Advantages of popular older equipment

A lot of people prefer older equipment because it is simpler and easier to work on. However if it is not a not a very common machine it can be frustrating or impossible finding some parts. My tractor seemed to be using more diesel than usual and the right side was covered in thick black dust. Found it leaking but couldn't tell from where exactly. Cleaned it all up and had a friend come out and take look while I started it to see where it originates from. In behind the air filter hose under the hood. No way to see it especially with a loader on the tractor. Luckily we could get the hood off without having to remove the loader. The 2 fuel lines going to the small aux. tank for the Thermo-Start had rubbed together and worn through. Tractor is an early 1965 MF135 UK model with a 3 cylinder Perkins. Went to the dealer thinking it might be a little too old to get new fuel lines and/or take a while to get since it's a UK model. Regina warehouse had them in stock and would be here in 2 days! Also had the air cleaner to manifold rubber hose so got that as well. Tractor will be good to go for another 50+ years. I think that's why older Cats are more appealing, Cat still provides a lot of the parts for them. JD has obsoleted some parts from mid 80's machines.

Not to mention that you can fix them without a lap top computer and proprietary, unavailable software.

Welder Dave said:

JD has obsoleted some parts from mid 80's machines.

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Not quite obsoleted, but my JD dealer had to order in an engine oil filter for our 4640 ag tractor from the early 80s....couldn’t believe it.

boaterri said:

Not to mention that you can fix them without a lap top computer and proprietary, unavailable software.

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Living that right now with a 6068 in a genset. Smoking black and stumbling when loaded. Injectors pop tested and compression is good, but damn electronic DE pump, so Deere will be plugging in before any decisions are made.

I have 1959 m-f 50 z134 continental engine (gas) you would think parts would be obsolete but I have been able get everything I ever needed for it! the best thing i did to it was put electronic ignition in it (pertronix) lot more maintenance friendly.Also a 1999 chevy 3500 dually with a 5.7 and heil dump body everything is easy to get to and work on when i buy equipment the 1st thing i look at can I do the work on it myself and parts are easy and available.this is almost the case with all gm&m-f products! in short less down time,good after market.

I wish we could get construction machinery and ag machinery built to be rebuilt like mining equipment. I would like to see something produced where you could talk about frame hours ten years from now as opposed to tach hours. Some of the D6N’s and D6R’s May be the last possibilities for that. I do not think they have even started building 4WD ag tractors that way yet.

I think it is based on production no. if you sell allot then there will be a demand for after market product if it was a well built product to begin with.I do not know much about mine equipment but that sounds like a limited market as far who makes that kind equipment!but I can imagine the ware and tear on the equipment salt,coal ect. but the manufacture knows up front he has to build reliable product up front or the customer will not be back also you better have good inventory of spare parts in house.so I guess this could be said of all equipment

Welder Dave said:

A lot of people prefer older equipment because it is simpler and easier to work on. However if it is not a not a very common machine it can be frustrating or impossible finding some parts. My tractor seemed to be using more diesel than usual and the right side was covered in thick black dust. Found it leaking but couldn't tell from where exactly. Cleaned it all up and had a friend come out and take look while I started it to see where it originates from. In behind the air filter hose under the hood. No way to see it especially with a loader on the tractor. Luckily we could get the hood off without having to remove the loader. The 2 fuel lines going to the small aux. tank for the Thermo-Start had rubbed together and worn through. Tractor is an early 1965 MF135 UK model with a 3 cylinder Perkins. Went to the dealer thinking it might be a little too old to get new fuel lines and/or take a while to get since it's a UK model. Regina warehouse had them in stock and would be here in 2 days! Also had the air cleaner to manifold rubber hose so got that as well. Tractor will be good to go for another 50+ years. I think that's why older Cats are more appealing, Cat still provides a lot of the parts for them. JD has obsoleted some parts from mid 80's machines.

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You pay a pretty penny for the old Cat parts though

My 3t D7 and 10k D6 still are on the front line and give a hard weeks work when needed with nothing more than normal maintenance. The 3t has never had a electrical problem its whole life that shut it down. Problem with old, no boom box, AC or cab and it has levers not joysticks. Old is still very productive with the right seasoned operator. New plastic anybody can run a 4:1 when you type it in to the computer. Then a sensor quits and shuts the operation down.

