So he's avoiding sending you the pictures needed to see undercarriage condition. I'd question if he's doing that so you cannot see the real condition. If he's a dozer expert he knows what pictures to take. Ask him for close up pictures of the sides and underneath the chains. Also a closer picture of the sprocket.
Well in todays HE market $15k is not that much, well used (read abused) skid steers from Sunbelt are going for more so you're going to have to do your homework.
How far away is the JD dozer you are looking at? Might be worth the drive to see in person.
Here's what I know about old JD crawlers "their mother was a farm tractor"1.5 hrs away. I'm done with it. I don't believe the threw away receipts story. Also no belly pan or side panels...
Thanks for the advice and I'll keep looking.
Don't let the hour meter reading influence your buying decision. It would be a miracle for it to be accurate on a machine that old. IMHO !
So the dozer we've been talking about looks pretty good as far as pics provide?That is a decent looking sprocket with a lot of life left in it.
The tracks look decent in the photos. They are adjusted good and I can see a lot of adjustment left in front of the idlers. The grouser bars have a lot of height on them to.
Yep my mistake. He said "85". He also said when ordering parts by the serial number that JD told him it was a 94 by the VIN.First off the machine is a 1985 and not a 1984. It's even stamped "85". 1985 is the 1st year for the 550B's and the serial number confirms it is a 1985. A simple detail like this makes me think the owner either hasn't had the machine for very long or doesn't have much clue about what he owns. It may be a decent machine for the money being asked. It seems really odd that if he did the work on the engine, and was planning to sell the machine, he wouldn't keep the receipts. The belly pan and side panels are gone as in no where to be found?
The sprockets look to be ITM and in pretty good shape. Some aftermarket sprockets come with that shape and aren't flat across the tops of the teeth. Idlers look new. The rails look fairly thick BUT it also looks like the roller flanges have been hitting on the pin bosses. Rails appear to go pretty far up into the rollers in the last pic. showing the sprocket. Possibly needs new bottom rollers. Another thing that looks odd from what I can see, is the rails may not be the same. JD rails don't have a middle support on the links and from what it looks like to me, one side has JD style rails and the other side has rails with a middle support. Would need some better close up pics. of the rails, rollers and bushings on the rails (both sides). Would be interesting to know the definition of new (90% good) undercarriage??? No receipts for the undercarriage either?
As far as the hour meter, if he's claiming it's accurate, counter with it's gone around once. If it is close to actual hours the machine appears to have had a hard life. The engine shouldn't need a rebuild at 4200 hours but that could be close to when it would need new undercarriage. Might be worth a very thorough inspection by someone knowledgeable. Like CM said 15K doesn't get you much in the way of a dozer.
First I need to figure out what rails areRails appear to have lots of meat on them but are different. If they were replaced possibly 1st supplier only had one rail in stock?
screenshot_20210719-143457-png.242566 (720×1560) (heavyequipmentforums.com)
screenshot_20210720-133027-png.242609 (720×1560) (heavyequipmentforums.com)
Psst Its pictures of two different tractors.Rails appear to have lots of meat on them but are different. If they were replaced possibly 1st supplier only had one rail in stock?
screenshot_20210719-143457-png.242566 (720×1560) (heavyequipmentforums.com)
screenshot_20210720-133027-png.242609 (720×1560) (heavyequipmentforums.com)
yea but that sprocket is on a different tractor and the tracks on the original tractor are sealed tracks and the pins and bushings are better that half wore out.That is a decent looking sprocket with a lot of life left in it.
The tracks look decent in the photos. They are adjusted good and I can see a lot of adjustment left in front of the idlers. The grouser bars have a lot of height on them to.
So the dozer we've been talking about looks pretty good as far as pics provide?
Yep my mistake. He said "85". He also said when ordering parts by the serial number that JD told him it was a 94 by the VIN.
He bought it to fix about 1 yr ago. Says he's 71 and a little thorough (slow) but rebuilt it bottom to top. Also bragged about changing some rubber factory lines at injectors with all metal fittings because the rubber ones can dry rot and leak. Also said he got the higher dollar radiator,starter and installed a reman'd head. This is all over my head but just stuff he mentioned.
Belly pan is there just not installed and needs nuts tacked back in the pan.
Side panels are gone....
Hrs gauge doesn't seem to be right side up either.
First I need to figure out what rails are
I understand shoes/pads/track rollers, top roller, idler.......and that's about it.