550, 570 and 580 Wheel Harvesters Caterpillar

Operating on Terrain

Illustration 1	g00713976

Place the machine into working mode when you are operating on terrain. Use the operating mode switch in order to change operating modes. This switch is located on the switch panel in the cab. Press the top of the switch in order to operate the machine in working mode.

Reference: Refer to Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Steering Control" for more information on steering the Wheel Harvester.

Illustration 2	g00493208
Harvester in Lowered Position

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The original position of the tires (1) before the machine is raised. The tires will skid in area (A) when the brakes are engaged.

Note: Apply slight pressure to the accelerator pedal when you lower a stopped machine or when you raise a stopped machine. Applying slight pressure to the accelerator pedal will release the parking brakes. This will not allow the machine to move forward under power. Applying slight pressure to the accelerator pedal will allow the tires to turn on the ground as the machine is raised or when the machine is lowered. This will prevent the tires from skidding on the ground.

The machine should be level and the machine should be as close to the ground as practical during felling. The ground clearance can be as low as 10 cm (3.9 inch). Also, keep the boom straight ahead for maximum stability of the machine.

When the accelerator pedal is released, the brakes are automatically applied. The pendulum arms are also locked when the accelerator pedal is released. The machine has greatest stability in this position.

Illustration 4	g00348703
Harvester Traveling Up a Slope

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Harvester Traveling Down a Slope

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Harvester Traveling Across a Slope

The hydraulically operated pendulum arm will allow the machine to process trees on slopes. Operate the machine on a steep incline with the machine as level as possible. When you operate the machine on a hill, do not allow the pendulum arm cylinders to reach full travel. A tire may come off of the ground. This may happen if one of the other tires encountered a rock. If the pendulum arms are fully extended or fully retracted, there is no travel in the pendulum arm cylinders.

The hydraulic oil will seek the travel motor with the least resistance. If the wheel with least resistance is off of the ground, the oil will try to flow only to this wheel. If this happens, the machine may start to slide. This may happen because the wheel that is off of the ground will be the main drive wheel.

Make sure that 25% of the travel of the pendulum arm cylinders is available. This will allow some travel of the pendulum arm cylinders if a rock is encountered. The pendulum arm cylinders should not achieve full travel.

Activate the differential lock when you are driving the machine up a hill or down a hill.

Reference: Refer to Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Differential Lock Control" for more information.

Reference: Refer to Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Traction Control" for more information about controlling the speed of the front drive motors.

Illustration 7	g00348700
Harvester Crossing an Obstacle

Operate the machine with caution in the terrain. Keep the work tool as close to the machine as practical. Check for obstacles that may be overhead. Do not allow anyone to ride on the machine. The machine can be operated in terrain in a lowered position so that the operator's vision will not be blocked by the limbs of the trees.

Check for obstacles on the ground. One wheel can cross an obstacle without lifting the other wheels off the ground.

Operating on the Road

When you are operating the machine on the road, the work tool should be placed in the horizontal position. If the work tool is left in the vertical position, the tilt cylinders would remain pressurized.

Set the maximum machine speed to 100%. Raise the machine to approximately 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 ft) above the ground.

When you are roading the 580 Wheel Harvester, start in first speed and upshift into second speed and into third speed.

Press the accelerator in order to release the brake and begin movement. Release the accelerator pedal in order to stop the machine. Do not use the secondary brake pedal in order to stop the machine. Using the secondary brake pedal will result in a sudden stop.

Removing a Stuck Machine

If a tire of the machine is stuck in mud, do not increase the engine speed in order to attempt to free the machine. Excessive heat in the hydraulic oil will be generated. The machine can generally be removed from the mud without being towed. The following steps outline the process.

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Illustration 8	g00713981

1. Before any further operations are completed, press the bottom of the switch in order to lock the pendulum arms.

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2. Rotate the cab until boom (2) is opposite stuck wheel (3) .