Simplicity wins unless you want to chase payments, cheap bids, and volume.

preaching to the quire! and the kiss method will always win out! ac and a cab the only thing i have with that is my dump truck but i do remember back in the day i never thought about it.or needed it but once you have it you never look back! but I can see the need for it.

92U 3406 said:

You pay a pretty penny for the old Cat parts though

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But you can still get them. Cat produced a steering clutch overnight for my 47' D2.

That is awesome! and probably worth it you might be off the planet the next time it goes?but better than a big paper weight! that truly is awesome.kudos to CAT!

10-4!

just do it said:

That is awesome! and probably worth it you might be off the planet the next time it goes?but better than a big paper weight! that truly is awesome.kudos to CAT!

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LOL!... I was kind of hoping to take it with me when I departed

DoyleX said:

My 3t D7 and 10k D6 still are on the front line and give a hard weeks work when needed with nothing more than normal maintenance. The 3t has never had a electrical problem its whole life that shut it down. Problem with old, no boom box, AC or cab and it has levers not joysticks. Old is still very productive with the right seasoned operator. New plastic anybody can run a 4:1 when you type it in to the computer. Then a sensor quits and shuts the operation down.

Simplicity wins unless you want to chase payments, cheap bids, and volume.

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The important item you left out Doyle, you know what you have and how to operate it and take care of it. Most don't and don't care-run hard and put away wet. JMHO.

Yep! the old saying is take care of your equipment & it will take care of you. easy to do with your own operation (small) O/O rather than a big one and you do rental nobody cares about the equipment!

I know this thread is heavy on Cat equipment but just thought I'd mention the 1996 Komatsu WA600 at the quarry.I was to say the least not happy when they bought that back in the fall of 1996, was hoping for a new 988 B or what ever was the current model of the 988.

I was talking just a week ago with the guy who more or less took over for me when I retired in 2015. Asked about some of the old equipment and made a point to ask about the WA600. He said while it is not a main line machine these days they are still using it.

The engine has never been out of the machine and the closest to a rebuild was a year or so before I retired it had a broken valve spring and as hard as it was to believe I managed to walk it nice and slow back to the shop from about 1/4 mile away without it swallowing the valve. I did pull all six heads off the K19 and had new springs and valves installed.

He did mention replacing the air compressor as it was not keeping up and they originally thought it was a transmission problem. Sad thing is if I'd been there I would bet the compressor only needed a valve kit to be popped in to get it working good again!

I don't think it has ever had any brake work besides the parking brake and believe the transmission has never seen any major work done to it.

I could go on about some of the problems I did have to deal with over the years but for a machine to go 23 years most of them as the main pit loader in a stone quarry has to say something about the machine and maybe if I say so myself the guy maintaining it for most of those years!

Oh! the company at another location in the state had a WA600 they got about the same time, about 10 years ago it went to dealer for major rebuild and I'm not sure it is still in service at all these days!

In the early 2000's I had a great affinity for late 60's TS-24 scrapers with the 12V71 up front, had a couple that paid themselves off nearly overnight. Great machines and cheap to maintain when used parts were everywhere. A few years later scrap prices spiked and most of those parts disappeared.
That really sucked, I passed up 4 parts machines that got cut up because I figured they weren't going anywhere for awhile. GRR.

Cat forestry equipment isn’t the same as the dirt stuff for parts take the early Track Skidders or even some of the wheel ones not to mention the brands they bought out to relabel good luck getting parts for the stuff.

Skeans1 said:

Cat forestry equipment isn’t the same as the dirt stuff for parts take the early Track Skidders or even some of the wheel ones not to mention the brands they bought out to relabel good luck getting parts for the stuff.

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Yes it can suck when a company stops making repair parts for equipment. On another forum I'm on, for lawn equipment, a guy is looking for a pinion gear for the steering of a 14 year old riding mower. The only part he needs to keep this mower working is a gear maybe 1 1/2 diameter but the manufacture has discontinued that part!

Actually wish he was close to here as I might be tempted to take the mower off his hands if I could get it cheap enough. Bet with a little searching I could find a gear the right pitch to use to repair it, like the starter gear out of a 40MT Delco stater? That and a little work with a welder and some work on the old lathe in the basement I could have it working again!