Cat track loader purchase

[Welder Dave]

What would be the best is build up rod. Similar to what they use on rollers and idlers. It's softer than hardfacing and is often used to build up parts prior to hardfacing. The big advantage is that it doesn't mushroom or spall.

http://www.esabna.com/us/en/products/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.product&productCode=V410021

 

[ippielb]

No idea where I could even buy those. I’ll look into it for next time I have to do any building ups

 

[ippielb]

Tomorrow I might tackle the side corner adapters, depending on the weather. It was -30 again today here with the wind and tomorrow was looking like something of the same. So far, plan is to remove the existing bolts. Then try install it right away with the new bolts and see how much play I have. Figure out if I can just fill the hole in the sidewall to snug up the bolt. Or if it would be better to just fill the hole completely and then cut the new holes out where the adapters will be tight.

What’s everyone’s view on tack welding with a couple inch long beads in a few places to help it stay put? Am I wasting my time and possibly causing more harm then good?

 

[Cmark]

Once the corner adapters come loose, the mating faces wear away and trying to keep them tight with the hardware is futile. You have three options;

1. Replace and/or build up the bucket cheek plates and install new adapters.
2. Weld the adapters on solid.
3. Live with it.

I would probably go for option 2.

It sounds sketchy but the reality is when a bucket is so worn that things are coming loose, you have nothing left to lose. If in the future you get to the stage where your welded-on adapters have worn away to nothing, the bucket will be at the stage where its only salvation will be a new lip and cheek plates and a couple of days work with a 300 amp mig welder.

 

[ippielb]

I can tell the bolt is going to be worn where it goes through the sidewall of the bucket. And the hole egged out. So I’ll probably end up removing the old hardware. Rmeove the adapter, weld up the hole solid. Then test fit the adapter, build up the adapter to fit snug on the bucket. And then put the adapter on, mark the holes, cut new holes out with the torch, smooth it all out and then reinstall with new hardware, and then weld the adapter in a few places to the bucket.

The centre adapters in the bucket are all welded to the bucket in 4 places. And they held up very well. Wonder why they never did the corner adapters. I can see they were built up on the inside a bit as well. Which is odd, because the bucket is in great shape. Not thin anywhere, not worn oddly. Or cracked anywhere.

 

[ippielb]

Finally got a nice day, and time when I wasn’t working to do the corner adapters on my bucket. The bolts were probably 2/3 of the original thickness when comparing to the new bolt. I put the new bolt in and it was almost enough where I wanted to just say screw it and weld the adapter to the bucket. But I did it right and built up the sides, and underneath to tighten it up before I even put the bolt in. Not gonna brag about how efficient I was though, to do both sides it took roughly 7 hours from start to finish, machine brought over tools out, till tools away and machine put away.

Side note, i was having problems with my batteries slightly draining, easy fix, bought a solar panel large enough to put out 24v in the sunlight, at a lower amperage. Hooked it up to the battery directly and leave the panel in the cab pointing toward the sun. Like having fully charged batteries every time, even after not starting it for a few months of -40...

 

[ippielb]

Did a few things recently, dug a hole to burry a dead cow, pushed manure, and yesterday I took it an hour away and dragged a grader out of the Bush I bought at an auction. After I did that, I dropped the track loader off at Finning Cat to get the tracking issue fixed once and for all. I also noticed that the one final drive was weeping, so I checked the oil and it was pressurized and filled right up with oil. I’m guessing the drive motor output shaft seal went and is leaking into the final drive hence the pressure and extra oil. They’re going to have to do that for me too... no way I can man handle that drive motor out myself.

 

[ippielb]

Took it to the dealership to get the drive motor looked after, and the tracking issue, since I do not feel comfortable playing with a 600 pound egg... I have no where clean enough, and concrete enough to remove it, and no knowledge of how to do the seal.

Boy did I get one heck of a phone call from them after some trouble shooting...

$42,000 quote... supposedly lots of brass in the filter. Wanted to pull both drive motors. Cab and both pumps to make sure contamination wasn’t an issue.

Told them to send picture of the cut out. Machine has had previous work on it so maybe something was missed and it ended up in the filter.

