Hi Guys I recently revived a Cat 988A from the scrap yard. Had a rod bearing out. Used motor and she's a runner. We are going to use it to scoop gravel out of a pile. The cutting edge is missing on it and has some wear on the mounting edge already. How hard is it to find used cutting edge for a machine like this? What you guys are replacing and throwing away would more than outlive the machine. I am sure the loader isn't worth new cutting edge. Your thoughts are appreciated.
Yair . . . I don't quite understand, the job is worth repairing a 988 but it's not worth fitting a cutting edge? I suppose you could weld on used dozer edge which may be easier to find. Cheers.
First up, Good luck finding a used Cat D343 engine kicking around these days. They weren't all that good the first time round and by now pretty much all of them will have gone to the great scrapyard in the sky. When you talk about a cutting edge do you mean you have a bolt-on edge fitted across the whole width of the front of the bucket and no teeth..? If so there are probably aftermarket wear parts that will fit, all it neds is a Part Number for the bucket. You should find it stamped on a plate on the back side of the bucket in the top RH corner.
If you are asking about buying a used take off cutting edge I think that would be very unlikely. At least where I worked the standard was when edge was worn to the point the heads of bolts were worn off close to or just beyond the point they pulled out then the edge was replaced. So if you tried to install this on your machine the bolt heads would be sticking out and wear off in a very short time. Plus the edge would be so thin it would be prone to breaking. Also you mentioned that the base edge has wear, this could be a problem getting even a new edge to work. If not flat on the bottom all clamping loads from bolts will be concentrated in a very small area and be prone to getting loose. Maybe others here will comment on the idea of just putting some hardfacing on the edge you have to gain some life out of it. As to the D343 in a 988, at least it isn't a D336, I believe that was the one in the 980! Or an DT817 that Hough/Dresser loaders used!
I found a used D343 and it is in the machine and running well. We were going to inframe it until I was told by the machine shop the crank was worn past grinding. Otherwise I a inframe would have been the same price as a Used motor. They wanted $2,500 for a used crank and $5,500 for a motor, then they gave me $1,250 for my head. I am talking about the bolt on edge across the front of the bucket. I was hoping someone would say "Go get a piece of dozer edge and it will work great!!" or something like that. Just trying to avoid dropping another $1,000 on a machine that is worth $7-9,000.
How handy are you with a torch? If time is more or less free and you can find some old edges off something anything can be made to fit.
The hardest part will be to find something like an old dozer edge that not only uses the same bolt diameter but also the correct centre-to-centre distance between the bolt holes. Using plow bolts it's not like you can simply blow holes through the edge with a torch because you need the square in the hole to hold the bolt head. That said you ought to be able to find something somewhere.
That's why I asked how handy he was with a torch. Some of the welders we had could cut a square hole and champher the hole for the head!
Maybe better still now I've thought a bit abiut it. Find an old dozer cutting edge or edges that use the same diameter plow bolts as the 988 bucket and then cut sections out of the cutting edge to fit the bucket. Even if you only get 2 holes at a time at least it would give the OP something solid to bolt up to.
Drill or burn new holes in the bucket to match the cutting edge holes; it's easier... PS: Like kshansen says, it's not likely you can find a usable take-off edge. If you can drill new holes in the bucket, 6 foot flat grader edges with standard DOT/Hiway Dept hole punching are about the cheapest edges. Cut them in the middle for less than 12 feet. The ones we take off prob have enough material left for what you want; you'd need to drill the holes closer to the edge of the bucket. Ask your county road dept about grader edges; plowing snow, they change them frequently, every few shifts.
I ran an old 87A 988 for years in my little fleet, and the bucket we had had been used until the shanks were gone long befor we got it. We welded a scraper cutting edge on it and it lasted for the use we gave it. We did find a good deal on a skeleton bucket, and the loader spent most of its life sorting and placing rip rap. I say find what you can and weld it on. For an old loader like that it will do, and when it wears out, find another one to weld on. For a small operator, they are a good loader, and will run hurt for a long time. Just keep the wrenches and O ring kit close by, and keep well stocked with hydraulic oil. Check the driveshaft bolts often, and make sure the center pin don't jump out of its hole when it gets loose. There are a lot of these around in scrap yards, and parts are still available that way. Good luck with it.