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Illustration 10	g00453117

3. Raise the machine by a small amount.

   Note: The switches on the switch panel must be used to move the pendulum arms when the pendulum arm lock is activated.

   Reference: For more information about the pendulum arm lock, refer to Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Pendulum Arm Control".

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Illustration 11	g00713991

4. Raise the pendulum arm of the stuck wheel. This will lift the wheel out of the mud.

5. Fill the hole under the wheel with an appropriate material.

6. Lower the pendulum arm until the slight downward pressure is exerted on the pendulum arm.

7. Repeat this process for all remaining wheels.

8. The operator may now move the machine out of the area.

Installing Tire Chains

A spacer can be installed between the tire and the pendulum arm of the machine. The spacer widens the tread width of the machine. The spacer may be needed to install some tire chains on the machine. Perform the following steps in order to install the spacer.

Note: The following parts are used for all wheels on four-wheel harvesters. The following parts are used only for the rear wheels on six wheel harvesters.

1. Remove the wheel.

   Reference: Refer to Disassembly and Assembly, RENR3035, "Wheel - Remove" for the correct procedure.

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Illustration 12	g00676232
(4) Spacer. (5) Bolt. (6) Nut. (7) Washer.

2. Install one 174-1467 Bolt Kit (5) onto one 160-2158 Spacer (4) .

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Illustration 13	g00676233
(8) Spacer assembly. (9) Hub.

3. Install one spacer assembly (8) onto hub (9). Install ten washers (7) and nuts (6). Tighten nuts (6) to a torque of 550 ± 25 N·m (400 ± 20 lb ft).

4. Install the wheel.

   Reference: Refer to Disassembly and Assembly, RENR3035, "Wheel - Install" for the correct procedure.

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Tire Chain Installation

Note: On earlier 580 Wheel Harvesters, the machine should not be lowered fully if tire chains are installed. If the machine is lowered fully, the cab will strike the chains when the cab is rotated.

1. Lay the tire chain on the ground. The outside surface must be facing upward. The tire chain should be behind a driving wheel.

2. Use a steel wire or a similar device to attach the tire chain to the rib of the tire.

3. Move the machine slowly forward. Stop the machine when the ends of the tire chain come together.

   Note: Make sure that the side links of the tire chain are arranged along the sides of the tire.

4. Connect the ends of the tire chain with the links or with shackles. Fold in any surplus links. Fasten the links with a shackle.

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If the combined weight of the machine, the towed attachment and the attachment cargo exceed the brake capacity available from both the machine and the towed attachment, a loss of control may occur. The operator must verify that the combined weight does not exceed the combined braking capacity. Loss of control could cause injury or death.

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The maximum weight of the machine must not exceed the ROPS certification weight. This weight is stamped on the ROPS plate. This plate is located on the cab exterior.

Replacing a Tire

1. Level the pendulum arm of the tire that is being replaced.

2. Move the boom away from the tire.

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Illustration 15	g00713981

3. Turn on the pendulum arm lock switch. Press the bottom of the switch in order to lock the pendulum arms. This must be done before any further operations are completed.

   Reference: For more information on the pendulum arm lock, refer to Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Pendulum Arm Control".

4. Raise the pendulum arm until the tire is off the ground.

5. Place wood blocks or another appropriate support under the pendulum arm.

6. Remove the tire and install the new tire. Tighten the wheel nuts to a torque of 550 N·m (406 lb ft).

7. Remove the wood blocks or the support.

8. Lower the pendulum arm until the tire is firmly on the ground.

Felling a Tree

The felling of a tree and the processing of the tree are performed sequentially. The steps that follow briefly describe the process.

Note: A new operator should begin with small trees. Smaller trees are easier than larger trees to control. After an operator is familiar with processing small trees, larger trees can be processed.

• Select a tree for harvesting.

• Approach the tree with the machine.

• Stop the machine within the working range of the boom and stick. Make sure that clearance is adequate for the tree to be lowered.

