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Cat Challenger 65 help
- Thread starter blyne3
- Start date
Dozerwrench
Member
They are great tractors as far as cheap h.p. . I have one with 7000 hrs and engine , trans , hyds untouched . Fixed exhaust and some oil leaks ect. but nothing major . The tracks are the most costly expense on these , but at least you can visably see what you have and when to fix them . When it comes time to do tracks there is a company that can retread the tracks and also bogies at big savings and they hold up well . Just as long as yours are good cores . So I don't think you screwed up...unless you bought a POS !!!
Dozerwrench
Member
Never done it , but You have to pull cab and access that way . Seems it would be costly . Since you just bought i would suggest you do complete service/fluid change on all compartments , including f. drives and even front hub oil on idler wheels . Get oil sample bottles from your cat dealer and sample first . If you are not making any metal I wouldn't rebearing anything till there were some signs of something failing . Just my thoughts ,good luck .
We have one of the oldest 65's that is still working. It has over 30000 hrs. on it and still goin. Make sure you grease the suspension components at the bogey wheels everytime you use it. These tend to get bound up and not want to take grease. Keep the front idlers filled with air as well as the airbags. They are good tractors and should give good service life if they are maintained properly.
Dozerwrench
Member
I use these people for my replacement seats www.UGMD.com
ILLICEMAN
Well-Known Member
cat 65
I had one didn,t know the diff needed oil checked had to replace it with a used one.
Like everyone here says grease it check the oil and keep good oil and grease in it and it should run along time.
I had one didn,t know the diff needed oil checked had to replace it with a used one.
Like everyone here says grease it check the oil and keep good oil and grease in it and it should run along time.
EdB
Active Member
Cat 65
The ones with pneumatic idlers had a bulletin come out where they recommended foaming the tires and fishplating the frame. If the fronts haven't been foamed, check the inside left tire. They seem to have a tendency to crack there on the sidewall first. A blowout on that tire will normally run the track off and against the frame and that will end up ruining the track.
That vintage tractor also had a seperate reservoir for the steering and remote hydraulics. Both those reservoirs used fluid that was incompatable with the transmission fluid. To make the tractor steer like what we expect, it is necessary to reverse how the diff steer runs when you're in reverse. They accomplish this by using a flip-flop valve that is actuated by a pilot line from the reverse clutch to the valve. It is very common for the valves to leak a bit internally, and given a long enough time (2000 hrs) of operation, the transmission will be overfilled with steering oil and you'll be low on fluid in the steering reservoir. Doesn't hurt the steering if you keep that tank topped up. Not good for the transmission if there's too much of the wrong fluid in with the right stuff.
That year 65 used a mechanical controlled engine. Don't think there's any way to read the computer if it doesn't have one.
The ones with pneumatic idlers had a bulletin come out where they recommended foaming the tires and fishplating the frame. If the fronts haven't been foamed, check the inside left tire. They seem to have a tendency to crack there on the sidewall first. A blowout on that tire will normally run the track off and against the frame and that will end up ruining the track.
That vintage tractor also had a seperate reservoir for the steering and remote hydraulics. Both those reservoirs used fluid that was incompatable with the transmission fluid. To make the tractor steer like what we expect, it is necessary to reverse how the diff steer runs when you're in reverse. They accomplish this by using a flip-flop valve that is actuated by a pilot line from the reverse clutch to the valve. It is very common for the valves to leak a bit internally, and given a long enough time (2000 hrs) of operation, the transmission will be overfilled with steering oil and you'll be low on fluid in the steering reservoir. Doesn't hurt the steering if you keep that tank topped up. Not good for the transmission if there's too much of the wrong fluid in with the right stuff.
GalenCrawford
New Member
EdB
You seem to be very knowledgeable about this Caterpillar equipment. Especially this model. Our family farm have around 10+ Caterpillars on our ranch, from D-3's to D-8s, so we have worked on Caterpillars quite a bit. Until a week ago all of out Cat's have all had metal tracks but we recently purchased a 1988 Caterpillar Challenger 65 from a neighbor. This machine has 10,535 hrs on it and has been maintained well (we are friends with our neighbor and know how well they treat/maintain their equipment) so we were comfortable buying it. We needed a bigger machine to pull a 42' hoe drill we recently purchased to plant roughly 2,000 acres of spring wheat in our dryland ground. This machine hasn't been in operation for 2 years since our neighbor switched from raising their own onions for their processing shed to instead contracting out ALL of the onions they use from neighboring farmers. They have had this Cat in their operation for 6+ years and they only used it to pull a 24' groundhog (basically a schmyzer roller followed by 2 rows of triple k shanks then a leveling bar and then one more schmyzer roller). To make a long story short we got it out in the field to pull some harrows and we have problems with it turning. So we started simple and cheap by changing the filter. After changing the filter it turned EXTREMELY well, it would turn on a dime. Unfortunately after running it for 3 hours it quit turning sharp and would hardly turn at all. I shut it down and tried it the following morning and it was turning really well again for the first couple hours and gradually it would turn less and less sharp as time progressed until it wouldn't turn at all! I am wondering if you could email me at galencrawford@gmail.com and then maybe we can exchange phone numbers if you are willing and have time because I would really appreciate some advice asap because I need to get this problem fixed ASAP and as cheap as possible so we can get all our spring wheat in! As you know farming is all about timing, especially when planting spring wheat on dryland ground!
Thanks in advance! I really hope to hear from you!
