953d

[Tigerotor77W]

When downloading the Cat literature from the site, you have to right-click and "Save As." When you save it, rename it as [whateveryouwant].pdf -- for instance, when you right-click on the 963D and choose "Save As," call the file "963D.pdf"

That should work.

[CM1995]

I got very lucky today! I had the opportunity to run a 953D today for about an hour. Can't reveal the sources but I did have permission to run it.

Here's what I can say about the machine:
1. First of all it is extremely quiet. With the throttle turned up to operating speed you can carry on a phone conversation.

2. The controls are very responsive and the steering is so responsive it is touchy but with time in the seat it won't be a problem.

3. Visability is greatly improved especially to the rear. You can see the rear track from the seat.

4. It's got plenty of power but I am not sure that it is any stronger than a C model. I would like to get them side by side for a demo.

5. The V-steer and bucket controls are mounted to the seat and slide with the seat. The seat slides side to side, like the C loaders if you want it to, but the weird thing is with the controls mounted to the seat they slide with you. That took a little getting use to. This machine had 1026 hours on it and the V-steer console was loose and had about a 1/2" play side to side. The bucket control console was tight.

6. The radiator and fan are much improved from a maintenance standpoint. Look at the pictures and you can see the hydraulic fan swings out so you can clean the radiator. This machine also had the reverse fan option.

[CM1995]

And a few more.

[equipment fan]

Hey tiger ,thanks i will try this

Hey cm1995 ,The 953d look cool They look to have a lot of good and great features.

[Tigerotor77W]

I've seen some preliminary data that indicates the 953D and 963D outwork the C-series models by a little bit... CM, if you do get ahold of good test data, will you let us know which way the performance leans?

[Cat 385C LRE]

Originally Posted by equipment fan

Hey guys ,does anyone have download the brochure of the cat 963d???My computer can`t download it by the cat website.

her have you the Brochure from the Cat 963D Track-Loader

http://cmms.cat.com/cmms/servlet/cat...36&imageType=9

[equipment fan]

Thanks cat 385c lre for the brochure,now i got it!And thanks to tiger for the help.

[Cat 385C LRE]

Originally Posted by equipment fan

Thanks cat 385c lre for the brochure,now i got it!And thanks to tiger for the help.

You Welcome

[CM1995]

So has anyone else had the chance to operate the 953D yet? Any info would be appreciated.

[Gavin Phillips]

Originally Posted by JoshA

and I'm stilling trying to determine just what was the largest one ever made.
-Josh

That'd be the Komatsu D155S, weighs around 46 metric tons and usually mounted with a 6 yard rock bucket. As you'd expect not many were built! Komatsu had a line of what they called "dozer shovels" until the early 1990's when they got rid of them. I saw a few D31S and D41S machines here and there but the D41S is only about Cat 943-size so its not exactly one of the larger machines!

Not many track loaders around here now, most jobs can be done just the same with a competant excavator operator including landscaping. Small demolition sites can be done entirely this way, everything from the demolition, to site clean-up and landscaping afterwards - no need for another machine on the site. Its a shame really, I miss seeing them around!

I'd love to see an HT-4 in the flesh though.

Oh and another name they go by is "traxcavator"; Caterpillar bought out an attachment-building company called Trackson in the early 1930's. They were better known for building pipe-laying side booms and cable-powered loaders. Cat got hold of these loaders and you ended up with the T2 (D2 mounted), T4 (D4 mounted), T6 (D6 mounted) and the mighty T7 (early versions were mounted on the D7 tractor, but later machines were on the D8). The HT4 was a hydraulic loader attachment based on the D4 though.

[LDK]

Originally Posted by Gavin Phillips

That'd be the Komatsu D155S, weighs around 46 metric tons and usually mounted with a 6 yard rock bucket. As you'd expect not many were built!

Hi, wouldn't the CAT 983 have been around that size? I worked on a site that had one and if I remember correctly it had the same engine in it as the D8H? That was around 35 years ago!

[Gavin Phillips]

The Cat 983 had a standard 5 yard bucket and is about 10tons lighter, still a very impressive machine! There was a 983B also, slightly heavier but I have no more information on that machine. It seemed to vanish off the production lines around 1982; excavators were making serious inroads in to job sites where crawler shovels would have been found in abundance.

Komatsu used to be quite a large-scale producer of their "dozer shovels". I wonder if in the future, they might reinstate production?

[Sparffo]

Originally Posted by Gavin Phillips

Komatsu used to be quite a large-scale producer of their "dozer shovels". I wonder if in the future, they might reinstate production?

hi Gavin!
Nice to see you here also!
I have been looking at a komatsu D41s-3 loader in Ireland, i is quite cheap so therefore it is in interest! 4-1 bucket and 80% uc, for only 7000€!
wonder if you get parts for komatsu trackloaders anymore...

[Gavin Phillips]

Hi Sparffo

Thanks for the welcome

How do you know the machine is a D41S-3 model? The last time I saw a D41S, there was no indication of whether it was a -2 or -3 or whatever. I'm just curious about that.

I spoke to a guy on the phone at Marubeni-Komatsu once up here in the north-east of England concerning the D41S which I had seen - ironically it wasn't that far from the place I phoned. The guy who I talked to didn't seem to realise I was talking about a track loader and sent me a spec brochure for a D41E-6 dozer instead... oh well the brochure was well received anyway!

As I recall, D41S is round-about Cat 941/943 size although the Cat's do have a bit more power. Of course Cat did away with the 943 model...

[Tri-Star]

Sparffo, yes you can still get parts for the 41S. I have a 86 model, and most parts are stocked, But specialty parts, such as cylinders are a different story. Good luck!!!!