Basic Operation, Travel, and Work Attachment Control
Basic Operation, Travel, and Work Attachment Control
This domain tests smooth, stable control. Expect questions on control patterns, start-up, warm-up, travel on grades, steering, bucket control, quick couplers, and lifting.
Core rules
- Confirm the control pattern: ISO and SAE swap boom and arm functions. Check decals before operating.
- Start-up: seatbelt on, lockout lever in the correct position, controls neutral, horn, warm-up, gauges normal.
- Operate smoothly; avoid sudden swing, stop, and direction changes. Keep the bucket low when moving.
- Travel: align tracks with the slope, use low range on grades, keep the bucket low on the downhill side, and avoid side slopes. Steer by counter-rotation.
- Match bucket to material; do not dig with the teeth sideways or use the boom to push.
- Quick coupler: confirm the lock pin and visual indicator; lift the bucket slightly and check before full operation.
- Lift only from rated lifting points and within the load chart. Never lift people in the bucket.
Worked example
You must travel down a 15% slope. Reasoning: keep tracks aligned up/down the slope, keep the bucket low on the downhill side, use low travel speed, and lower the bucket to the ground if traction slips. Do not turn across the slope; counter-rotation on a side slope reduces stability.
Traps
- Traveling with the bucket high.
- Swinging over a truck cab or workers.
- Trusting a quick coupler because the light is on.
- Using the boom to push material.