility — from
trenching with the
backhoe to load and
carry with their
multi-purpose bucket
or site clean-up
with a broom.
24 • ON YOUR OWN
being around actually speeds up
jobs. My feeling is, if you’ve got an
entire orchestra, they can’t play
without a conductor.”
Switch to Caterpillar
J.A.M. relied on one backhoe
manufacturer for 31 years. The
company had a good experience
with the product and had some
high-hour machines. But it’s 1997,
and that make of machine is no longer available.
J.A.M.’s parts inventory was rendered obsolete;
and initially, that was reason enough for Marshall
to switch equipment manufacturers.
“Today,” he says, “the key to machine performance is comfort, speed and production.
Caterpillar has more pluses than other backhoe
manufacturers, such as visibility, speed and
smoother operation. I also chose my 426C IT for
its serviceability. Service access is easier than any
other machine I looked at.”
Initially, Marshall shied away from the 426C
IT because of its multiple attachment features. He
didn’t want the Caterpillar backhoe because he
thought several tools were just something more to
wear out. That impression lasted only until he
spent five hours on the machine one Saturday.
“I started on a
machine 31 years
ago,” Marshall
says. “It’s therapy
for me to jump
on one; and
whenever I can, I
do it. I couldn’t
believe how quiet
and comfortable
the 426C IT cab
was, and how
productive I was.
This
backhoe
loader is responsive and quick. Compared to my old
machine, this Caterpillar 426C IT is
like getting out of a compact and into a
luxury car.”
Until that day, Marshall had never
experienced attachment versatility, so he
didn’t see the value. His 426C IT uses
the backhoe quick coupler system with
12- and 24-inch high capacity buckets.
With its integrated toolcarrier’s front
linkage the machine is also used
extensively with the broom and multi-
purpose bucket attachment.
“Normally, a guy wouldn’t change attachments
on our older backhoes because it was too much
work and he’d get his hands full of oil,” Marshall
says. “That’s not the case with the 426C IT.
What’s more, the job gets done faster because the
operator is using the right tools. For example, one
day we’re putting in 1,800 feet of gas main, so
we’re using the 12-inch bucket. That afternoon
we’re in downtown Newport on sanitary sewer
project with a wider trench, and we can use the
same machine with a different attachment.”
Marshall plans to add a grader bucket. “There’s
no end to what we can do with this machine,”
he says, “and when I buy another Cat backhoe
loader, the attachments I have now will be interchangeable.”
New-found versatility
J.A.M. never experienced such machine
versatility.
“With other backhoes,” Marshall says, “we’d
try to do the job with an unsuitable attachment,
or bring in another machine. It would take an
operator 30 to 45 minutes to change tools with
older machines. He might be alone, trying to line
up the pin and it’s never level. At the same time,
there are laborers standing around waiting for the
machine to get up and running. Today, time is
money and we can’t afford that. I’m very happy
with the versatility of the 426C IT.”
Marshall appreciates the amount of work he
can do with a smaller machine.“We do a lot of residential work,” he says, “and there are backyard jobs
where turning radius is very important. The 426C
IT is big, but it’s small; I have the reach and
capacity of a larger
machine and the
maneuverability
I need.”
Dealer support
When Marshall
switched to
Caterpillar, he
found much more
to his liking in addition to equipment
performance.
“My Cat dealer
is very easy to work
with,” he says. “I
rented the 426C IT
for several months
before I decided to
buy it. The terms
were very reasonable, and this is
how I plan to purchase most of my new
machines.”
Service is another Caterpillar dealer advantage.
“I’m a fanatic about preventive maintenance,”
Marshall says, “and my Cat dealer’s parts availability
and service support is second to none. If a machine is
down, it’s critical to get it up and running as soon as
possible because I don’t have extra equipment.”
Looking back, does Marshall have any other
tips for staying in business 31 years?
“I have good relationships with customers and
do quality work,” he says. “Long-time employees
are a tremendous asset, too. We have customers
who want a certain operator on a job. And, I try
to provide value-added
services. We always clean
up the site and leave the
job looking good. This
kind of reputation means
everything.” ■
“There’s no
end to what
we can do
with this
machine . . .”
— John Marshall
According to Marshall,
“This backhoe loader is
responsive and quick.
Compared to my old
machine, this Caterpillar
426C IT is like getting out
of a compact and into
a luxury car.”
ON YOUR OWN • 25
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Backhoe loader oper
perating a backhoe loader can be a stressful
job. Often, you’re working in tight spaces.
