Hello group and thank you for being an excellent resource for heavy machinery. I'm a home owner undergoing a MASSIVE multi-year landscaping project (boulder work, retaining walls, beach sand, pavers, pool, decks, sunroom, blah blah). After receiving multiple rental invoice after invoice from my landscape architect, I decided to purchase a track loader in order to stop the bleeding from the rentals. I figured after the project is completed, I would sell the machine or maybe just keep it around. I purchased a 2015 CAT 259D with 546 hours on it. This machine as what is described as an electric quick attach. However, the lines going to the quick attach cylinder are hydraulic and there are 2 of them side by side. Any thoughts on this? Also, the rental machine used was a Takeuchi TL12V2. I realize this is a huge CTL and very powerful. It was used primarily for moving the brick paver pallets around. Each of these pallets weigh 3465 pounds. The pallets are already at the job site and we would only need to move them 20-30 feet or so in order to install them. How effective are the counterweights for the 259D? The place I purchased the 259D from has a nice used set for $750. Is that a good price? Also, does anyone have any experience or recommendation for hydraulic pallet forks? I was looking at the EDGE 48" 5500lb unit and liked that the hydraulic cylinders had metal shields around the shafts to prevent debris from falling on them. THANKS!
If you want good information please post a Serial Number. This would help to identify the type of quick coupler you have fitted. Do you have an Operation and Maintenance Manual for it.? It should live in a pocket behind the seat.
I think I may have the answer to this. There are in general two types of quick attach for the work tools on a machine like yours, mechanical and electrical. Note that "quick attach" in this context ONLY refers to the coupling of the attachment (bucket, forks, etc, etc) to the machine and not the connection of any hydraulic lines that a specific attachment may require in order to operate. A manual quick attach has two levers (1) on the coupler that requires the operator to leave the seat in order to lock the attachment to the carriage on the machine. An electric quick attach has a switch (5) in the LH Upper cab panel that controls a hydraulic cylinder mounted in the carriage that operates the locking mechanism. I think this is what you have. Again if you have an Operation Manual it will have a section in it regarding the operation of the coupler.
My serial number is FTL03107
I understand the function. Mine has the automatic quick attach feature with the black/red switch on the upper left switch bank. I don't have to leave the cab to switch attachments. However, I've read that CAT changed from an electric ram back to a hydraulic-based ram after 2015. That said, mine has two hydraulic lines going to the ram vs. an electrical harness.
Based on your S/N this is what it's supposed to look like. Snap a photo of your machine so we can see what you're looking at. BTW your machine was built in October 2014, may not have been sold until 2015 though.
Here's how it was originally built. The illustration above is from the 388-8300 Quick Coupler Group.
Thank you for the reply. Mine has 2 lines running to the unit. See the attached photo. Also, does the 10/2014 build date still make this a 2015 model?
BTW, my serial number is FTL03107. NOT 03017. I think you may have mis-entered it?
There is no such thing as "model years" for yellow iron like there are for vehicles. It went down the assembly line in 2014, therefore it's a 2014 despite the fact it was most probably not first sold until 2015. Sorry about the Serial Number mix-up. Dyslexia strikes again ........ DOM 28th October 2014. Same 388-8300 Coupler arrangement though. Do you have a better photo of what those two black "hoses" in your photo attach to.?
It'll be a few days until I can get to the machine. I will take some closer photos of the two black hoses and post them. Thank you again for the information! Do you know what changes were made between the advent of the "D" models of the 259 through the production years (was it 2014-2019)?
There was a major change at FTL06188 in October 2015 because even the electrical & hydraulic schematics changed at that point. From there to last built (24673 or thereabouts - built in mid-June 2019) there were no other major changes. Not sure what those changes were though. I'll have to go digging.
I think they went back to a hydraulic quick attachment system. I'm not sure if there were issues with the electric version? Also I heard the advanced display had a few more modes/options (I wonder if this can be firmware updated)?
Most likely those to "hydraulic hoses" you speak of are nothing more than a conduit to protect the wiring harness. 1 will be power and ground for the quick attach. The other will be for (I believe) a level sensor.
Ahh thank you! Makes sense.
That thought had crossed my mind too, which is why I asked earlier in post #11 for a photo of what they’re connected to...... Some of Cat’s wiring harness protection for exposed areas looks a lot like a hydraulic hose.