Gradall G660 Operator's Manual page 31

When You're Excavating
1. Position the carrier or crawler so that minimum swing is required. More digging cycles per minute will
result from a well-positioned spot.
2. "Shave" thin cuts of dirt with the bucket instead of taking deep bites. You will maintain a more even
grade, leave a smoother finish; and the bucket will not drift.
3. When digging basements, begin your first cut in one of the corners, straddling the line. You will be able
to reach toward the center and place the spoil out of your way, all in one operation.
4. Speed up your digging cycle by using as many controls at one time as possible. For example, extend
the boom and open the bucket while swinging to dump.
5. When digging in rock, pavement, or frozen ground, use the faster and more powerful boom action
for "booming out" prying action, extending the boom and keeping your foot on the inside left pedal
(to develop more break-out power), instead of trying to pry with the bucket action.
When You're Trenching
1. Get the true location of pipes and utility lines first.
2. Do not remove more dirt than is necessary — use the smallest bucket that is possible for the width
of the trench.
3. For harder materials — use a smaller bucket.
4. When the bucket is full, raise boom and swing to dump immediately.
5. Keep the cutting edges on the bucket sharp.
When You're Ditch Cleaning
1. Apply moderate down pressure (lower boom) when starting the cut. Use the bucket action while
retracting the boom to dig and shape the ditch in one operation.
2. When ditch cleaning from the road on a rubber tired carrier truck-mounted Gradall, travel with traffic
toward the unclean end of the ditch, for a clear view of the cleaned ditch, the road shoulder, and the
truck hauling the spoil.
3. Overlap cuts about one foot. This allows you to watch the right-hand corner of the cutting edge and
keep each new cut on the same level as the previous cut.
4. When water is in the ditch, work downstream to use the water as an aid in maintaining the effective grade.
When You're Removing Pavement
1. Use the booming out action, as described in the excavating tips, for stubborn pavement. This develops
great break-out pressure and leverage at the bucket teeth.
2. Use the pavement removal bucket, hold the pieces of pavement against the boom when swinging to dump.
When You're Mine Scaling
The scaling hook is placed against the ceiling and the boom is extended to shave the material.
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OPERATING TIPS