955L or 953?

[john.G]

Okay so its that long since I posted I'd forgotten my old username's password but anyway...

Got a bit of a logging job on and I'm wondering about getting a trackloader as a sort of "all in one" machine.

Some background: I've got some serious seat time in dozers, but none at all in trackloaders.
I've got two dozers: D8K which is way to big for this job, and a D31E-18 which I've currently got on the site and well... lets say it's struggling, and both the logs and hills are going to get a lot bigger before we're done.
I've got a (wheel) loader - early 966 class - with logging forks which mostly stays at home to unload trucks. Also a fair lump of a forklift that fills the gap when the loader is out of the yard, but it's a touch on the small size for doing that job as anything other then a stopgap..
Got a Clark 666B skidder. Good machine and it's doing okay on this site but it's going to struggle with the size of the hills as we get further into the job, and being a skidder it has trouble loading trucks. Many old stumps on the ground too and those tyres aren't cheap.
Jobs going to be ongoing for the next 5 years off and on, and I don't want to keep freighting machines back and forth every time the job goes from "off" to "on". A machine that could be left on site most the year would be handy.

So at the moment i'm thinking I need to ditch the smaller dozer and replace it with a D5. I'd also need another loader.
Or get a trackloader and fit it up with forks and a winch. Which would be okay except I know zip about trackloaders.

I'm thinking that the front mounted engine is probably better from a balance standpoint if the machine is going to be doing any serious winch and skid work, but how much more better is that likely to be? I can find a pretty decent 953/ 953B here easier then finding a pretty good 955L.
Which way would you go?

 

[AllDodge]

Seen many threads of 955L or 953 and they all lean to the 953.

 

[Nige]

I suppose the question here is how capable the owner is of looking after a hydrostatic drive machine (953) compared to a much more simple steering clutch/brake setup on a 955L. Lack of understanding of how the drive system works would appear to be the major issue, and this would obviously affect machine reliability in the hands of a new owner if the previous owner(s) had been less than careful with making sure everything in the hydrostat system was set up just so. This thread from CMark regarding the rebuilding process a hydrostat rear end would be enough on its own to put me right off one if I was an owner operator unless I was a sh1t-hot specialist hydraulic mechanic TBH, or unless I knew the complete history of the machine if I bought one used and/or had 100% faith in the previous owner.

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/showthread.php?41449-Cat-hydrostatic-transmission-overhaul

 

[Bob/Ont]

John you would stand a fair chance of getting a 953 in good condition. The HPCU in them is not much smaller than the ones in the 63's and 73's and they handle a lot more power. You might do best looking for one that isn't all washed up and on a lot. Try getting one that is still in service and then you can work it for a day and see if it will stay working. Take it for a run on an open space, should run straight forward and reverse, then do gradual turns each way and counter rotate to each side forward and reverse. The amount of turn equals the amount of pedal travel. Make sure steer pedals are free moving. The center pedal slows the travel to a stop and then applies the brake. The throttle is connected to an underspeed override valve, this allows you to throttle down and move slowly inside an building but not do any work. The machine will stall if you try working a less than full throttle.
Later Bob

 

[john.G]

Thank you Gentlemen: I appreciate the input.

My major concern with a 953 is that because of the rear mounted engine it's not going to be able to put power to the ground well if it's dragging a load on the winch fairlead. It is after all a machine that was designed to carry loads on it's front end, not its back end. The same could be said of a 955 series I guess, however I'm aware that south of here they used to be a reasonably popular machine in select cut forestry applications with a rear mounted winch and forks on the front. It's also rare here to see a 955 that didnt have rippers, whereas a higher percentage of the 53's I see for sale have a bare back.
Not being a trackloader man, and I guess coming from an area where they were never really popular in the first place, I'm not sure if that's a response to changing application of the machines as excavators filled a lot of the roles that a trackloader used to do, or it's the result of the machines not being able to handle them well so people didn't fit them.

This machine would be expected to be 85% log loading device, and 15% log skidding device, but the reality of it's role as a winch tractor is that it'll be there to handle those that the skidder can't due to terrain issues. If I can't repair a machine I'm pretty adept at finding someone who can, and in truth I tend to go find that someone who can nowadays simply because I don't have enough time to do heavy maintenance myself anymore. I'm better off spending a day in the office then I am swinging spanners and I know it. (I'm also happier spending a day swinging spanners then being in the office but that's another story)

Point the two loaders at a hill. Hang a big weight off the winch fairlead of both. Which will go further, which will be safer, which is going to be better able to thread it's way through rock and tree without tipping over?
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts.

 

[DMiller]

Weight balance on the 953 even rear mount engine is not that bad, you may want to just operate one to see how well they do balance out as the hystat system being under butt is around mid machine and very heavy indeed. I would lean to the 953 for visibility and functionality as well machine speed, is like a tornado in comparison to a lumbering 955.

 

[Georgia Iron]

Based on my experience with my 953's, I do not think what your worried about will matter too much. The tractor is strong, I can push whole trees with stumps and all. Big trees too. I can push piles 3 times the size of the machine. They are great for this kind of work. I ripped out about 130 trees on my last job. I had a tree on that job break 80' up and the trunk with stump pushes forward and the tops falls straight down on to the front of the tractor. If I keep doing clearing I will armor the machine to stop the chance of that danger again. I also would protect the muffler and air cleaner. So far I don't see the need for a winch or a ripper. Mine is lgp and it floats pretty good. I avoid real soft areas.

It will climb better backwards than forward. I have been on slopes that it will not go up. I do not like steep hills. I would have a dozer with big tall groussers for that work.

 

[Dickjr.]

I've never seen a winch on a 953. Maybe on a 955. One concern I would have is having these types machine on a hillside. Especially with double bar grousers and a little wet condition. I always thought the 953 was one of the most versatile machines made. I've never logged so I can't compare it to that.