Saving an Old Road Grader from an EARLY Grave ~ Caterpillar Motor Grader Sat Abandoned for 10+ Years

[@nevillemills9517]

My father operated one of these back in the 1970's/ 80's on the local shire council in Victoria/ Australia. When he retired in 1988 I drove it for a short time until it was sold at that time I was 27 years old. I have driven many graders since 1992 full time and built many roads and maintenance grading roads. I am 62 years now and retired. I still miss it but had a great time doing what my father did. After the 12E grader was sold I spent a year on a case 580E loader then operated a 926 cat loader till 1992 loading trucks in our gravel pitts within our shire. I had some wonderful times and got many memories. Cheers from Nev Victoria Australia.🤠👍

[@milwsdl39]

Thanks!

[@milwsdl39]

Awesome job another piece of history saved just think no DEF fluid

[@joelhebert4559]

Stumbled onto this YT video and don't know why, but found it fascinating. Great to see a father/son team working together!

[@ironman3406]

I love old Cat graders, I’ve got a 1955 212 and a 1956 12 myself. There are two blade lift controls on the main gear box, one controls each side of the blade independently so you can manage blade angle. The side shift on the main gearbox will move the whole DCM (drawbar circle moldboard) left and right allowing you to get the whole blade positioned further out from the main frame to pull slopes as an example. The hyd blade shift with the control closer to the window will move just the moldboard left and right. The control on the very far right of the control box is your throttle control, and the little foot control is deceleration. So you could set your desired engine speed and then decel as needed without having to always use the throttle lever. That additional drive shaft on the front; you are right would have been to control a front mounted attachment of some kind. Blades are fun and not as complicated as folks make them out to be. Look forward to seeing it in action again

[@somerandomguy3868]

It's refreshing to see someone do their thing without any BS, never easy moving a piece of equipment that's not running

[@131dyana]

a hazzle to get it on the trailer but a great job by you and your Dad.

[@pinetree9343]

Excellent find! If more people restored equipment like you, we'd be a more resourceful country.

[@thomaschandler8036]

Nice old machine, love your videos. Keep up the good work.

[@billarcher]

The lean wheel control is used to lean the wheels into the draught of the blade to reduce the effort in steering the grader while pushing and cutting dirt. The mechanical side shift is used for small shifts of the blade but if the machine is fitted with a hydraulic side shift the mechanical shift is almost never used. When using the mechanical controls, grasp the knobs firmly and push them into engagement hard. Don't ease them in because they will kick hard because the dog clutches in the control box will be worn particularly on the blade lift. You have quite an experience ahead of you learning to operate this machine. There are cheek plates missing from each end of the mouldboard. These are used when cutting drains and are a cutting edge as well.

[@brucemullen3889]

Those old knuckle buster blade are what I ran many years ago. Make my hands ache looking at them .

[@billarcher]

@@brucemullen3889 Some were worse than others depending on how worn they were. I haven't been on one since about 1974. You learn quickly to keep a firm grip on the lever and slam it in instead of trying to ease it into engagement. When the dogs are very badly worn it's impossible to get them to engage if there is a lot of weight on the blade. nevertheless, they did a lot of work and would keep going when most of the opposition machines had stopped.

[@ronhaworth5471]

Exactly!

[@willford9205]

If the gear lash is setup right, they dont kick till they wear. I had thr pleasure of running one before and after a overhaul..night & day diffence. NOT that when setup right. I used EVERY lever all the time. DAMN! I'm old

[@billarcher]

@@willford9205 The graders that I was operating were well worn and the owners were reluctant to spend any more money than necessary. I did operate a new one for a short time and that was really nice to use. I also operated G and H series machines for a while and liked them better. I am getting old as well and would rather watch other people operate them now.

[@riddledj3468]

Enjoying this so far! Couldn’t help but think a couple blocks for rear wheels to roll over would lift blade off deck.

[@bombardier3qtrlbpsi]

Always a great video when you can work on a project with your dad. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@The-Deadbolt-Deputy]

That hydraulic winch and the snatch blocks was perfect for getting this ole girl loaded

[@timofeyserikof8397]

With each new release, you set new tasks for yourself, and the further you go, the more difficult these tasks are! I love graders since childhood, I will be happy to watch how you bring this monster back to life!

