Looking for a track loader

I would like to get some opinions on various track loaders. I would like to buy an "all around" piece of iron for the farm/timber/creek. The creek is sand/gravel bottom and needs work preventing erosion, placing riprap, moving sand/gravel bars, etc. I also have fence row and timber clearing and cleaning to do. I'm thinking I would prefer about a 25,000 - 30,000 lb machine around 100 hp +/-, preferably LGP. Was thinking JD, CAT or maybe IH/Dresser. -Have heard bad things about big $ to replace hydrastat drives, also some bad things about sleeveless engines, etc. UC is not a big issue given limited use. I will probably only put 200-300 hrs on it per year but still want an "OK" machine that won't become a big boat anchor. I have a buddy who is a long-time heavy equipment mechanic so repair labor is CHEAP but want to avoid high $ parts if possible. Also don't want to be buried in a creek bottom Any ideas?

What kind of budget do you have to work with? I'm partial to JD machines so I can recommend looking at a JD 555G, though the other brands (Cat, Case, Dresser etc.) will get the jobs done just as well. No matter what brand you get try to find one with a 4 in 1 bucket and rippers. That will make for a very versatile machine.

I'd like to stay around 15k but definitely no more than 20k. Any issues with the JD transmission/torque converters? I have heard their engines are strong and pretty reliable. -Have also thought about a 655 possibly. How are the JD units for ground pressure? We have a JD 700J LGP at work that is a really sweet dozer with nice wide tracks but loaders I have looked at seem pretty narrow. I have been around a lot of heavy equipment but i'm not an operator nor a mechanic so am trying to educate myself a bit. thanks for your reply!

Track loaders as you probably know don't have grousers and they are heavier then dozers. Picked up a Cat 955 (32000 lbs) and all though old has a lot of power. This was the first machine I picked up and cost 10K. It needed a new exhaust system and could use new break bands, but other then that it's a real horse. Many of the older real heavy machines like this one farmers like to have. Issue with the big and heavy is it usually takes a while to sell once your done with them. After I picked mine up noticed one which was in better shape and kept seeing in for months, don't know if it ever sold, but listing is gone. So far as high dollar parts, well I don't know of any of them that do not have some of those in the machine somewhere.

I like Cat mainly because you can find the parts, and many can be found after market. Case models appear to be the cheapest but someone may correct me on this comment. Good luck

thanks for the opinion alldodge. I think a 955 would be plenty of machine for me. Do you know if CAT ever had an LGP version? was looking at specs and they are saying 15 in track width....boy, that seems awfully narrow for 30,000 lb +. -will probably be keeping this machine for quite some time as the maintenance on my creek is a never ending job. I can't help but have awful visions of a track loader buried in the sand.....also, bigger they are, the harder they are to pull out. Here's a stupid question for you...can you put dozer grousers/pads on a track loader???

jcg said:

thanks for the opinion alldodge. I think a 955 would be plenty of machine for me. Do you know if CAT ever had an LGP version? was looking at specs and they are saying 15 in track width....boy, that seems awfully narrow for 30,000 lb +. -will probably be keeping this machine for quite some time as the maintenance on my creek is a never ending job. I can't help but have awful visions of a track loader buried in the sand.....also, bigger they are, the harder they are to pull out. Here's a stupid question for you...can you put dozer grousers/pads on a track loader???

Click to expand...

The pads are 15 inches wide but the length is around 10 feet, giving about 300 sq inch on the ground. I've been in some soft stuff but not sand, and while it does sink a little, I have never gotten into a situation which I wondered if it was coming out. Not to say you wouldn't run into a worst problem. No expert here, but it is my understanding the track loaders do not have grousers because of all the extra weight they can carry. The loaders weight a few tones more then a comparable dozer because they have counter weights in the back. These counter weights allow them to pick up and carry loads. If you fill the bucket up with a load, add the counter weights and then try to turn with deep grousers, the track is going to have some major stress on it. The loader I have in the pic below shows about 3/4 deep pads, they were higher but how high I don't know. Either way all the pads are the same and allow to driving on paved roads without damaging them, and ease of turning.

Pretty sure those things running long ways across your pads are grousers. d.d.

donkey doctor said:

Pretty sure those things running long ways across your pads are grousers. d.d.

Click to expand...

Yep, recon they are, but for the most part don't really fit the average definition of the term with the current issue. Could take a pic and post of the ones on my dozer if further clarification is needed

Yes you can put dozer grousers on a loader if you want. I believe the reason they don't come with them unless special ordered is that the track loader is primarily designed to load trucks which means lots of turning, and the semi grousers are easier on everything when doing lots of turning. I have seen LGP, and 'wide track' track loaders but they are very rare. If you are looking to buy a used one it will probably be very hard to find one. An equipment dealer may be able to track one down for you. You might also want to check Machinerytrader.com to get an idea of what's out there and prices. Good luck with the search.

This is the first time I've tried posting a link so I hope it works. http://www.machinerytrader.com/listingsdetail.aspx?OHID=9164715 This machine is a little smaller than what you're looking for, but would get the jobs done you are looking to do.

