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CAT 973D? Right machine?

S120483

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Nov 26, 2014
Messages
63
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USA
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Equipment Manager
OK so need some advice since I have no experience with track loaders. Not real popular in this area, CAT dealer doesn't even have one around for us to sit in or try out. We have a particularly wet sewer job coming up. We currently use wheel loaders on all of our jobs and they do pretty good. On the wetter sites they can be a pain. On the wettest jobs in heavy clay they get almost unusable. This job and a few others we have in that area for next year look bad. My thought is to use the 973 to keep the stone boxes full for the excavator and to string pipe out. Will also use it to move mud mats around, backfill, grade out the site, etc. They are pricey but if it can get the material moved efficiently in the sloppy soils it will be worth it I think. I want to set the 973D up with a quick coupler, 5yd GP bucket and forks. How do you guys think this machine will work for this type of application? How fast do the track loaders go? Will it be too slow for material handling on site like I am talking about? Thank you.
 

bam1968

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2014
Messages
528
Location
IA
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Excavating Contractor
I will try to answer a couple of your questions... As far as speed, I think 5-6 mph is the top speed for a 973. I think a 963 would be a little more 'light footed' than a 973. Personally I have not ran a 963D but from what I have heard they are pretty impressive compared to there predecessor (963C). Just my $.02
 

Welder Dave

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Oct 11, 2014
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12,257
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Canada
It will be better than a wheel loader but is a very heavy machine that will likely sink in wet ground and get stuck anyway. You might want to look for a smaller 953 or 963 in an LGP version with wider tracks.
 

CM1995

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Alabama
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Running what I brung and taking what I win
How big of a sewer job is it? Do you need the capacity of a 973 to keep up with production?

A 973 is a big heavy machine. As others have said I would look at a 963 or 953 in LGP config. I've never ran a 973 but I've been around them. When I stick my 953C it's stuck and takes effort to get it out. I would imagine getting a 973 stuck would be akin to a D8.
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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Hermann, Missouri
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Friend of mine in actual excavation business considers the 973 along the same lines as a 977, too big, unwieldy, clumsy and heavy for anything but open country heavy digging. Excavator with thumb with 963 or even 953 series are more nimble lighter easier to move on trailers, and require less heavy machinery to keep moving.
 

bam1968

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Nov 1, 2014
Messages
528
Location
IA
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Excavating Contractor
How big of a sewer job is it? Do you need the capacity of a 973 to keep up with production?

A 973 is a big heavy machine. As others have said I would look at a 963 or 953 in LGP config. I've never ran a 973 but I've been around them. When I stick my 953C it's stuck and takes effort to get it out. I would imagine getting a 973 stuck would be akin to a D8.

A number of years ago I had the 'pleasure' of helping pull out a stuck 973. Basically, it took the better part of a day to get it out with 2 dozers and an excavator. I should rephrase that a little.... it took the better part of a half of a day because we hauled 1 dozer and the excavator in which took a few hours.
 

farmerlund

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Nov 22, 2014
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1,237
Location
North Dakota
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Farmer/ excavator
I have a 973C. They will move some dirt that's for sure there is no comparing to a wheel loader for pushing power. Like others said they are a heavy machine. Mine is around 65-70K with a GP bucket and grapple on it. The fuel consumption is higher than a 963/953. If your job is big enough for it then go for it. If not I would look at a smaller machine.

I think it would be worth your time to find a 963 or 973 and run it for a short time. Go to some ones job site or your dealer could find one for you to run. Its a lot of cash to get one like you want. a test drive or two would be a good idea.

best of luck.
 

clintm

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Jul 7, 2013
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974
Location
charlotte nc
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trucking,concrete recycling,grading, demolition
never ran a 73 lotta hrs on a 63 and 53 . every one that I have heard of that had a 73 said they where like a big pig and liked to wollar into a hole. I would try to see if a 53 would do your job a couple of the older sewer line guy's use small komatsu's the size of 931's with extra wide pad's. A 953 would be a hole lot cheaper to operate and a hole lot cheaper on undercarriage/fuel cost .If you look around you might find one with a coupler and fork's. The 63 I've had where always lite on the ass end and heavy in the front if it was soft ground you had to float the bucket to keep from sinking kinda hard to do that with fork's or bucket full of bedding stone.
 

JBGASH

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Jan 1, 2011
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758
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Missouri
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Plumbing & Excavation Contractor / farmer
I have and use a 953c with forks and 2.6yd bucket, will be excellent for your project and will easily keep up with your needs as you described.
 

rmllarue91

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Joined
Apr 16, 2014
Messages
701
Location
northeast pa
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field technician
There is threads on here about ulitity companys up north that have tons of 973s in the north east there still is a few wide pads go good as long as there's a bottom 1-2 feet topsoil if there doing jobs with a wheeled machine 973 lgp shold be fine in one thread guy claims to bed pipe faster than d8r ? With one. Good luck and send some pics lol
 

ippielb

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Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Messages
695
Location
Saskatchewan
My 973c has a 4 yard bucket, 58,000lbs roughly, drinks 400 litres in 12 hours.

But the workflow it can put out makes it worth it. The weight works to your advantage for traction, and for control.

If you're going to be backfilling a line I can't find any other machine that I would rather be in.

My track loader I purchased from a water sewer company, it has large 6" chain links welded into the bucket it was used to lift and lower pipe into the holes and to keep everything moving. There's a reason why they have a fleet of eight 973's, and they traded the C models in to get 973D models.
 
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