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Worth the buy?
- Thread starter nstclair09
- Start date
skyking1
Senior Member
If you don't know a thing about the machinery then I would pass on it. If you fix your own stuff and need a grader for trimming up a long gravel road, etc, then consider it and take some better pictures, and the serial number plate.
nstclair09
New Member
So I know the owner of it. Said he was using it one day and it died on him, could start it back up but when put in gear it would die. He had a guy look at it and was told it was the bull gear.
I'll see if I can find the serial number. I'm needing a grader for a new 9 acre industrial property I'm purchasing.
skyking1
Senior Member
Does it roll? Can you run the controls on it if you leave it in neutral?
Nicholas St.Clair
Member
So I'm going to get batteries for it tomorrow and fire it up. Said that when it died, it died when driving. Says it'll start up no problem and idle up. But when you release the clutch it dies. Can move blade around and rolls in neutral. It's a Cat 12
Attachments
sled dog
Senior Member
12F, my favorite old blade...
Nicholas St.Clair
Member
Is it worth the buy as long as it starts? Thinking it may need a bull gear. Only wants $2k for the machine
CM1995
Administrator
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2007
- Messages
- 13,418
- Location
- Alabama
- Occupation
- Running what I brung and taking what I win
Welcome to the Forums NSC! Glad to have you.
As far as the grader that starts for $2K? It's probably worth that or more in scrap so if you want a project you can't really be out more than the cost to move it to your place then the scrap yard. Worst case scenario a wash, best case you spend some time and money on it and it becomes a nice older, workable grader.
As far as the grader that starts for $2K? It's probably worth that or more in scrap so if you want a project you can't really be out more than the cost to move it to your place then the scrap yard. Worst case scenario a wash, best case you spend some time and money on it and it becomes a nice older, workable grader.
OzDozer
Senior Member
If someone offered me an old Cat 12 in that condition for $2K, I'd be on it in a flash. The engine is worth $4K alone.
Even if the bull gear is stripped, it's not a huge amount of work to replace it, and there'd be plenty of used parts available.
I'd examine the chain cases first to see if a chain has broken and piled up between the case housing and sprocket. That will certainly stop it from moving.
Even if the bull gear is stripped, it's not a huge amount of work to replace it, and there'd be plenty of used parts available.
I'd examine the chain cases first to see if a chain has broken and piled up between the case housing and sprocket. That will certainly stop it from moving.
Nicholas St.Clair
Member
I'll be honest with ya guys, I dont know cr@p about working on this stuff lol not saying I couldn't figure it out. But I own a Trucking company and purchasing a transloading facility as we speak
Sits on a 9 acre industrial property. I need a grader to redo the whole property and figured this may be a good deal for $2k.
I'm gona get new batteries for it tomorrow and make sure it starts up first and I'll report back with my finding on it.
Sits on a 9 acre industrial property. I need a grader to redo the whole property and figured this may be a good deal for $2k.
I'm gona get new batteries for it tomorrow and make sure it starts up first and I'll report back with my finding on it.
OzDozer
Senior Member
It's not rocket science and you don't need a Masters in Engineering to figure them out - just a parts book and Service Manual - and if you've worked on trucks, the engineering and the parts that break, are just the same as on trucks - only heavier and more costly! LOL
I knew a guy who was a heavy equipment fitter, and he threw that job in, to work on trucks.
When I saw him later and asked how he was going, he replied, "I threw in heavy equipment repairs and thought I'd go onto trucks - because nothing much ever goes wrong with them! How wrong I was!!" LOL
What I'd do, first up - before you move it - and for the cost of a couple of hours work, maybe some gaskets and perhaps some oil - is;
1. Unbolt the plates on the chain cases and check to see that the chains are intact and haven't broken. You should be able to check the chains and sprockets reasonably easy with a small flashlight and perhaps a mirror on a stick to see right up the chain case.
If you have a modern borescope/inspection camera with a flexible wand, that's a bonus.
If the chains are intact and look all operational, move on to #2.
2. Drain the final drive oil (the final drive is like a tractor final drive, right underneath the rear of the engine, you access it from underneath, at the back) - the drain plug is at the rear, on the big plate.
Once the final drive oil is drained, unbolt the plate and you can inspect the entire final drive.
The Cat grader final drive is just like a double reduction truck differential - only it doesn't have a diff, it's solid drive to both axles.
There's a pinion coming off the back of the gearbox, this drives a big ring gear, and the ring gear shaft has a small straight-cut pinion gear on it.
This small straight-cut pinion gear drives the big straight-cut bullgear that you can see, immediately you remove the backplate.
If there's any damage to the final drive, this will be apparent immediately. If there's no damage to any of those gears, then the problem will be further back up the drive train, in the transmission.
It's not the first time the gear selector mechanism has worn on a transmission, and two gears have been engaged at once, locking up the transmission.
However, that normally occurs when gear-changing is being undertaken, and mostly happens when the machine is stopped and gears are being selected.
I knew a guy who was a heavy equipment fitter, and he threw that job in, to work on trucks.
When I saw him later and asked how he was going, he replied, "I threw in heavy equipment repairs and thought I'd go onto trucks - because nothing much ever goes wrong with them! How wrong I was!!" LOL
What I'd do, first up - before you move it - and for the cost of a couple of hours work, maybe some gaskets and perhaps some oil - is;
1. Unbolt the plates on the chain cases and check to see that the chains are intact and haven't broken. You should be able to check the chains and sprockets reasonably easy with a small flashlight and perhaps a mirror on a stick to see right up the chain case.
If you have a modern borescope/inspection camera with a flexible wand, that's a bonus.
If the chains are intact and look all operational, move on to #2.
2. Drain the final drive oil (the final drive is like a tractor final drive, right underneath the rear of the engine, you access it from underneath, at the back) - the drain plug is at the rear, on the big plate.
Once the final drive oil is drained, unbolt the plate and you can inspect the entire final drive.
The Cat grader final drive is just like a double reduction truck differential - only it doesn't have a diff, it's solid drive to both axles.
There's a pinion coming off the back of the gearbox, this drives a big ring gear, and the ring gear shaft has a small straight-cut pinion gear on it.
This small straight-cut pinion gear drives the big straight-cut bullgear that you can see, immediately you remove the backplate.
If there's any damage to the final drive, this will be apparent immediately. If there's no damage to any of those gears, then the problem will be further back up the drive train, in the transmission.
It's not the first time the gear selector mechanism has worn on a transmission, and two gears have been engaged at once, locking up the transmission.
However, that normally occurs when gear-changing is being undertaken, and mostly happens when the machine is stopped and gears are being selected.
sled dog
Senior Member
Nick, sorry, after enlarging the pics I see it is not a 12F. Either a straight 12 or a 12E. Either way, if it runs, well worth the money. Many have given a bunch more for a bunch less!
