My first Grader

I Just got done unloading a Grader I just bought. I was ex gov machine. 1989 770B with just 1058 hours and 2930 miles. I haven't had time to check it out much. So far the main problem is no AC. The rear ripper is inop. I am betting its an electric issue. John

Nice looking machine. Looks new. Good for you to get a return on your tax dollars. Where was it "not" used at? Looks nice. AC not working! No wonder it never got used. Wonder what it cost the taxpayers for it to set around unused. I hope you get lots of use out of it.

It was in Newton,OH at a old Ammo plant that was closed down. There is no AC it was not installed from the factory. I will need to install an aftermarket unit. John

Looks good your machine, it has not much hours, so I think you will have fun lots of years with it

Just left the Deere house $1000. poorer. Looks like the last service was 07 I found the dates on the old filters. I was told it had been sitting a while. I see a few leaks, one of the lift cylinders and the seal below the parking brake disk. I am sure there are more to come. Going to change all the fluids and flush the radiator.

Nice-looking rig, congratulations. It looks damned nice for having sat still for a few years. I dig your trailer, too!

aww,, Keep us posted.. How about a couple of picture of the inside and controls.. Curious if it is like the old JD I use to operate. Looks great, I hope those are the original hours and you got it at a great price. It should be a good machine for you.

Amazing. It looks nice and mighty. Update us how it performs.

Looks nice, mind if I ask how you located it? What kind of work are you planning to do with it?

I finished up the service in time to run down my pit road a few times before the rain. Amazing how nice of job it did I never want to do a road again with a dozer. I will have a learning curve. This is my first time in a seat. I thought the hoe had grease fittings. I found a wire off the rear ripper. That was a nice easy fix. the Rotary valve needs to be resealed. The seal around the parking break pinion going to the disk is leaking. parking break disk. Still need to repack a lift cylinder. Anyway after a good steam cleaning I still fell real good about my purchase. I am sure after next summer I will be looking to install Red Dot AC. It may be older but with low hours everything is still real tight from the doors to the front end. With problems the newer class A trucks are having with the emission equipment. I Don't have a good feeling going forward with all the used tier 4 used stuff hitting the market. gov liquidation and gov plant are both re-marketers of used Government property. I wanted a smaller one like a Deere 570 that I could haul on my Tag. I couldn't pass this up.

That is a 570 in my latest avatar pic.I was regrading the access roads in a big nursery.I was there about two weeks if memory serves.That is a good looking grader you have there.I enjoy running a grader because there is no doubt whether you know what you are doing by the finished product.Ron G

"acidoil" said: I finished up the service in time to run down my pit road a few times before the rain. Amazing how nice of job it did I never want to do a road again with a dozer. I will have a learning curve. This is my first time in a seat. I thought the hoe had grease fittings. I found a wire off the rear ripper. That was a nice easy fix. the Rotary valve needs to be resealed. The seal around the parking break pinion going to the disk is leaking. parking break disk. Still need to repack a lift cylinder. Anyway after a good steam cleaning I still fell real good about my purchase. I am sure after next summer I will be looking to install Red Dot AC. It may be older but with low hours everything is still real tight from the doors to the front end. With problems the newer class A trucks are having with the emission equipment. I Don't have a good feeling going forward with all the used tier 4 used stuff hitting the market. gov liquidation and gov plant are both re-marketers of used Government property. I wanted a smaller one like a Deere 570 that I could haul on my Tag. I couldn't pass this up. Click to expand... Well being low hours and tight is worth a lot if you are doing finish work. The picture of the inside isn't enough to tell the difference of the 772 I operated several years ago. The blade controls were on the right side but I am guessing that has a cat style rack. I think it was a 772A that I operated. It was a horse. You can get a front dozer that will slip right on the scarifier on the front. You have to remove the teeth but they sure are handy if you have a need for it. Being from down south I don't think you will need a snow plow. Keep us posted how well it is doing. I don't guess you will share the price tag out of curiosity? You will enjoy operating it and will learn. It just takes time.

I wondered if it had the 2 righthand blade control levers and the rocker switches to the left of the seat. If it does, spray contact cleaner, di-electric grease and a soldering gun will be your friends.

Here are a few more photos. Here is one of the engine. the next one is a photo of the TIER 4 engine in a new 670. I took the photo when picking up a few parts.

"acidoil" said: I finished up the service in time to run down my pit road a few times before the rain. Amazing how nice of job it did I never want to do a road again with a dozer. Click to expand... Thanks for the pics, looks good what you made there. Yes, grading those roads a grader is better and faster than a dozer.

The paint looks real good in the engine compartment. blademan150... That is what I was wondering. The 770 I operated was like that. Very different from the conventional stuff. It worked good and I never had any problems with it but there was a learning curve there. I personally like John Deere equipment. I have ran both Cat and John Deere over the last 40 years. It use to be that John Deere was a little cheaper to purchase but I wouldn't say that is still the case. I could be wrong.

blademan150 said: I wondered if it had the 2 righthand blade control levers and the rocker switches to the left of the seat. If it does, spray contact cleaner, di-electric grease and a soldering gun will be your friends. Click to expand... The Mauldin grader we have, has the John Deere pattern. I had never seen, or ran anything like it, then someone showed it to me in John Deere operator's manual. First time I ran it, we were doing parking stalls at a Winners store. I was complaining about the different controls, and the roller man said " I bet your ripper control is in the wrong place, cause it keeps going up and down while you are grading".

Here is a picture of those control on the JD 770A. This wasn't mine but just like it. This is an old picture I found. Cuttin edge was talking about the rippers going up and down haha. Well if you look to the left of the steering wheel there is a handle that is Red. Mine wasn't red but anyway that is the forward and reverse shuttle gear. I had just came off of a Cat grader. The first thing I did while grading was forgot that those two handles on the right were for the blade control I grabbed that red lever without even looking to raise the blade. Well we just had a very quick change in directions instead. I about broke my nose coming out of the seat of that darn thing. This picture does not show the blade lift which is just two handles by them self on the right side of the steering wheel.

How’s the 770 doing I have a 670B same vintage Never heard of a odometer on a grader, you stated it had miles and hours and was curious what that was about Cheers

Just wow, incredible for a nearly 40 yr old grader. I operated a 2012 670 & it had a section in the display which had an oddometer aswell as an hour meter.