insley pull shovel

hammerdwn20 · Dec 27, 2017

going to look at a pull shovel thats been sitting since 1969. engine turns over freely straight 8 chrysler. I'm sure everything is rusted up tight controls wise. what should i look for and where is the serial number located? What are they worth and how much do they weigh?

stretch · Feb 24, 2018

Hey Hammerdwn,

Sorry I didn't see this before. If you haven't gotten it yet I'll try to give you some help. I'm not an Insley expert, but I've been wrenching on some old friction rigs the past few years. The old Chrysler industrial engines were common units in old cable shovels and cranes so you should be able to find whatever you need to get it running. Start spraying any mechanical linkages and joints you can find with the penetrant of your choice for a couple weeks. Try to get everything connected to the clutch levers moving, and beware of letting off the brake pedals unless the engine is on and you can stop whatever is falling or being let off. Be gentle working everything loose until it's loose, don't want to break something that's hard to fix or find parts for.

I don't think Insley built large cable rigs so I'd warrant a guess whatever it is is under 60k lbs. In reality, a reasonable offer is scrap value-maybe a little more if it's in real good shape. If you need parts your best bet is Gerhart Machinery in Lititz, PA. They specialize in old cranes and antique trucks and equipment. They're good folks to deal with and welcome visitors to their yard.

Hope this helps. Let us know what happens!

hammerdwn20 · Feb 25, 2018

I decided to pass on it after checking it out. from the road it looked great but up close it had some hard years before 1969 if its been sitting that long. engine was tight, all controls froze solid, tracks thin, crack and some welded. sheetmetal all rotted away. bucket buried under a tree. its just too much of an undertaking to bring it back. probably a decent parts machine owner was asking 3500$
i put a youtube video up of it

Im familiar with Gerharts. Ill be going there for the spring diggin' day. That place is awesome to just wander around looking at all the old trucks and equipment.

stretch said:
Hey Hammerdwn,

Sorry I didn't see this before. If you haven't gotten it yet I'll try to give you some help. I'm not an Insley expert, but I've been wrenching on some old friction rigs the past few years. The old Chrysler industrial engines were common units in old cable shovels and cranes so you should be able to find whatever you need to get it running. Start spraying any mechanical linkages and joints you can find with the penetrant of your choice for a couple weeks. Try to get everything connected to the clutch levers moving, and beware of letting off the brake pedals unless the engine is on and you can stop whatever is falling or being let off. Be gentle working everything loose until it's loose, don't want to break something that's hard to fix or find parts for.

I don't think Insley built large cable rigs so I'd warrant a guess whatever it is is under 60k lbs. In reality, a reasonable offer is scrap value-maybe a little more if it's in real good shape. If you need parts your best bet is Gerhart Machinery in Lititz, PA. They specialize in old cranes and antique trucks and equipment. They're good folks to deal with and welcome visitors to their yard.

Hope this helps. Let us know what happens!

stretch · Feb 25, 2018

I don't blame you for passing on it. He'll probably never get 3500 for it sadly, but so it goes. Hopefully you'll find something better!

insley pull shovel

hammerdwn20

Well-Known Member

stretch

Senior Member

hammerdwn20

Well-Known Member

stretch

Senior Member