Any 1100C owners in Alaska?
- Thread starter foxalaska
- Start date
Well, for sure you'll need an engine heater of some type unless you store in a heated garage. You might benefit from a different hydraulic oil more designed for colder temps. But I'd guess the dealer might best educate you about that.
I'm anxious to hear how you get along in those conditions. Be sure to follow up with posts as you use it.
I'm anxious to hear how you get along in those conditions. Be sure to follow up with posts as you use it.
foxalaska
Active member
It comes with standard Alaska winterization. Block heater, oil heaters.
My concern, as you stated, is the hydraulics. I've had hydraulic problems with skidsteers left out in -40 or colder(with engine running).
I'm doing a 4 to 5 month hitch at a remote mine after the first of the year. Not sure if I'll take the machine. I may store it and wait until next winter to sort out the extreme cold issues.
23 grand and I've never sat in it! Oh well, I see it as a savings account. Ya stay out for 5 months, working 7-12's, ya tend to blow a little cash when ya get to town. Some of these dudes come in from the bush and blow that much on women and booze.
My concern, as you stated, is the hydraulics. I've had hydraulic problems with skidsteers left out in -40 or colder(with engine running).
I'm doing a 4 to 5 month hitch at a remote mine after the first of the year. Not sure if I'll take the machine. I may store it and wait until next winter to sort out the extreme cold issues.
23 grand and I've never sat in it! Oh well, I see it as a savings account. Ya stay out for 5 months, working 7-12's, ya tend to blow a little cash when ya get to town. Some of these dudes come in from the bush and blow that much on women and booze.
An Internet friend of mine runs a road grader on the ice roads and builds pads for drilling rigs. He said all of the fluids in his new CAT 140M grader had to be changed out for lower viscosity fluids. Said unless you constantly were using a hydraulic function it would freeze up to the point of slowing it beyond use. Especially the steering.
I hear you on blowing money. Takes a lot of self control to be handed a year's salary and not blow it.
Another Internet friend of mine here in Missouri rode his BMW motorcycle roundtrip from here to Dead Horse Alaska a couple years ago. Can't remember how many miles but I'm thinking 10,000??? Did it in an insanely short amount of time. Averaged just under 700 miles per day.
If you have the ability post some pics of your work up there. I'd be very interested in keeping track of your adventures!!!
foxalaska
Active member
I ran a 140M maintaining a remote airport in a village. Kept the machine in a heated building. I seldom had to plow snow at -40(to cold to snow). I did notice how quickly things would slow down at those temps if I wasn't exercising the functions.
We are more than "off the grid" at the mine. Only communication is a sat phone and my personal "In Reach". We mine frozen placer(gravel) underground in the winter, using drill and blast method. In the summer we wash the "pay".
I have no pics of our operation, but I'll try and find a youtube link to a mine near us that mined the same way.
We are more than "off the grid" at the mine. Only communication is a sat phone and my personal "In Reach". We mine frozen placer(gravel) underground in the winter, using drill and blast method. In the summer we wash the "pay".
I have no pics of our operation, but I'll try and find a youtube link to a mine near us that mined the same way.
foxalaska
Active member
Awesome video!!! Thank you very much for posting it.
So the winding nature of the mining shaft is following the gold??
I've explored some very old mine shafts in the Colorado Rockies. Mined by hand. Very small. Following the fault. Very dangerous work. I've found several tools, etc.
Thanks again for posting. Very interesting lifestyle indeed!!!!
So the winding nature of the mining shaft is following the gold??
I've explored some very old mine shafts in the Colorado Rockies. Mined by hand. Very small. Following the fault. Very dangerous work. I've found several tools, etc.
Thanks again for posting. Very interesting lifestyle indeed!!!!
foxalaska
Active member
We are mining ancient river beds that have been covered by gravel during the last ice age 20-30 thousand years ago. The overburden is too deep to remove from the surface, so we mine the channel underground in the winter. The mine stays a constant 28 degrees, but our equipment generates heat. Heat causes the mine to melt and then ya have Volkswagen size rocks hittin' ya on the noggin. That is why we mine in the winter. We blow cold air into the mine to ventilate the heat out. The yellow bag you see going down the top of drift is the ventilation duct.
I'm so stupid, I thought just the opposite. Figured it was blowing in heated air to warm you and ventilate!!!
Kinda freaky to think about. But I guess, like anything else, you get used to it.
Technology and determination allow you to access precious ore that wouldn't have been considered 50 years ago.
Very interesting.
Kinda freaky to think about. But I guess, like anything else, you get used to it.
Technology and determination allow you to access precious ore that wouldn't have been considered 50 years ago.
Very interesting.
foxalaska
Active member
Underground frozen placer mines are quite different than normal hardrock mines. It's quite spooky until you get a sense of how powerful the cold sink is. As long as it's not allowed to thaw, and kept at the 28 degree or below temp, the gravel is no different than concrete. Very stable.
>>Technology and determination allow you to access precious ore that wouldn't have been considered 50 years ago.<<
Actually, quite the opposite. The old timers that came into the area at the turn of the century, developed the underground placer method of mining. They would build a fire, melt the gravel, shovel it out, build another fire, shovel it out, over and over, til they reached bedrock, sometimes three hundred feet or more. Then they would pipe steam from above ground boilers and thaw the gravel with steam points, crawling around on their hands and knees. Now that is the definition of determination!!
>>Technology and determination allow you to access precious ore that wouldn't have been considered 50 years ago.<<
Actually, quite the opposite. The old timers that came into the area at the turn of the century, developed the underground placer method of mining. They would build a fire, melt the gravel, shovel it out, build another fire, shovel it out, over and over, til they reached bedrock, sometimes three hundred feet or more. Then they would pipe steam from above ground boilers and thaw the gravel with steam points, crawling around on their hands and knees. Now that is the definition of determination!!
foxalaska
Active member
Many tales told of lost miners who never came back from their diggin's. Reality suggests more miners died from a bottle of whisky and 50 below cold than anything else. It was a brutal existence. Still is, and we have much better logistics. I've been out in temps of -65. Things go "south" quickly if ya get stupid.
Mark.Sibole
Well-known member
Im in Northern Michigan and do see temps in the 30 to 40 below zero range.The SUTD2 is fine in these temps .Therer have been occasions i didnt put the machine in the barn to help keep iot a bit warmer but holding the the key in the glow plug position for 30 to 40 seconds 1 to 2 times it has fired up.If you happen to mess up like I did i strongly recommend let the machine idle for 10 to 15 minutes for all fluids to warm up before you travel on it.After about a 15 minute warm up all fluids were thin enough to not cause no damage.The SUDT2 is designed for colder temps and has worked fine for me in all remps even down to 40 below.With your block heater you should be fine and have no worries.If I can get it done with no heater i think youll be just fine...
foxalaska
Active member
Thank you very much, Mark. My concern wasn't so much the starting of the vehicle, but it's ability operate at very low temps, everything being hydraulic. This rig will be my primary vehicle in the village. Gas is 7 bucks a gallon!! I can get heating fuel much cheaper.
foxalaska
Active member
Good question!! The dealer is installing the winterization kit this week. I'll swing by there and check.
Mark.Sibole
Well-known member
I have had no issues so long as you let it warm up at least 15 minutes before driving it.Ive plowed snow with mine in these temps.The only issue I had was I froze my arse off but mine is an open cab..