• Lower the machine to the lowest practical height and level the machine.

• Extend the stick so that the work tool is near the tree. Use the appropriate controls to align the work tool with the bottom of the tree.

Once the work tool is clamped onto the tree, the felling is controlled by the computer aided bucking system.

Reference: For more information, refer to Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Hand Controls".

Processing a Tree

Processing a tree requires many operations and decisions. New operators should become familiar with all of the controls in the cab and with the monitoring and control system.

A new operator should then begin by moving the work tool through the operations that are required in order to process a tree. Once the operator is familiar with the operations and decisions, begin by processing small trees. Smaller trees are easier than larger trees to control. After the operator is familiar with processing small trees, larger trees can be processed.

Some of the operations in the following procedure may vary due to the different settings and many variables.

1. Select your name from the list of operators.

2. Turn the engine speed control to operating speed.
   • Operating speed for 550 Wheel Harvesters is 1500 to 1800 rpm.

   • Operating speed for 570 Wheel Harvesters is 1500 to 1900 rpm.

   • Operating speed for 580 Wheel Harvesters is 1600 to 2000 rpm.

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Illustration 16	g00493208
Machine Position for Felling

3. Tilt the work tool into the vertical position. Move the machine so that the stick is extended slightly past the vertical position. The machine should be low to the ground. This is the most stable position.

4. Select the species of tree that will be cut. The species of tree that was previously selected will automatically be selected.

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Illustration 17	g00860902
Position for Felling a Tree (work tool) (B) The direction of felling of the tree. (C) The initial position of the feed rollers for small trees. (D) The initial position of the feed rollers for large trees.

5. Move the work tool near the tree. When you are processing small trees, rotate the work tool to position (C). The tree will fall away from the front of the work tool at a 90 degree angle.

6. For smaller trees, lift the tree off the saw bar when the tree has been cut. Lifting the smaller trees off the saw bar will prevent the saw bar from being bound in the tree.

   The harvester cannot lift large trees vertically off the saw bar. For large trees, rotate the work tool away from the direction of felling by approximately 45 degrees. The saw bar should be perpendicular to the direction of the falling tree when the saw bar is in the fully returned position.

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Illustration 18	g00472511

7. Close the delimbing knives, the feed rollers, and the holding arm around the tree. If necessary, move the feed rollers in order to place the work tool at the correct position for cutting.

8. Gently lift up on the tree. Also, gently rotate the cab in order to put pressure on the base of the tree. The pressure should be toward the direction of felling. This will prevent the saw bar from jamming in the tree.

9. Hold down the "CUT" button. The saw bar will stop cutting automatically when the cut is complete. When the button is released, the saw bar will return.

   For large trees, the work tool should be rotated counterclockwise after the initial cut is made but before the tree starts to fall. The saw bar should remain perpendicular to the direction of the falling tree as the work tool is rotated and the saw bar is retracted. This will prevent the tree from bending the saw bar as the tree falls.

10. If the floating variables are not set during felling of the tree, briefly press the "TILT DOWN" button.

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Illustration 19	g00472509
Felling Operation

11. Lift up on the tree and rotate the cab simultaneously. This will cause the tree to fall in the desired direction. You may also need to move the stick in order to ensure that the tree falls in the correct direction.

12. When the tree is approximately 45 degrees to the ground, press the "START" button. The weight of the tree will help the tree to begin feeding through the work tool.

13. Lower the work tool so that the tree is close to the ground. This will prevent the log from splitting during cross-cutting. Move the tree so that the logs will be stacked in the correct pile.

14. The tree will be fed through the work tool. Once the tree is in the cutting zone, the tree will be cross cut according to the setting in the computer aided bucking system. Press the "CUT" button for manual cutting or for touch cutting. For automatic cutting, the "CUT" button does not need to be pressed.

15. You may need to press the "START" button after the log is cut. The remaining logs in the tree will be cut according to the same procedure.