can't find serial number on d4d

I am new to this forum. I found a caterpillar d4d for sale. It has some problems, (bad front idler, track has slipped off. It needs new track adjusters. I can't find a serial number. I was told that there is a stamped number behind the winch. The id tags are gone, both on the engine and dash. There is a number stamped in the engine block below where the engine tag was (5038) I have no idea what that number means. The guy has an operators and maintenance book (The book says it is for a 44h or 84J. He said that it was running about 3 years ago and all was good (engine, transmission and hydrolics.
The guy that has it said that the pins and rollers were replaced a few years ago. I could find no bad wear, the sprockets look good It has a 6 way manual blade and a winch. it has a canopy with limb guards. It has the wide tracks (20inch) It also has a Johnson bar, forward and reverse) It is a direct drive. He is asking $1000. I don't want to buy something I can't get parts for. I have not tried to start it yet, I wanted to find parts first, everyone wants a serial number. It has a 10 ft blade and a bush guard.

Thanks for any help.

Intentional no tags may mean the machine is stolen.
If the 5038 is the s/n and the model is a 44H it is a 1971 model made in France.
If it is a 84J model it is a US built 1968 model.
Both use the D330C 4-3/4" bore engine and parts are still available.
Eventually you will have to sort out which model it is in order to get correct parts even though the machines are basically the same.

$1,000 with a winch? Below scrap value. Makes me wonder. If legit it would be in my yard no matter what was wrong with it.

Checked out the tractor today. Started the engine, ran great, hydraulics worked fine. Got the track back on, and moved it enough to get a trailer behind it. We will load from the rear, in hopes the.the track stays on. I have been told that the serial number is behind the winch. When I get it home I will drop the winch to verify the number. The steering clutches seem to be some what frozen, all in all I think I got a good tractor. I was told by the owner that shortly after he bought the machine, he rebuilt the winch and he believes that it doesn't have an hour run time on it. I forgot to mention that it needs track adjusters and a front ideler Thanks for your help.

Post some pictures when you can.

Old Magnet said:

Intentional no tags may mean the machine is stolen.
If the 5038 is the s/n and the model is a 44H it is a 1971 model made in France.
If it is a 84J model it is a US built 1968 model.
Both use the D330C 4-3/4" bore engine and parts are still available.
Eventually you will have to sort out which model it is in order to get correct parts even though the machines are basically the same.

Click to expand...

On my 78Axxxx machines, the ser # plates are shown in the photos in two locations. One located on the dash above the fuel pressure gauge about 6" up from the floor on the RH side & the other on the LH side back.

The one on the LH rear will be obscured by the winch. However if someone has tried to remove any traces of identity then maybe that would be the one S/N that maybe they've missed. Additionally even if there is no plate in that location in the rear case the S/N should be stamped on the frame right behind where the plate should be. If the plate isn't there look for the 4 small holes for the rivets that will indicate where it once was.

I got the tractor home. I did find a number stamped in the engine block. 5038 with no prefix. I contacted a local cat used part depot and asked for an ideler. they did some cross references on parts numbers and they found cats with that serial number were an 78a, 82j and 83j. This tractor is a direct drive. The part number for an ideler were the same for all three tractors. I am still hesitant to buy that ideler until I make sure of the prefix on my tractor. The other problem I have is how to separate the track. It seems that to get the adjuster out I will need to move the ideler forward. I have been told that the pin is tapered and they push from the out side and go back in from the inside. I would like to do this without costing an arm and a leg. I will also have to replace the bull gear seal on the left spocket.

I won't swear to it but look for a pin that has a dimple in the center, that should be the master pin. I drive 'em out from the outside usually when the master pin is about the middle of the drive sprocket or idler as I can't swing a BFH right handed. For putting the track back together, I use a slightly smaller pin as a slave and drive it out with the master pin.

kentwo said:

I got the tractor home. I did find a number stamped in the engine block. 5038 with no prefix. I contacted a local cat used part depot and asked for an ideler. they did some cross references on parts numbers and they found cats with that serial number were an 78a, 82j and 83j. This tractor is a direct drive. The part number for an ideler were the same for all three tractors. I am still hesitant to buy that ideler until I make sure of the prefix on my tractor. The other problem I have is how to separate the track. It seems that to get the adjuster out I will need to move the ideler forward. I have been told that the pin is tapered and they push from the out side and go back in from the inside. I would like to do this without costing an arm and a leg. I will also have to replace the bull gear seal on the left spocket.

Click to expand...

For the record, 78A is Direct Drive, 82J is Direct Drive, 83J is Power Shift, 84J is Direct Drive Special Ag Application. All the D4, C, D, E models use the same front idlers in either 22" or 24-1/4" diameter.