[@davidcoudriet8439]

Congratulations Cat Grader; you got your second chance! Thanks for saving it.

[@giggiddy]

Your style, simplicity and common sense approach has put you at the top of my KZbin list. Great, clear and concise video with no stupid gimmicks. The last guy I used to follow bragged about how cheap he was and half-assed patched his stuff back together even when being cheap made them dangerous. You save where you can but don't mind digging in your pocket when necessary. One request- when you place a subtitle explaining something, can you leave it up a few more seconds as some of us read slower than others. Thank you sir and keep up the great work!

[@stevejette2329]

D - 1st time here. Being frugal is one thing. Being unsafe while saving money might be something else. Using 2x4s instead of a legit jackstand ? Using an old, underpowered jack to lift something big, knowing ahead that it was large equipment ? hmm 1st impression as I am only 10 minutes in.

[@M.TTT.]

it can be fun to make old stuff work with what ya got and is more realistic in some ways (farmers), but then later on fix them properly.

[@M.TTT.]

@@stevejette2329 lol good point, but we've all been unprepared at some point in our lives. A good 20ton+ bottle jack and he's good to go. Using old peices of 6x6 or railroad ties for jack stands is fine too if you use enough.

[@M.TTT.]

@@robertmiddleton1227 but did it work though? Yes

[@stevejette2329]

@@robertmiddleton1227 Wow. A road "greater" ??? It's 'grader', as in a 'grade' meaning a level. It's right in the title. "you shouldn't never brought ..." should not never ... ? That may be the only trailer he has. wow

[@PacificNorthwestHillbilly]

Looks like a fun project!

[@neil6212]

ANOTHER great find! I love the way you approach every machine logically, and carry through! Looks like you're needing a bushel of fittings and a mile of hose! The conditions of the old hoses is typical of the commonly found rubber lines with steel braid. It might require a King's ransom, but the stainless braid with the Teflon inner could be a great answer. We used a lot of them for high pressure lines on machinery in production. When I retired, some were still in use that I made up 20 years previously.

[@tedohio3038]

Nice video, your dad is a good operator. Think I would drain the fluids now.

[@gordonagent7037]

Great score, it’s so nice to see a guy who loves old iron get a great find like this, can’t wait to see this project start

[@chuckhaynes6458]

That's an excellent machine. Caterpillar 12 motorgraders were the standard of the industry for decades. Very good condition and certainly worth the engine work that will be necessary to make it functional again. I've used them many times and they are the top of the line. With the addition of the front blade this machine is good for plowing fairly deep snow. I would set the front blade about 10-12" above the road and the main blade on an angle at road surface. I'm looking forward to watching you do this one up right.

[@michaelalan1546]

Oh man, love it bro I’m a blade guy myself, been operating one for about 20 years and I love the old cat machines! Look forward to seeing you restore this machine and putting it back to work!

[@davidakridge2831]

Simply wonderful videos. You and Matt from Diesel Creek are all I need these days. No more TV. Just wait on my video to appear. That utility truck is turning out to be an amazing rescue vehicle. After you get it running like a top again, might I suggest a good power washing and some Salvage Workshop logos on the side. Need to dress her up a little. Thank you for such awesome content.

[@ron4jon]

YOU are the hardest working dude on UT........!!!!!

[@stevesalvage1089]

Another great find ! Can't wait for the engine investigation, let's hope the bores are salvageable! Great filming Matt !

[@RustyNail5856]

First of all I'm glad to see that you and dad working together, when you look back you will back at the fun times yall had together. i say this because i did not spend a lot of time at the end with my dad i now i wish i had, you think that you have more time , and then something happen that you don;t., and i miss him . i wish he was still here . i am glad to see that you got the big boy home. and that has a lot of extras on it , that is a very nice machine that you found there. i wish i cloud find some heavy equipment here in FL. i don't know how you do it. i would love to found one and fix it. that would be great. i would love it. great video, keep up the good videos and i will see you on the next one. take care.

[@jakejohnson5702]

I love your videos, I think you are great at what you do, and it is great how you can salvage such run down machines in the weeds like you do.

[@ronhaworth5471]

I remember seeing them back in the early 60s. Real workhorse!!

