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For digging rock and tree clearing 977L, 963 or 973 with or without a 4 in 1

Skid Shear

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Jul 4, 2012
Messages
70
Location
North Central Texas, USA
I'm looking at loaders in the 943 range and not finding many with 4in1 buckets. What does it take in $$ and effort to add hydraulics and such to one? Is it worth it or should I just focus on getting one that is already set up?

Thanks...
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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Location
Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
The use of a MP (multipurpose or 4/1) bucket seems to have become a oddity in the late 90's. Many suppliers added them on at point of sale while some manufacturers built them off the shelf. Cat I believe was the previous while Deere/Liebherr, Case the latter. Have seen Cats with MP buckets in prominence in CA, WA and other west coast states, many Mil Spec units had MP buckets but around here they are scarce as hens teeth while Deere 555G, 755, Case 855, 1155 with a few odd others came on the lots with them.

Does take specialized control valve body, tubing run the length of the loader arm(hose gets cut up by rails) and counter weight to counteract the added bucket weight. Can figure the bucket is two times the weight of a GP minimum as has a lot of structure. May end up working thru salvage yards to pick up odd pieces and then are talking serious cash if have to approach a dealer for those items unable to find used.
 

Cat977

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Feb 19, 2006
Messages
505
Location
Madison WI
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Machinist/Millwright
There used to be a great video on Youtube of an old International Drott with a 4 in 1 that shows all the great ways to use them. Use it with the clam wide open and tipped all the way forward so it was like a box scraper or coming up to the pile and clamping it into the bucket so the pile doesn't get pushed forward. It seems they call the video private and its gone. Wish I had a copy for you Skid S it was a smaller track loader like 10 ton.
Shawn
 

Grease Gun

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May 8, 2013
Messages
50
Location
Virginia
I'd stick with the 977. I've spent a lot of time on one, and there's nothing like the brute force of that machine. Did a lot of clearing, grading, and working in rock with it. Spent some time on the newer machines and I own a 955. Never been on anything that handled those big oak stumps like that 77.

I like the older machines. They're not as fast, but I think they have more power. And I prefer the power shift over the hydro. Just my opinion.
 

Skid Shear

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Joined
Jul 4, 2012
Messages
70
Location
North Central Texas, USA
I've found several 943s with MP buckets on Machinery Trader and one locally. Year model and hours are all over the place. Wondering if anyone has insight into the various year models pros and cons.

SS
 

Nige

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Jun 22, 2011
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G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
There were the earlier 977L series 11K that had 8.0 41L rail, series 14X, 64X, 95X, 48J and 70J were supposed to have 8.5. The 8.0 would also fit 977E,H,K, D7 and D7C series tractors but with length differences.
Correct. The 8" pitch chains (41 links) did not have a split master link, the 8.5" pitch chains do. Parts are still available for both, and various other models share the same rails whichever option the machine might happen to have.

IMO the 8.5" pitch rails (39 links) are the better option though, they have more meat in the links, pins, & bushes.
 
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Skid Shear

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Jul 4, 2012
Messages
70
Location
North Central Texas, USA
Going look at this 943 to use to clear my land in the rocky Texas hill country. It's a 10K hour machine, what items would you guys pay particular attentions to? He tells me that the undercarriage will need work soon. What about engine, transmission and hydraulics? What would you look or feel for when operating? anything else?

Thanks,
SS
 

Cmark

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Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
3,178
Location
Australia
You can't tell if one of these is OK just by looking and shunting it around a dealer's yard. You have to get it onto a decent piece of ground and if there's something to dig into, all the better.

I won't go into the engine, that's just the usual basic diesel engine stuff. This is only to check out the tranny.

Get it running and warm and do the following;

Engine on high idle and move the FNR very slowly to both forward and reverse and see if one track starts moving before the other. If so, that's a problem. Moving at medium slow speed, push one of the steering pedals slightly. Machine should start to turn with both tracks still driving. Push the pedal further and the inner track should stop. Push it to the floor and it should start to counterrotate. Try this in F&R, L&R. If it doesn't do any of the above, that's a problem. Move to about half throttle and repeat the tests. If it behaves differently, that's a problem.

Do the following all with the governor control at high idle.

Move the FNR to full speed. How fast does it go? If you've never driven one before, it's only going to be a subjective test, but as a guideline if you think "ho hum, here we go" then there's a problem. If you think "Jaysus, that's fast for a tracked machine!" it's probably OK. Repeat the above steering tests.

Does the engine seem to bog down excessively at full speed? Problem.

Lift the bucket a little and sight the crowd cylinder in line with an object in the distance, 50 yards or more away. The further the better. Start traveling to the object. It should travel in a straight line. Go into reverse. It should follow the track marks you've just made fairly well. Repeat the test at full speed. Does the machine veer off to one side more than a couple of feet.If so, that's a problem.

Travelling at full speed, slam the FNR into neutral. Does the machine pull up straight or lurch to one side? If it does, problem. If you haven't already, put the seat belt on and repeat using the centre brake pedal.

Travelling at full speed, drive into a (soft) pile of dirt. As the tracks begin to come under load, the engine should lug a little then stabilize at a fairly high RPM. Once the machine can't move forward any more, the tracks should continue to spin slowly with the engine revving happily away. If the engine bogs down or you have to move the FNR away from full to prevent the engine from stalling, That's a problem. Work the bucket to load up the front of the tractor. The tracks will slow down some as the engine starts to supply power to the hydraulics, but you should have to dig in pretty hard to make the tracks stall, especially if you're on worn-out three bar pads.

Try and find a hill. Park on it then set off. The machine shouldn't roll back any.

Good luck.
 
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Skid Shear

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Location
North Central Texas, USA
Much Thanks Cmark! This is good stuff. The loader is at a job site, so I should be able to perform these exercises. I've run a few dozers and skid steers, just needed to know if there is anything unique to focus on on a track loader.

Thanks Again...

SS
 

Cat977

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SS I've heard the 943 is real nice machine, but they are talking about finishing, and working in tight places. If you are taking down large trees or digging down through very rocky ground. Bigger is sometimes better.
Shawn
 

Skid Shear

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Jul 4, 2012
Messages
70
Location
North Central Texas, USA
The trees I'm dealing with come up fairly easy. I like the versatility of this size machine and it's more mobile with my equipment.

Let's see if I can do an upload....Here's one I'm going inspect in the morning...
 

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Cat977

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Madison WI
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Sheet metal isn't in bad shape. I don't know how they adjust track tension on these, so I can't guess on how the track is. I looked on www.ritchiewiki.com they give specs. on most machines they made these from 1980 to 1992. about 5900 total. I would say check with the cat dealer on parts. Check machinery trader for the number of scrapers that have donner machines. The 953 they still make and its not that much bigger.
If the links aren't all worn out, and it was taken fair care of you may get allot of hours out of it.
Shawn
 

Cmark

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Australia
Someone has had the transmission out. You can tell by the dent in the roof. Check the tilt cylinder rod for chrome missing on the top!
 

Skid Shear

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Joined
Jul 4, 2012
Messages
70
Location
North Central Texas, USA
All good things to consider Cmark and Shawn.
Would the missing chrome be a sign of something other than heavy use? This one claims to have ~11k hours
Funny, I've noticed several with the roof dent and wondered what they had in common...now I know.
Do these share parts with any Cats that are still in production?

Thanks,
SS
 

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