If anyone remembers when I bought it I got oil samples done and there was nothing wrong with the hydrostatic, and I haven’t put 200 hours on it yet. And there has been no change of temperament of the machine since I bought it.

Well they never had the oil filter so they just tipped it over and tried to see what was inside, that’s where they got idea of brass. Now today they had a new filter and they cut my old one open. There’s not much brass in there at all so maybe my big quote will change.

I told them to go ahead with pulling the drive motor and tear it down. That will give me indication on what else has to be done, wether it is failed catastrophically and I need to pull everything else. I can only hope it’s nothing serious. Took them almost 3 weeks to even touch it.

 

[Cmark]

Ask them to take another oil sample and compare the results to your earlier one.

 

[ippielb]

Ask them to take another oil sample and compare the results to your earlier one.

They gotta pull the drive motor regardless to get that seal for the output shaft seal, but I will get another sample done. Give me a better indication.

 

[ippielb]

Got word on my track loader, they pulled the drive motor, never found anything wrong other then the output shaft seal. Checked it all over when disassembled.

Found the tracking issue was due to the pumps being way off on pressures, no synchronized. Guessing when the remans were put in they never got adjusted after break in? Just my speculation. Only 4,400 hours on them.

But also found two leaking hoses, so replaced them while they’re in there and the tank is empty.

Bill is less then 1/4 of what they originally quoted me.

 

[ippielb]

Don’t know how often any of you guys get to see big machinery. But here’s a 988 loader, a D11, and then my 973 beside both of them. Stopped by the dealership today, seen my bill got my paperwork, asked about getting a third valve put on to run a ripper or a tow behind. Going to get me a quote. Was thinking about renting a drainage tile implement. Have a few big sloughs that don’t drain, maybe even look at finding a used ripper for it. Would be handy to have if I find more Bush removal jobs

 

[DMiller]

Have seen rippers on loaders, not sure how well they do with the short grousers, seen more on dozers where the grousers are tall!!

 

[ippielb]

I use to run a track loader at work for a season that had a ripper on the back of it. The shanks on the rippers are miniscule in comparison to the 8’s so not much effort to pull them through the dirt.

Here’s a video of me using it. The sound is coming from the vibration in th cylinder on the one side. I pumped a full tube of grease into the thing while moving it up and down and the screeching would not stop.

But having the extra weight from my machine vs the 755k I ran at work. And being able to grab a bucket of material for added weight and traction, i’m Not too too worried about traction being an issue.

If you’re wondering about only running two shanks in the ripper, found that with three it would pull the asphalt along rather then cut through it.

 

[DMiller]

Really depends on what substrate you will be working and how deep you need to work, if need to break up deep soil compaction renting a dozer with longer/heavier shanks will be a world cheaper than running over the same area repeatedly.

 

[ippielb]

Really depends on what substrate you will be working and how deep you need to work, if need to break up deep soil compaction renting a dozer with longer/heavier shanks will be a world cheaper than running over the same area repeatedly.

No problems with hard soil, more so just rooting land, and then like the video, only the top layer of asphalt or concrete. But after pricing out the third valve and install, it’s upward of $15,000 for the third valve, install, hoses, and control.

I was starting to think of even just having the hoses run to the back and be able to run an implement might be more beneficial.

 

[DMiller]

Cheaper to rent a dozer with a real ripper for what you are looking at in costs not to mention the extra maintenance if you use it hard enough.

 

[ippielb]

There’s no way I’d spend that kind of cash to put one on. If it was closer to 5 grand I’d do it. But I should be able to go get my machine from cat Monday.

Weird thing about the 973c units. You cannot curl your bucket back and lift up at the same time. It was designed to close off the lift valve when you start curling, who’s the idiot engineer who put that in...

 

[old-iron-habit]

Install some 12 or 24 volt diverter valves for a few hundred dollars and use the same control as your bucket tilt. Install the valves as close to the control as possible and plumb to the back from there. Just need a switch to go back and forh between the two.

 

[ippielb]

Install some 12 or 24 volt diverter valves for a few hundred dollars and use the same control as your bucket tilt. Install the valves as close to the control as possible and plumb to the back from there. Just need a switch to go back and forh between the two.

What’s the reliability with diverted valves this large?