Lucas Haddock Got Expert OPERATING Tips from Caterpillars Best

The Caterpillar 972XE and 966XE the tips and tricks behind operating such a large machine for the first time Recently Lucas Haddock had the incredible opportunity to visit Caterpillar in Desford, where he met with John from Finning, a true legend in the operating world.

Lucas: "I’ll be honest, I didn’t have much of a clue what I was doing when I got there as I had never operated a wheel loader without a steering wheel, but John shared some amazing tips that every operator (new or experienced) should hear.

"Before operating any machine it is essential to carry out daily checks, this is one of the first things I ran through with John. You’ve got to check a number of things so heres a small list of just a few:

• Transmission oil • Engine oil • Coolant • Washer bottle • Hydraulic oil

• Any loose bolts or parts that might need tightening

"As I was told, “Prevention’s better than cure.” So you’ve got to make sure the machine’s right before you even move off, to prevent any damage and ensure it's operating smoothly. Before operating this machine I was very shocked to see it had no steering wheel and only a joystick for steering which to be honest made the visibilty ten times better as I had no obstructions whilst operating which really helped when trying to load the bucket. John told me at the start of the video"

“After 15 minutes of operating this machine with joystick steering you won’t want to go back.”

He was definitely correct as it felt way easier to control the wheel loader as it ran “straight as a dime”

Lucas added: "As John likes to say. Another suprise the 972XE had up it’s sleeve was the fact their was no accelarator or brake, only pedal A or pedal B. John explained to me the difference between the two and the fuel saving it also provides.

"With Pedal A opening up the pumps to create more power to the wheels And Pedal B is controlling the rim pull and acting as a retarder pedal, this meaning when pulling downhill your slowing down using the transmission not the brakes.

"That’s a few of the features from this machine so watch a long to see more and learn a bit more from John as he tells me multiple tips on how to operate a wheel loader. So thanks to John and the Team at Finning Caterpillar for inviting me along and giving me the opportunity to operate such a large machine for the first time without a steering wheel."