Looking at 955L

[Kansaswoodguy]

Guys

I have a Cat 951C and am going to look at a Cat 955L this weekend for our other farm SN 85J10739 this machine has a 4in1 bucket can you tell me the engine make and any other details on this machine from SN? The guy believes it to be a 1976 year of manufacture.

 

[Nige]

A Serial Number as high as that it will have a 3304 engine.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Thanks

 

[Nige]

Details such as the ones you are looking for used to be available in the online system but they aren't any more. All it says now is "no product configuration data to display" which translates as "your machine is too old".......

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Nice thanks

I like my old 951C but I think I’d prefer a 955L they just seem to be a much more common model in my local area. I’ve seen a couple parts machines up for sale cheap that are 955L’s so I may transition over to that model machine. I’ll likely keep both at least until I get all the loader work done on the small farm I want to get done then I may sell the 951C that’s on that farm.

 

[OzDozer]

85J10739 was built in early 1977. 1977 production of the 955L ran from 85J10691 to 85J11517.
The engine is a precombustion chamber design 3304 model, with an engine arrangement prefix number of 78P.

The 955L is a nice machine, relatively simple and robust, but with adequate operator comfort, typical of the great Cat products of this era. They just have the problems common to all traxcavators, everything is a tight fit!

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Good info thanks

 

[tctractors]

Check out the loader lift cylinder lower mountings by pressing down on a fully crowded to tip bucket as they love to wear on the bottom journal.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

They been replaced track in good shape has some cylinder leaks but seems like a good machine for the money. Guy that has it bought it from Foley Cat they did quite a bit of track work to it new springs and seals a couple new rollers. He took $15,000 for it

Check out the loader lift cylinder lower mountings by pressing down on a fully crowded to tip bucket as they love to wear on the bottom journaleplaced

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I’ll have to make some covers for the track springs most are missing from both sides. I don’t know yet how I feel about the 4in1 bucket it’s smaller than my 951C’s bucket but maybe the added utility is worth it.

 

[OzDozer]

A 4 in 1 is a very versatile bucket and you'll realise this when you start working with it. You can pick up logs and pipes, doze dirt better with it, and the teeth give it real digging ability in hard ground.

 

[grandpa]

Check out the drive pucks between the engine and transmission. I've had them fail on mine, and it wasn't a very nice place it shucked out in.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Lost drive on the left side have been cleaning out ponds with it I was about to finish this 1/2 acre pond maybe 2 more hours of work and pushed into a pile of muck lifted it up and my machine only turned left lost drive on left side. Of course the machine is in the pond so I’ll have to get it out of the pond before any real disassembly I may pull covers and at least check steering clutch adjustment but I’m reasonable sure that’s not the issue. I may have to call my row crop tenant and see if he can run his 200hp Cat Challanger over to get me out of the pond before we start getting any real rain storms.

 

[Dave Neubert]

Sounds like you got a final drive pull the level plug and stick a magnet in there

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Will the steering clutch pedal feel looser when this happens?? Because it does feel different not as tight as it had.

 

[OzDozer]

If the left track has no drive, then the left final drive is the primary suspect. Drain a little FD oil and look for metal.

If the left steering clutch stopped disengaging, then you'd likely have a collapsed bevel gear bearing, which makes the cross shaft drop, and this chews out the piston seal for the clutch hydraulics that disengage the clutch.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

First things first I’m going to try and get it out of the pond bottom today before it becomes fish habitat.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Well scratching my head this morning. I just drove it out of pond bottom. Pulled up to muck pile and pushed hard tracks spinning fine???? Took off steering clutch adjustment caps noticed the left one looks to have almost no adjustment left compared to the right side so must be something screwy going on with steering clutches also that left pedal doesn’t have the same pressure on my foot as the right side.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Well idk I just ran the machine for an hour no issues I have no idea what happened to prevent that left track from moving the other day

 

[Nige]

It's easier to be safe than lucky but I think in your position I would still be taking a look at the oil in that final drive for sparklies or anything even larger......