[@brianelliot2719]

Looks like a very interesting project, looking forward to its restoration. Thanks for the video - excellent photography as usual and you tell a great story.

[@stroked550]

Big bottle of cheap dish soap really helps when you need to winch rubber tired equipment sideways on a trailer. That winch setup is awesome on the truck!

[@SalvageWorkshop]

GREAT idea! I have some cheap dish soap I NEVER use! I'll put that in the service truck for future recoveries! Great idea, Thanks!

[@alanjarvis8777]

Good job in all the videos, you are getting steadily better at recovering these old beauties! Look forward to seeing the next stage!

[@bigmotter001]

Matt, don't change your style of videos. You have and will continue to climb the ranks of KZbin! Thanks for all of your postings and take care!

[@Bris650]

Matt, really enjoy your video's. Love to see you working together with your dad!! I really like it that you keep it clean and not silly as others I've seen. I can see the passion you have for getting old gear functioning again. Keep up the great work and we'll keep watching😁

[@redryderaus]

Those tyres are amazingly clean and shiny for a machine that has been sitting out in the sun for 10 years.

[@jamesrobinson1022]

That has to be one schetchiest loading ever. What was probably the worst is having the winch controls in the bite zone.

[@jexsmx6608]

Glad to see I wasn't the only one cringing during the loading sequence. It only takes once...

[@SalvageWorkshop]

Yeah it was a bit sketchy! Moving the winch controls isn't an easy thing to do, but I might think abut that, we'll see!

[@ericpaul4575]

The loading was sketchy, but the hauling was more so. There was like no tongue weight. All the weight was behind the trailer wheels. The back ones were so overloaded they probably lost half their life on that trip. I am glad you made it to the shop safely.

[@alwaysmatterinmotion]

The unloading was worrying me too. We'd hate to lose you, Matt, or see you injured. It can take a little longer, but extra blocking, safety chains, or just walking the long way around the machine could save your life if something slipped or broke. That steel is completely unforgiving; stay safe.

[@eyewitness329]

Yeah I was wondering... Wouldn't be easier and much safer to load it backwards? Better weight distribution also.

[@bernardwill7196]

Matt, I hope that i allowed you named so . I love your videos and your passion to bring old iron to new life. Nice that i see you work with your father. Greetings from germany.

[@bobw7066]

I have been in the earthmoving trade for almost sixty years and that the person who fitted the rear tyres did not have a clue, because grader rear wheels are chain driven there is no power divider between the wheels on each side, the tyres must be matched in diameter on the same side resulting in the chains inside the box fighting each other by one wheel trying to go further than the other because of the different diameter. Looking at your grader both of the leading front tyres appear to be much newer than the rear ones, put the newer ones on one side and the worn ones on the other side bearing in mind to keep the wheel diameter as close as you can on each side . From Australia

[@SalvageWorkshop]

Good to know Bob! That totally makes sense, and wouldn't be too hard to do! Thanks for letting me know, I appreciate that!

[@jimrankin2583]

Actually all 4 drives on the old CAT graders are coupled rigidly together. There’s no differential in the center of the axle. That and the fact that they’ve got the majority of their weight over the drives is why they’ll pull through most anything without spinning out. So if you can get all 4 rear tires as nearly the same diameter that would be best. In dirt it doesn’t matter all that much.

[@jamesgibson5876]

Yes it's like 4x4 .. the wheel diameters have to be equal or the tires will just fight eahoter and have to scrub to even turn

[@primitiveman8150]

I still operate one of them today. The 12 e. Great old graders. The big problem is greasing seems to take all day. They opened up most of Australia in the early days.

[@dandunlap8638]

Been waiting for you to drop another video

[@pullimgsm]

That is the same model grader my dad delivered to Watertown NY in the 60s. He drove it from Syracuse to Watertown. No truck was available. My brother and I took turns riding with him. Good memories.

[@terryrogers1025]

Nice recovery job young man, one of the better I have witnessed. Looking forward to this series. Thanks for the ride along sir. You have yourself a good machine as far as I am concerned.

[@normhowes2975]

As my Dad ran a grader, a 64 Galion, for 20 yrs these things hold a spot in my heart. Thank You for at least saving it from the scrap man at least for now.