I hadn't thought about the bear it will be to make the holes line up. I had planned on blowing out holes with the torch, but hadn't factored in the chamfer for the bolt heads. I think we are still looking for something to weld on, bolts would be great, but weld will work too. My dad keeps saying we just need to run it! I will keep an eye out for straight grader edge, like you said Jim. Thanks for all the help!
IMHO, Grader edges, while cheap, will not be good for a machine the size of a 988. Maybe on a small loader, but on a big one you need a heavy, thick edge. Look for dozer edges from at least a D-8 or D-9, or some scraper edges. Used ones will do, as you need the thickness more than the length. The thick edges will help save the bottom of the bucket from bending and wearing through. If you can get enough, put a row on the rear of the bucket to protect it there as well as to stabilize the bucket while grading. It helps, since the pins on most of these old machines are all a little loose.
I guess it depends also how much work you are going to be doing with this machine. One or two ten wheelers a day or ten 18 wheelers an hour? No sense in having a bucket that will last three times longer than the machine it's on! Not saying you should just destroy the bucket or scrap the machine just need to find the right balance.
I agree. You'll need dozer edges off something like D9 or larger to get one that is sufficiently thick. Did you find a part number on the bucket..? with that those of us on here with access to Cat systems will know whwt we're looking at and could maybe offer better advice.
+1.
+1.
I have finally got some pics of the loader and bucket. I shot a pic of the bucket mounting edge, it is hard to see with the snow and ice. The only number I could find was the 92004. I am unsure if this is a Cat number or not. It is not a very good bucket condition wise. It has had the leading corners ripped out and plated and rewelded. It will do all we need it to, just not worth lots of money I am afraid.
Wonder what happened to the rear fender? That number on the bucket is probably the equipment number some previous owner used, it's not a Cat number. Hard to see in the snow but looks like the base edge is very worn, holes are only a couple inches from the front. I see it has the extra counter weights on the back. At least from the pictures it does not look like too bad a machine for it's age. If it seems to be working for what you want I'd keep my eyes out for a good used bucket. Who knows might find one on a machine that was parked for some major problem shortly after having it rebuilt with new edges, it happens.
That's a very nice find; excellent work that you found an engine for it. Good job! Near where I am, there are a few B models still working hard. At the least, find an edge, or pieces of hardox or abrasion resistant steel, or pieces of edge, and weld them on.
Thanks for the advice. I will keep my eyes out for some used edges.
That is a pretty good looking 988 I see it even has the shoulder weights on it, so it will handle a lot. The cab is nice too, except in the summer.
Yair . . . Shure is difficult (over here in Australia) to believe that good old girl is not worth more than ten grand or so. Cheers.
True! When they are asking much more for this one: http://www.machinerytrader.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=11418465 And it is in the same part of the country. In the picture it does look a little better but not three times or more better.
Yeah! That price seems pretty high to me. I was always skeptical of the asking prices, they can put it any where they want, doesn't mean they will get half that. I looked up Ritchie Bros. results on these machines, last year, in California and Washington and they came in about $9-11. Now that doesn't count freight, probably $3,500 to have the old girl lowboyed 400 miles. So maybe closer to the $12k mark on value then. Glad I talked to you guys, feeling better and better abut the old beast
I bought my 988A at auction in about 1994, for $12,000. We ran it, worked on it, loved it and hated it, until we sold it in 2008 for $12,000 Once the value drops on old iron, it seems to find a floor in the value, and if it runs, that is what it is worth. Here in CA now CARB has ruined it for the old iron, but I would rather have one of those than a 988G if I had to leave it sit for long periods and count on it to start and run when I come back to it.
Too true, on both ideas. Funny which equipment and trucks will always start after sitting six months, and which wont. Or which will start in cold weather...