Ray54,

Thank you for posting those pictures. Really interesting stuff for hillside farmers like me. Interesting little history also about OMC actually coming out to build one for a crawler. I talked to a sales rep a few years ago at the Colusa show about wanting to build one up myself and he wouldn’t give me the time of day.

I am surprised the TD14 balances better than the D6 as the D6 seems to be a little heavier machine, but maybe that’s just a false impression I get. Unfortunately my tractor is a dry clutch but that’s what I've got to work with right now. I am keeping my eyes open for a 9U with a wet clutch, preferably with a blade. Does the TD14 have a wet or dry clutch? If you ever hear of a shaker for sale I would be interested. Thanks again for all your comments.

Juiceman,
I am using the original pump from my donor shaker, so I don’t know what the flow is. No plans to do silicone injection or anything else fancy. Honestly don’t know that much about using shockwave shakers even though I have what must have been one of the very first ever built. Grease for the pads? Could you elaborate a little? I’ve been using a cable shaker on a D47U so a little behind on the technology. Will try and take a few pictures.

Thanks for your input.

This hillside work is not at the blazing speed of those flatlanders. lol The trees here are only 15 to the acre but some of the big ones you need 3 or 4 hook ups to get all the nuts. Been to long not remembering how many acres a day maybe 15 to 20 depending. I think it must be over 20 years since I harvested walnuts.

Flip the rubber flap back and take a paint brush and spread grease around the sling holding the pad so the rubber pieces slips against each other during the shacking. I know nothing of this silicone injection ether, but guessing a new improved way to let the rubber pieces slip against each other.


The dozer lift arms off the track frame keeps the strain and twisting forces off the rest of the tractor. To not move the alinement of engine and transmission. Most of the shackers are on old IH u frames from angle dozers. Back 30 to 40 years ago a lot old IH dozers around cheap. The track frame mounting points are the same bolt pattern so the truins and lift arm are transferable from Cat to IH to AC generally on the same size tractor.

The OMC Shockwave heads usually used the pillow pads that are filled with crushed walnut shell, or are you using hollow donut pads? The greasing of the slings/pads is to allow some slippage and not “bark” the tree as easily. Nowadays the shaker guys want to be able to shake 150-200 trees an hour, so fast they overheat they pads and slings creating damage, so someone came up with the silicone/water mixture which can be injected to the head to cool the rubber items down. Ray is correct, a little bit of grease( can’t remember which type) ultra slippery and with copper? Would last several hours. I don’t know if grease is allowed anymore with food safety police worried about someone putting something dirty in their mouth!
High speed flatlanders? Hahaha. Tenant had a raker once seem such a good worker, he put him in his brand new OMC air conditioned stereo sound cab; haul ass must have been his middle name; sheared off 2 power poles in the same row slamming into them in reverse...only reason he even got out to look was because his stereo quit working when the pole crashed on top of the machine and his tunes quit working...and to top it off, it never phased him the least that he downed those poles...
average walnut orchard around here used to only be 48 TPA(trees per acre) now they’re spaced tighter than 30x30.

I never see a TD14 with wet cluch

Thanks everyone for all the informative replies. I did not know about greasing the pad slings but will definitely start doing that. As far as pads I use whatever I can get my hands on. My trees are planted anywhere from about fifteen to fify trees per acre. Almost all Franquette, a few Mayettes and Poes. Most trees are 80 to 100 years old, 2000 to almost 4000 foot elevation.

Progress has been a little slow, got the hydraulic control valves mounted. Working on getting the hoses made up now and hope to have a driveline over the weekend. Of course now worried about no oil clutch and mounting the whole works to the inside frame rails like I did. Should have built it to the outside track frame I guess. May try and change it for next year, I think if I am careful it will be okay. Probably only need it for 20 to 30 hours a year. I will keep using the rubber tired machine where I can. Here are a few more pictures.

Is this the oldest shockwave shaker? Notice the clamp design. I got this from an old prune farmer, it’s four wheel drive with the rear differential welded up. Doesn’t turn too sharp anymore but climbs much better with the rear end locked up.

Wowser!!! You win!!
I’ve never seen a Shockwave Shaker on a GM chassis. As far as I know, all of the mass produced ones were on Dodge truck chassis from the 60s to the 70s.
I wonder if that is one of the originals built by Mr. Brandt, before he officially opened the doors for OMC.
They built some Catchall machines on full tracks for the hillsides. Apparently there are pecans grown on some rough terrain.
You might like one of those better, as they had a leveling feature as well.

The donor machine I am using for the D6 is on an International 1300 pickup chassis, definitely an OMC machine. I’m thinking maybe late 60s. Quite a bit more modern than the GMC unit. Would love to see one of those tracked Catchall machines if anyone ever runs across some pictures. Getting harder and harder to find decent walnut pickers.