[@patrickcolahan7499]

If it were me, especially since you don't plan to work on it in the near future, I would drain the oil fill the cylinders and case with diesel and let it soak until you are ready to do anything. Great find, and I do believe it will run. Thanks for sharing.

[@SalvageWorkshop]

Patrick, I think that's a GREAT idea!... I should probably add an exhaust flapper in case the bungee cord breaks and the coffee can flies off!

[@edwardroberts2997]

Hi Fellas, Well, I am glad I found your channel I just happen to be an 81-year man retired Macantic who worked on school buss and out board motors

[@mikecostello1727]

It's very nice to have big toys to help. Awesome video guys.

[@Dave-1277]

Running against Vice Grip Garage and Diesel Creek, this has to be one of my all time favorite KZbin channels out there! So inspiring and awesome! Nice job as always brother, brings a smile to our faces when we see you upload another video! Keep up the good work!

[@TheTomcory]

Junk Yard Digs is a good one. Check out Grumpy Farmer.

[@TheTomcory]

But this is my #1 show I watch.

[@davidakridge2831]

LOL!! I just mentioned Diesel Creek in my comment before I saw yours. Now I have to go check out Vice Grip Garage.

[@4acrehome168]

@@davidakridge2831 you never saw VGG? Oh man, I wish I could experience him all over again 🤣

[@TheTomcory]

@@4acrehome168 I'll check it out

[@Chad93oleblue]

That dang winch has some TORQUE! When you hooked on the blade everything was stretching..the chain,the j hooks,the blade,the trailer everything was screaming for relief!

[@alfiversen7023]

An epic series awaits, no doubt! Unless you have a mile long driveway you probably do not NEED this machine, but then again what a great way to stack up future content. A few tense moments loading that thing made for a great breakfast thriller for me- so thank you Mat. Looking forward to the engine rescue.

[@robertblalock5009]

Good job with what you had to start. boards chains and snatch blocks are essential for moving equipment. Good job.

[@craigsowers8456]

Couple of tips on the loading process: ~ 4ft Oak 2x6" placed between the tandem axles and at the foot of the front tire leaned towards the rear will lock them up better than chocks; the forward tire will try to roll back and up the board but won't be able to due to angle (and sturdy Oak won't break). ~ having a couple of "Come alongs" would have helped to lock the steering straight and lifted the blade more so it could be chained up in a higher position; there's a few more inches left in the cylinder's travel. Alternatively, a thin 1" board inserted into the trailer to blade gap would allow it to "Slide" over. ~ Your "Winch Cable" appears to actually be "Wire Rope" (anything larger than 3/8th's inch is "wire rope") and you need to have a "Safety Blanket" over it as it will literally cut you in half if she snaps ... just looking out for your safety Bro. ~ You figured out putting a snatch block doubles pulling power. All in all, congrats on a successful recovery and looking forward to more progress on this one !!!

[@dansbrown1313]

Great advice Craig, us old folks, have to help the young ones when we can.

[@michaelguinn5736]

I really like seeing some of this vintage equipment saved, the scrap man could care less...be safe!! God Bless!!!

[@Yackhammer75]

A bottle jack and a small portable air tank(to provide a large initial volume of air) might be some really inexpensive additions to the recovery truck.

[@spikeharvey6464]

that is awesome i live not far from Decatur and actually work at an old asphalt company in Decatur that still runs a no.12 grader!

[@freethought2296]

When I started watching you, you worked outside on an old steel work table and restored old rusty tools and gadgets. You've come a long way, my friend, and you've earned it every step of the way. Keep making great videos, and I'll see you on the next one. The scenery is pretty; what part of the country are you filming from?

[@needaccount9597]

I have memories, you have learning to do. Those blade lift levers are a great idea.

[@raymondhill3446]

What a fantastic old machine! I love this old blade! Can't help but wonder if you would have been better off loading it backwards to keep the weight forward? Food for thought 🤔 Not telling you how to do it by any means! Great video as always 👍 Take care and stay safe!

[@SalvageWorkshop]

I would have LOVED to load it backwards, but I wasn't sure how easy it was going to roll, and in this direction we had gravity helping us out... It sure did roll well! Good Thought Raymond, and thanks for watching!

[@jfarlooker5614]

Good call. It should be reversed for proper weight distribution .Hauled dozens over the years.

[@stevejette2329]

Ray - Yes, I wondered that. Front first allowed them to steer. Backwards they would have no way to control the front. Field improvisation.

[@Sheddtycoon]

Will love to see you get to working on the old Grader. Take care my friend.

[@xtender5]

Had a blast watching Matt from Diesel Creek wrestle with his Galion from a similar era. But his is, apparently, haunted. I hope your Cat gives you more love than his Christine has.

[@justinbarker4603]

Christine tried to take Matt out when he was unloading

[@sallybrokaw6124]

Galion,Ohio. I live 15 miles south and used to work there for a snowplow manufacturer.

[@xtender5]

@@sallybrokaw6124 Ah, sorry for misspelling. 😁

[@xtender5]

@@scroungasworkshop4663 I heard that Australians have good taste. More proof.

[@PaulBarwick]

I was just thinking of Matt and Christine. :)

[@jameslaurencesmith7537]

very interesting ! a shame that theres not more people like your good self ! the world would be a better place ! regards laurence

[@andypi68]

Hey, you are amazing! Just one question: what about the OLD RED???

[@deanedeane4318]

Good on you man......what a great ol machine !!!! Looking forward to your next episode 😎

[@josephkrug8579]

I love these videos...if you keep finding such large toys, you will need to soon find a bigger trailer to go with it :) And I doubt it would work well, but do you have a big enough compressor to blow air in one end of the frame to force the wasps and nest out the other end or out all the holes? Or maybe run a working large motor exhaust through a pipe that then fed through the frame for pressure.

[@SalvageWorkshop]

Lol... I'm already looking for a large Low Boy trailer and semi tractor to move all my big toys!

[@bonniedugle1763]

My Dad drove one of these for a living. What an adventure this was. I'll have to subscribe and watch you fix it. Thanks for the memories.

[@keithmatthews1673]

As soon as the trailer arrived, half the viewers were shouting at the screen - its not big enough! Nice machine though the water ingress into the motor might prove tricky - but it will be interesting 😃

[@SalvageWorkshop]

And somehow it FIT!! I measured it before I went to get it!

[@jimrankin2583]

I did the same thing with a 212 on a 24’ single wheel triple axle gooseneck trailer. I knew I had to load it back first to get the weight distributed correctly. Problem was it was parked so that was winching it uphill onto the trailer. Steep uphill. Hand winches…..Hot summer……afternoon sun……..no wind……South Georgia! I made it 4 hours drive home without incident though.

[@davidbohner692]

Another gem in the rough 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✅✅✅✅✅

[@yezok01]

I think it would have been much easier loading the grader the other way round. You have the heavy end hanging way past the axle which is safety issue putting a lifting force on the truck rear axle good thing highway traffic control never spotted you you would have been paying fines until eternity. The way you loaded was and is very dangerous!! If you would have gotten any sway at speed you and anyone close to you tow unit would probably be DEAD !!! Think before you do this stuff

[@michaelhayden725]

Yes reversing the grader on would have made more safety sense.

[@hjemison]

Excellent use of snatch blocks!

[@dale5898]

Hi Mr. Salvage, I think your son is a machine. I thought maybe he was born in a foundry. With the two of you there is a lot of knowledge. Thank you guys for your hard work.

[@bensymington5550]

You’ll get it running it’ll be a good piece of equipment for your farm

[@shaungoldsmith8055]

I like that you save the old iron!! Keep it up!

[@jamesmcdonald5868]

I learned a long time ago to carry some plates of steel with you from now on. This will aid in things like a blade snagging in the back of your trailer deck. You can lay them flat on any edge and it will slide easily over that back gap from the ramps.

[@joeyjeny7725]

Find watching your videos very relaxing I wish I had the knowledge about agriculture machinery like you do, truly astonishing the project I've seen you get running well done and I will forever watch your channel god bless 🙌

[@horstszibulski19]

Wow what a job to get that thing onto the trailer, but the winch in your truck is a real beast! Thx for showing! 👍👍👍

[@Justin-pb3lt]

I love it,one of my older half brothers used to drive a grader for the county & grade the dirt roads & clean up the ditches,he would drive a old one like that one or the ones with the square cabs

[@jeanniestevens8922]

Wow what a rescue,,,,,that tire is amazing that you could save it......😅

[@dustoff1472]

Congrats, you got a grader. Enjoying the channel. Tks for sharing.

