Cat 950F questions

Hi everyone!
Im new here and to heavy equipment in general. I've run skid steers for several years, but am new to big steel. I've been enjoying long through the forums here.

We just got a '91 950F to push snow around in a big lot and I'm trying to get some things figured out.

Hours could get long and i need to be able to communicate, the cab has a cigarette lighter- does it get 24v like the rest of the machine? Im curious if i can charge my phone and speaker or Will that burn up a USB converter? Does anyone have any suggestion on how to charge stuff?

It has a switch for a roof strobe but it's been removed and the holes filled- I'd like to have one for safety. Anyone have a blinky thing they like?

-lighting seems ok but I like to be able to see really well recommendation on upgrades?

Also I need my coffee- anyone got a better way to keep it off the floor or my lap in this old bitty?

Thanks!

It may pay you to check the cigarette lighter with a multimeter. Back in the day a lot of them were 24V, yours most likely is too......
With a Serial Number it should be possible to check the electrical schematic for the machine to see if it's equipped with a 24V/12V voltage converter that you could tap into for a phone charger and to confirm the voltage of the installed cig lighter.

Upgraded lighting. LED is the only way to go. Lots of options out there. We use Nordic but that's not the only option.

If you don't have an operator manual they are available to download online, cost about $45 and full of useful information.

I hadn't seen a lighter in one of those machines that wasn't 24 volt. Nike's suggestion is what you need to do to be sure. You can get a voltage drop box most anywhere now days. I'm sure someone on here will have a suggestion.

Hey guys thanks for the replies!
My sn is 7zf00316.

I actually found a converter on Amazon that does 12 or 24v so it's on the way and I'm covered either way. Im assuming it's 24v.

Those nordic lights look sweet! Im having a hard time finding pricing on then, do you have a US distributor that you use? The reason I asked is because there's so many options out there my head was spinning!

I've ordered a parts and service manual of off flea bay, but you guys seem to have a wealth of knowledge. Does anyone have the part#for the hydraulic oil dipstick? The sight glass is so yellow I can't see anything through it.

Thanks again!

If as I'm pretty sure you will find the lighter and all electrics on that machine do test as being 24 volts the best suggestion I would have right off is a voltage converter 24 to 12 volt.

Many places sell them and just one possibility is this place on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Aweking-Wate...ocphy=9005173&hvtargid=pla-310906191788&psc=1

Kind of sucks that the free shipping kicks in at $25. on a $20 dollar item huh? Maybe you could find something to add to the order like an assortment of wire ends or something else, like a spill proof coffee cup?

kshansen said:

Maybe you could find something to add to the order like an assortment of wire ends or something else, like a spill proof coffee cup?

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Or a hanging cup holder.

That's a really good idea!

I hope you didn't get stung too bad for the eBay manual. Judging by the prices some of the sellers add a premium for all the dirty marks. Often you can buy a new one from one of the online sources for less.....

AFAIK there is no dipstick for hydraulic oil level, only the sight glass. The only thing I could suggest temporarily is to figure out where the correct oil level comes at the tank filler location and mark it, then to remove the tank filler cap and use something down the filler tube to check the oil level. To replace the sight glass is a pain because the tank has to be split in two. The good news is that there is no gasket, the two halves get liquid gasket maker in between them. I'd suggest that you need items 6, 7, & 8 on the illustration below. The Plate #8 is actually the decal with the level markings on it. The seals #6 are important otherwise oil will leak out around the bolts.


Attached is an Electrical Schematic. It sounds like you may need one ......... If you check out Grid F-4 on Page 7 an (optional) voltage converter is shown as a plug & play to give a 12V supply for a music radio. It's located behind the cab headliner in the rear LH corner of the cab. That's where I suggest you wire the converter you ordered. You may be lucky and find a converter already installed there, who knows..?

Theolaus said:

Hey guys thanks for the replies!
My sn is 7zf00316.

I've ordered a parts and service manual of off flea bay, but you guys seem to have a wealth of knowledge. Does anyone have the part#for the hydraulic oil dipstick? The sight glass is so yellow I can't see anything through it.

Thanks again!

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Did some checking on SIS but not seeing a dipstick for the hydraulic oil level. Just the sight gauge.

It really sucks if the Cat engineers did not design the sight gauge to allow it to be removed or replace without splitting the tank. In a perfect world the oil would always be nice and clean and not stain the glass in the sight gauge but we are talking a machine that is over 25 years old here as build date on that S/N is 1/22/1991

Hard to tell from the picture in the parts breakdown, would it be possible to remove the filler neck from the tank and be able to reach a hand in to hold the sight gauge and remove it? Might need to find someone with a small hand and skinny arm! If that is possible you could remove it and clean or replace the glass as all the separate parts should be readily available.

Glass 4J8252 cost here is $21.99
Grommet 4J8251 cost here is $7.67
Seals for bolts (2) 5H6005 cost here each is $1.79

Now I know the strainer in the filler neck may have a slot in it that looks like it is for a dipstick and in some applications for that strainer they do use a dipstick with that strainer. It may actually be possible to make a dipstick to use in this machine but you would have to calibrate it yourself and if the strainer rotates in the neck it could make accurate readings difficult. I also like the idea of being able to see oil level without opening up the filler neck which could allow dirt to get in to system so I like the idea of the sight gauge.

EDIT: guess I need to type faster as it seems Nige answered with almost all the same information just minutes ahead of me!

A little more looking and it seems Cat has replaced the liquid gasket maker with the adhesive backed Teflon gasket rope seal. Part number 5P9119. Just need to figure out how long a strip of it you need as it is sold by the meter.

Stick it on one side of the tank halves just inside the bolt holes and cross over the ends at the top and bolt tank halves together.

This may or may not relate to the sight glass dilemma.
Many years ago I ran a lube truck for seven years. At that time Caterpillar had short lengths of steel tubing welded in the filler holes. The purpose was that you could never overfill a hydraulic tank because that tube caused an air lock while pumping oil in. As soon as the oil reached the bottom of the tube, the oil would fill the tube and run over without overfilling the tank. It also guaranteed room for the oil to expand in the tank.
So, I would suggest that you remove the screen in the filler hole and see if they still put those tubes in them.

Will do! That could make it easier

hey guys, I got the aforementioned problems figured out- the lighter bung off of amazon worked just fine, was able to spray some glass cleaner on the sight glass, and after our first storm shift the cup holder is better than i thought!

apparantly I screwed up the order on ebay so I didn't get the manuals ordered. when looking at them most of them say for s/n 7zf1 and up my sn is 7zf00316. does the 1 signify 0001 sn or is my machine older than these manuals? Could you direct me to a good online manual source? there's a bunch when i googled it and I'm sure many are fine but a few seemed scammy.

Any manual that says 7ZF1-Up should be OK, it's a shorthand way of referring to 7ZF00001 and Up.

Here are two possibilities for new manuals, and both are kosher. In case you're not aware there are generally three manuals for any particular Cat machine to make a complete set, so to speak - The Operation & Maintenance Manual (aka O&MM), the Parts Manual, and the Service Manual (this may come in more than one section). I've listed them in order of complexity and price from the cheapest to the most expensive.

Genuine Cat - https://catpublications.com/ To get an O&MM put SEBU6350 in the Search Box and hit enter - $46 for a pdf download. For a Parts Manual put SEBP1926 in the Search box - $89 again for a downloadable pdf. Unfortunately Cat do not offer Service Manuals online.
Best alternative - Service Manual Pro. https://servicemanualpro.com/ - put your Serial Number in the Search Box and it will show you the options. SMP don't do downloads, best you could get would be a CD with a pdf file on it.

Here's a couple of eBay ones that seem kosher provided what's inside each binder matches the sticker on the outside........ between these two they would make up a complete Service Manual. Together they come to $300, significantly cheaper than SMP above. Again, the $64k question is are they complete..?
System Operation, Test & Adjust - https://www.ebay.com/itm/SENR4920-C...ader-Repair-Service-Shop-Manual-/182418681129
Disassembly & Assembly - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cat-Caterp...oader-SENR5855-Lot-451-/202363271772#viTabs_0

Put a quart or two of ATF in the hydraulics to turn it red way easier to see in the sight glass

As an alternative some red oil dye ......

Nige said:

As an alternative some red oil dye ......
View attachment 187375

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And go easy on that oil dye, a little goes a long way!

kshansen said:

And go easy on that oil dye, a little goes a long way!

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Forgot that bit. A system that size probably needs about a teaspoon full of dye to colour it.