Our company let 2 977 Cats go in auction last year...and L Model and a K model I believe. Old but still ran good. We pulled piling to pile driving cranes with them for years thru swamps that only they could go thru. I believe they got around 3 grand for both of them.

Have been told and seen the aftermath of dozer shoes on a loader, not pretty as the load from a full bucket is different than a fully loaded push blade. Hard on idlers, lower rollers and truck frames, there are companies making weld on loader grouser bar if wanting to add to old shoes.

I bought an old Allis, so far so good but lots of expense, lots of hard to find parts, lots of unavailable parts. I steered away from Deere as the money asked was more than I could afford for half the machine I ended up with. Cat will be a better choice all the way to a early 953 but look hard and long at undercarriage before you buy. Best to get one with at least 50% remaining shoes/rollers/pin & bushing wear, toothed bucket for breakout capability, cab if can get one reasonably. Hydrostats are not so bad, just are pricey for repairs, anything iffy about one, slippage, howl, lack of strength and look for another, DO NOT in any way convince yourself a needs a little work machine is fine for what you need as you may not get rails on work more than rails in the shop and time lost trying to make a mole hill from a mountain.

Well it figures that the link didn't work. If you go to machinerytrader.com and type in jd 555g in the search box, then scroll down to the last tractor listed there is an example of a wide track loader. I think the wide track and LGP options are even more rare on larger machines but I'm sure they're out there somewhere.

Picked up a 955L 85j series at auction this past summer. I didn't plan on buying it but I couldn't resist for 6 grand. I have an old Allis 7g with a parts machine that I will be selling this spring. I guess you could say I'm updating the fleet !

Anyhow there are tons of good 955's out there that can be had CHEAP if you are in the right spot at the right time. There are also lots of aftermarket and used parts available. I just put a turbo, track tension spring and new tension piston assembly on mine without breaking the bank. Cat also sells a reasonably priced classic parts line for older machines.
It is also a machine that can be owner repaired fairly easily. No computers,hystat drives etc.

The down side is I have stuck em the mud a couple of times and it ain't fun, We have hardpan clay around here and when you disturb it and add water it turns to soup. I'm not sure if you would have a problem on a gravel river bed.

It's hard to beat a 955L for a farm machine unless it's with a 977L. I had mine in a creek up to the top of the tracks with no problem. Parts machines are available, I bought a good set of used tracks and rollers on ebay for $1200 delivered. Some had tracks with 2 grousers per pad instead of 3, they are a good compromise between the street pas and dozer pads, if I ever need new pads that's what I want to get. Easy to resell, everyone trusts Cat to have parts available.

we bought a 1988 Deere 455g direct drive in 2012. we have used it on our farm, and a few small paying jobs. it is a great machine, but has different handling/operating dynamics than my 1992 Cat D4c dozer. the 455g is more nose heavy, and does weigh about 2k more. also the 455g has 14" wide pads, whereas the D4c has 18" wide pads.

so you could venture to say I had a learning curve as to when to pull out and hit reverse when running the 455g. I did get stuck a few times and have had some close calls. the grouser bars are also worn smooth on the 455g. in some cases, you wont be technically be "stuck" until you lift up your loaded bucket and change directions.

so what I am saying is be careful when operating in your creek bed, it can happen quicker than you think.

also, I agree with everyones opinion above about the older cats; they are hard to beat.

you might consider a 12k class mini excavator combined with a smaller crawler loader, such as a deere 455g/555g or a cat 931b. I purchased a takeuchi tb 135 8k lb. mini ex, and I have been very pleased with it. it will float and go where my other machine wont, and it gets a lot of work done in any given period of time.

thanks for all of your help guys. -Was just looking at a 1978 955L on machinery trader at Michigan CAT, $12k I believe. Even has 17" wide track shoes from what they are saying....seems to be a bit wider than most. Did those units have the sealed and lubricated tracks? they say a few links are seized up??? Feel free to chime in with some more opinions. Anyone familiar with michigancat?

From what I understand, the later 955Ls have a D6 undercarriage vs a D5 (8" pitch vs. 6.91"). I have a '75 model that runs the D5 undercarriage with 15" pads. I picked my machine up last fall and I have been going thru the CAT top to bottom. I have had FANTASTIC luck finding parts and even better luck with finding help on this forum :drinkup

jcg said:

thanks for all of your help guys. -Was just looking at a 1978 955L on machinery trader at Michigan CAT, $12k I believe. Even has 17" wide track shoes from what they are saying....seems to be a bit wider than most. Did those units have the sealed and lubricated tracks? they say a few links are seized up??? Feel free to chime in with some more opinions. Anyone familiar with michigancat?

Click to expand...

To my understanding the lubricated track came out years later. Anything is possible, it could have been changed out

Sounds like sealed rail not SALT, bridged segments are fairly common on sit a long time machines, may work out on their own but maybe not. Whatever you do, DO NOT put oil, fuel, anything other than water on them to attempt to free the link pins, oil traps dirt and contaminants, will increase pin/bushing wear, run the machine in the creek a few times(Water) and they should free up.