Galen
You seem to be very knowledgeable about this Caterpillar equipment. Especially this model. Our family farm have around 10+ Caterpillars on our ranch, from D-3's to D-8s, so we have worked on Caterpillars quite a bit. Until a week ago all of out Cat's have all had metal tracks but we recently purchased a 1988 Caterpillar Challenger 65 from a neighbor. This machine has 10,535 hrs on it and has been maintained well (we are friends with our neighbor and know how well they treat/maintain their equipment) so we were comfortable buying it. We needed a bigger machine to pull a 42' hoe drill we recently purchased to plant roughly 2,000 acres of spring wheat in our dryland ground. This machine hasn't been in operation for 2 years since our neighbor switched from raising their own onions for their processing shed to instead contracting out ALL of the onions they use from neighboring farmers. They have had this Cat in their operation for 6+ years and they only used it to pull a 24' groundhog (basically a schmyzer roller followed by 2 rows of triple k shanks then a leveling bar and then one more schmyzer roller). To make a long story short we got it out in the field to pull some harrows and we have problems with it turning. So we started simple and cheap by changing the filter. After changing the filter it turned EXTREMELY well, it would turn on a dime. Unfortunately after running it for 3 hours it quit turning sharp and would hardly turn at all. I shut it down and tried it the following morning and it was turning really well again for the first couple hours and gradually it would turn less and less sharp as time progressed until it wouldn't turn at all! I am wondering if you could email me at galencrawford@gmail.com and then maybe we can exchange phone numbers if you are willing and have time because I would really appreciate some advice asap because I need to get this problem fixed ASAP and as cheap as possible so we can get all our spring wheat in! As you know farming is all about timing, especially when planting spring wheat on dryland ground!
Thanks in advance! I really hope to hear from you!
Galen
EdB
Active Member
Galen, Check your email
EdB
EdB
nextdoor
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2008
- Messages
- 128
- Location
- Eastern Wheatbelt Western Australia
- Occupation
- Farming and playing in the dirt
Galen, did the steering work out OK? This may not help your particular problem but if the air bags are low in pressure that also can hinder the machine from turning. On a 95E we had it turned best at about 85 psi. Anyway I hope you are fixed up already. Cheers.
kyoma
New Member
nextdoor, we have a CAT challenger 55. We have an airseeder out the back and while the fan is running, you can't lower the plough down without the hoses blowing out of the right-hand side of the valve bank. Westrac have replaced the hydraulic pump, re-kitted the whole valve bank and we are still having the problem. They are saying now that they don't know where to go from here. Any suggestions?
nextdoor
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2008
- Messages
- 128
- Location
- Eastern Wheatbelt Western Australia
- Occupation
- Farming and playing in the dirt
G'day kyoma that's got me stumped. Still sounds like a remote issue. What happens to the pressure (tested on a gauge) on these effected remotes when you use the hydraulics. I hope there is someone out there that is brighter than me. Actually that wouldn't be that hard!! Keep me posted and I hope you have some luck.
Farmer joe
New Member
Does anyone know at what year, model or serial number Cat changed from the separate oil for tranny and hydraulics and the flip flop valve to the same oil for both.
EdB
Active Member
Tranny & Hyd. Oil
Farmer Joe, All the flat track Challengers up to the C models had an oil reservoir for the steering and another for the hydraulics. The transmission reservoir was the transmission sump. Tranny used a different spec oil than the hyd & steering. Starting with the C models, one tank supplied both the steering & hyd. but the tranny still had its own reservoir.
If I remember correctly, the multi purpose oil that worked with tranny & hyd. started to be sold in the mid to later part of the 90s. A leaking flip-flop valve still caused problems by over-filling the tranny and depleting the hyd tank. It could be a major pain. I removed the flip-flop valve and plugged/jumpered the hoses on my 75. Eliminated the problem but the only side effect was that the tractor doesn't steer in reverse like a guy expects. Not real hard to get used to.
Farmer Joe, All the flat track Challengers up to the C models had an oil reservoir for the steering and another for the hydraulics. The transmission reservoir was the transmission sump. Tranny used a different spec oil than the hyd & steering. Starting with the C models, one tank supplied both the steering & hyd. but the tranny still had its own reservoir.
If I remember correctly, the multi purpose oil that worked with tranny & hyd. started to be sold in the mid to later part of the 90s. A leaking flip-flop valve still caused problems by over-filling the tranny and depleting the hyd tank. It could be a major pain. I removed the flip-flop valve and plugged/jumpered the hoses on my 75. Eliminated the problem but the only side effect was that the tractor doesn't steer in reverse like a guy expects. Not real hard to get used to.
I am hoping someone can help on a challenger 65 track alignment issue. We installed new bridgestone tracks almost a year ago and have had alignment issues on the left hand track since.At first the track was running 60 degrees hot to the outside so we replaced the shim with the correct one from the alignment chart and it cut the temp. difference down to 30 degrees,we have since added more angle several times and can't get the temp diff. any lower,we replaced the center axle bushing and pin and tightened up the bogey wheel suspension on that side but nothing helped. Out of ideas,any help would be greatly appreciated.
nhman
New Member
I too have recently purchased a cat 65 challenger 1990 model. Low hours in great shape but damaged tracks, but was priced right considering everything. My question is with the tracks off, I noticed flat spots on many of the idlers and a few with small chunks of rubber gone, and one tire needs to be replaced. When do you decide to have the idlers recovered and any thoughts of replacing the tire. I will be going to D & S in Richmond Il. for replacement tracks.