Proper use of the moldboard tip on your motor grader can increase your machine productivity and cutting edge life and help prevent machine damage. The top of the moldboard can be tipped ahead of or behind the cutting edge. This helps position the cutting edge at its proper angle to obtain the desired cutting and rolling action on the material. Maintaining a rolling action on the material while working will reduce horsepower required and provide maximum productivity. Tipping the moldboard forward is useful when cutting hard material or performing light finishing work.

After cutting into the material, the blade should be tipped backward to create a rolling action in the material being graded. Tipping the moldboard backward creates a lift and throw action, which is useful when spreading material.

The moldboard is at a zero-degree angle when it's positioned at a right angle to the mainframe. This position is normally used for bulldozing materials straight ahead for short distances. Most motor grader work is done at moldboard angles of 10 to 45 degrees, though you will want to use a steeper blade angle when working material uphill and a reduced blade angle when working material downhill.

Front wheel lean allows the front wheels to be leaned against the side draft caused by the angled moldboard. The tops of the front wheels are normally leaned in the direction that the material comes off the moldboard. Front wheel lean is used to keep the front wheels from sliding off the desired line, to shorten turn radius, and to reduce front sliding on slopes or in turns.

When cutting ditches, lean the top of the tires toward the centerline of the road to help prevent sidewall damage. When working a side slope and using articulation, lean the top of the tires toward the top of the slope. Using this control allows you to make slight steering corrections in finishing and other applications.

For maximum machine stability when maintaining a road surface, your motor grader’s mainframe should be straight, with the drawbar and circle centered under the frame. For the widest possible pass width on the travel surface, keep the moldboard angle as square to the frame as possible. If material starts to flow around the leading end of the moldboard, or if the rolling action dies, increase the blade angle.

Keep machine travel speed as high as possible for maximum productivity, but low enough to prevent machine bounce. Keep a distance between the windrow you are working with and the inside of the front tire. To prevent sidewall damage from sharp rocks, keep the front tire clear of and never run over windrows.

Make sure the moldboard is discharging materials safely outside of the rear tandem tires. If necessary, slightly shift the drawbar to the discharge side.

Move the back frame toward the heel of the moldboard 15 to 18 degrees. Shift the circle, drawbar and moldboard toward the piles with the moldboard at a 30- to 40-degree blade angle. Keep the front wheels on a smooth surface and cut out a windrow the machine can handle, then spread it over the road surface. You may need to work material in both directions.

Auto articulation is a feature that automatically articulates the machine, cutting back on operator inputs. The rear frame of the machine will follow the front steering wheel angle. The feature operates using a three-position switch that lets you select forward and reverse mode and forward-only mode. To start the auto articulation feature, disengage the parking brake and place the implement lockout switch in the unlocked position. Auto articulation is active in forward gears one through four and reverse gears one through three. It is disabled with the key off and will need to be turned back on when the motor grader is started again.

The transmission modulator control, also known as the inching pedal, disengages power to the wheels. The inching pedal is designed to be used in all loading conditions. The inching pedal provides the ability to vary the machine speed independent of the engine speed for short durations. This becomes useful when the operator requires high controllability and maneuverability of the machine. Inching allows the operator to vary the ground speed while keeping engine speed high for quick implement response.

When finishing a pass, move the grader to the discharge side and lift the blade. Notice that the windrow remains straight prior to executing the turnaround. Turn all controls to the opposite side and start your articulated turnaround. Reposition the blade for the next pass.

The three-point turn gives you the most efficient and tightest turn radius. Utilizing auto articulation and/or wheel lean also enables a tighter turn radius. For a bird’s eye view of motor grader turn techniques, watch this video: