950 wheel loader

Got the caterpillar 950 wheel loader purchased, and was able to get it home yesterday. I love it, the only problem I have found is some jerking in the steering. If anyone has a remedy for the jerking please let me know. I think my first order of business will be an oil change, fluid level and condition check, and replace a bunch of filters, hyd. etc. Is it possible to buy aftermarket filters from napa or other parts house, or do I need to go to Caterpillar for all the parts? Also where can I find all the fluid recommendations ?

I guess I should also mention it is a 81J, 1976 with a 3304 engine.

PROBABLY LOW ON STEERING FLUID,,,1976 I WOULD WORRY ABOUT DEALER FLUIDS,, OTHER THAN SEEING WHAT IS USED FOR POWER STEERING, TRANSMISSON, REAREND THEN CROSS MATCHING WITH TRACTOR SUPPLY, THIER CANS TELL WHAT EQIPTEMENT CAN BE USED IN,, YES NAPA PROBABLY HAS OR CAN GET ALL FILTERS,, EXAMPLE 5 GALLON AT TSC $30 ON SALE $23 DEALER $70

Thesteeleboy said:

Got the caterpillar 950 wheel loader purchased, and was able to get it home yesterday. I love it, the only problem I have found is some jerking in the steering. If anyone has a remedy for the jerking please let me know. I think my first order of business will be an oil change, fluid level and condition check, and replace a bunch of filters, hyd. etc. Is it possible to buy aftermarket filters from napa or other parts house, or do I need to go to Caterpillar for all the parts? Also where can I find all the fluid recommendations ?

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• Try a good greasing of all the points on the articulation and steering cylinders as a first step. Adjustments may be required after that but cover the basics first.
• A complete fluid and filter change is always a good start with an unknown (to you) quantity. That might also help your steering issue. Who knows when the fluids & filters were last changed...?
• You don't have to go to Cat for fluids & filters, although from time to time Cat have deals that make them competitive with aftermarket. Always check with your local Cat house first, you may be surprised.
• Personally I would stay away from parts house filters and fluids. I view with suspicion any vendor with the word "farm" or "tractor" in their name. The only filter brand I would trust other than OEM is Donaldson, the jury is out on the rest as far as I'm concerned. Good quality filters and fluids are cheap insurance. Fluids, any reputable oil company (Shell, Conoco, Mobil, etc.) is what I'd go for.
• Have you purchased an Operation & Maintenance Manual..? Refer back to your previous thread post #10. $27 for a pdf download from Cat Publications. It contains all the lubricant recommendations. That is unless you have your Service Manual already and it contains an O&M Manual.

Oil recommendations for your neck of the woods
Engine - SAE 10W/40 or 15W/40. Spec API CF-4 or better.
Transmission - SAE 30 TO-4 specification (your manual will say TO-2 but that spec no longer exists, TO-4 is the replacement)
Hydraulic - SAE 10W hydraulic oil.
Differentials & Final Drives - SAE 50 TO-4. (manual will say EP 90, now replaced by TO-4)
Brakes - Dot 4 brake fluid.

As noted by Nige, look to the articulation points, also inspect for wear sag there as once the bushings degrade the rubs will show out and begin to gall/displace metal if gets bad enough, those will drag and jerk.

Take a look at how sloppy the pins are at the end of the steering cylinders too, they could contribute to the jerky steering if worn.

I believe that machine has the manual steering linkage we told you about on the 966 you spoke of in a prior thread. There are adjustments that can be made but it will require a service manual and someone with prior experience to help you with this. Messing around in all that linkage can be dangerous so make sure you have someone that knows what they are doing when you get into that.
Napa filters will work fine for your machine. When it was made it used 30 Wt. and what was called series 3 engine oils in both the engine and the transmission. Any good engine oil made today will run just fine in the engine and transmission. It is better to run the spec of today's oils but you won't hurt anything if you don't want to pay for a multi-grade oil for the engine. The axles and finals work on 50 Wt engine oils but I've seen them with 80W90 and 30 Wt engine oils also. The hydraulics will run just fine on AW hydraulic oils. We always ran AW 46 in the Pacific Northwest. It should be fine in Utah.

Nige said:

• Try a good greasing of all the points on the articulation and steering cylinders as a first step. Adjustments may be required after that but cover the basics first.
• A complete fluid and filter change is always a good start with an unknown (to you) quantity. That might also help your steering issue. Who knows when the fluids & filters were last changed...?
• You don't have to go to Cat for fluids & filters, although from time to time Cat have deals that make them competitive with aftermarket. Always check with your local Cat house first, you may be surprised.
• Personally I would stay away from parts house filters and fluids. I view with suspicion any vendor with the word "farm" or "tractor" in their name. The only filter brand I would trust other than OEM is Donaldson, the jury is out on the rest as far as I'm concerned. Good quality filters and fluids are cheap insurance. Fluids, any reputable oil company (Shell, Conoco, Mobil, etc.) is what I'd go for.
• Have you purchased an Operation & Maintenance Manual..? Refer back to your previous thread post #10. $27 for a pdf download from Cat Publications. It contains all the lubricant recommendations. That is unless you have your Service Manual already and it contains an O&M Manual.

Oil recommendations for your neck of the woods
Engine - SAE 10W/40 or 15W/40. Spec API CF-4 or better.
Transmission - SAE 30 TO-4 specification (your manual will say TO-2 but that spec no longer exists, TO-4 is the replacement)
Hydraulic - SAE 10W hydraulic oil.
Differentials & Final Drives - SAE 50 TO-4. (manual will say EP 90, now replaced by TO-4)
Brakes - Dot 4 brake fluid.

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Thanks Nige, I got my shop manual for it yesterday but the fluid recommendations weren't in it. Thank You Nige Your Awesome.

John C. said:

I believe that machine has the manual steering linkage we told you about on the 966 you spoke of in a prior thread. There are adjustments that can be made but it will require a service manual and someone with prior experience to help you with this. Messing around in all that linkage can be dangerous so make sure you have someone that knows what they are doing when you get into that.
Napa filters will work fine for your machine. When it was made it used 30 Wt. and what was called series 3 engine oils in both the engine and the transmission. Any good engine oil made today will run just fine in the engine and transmission. It is better to run the spec of today's oils but you won't hurt anything if you don't want to pay for a multi-grade oil for the engine. The axles and finals work on 50 Wt engine oils but I've seen them with 80W90 and 30 Wt engine oils also. The hydraulics will run just fine on AW hydraulic oils. We always ran AW 46 in the Pacific Northwest. It should be fine in Utah.

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The problem Im having with the steering is different than the 966. This one starts jerking back and forth while turning and also after you stop it sometimes continues jerking while the machine is articulated. Everything appears to be tight and its almost like the steering valve starts bouncing back and forth on its own. The steering wheel seems good and tight with just an inch or two of movement between directions.

Thesteeleboy said:

Thanks Nige, I got my shop manual for it yesterday but the fluid recommendations weren't in it.

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In that case your Service Manual ain't complete ........
Looks like you have a date with the internet and download one.

Nige said:

In that case your Service Manual ain't complete ........
Looks like you have a date with the internet and download one.

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I have a operators service manual on its way Nige, It should be here in four days. Thanks for your support

Sounds as if it is feeding back rather than grabbing, could be has a cylinder failing.

If you have the service manual it should tell you about the linkage from the steering column to the control valve. Make sure the rod ends are all good and tight, not worn sloppy.

Also believe the 950 is like the 966 and has a plug in the steering column where you can dump some oil in to lube the splines of the shaft if they get dry and sticky that can cause problems with the steering.
That center red collar the arm works in has splines just a bit below the plug where I note to pump some oil that can cause sticky steering action. Also check to see that the large link near the bottom feels solid and not slopping around. Be careful if running with floor boards out!

One more thing to be mindful of with this steering set-up do not tow machine with engine not running and someone steering it. If you do that big arm at the bottom of the drawing will get bent and make centering the steering from right to left impossible! Arm may not look bent but a small amount will throw thins off a large amount.

And while checking things out make sure the bolts right at the bottom of the drawing are tight.

Directly under the grease fitting at lower left, if either the rod end or the inserts sockets are worn heavily they can cause this, is also issue if the spring is broken or the adjustment has worn out. Should be a pressure setting as to that end plug with the cotter in retainer in your service manual.

Thanks to all of you, your great help

DMiller said:

Directly under the grease fitting at lower left, if either the rod end or the inserts sockets are worn heavily they can cause this, is also issue if the spring is broken or the adjustment has worn out. Should be a pressure setting as to that end plug with the cotter in retainer in your service manual.

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The adjustments seem complicated but if you read through them a couple times and then do each in the order the book calls for it is not that bad. Just don't try jumping around guessing what needs doing, one thing at a time and it should work out in the end.

kshansen said:

The adjustments seem complicated but if you read through them a couple times and then do each in the order the book calls for it is not that bad. Just don't try jumping around guessing what needs doing, one thing at a time and it should work out in the end.

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Thank you; you guys are great