So you have to be aware of what’s going on
at both ends of the machine at all times. Seasoned
operators are able to plan their moves ahead of
time. And, they handle the controls with finesse.
The new C-Series Backhoe Loader and Integrated Toolcarrier from Caterpillar have several features that make these machines the easiest to operate ever. These include increased forward visibility,
a boost in lifting capacity, greater stabilizer spread,
better operator comfort and more.
Besides enhancements, the C-Series machines
also kept several time-proven innovations such as
the excavator-style backhoe boom (a Cat innovation) that digs deeper and reaches over obstacles
better than a straight boom, plus smooth, loadsensing, variable-flow hydraulics.
But as operator-friendly as the C-Series may be,
the machine cannot “think” for itself. This part is
up to you. Here are several tips from an expert
operator that may help you and your backhoe
loader become an even more productive team:
O
Mike Taylor,
Cat
Demonstrator/
Instructor at
Edwards
Training
Center near
Peoria, IL,
has been
around backhoe loaders
his entire
career.
Keep it clean — wipe your machine down
daily, clean the windows and pick up any debris in
the cab. By keeping the exterior clean, you can easily spot any fluid leaks before they get worse and
result in downtime. Debris in the cab could get
lodged in the controls and cause a problem.
Check before you dig — contact your local
utility company for the location of any underground utilities or communication lines in the area.
Get a good stance — before you dig, make
sure the backhoe loader is stable. Your stance will
vary according to terrain and the application, but
a rule of thumb is to set out the stabilizers and then
raise the tires no more than three inches off the
ground. Also, set your loader bucket on the ground
for even more stability.
Don’t grab it all — (method #1) make consistent 3- to 4-inch deep cuts during trenching
26 • ON YOUR OWN
operations. Steady digging, as
opposed to slashing deep to fill the
bucket each time, makes you more
productive because the cut is more
precise the first time through.
Start digging “short” —
(method #2) speed and productivity, dig short of the point you want
to reach, then gradually extend the
stick. Using this method, the dirt is
always coming to you instead of
rolling away. You won’t spend time
cleaning up what you’ve already
excavated.
Use the right stick — for digging in sandy soil or clay, the C-Series
extendible stick option is ideal. But in
severe digging conditions (rocky soil
or early spring ground frost) or closecrowding applications, it’s better to
dig with the E-stick retracted to avoid
damage.
Practice smoothness —
blend the four functions of the backhoe loader (swing and boom control
with stick and bucket control) to create a smooth-operating machine. Fast,
jerky motions can result in sloppy
trenching and can even damage
equipment. Slowing your movements can make
your machine’s operation smoother and more productive.
Leave the bucket flat — when using the
front loader, many operators angle the bucket forward and attack the pile in a scooping action. This
can cause you to lose traction and maybe even the
load. It is also more stressful on the drive train. It’s
better to keep the bucket flat on the ground as you
approach the pile when loading, then lift and skim
the pile.
ator efficiency tips
Improving backhoe
loader operating
techniques can boost
profits. Our dealership
has literature and
other ideas to
help you
increase your
productivity.
Drag the cutting edge — in grading and
leveling operations, it’s recommended that you roll
the loader bucket over, with the cutting edge to the
rear. Using the bucket’s top and cutting edge gives
you two leveling surfaces for better machine stability and control. Also, when you backdrag, dragging the cutting edge minimizes gouging and the
need to grade an area a second time, as is common
with the more traditional bucket up and angled
forward position.
Let the hydraulics do the work — loading operations do not necessarily require brute
strength with your machine in low gear. The
C-Series has 20 percent greater rimpull than the
B-Series in second gear. So select the the gear that
will provide the proper rimpull without allowing
the tires to spin out.
Finally, although the C-Series backhoe loaders
feature all wheel drive as a valuable jobsite option,
it’s best to stay in rear-wheel drive as much as possible especially on hard surfaces. This will save wearand-tear on the drivetrain and tires.
Like anything else, you get better with practice.
Following the above tips from an expert backhoe
loader operator can help turn you into a real
“smooth professional.” ■
ON YOUR OWN • 27
AN AGREEMENT TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND LOWER COSTS
Every Caterpillar machine is designed and built to provide
maximum productivity and operating economy throughout its
working life. Maintaining that built-in value takes careful
planning and ongoing attention. When you have a Customer
Support Agreement (CSA) with our dealership, you have more
time to do what you do best. Our highly trained technicians can
then do their part to maintain your machines and drive operating
costs down. In the end everyone’s goal is the same: getting more
work done at a lower cost.
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