[@leswroe8803]

Greetings from New Zealand 🇳🇿,Absolutely love your videos,you are a very talented person 👍👏💯🎯

[@1944chevytruck]

Another awesome fine! CONGRATS!

[@mdouglaswray]

NICE grader!!! That big CAT motor will likely come back to life!

[@greendotscott5038]

Bunch of old machines like that here in lower Alabama 😁👍

[@michaelb.5345]

Very smart work. Great video

[@michellebryant5811]

Well done lads. That grader has fought you every inch of the way

[@ちょいやまガレージ]

素晴らしい試みです。restore楽しみです。お疲れ様でした。

[@australiantruckspotting8883]

That’s a lovely old grader, definitely too good for scrap.

[@electricboatal]

Nice find. You will be able to get it up and working without too much trouble. I had a Cat 12 exactly like that many years ago. I used it in my grading business and it was a great money maker. I had contracts with the county to maintain a number of back roads and in the winter I pushed snow removal quite a lot. I lived at 6500 feet so we got a fair amount of the white stuff. You called it right about the controls. The aftermarket blade curl is a nice improvement over loosing all of those bolts and rolling it one way or another. I later bought a much newer Cat 12 and it was like driving a new Cadillac compared to the old knuckle breaker controls. I would fix it and make money with it for a while and sell it. Plenty of people still use the old Cat’s.

[@HamiltonvilleFarm]

Nice job Matt👍

[@douglasrdeaton]

Awesome that's a great find.

[@scottgm321]

Big shout out to dad for all his help. May have to title this episode “The longest Yard.” Lol. An extra chain would have been handy to secure it while you backed off the winch to reposition. Glad everyone is safe.

[@dougvanausdal3162]

As I watch the video I can't help thinking I really appreciate the time you spent staying safe. But I also think you make a lot of exter work for yourself, but hay you get it done and that's what counts I have to admit it's fun to watch

[@marcosmota1094]

Pops! Dude you left the best part for last! Say 'hi' for us. When you need to "steer" a vehicle add rocks to one front wheel and not the other. Start further back before the problem starts.

[@douglasmesina6922]

I changed a tire on 1 of them. Drove it a little. Had a blast.

[@inmate4077]

Reminds me of No Country for Old Men. Thanx

[@texas060]

Well I see you got Home so to speak. I kinda figured the ass end would squat pretty low, an I was right on the money. Lol ! I think my Great Uncle would be I thinking Flabbergasted at the way most of the CAT Machines have evolved/changed over the Years. He most likely either helped build them or worked on them umpteen moons ago. I belive if Memory serves me right Great Uncle Willard would have been in his late 70's to mid 80's so umpteen years ago, when I was probably early to mid teens. Thank You for Sharing, and bringing back long ago memories . I enjoyed watching the Video.

[@johnvaluk1401]

Looking forward to more of the grader rescue. Nice. Thanks again

[@pinetree9343]

Beautifully executed rescue. Thanks dad!

[@greypoet2]

Okay, clicked the 'thumbs up', now to watch the video. lol A couple things, I really enjoy the music you use. At least a couple cylinders will have corrosion but that can be dealt with. Like you said, replace all the hoses but the windows can wait, also the tires. Until the thing is running it ain't goin nowhere for a while. I wish you well on this endeavor but there are other fires on your plate to put out. Really enjoy your site and work ethic. Keepin it real.

[@saliemi1]

Hi Mr Salvage Senior. Hope you enjoyed yourself. Now we wait for the next episode..

[@TheTomcory]

That winch is a monster!! Didn't even break a sweat.

[@gregorythomas333]

My most favorite toy when I was a kid was my big Tonka Road Grader...it was huge...at least to a 5-6 year old :)

[@SalvageWorkshop]

I had the same toy and loved it just as much!

[@tool717]

Machine time is the best time .... Rollin Rollin

[@paulmachak9853]

That's a sweet grader. Diesel Creek is gonna be jealous.

[@rogerhowell6230]

Machines like this one were in our dealer shop when I started my career with CAT. Electric start upgrades were standard practice. Rebuilding a starting engine was prohibitively expensive.