Hello all! I've been reading around for awhile and decided I needed to come into the light so to speak. ***Warning, I probably ramble a bit just trying to let everybody know a bit about me and my machine. The post is a bit long. Apologies for that.*** I am trying to put together a small farm in Lexington, KY, but of course i work full time because something has to pay for the farm... I think I am reasonably mechanically inclined, but never been a professional mechanic or heavy equipment operator, at least I've not done enough to figure it really counts. So what of this 951C I speak of? It is an 86J3065, so just a bit before SALT if I'm not mistaken (and I sooo could be). Picked it up at auction FEB2016, used it for about an hour and blew a hydraulic line on the tilt circuit. I expected that, but it took me a few months to get those replaced. In the meantime I bought the parts and service manuals. The latter are reprints and not 100% sure they are everything I need due to the inclusion of 941 and 951b in some sections, but that is a bit into the details... Overall the unit is in reasonable condition, engine is strong, starts without "help" using only its glow plugs in 20 degree weather. I'm no business judging the condition of an undercarriage but, been told by the mechanic that helped me replace the hydraulic lines (the ones that run inside the frame are a real bugger...) that it was maybe 80%-85%. Not too bad I think. Several of the gauges even work! . The grousers on the other hand probably need some help. Seat is trashed, but have recently got the whole replacement set from Finney on EBAY. But that is only lipstick, thus a digression. No idea how bad the fluids are, and figure I need to do a 2000 hr ($$$ gulp) service on it before I really put it to any use. It whines a bit since the hoses were replaced and figure it is a combination of fluids and contaminants. Hoses were replaced in the driveway and it likely was not as clean as it should have been when it was put back together. I was at work, so can't say how much it was cleaned before it went back together. At present the bucket is off and I don't put any load on it as I've got other maintenance to do... I cycle the rams just to keep the seals doing something, hopefully, with no load, I'm not putting undue stress on the system before I get the service done. One main issue appears to be that the bucket pins and bushings are shot. I think I am early enough to pull the bushings on the loader frame side and have maybe a little edge dressing to do. The bucket side is a bit more of a problem, the bores are definitely warbled (highly technical term there...). Some where along the line, the pin bolts were lost and angle was welded in to keep the pins in place. I think I'm probably going to have to get a machine shop to make some new hinge bushing for me. Not looking forward to grinding those out. the welding shouldn't be too bad, but getting them aligned will take some set up and fixturing. Don't want to accelerate the wear, or get it bound up. I want to make sure i get the bushes and seals right lest I end up making myself a lot of line boring. That would be substantially more cost that sets off my projects even farther into the future... I also have a broken track tensioner spring and a pretty badly pitted tensioner ram, missing the covers for those same rams and one engine side cover. I have located all of those parts and should be picking up in the next couple of weeks. I had one of the kids pressure washing as it does indeed seem to be a mud magnets, especially where the tensioner guards are missing (I'm an engineer, and missing things like that really annoy me...). Anyway, was exercising it a bit just to keep the seals lubed and a new noise started. A thumping woosh from the engine. Does not sound like a rod, I hope, but it is q thunk I can feel in my feet. Not at low or high rpm's though. More like a head gasket, but isn't quite the right sound either. Maybe one of the seal along the top of the engine. i read something about this in the very good "...sites on a 951c" post that covers a few years. (That is a group of guys that know what they are doing!) No idea what that one is. Not sure what I'll have to add to the parts list. But seems that there is too much thump for that. The starter stuck a few s=weeks ago and had to tap it to release, It made a similar sound when it turned over the first couple of starts, but seems fine now. That is likely a grand delusion. There are other idiosyncrasies, but, after writing this much, I've probably lost most that started reading anyway. For those that made it this far, thank you for enduring my rambling. I'd appreciate any advice you're willing to share. Jonathan
G'Day and welcome to HEF. As you have a 951C I'm sure that the "usual suspects" will be around soon to offer advice and suggestions. Meantime may I offer a link to this thread as "appropriate bedtime reading". Some of the information you are requesting can actually already be found in its 64-page history. HeavyEquipmentForums
Indeed that thread is nearly a tech manual. It is why I am here. I referenced it, and adjacently you, towards the end of my rambling. When Nitelite (maybe that should be Mr. Nitelite...) first started going through the machine there were some seals that he replaced in the pre combustion chamber. These were related to coolant leakage, but still wondering if that could be my problem? There are many moving bits and pieces, so the issue is more than likely something I've either not thought of, or have not the experience to have even considered. If anyone is in the Lexington area and feels like giving a newb (me) a knowing look of foreshadowed pain, suffering, and dollars yet to be expended... I'd so very much welcome it!
You hopefully caught the references to Offroad Equipment - www.offroadeq.com/ - as a prime source of spare parts for your 951C..? It also helps that they are in the next state to you.
A short video may be necessary to see and hear what you are. Most us old timers are a bit crass while direct as we define what we note as issues and don't be put back but we tend to lambast those that do not listen well to offerings of information and repair choices. Can post it to YouTube with the access title here or if can work the program post it here, either way. My suspicions are torque converter or cooling fan. Should be another show up, Metalman are you reading??
I would also suggest to the OP that he should register on the ACMOC forum and post the same questions. http://www.acmoc.org/bb/ Those guys are also experts on older Cat machinery such as the 951C.
Thank you for the replies thus far. I will try to get some video and pictures of the machine this week end. I work 12-14 hour days (seems like everybody does anymore), and have 2 teenagers, my days run from 0500 - 2300 most days (note the sad violin music playing ever so pathetically in the far far distance... ) Have a hard time doing things not related to work during the week. I've been on ACMOC, will have to get signed up there too! I've looked at OFFROADEQ but so far, have been getting mostly an odd end or two CAT Classic part from Whayne CAT in Lexington. I will probably need to go through all the rams, so will look for kits when it is time. Torque converter, that sounds painful. I did have to calibrate my starter a few weeks ago it got stuck and required the ever so precise tap with a mallet to let go. It ten worked fine but had an initial thump-ish non-metallic sound as it turned over. Went aware after a couple starts. Had planned to try and make the trip to Ohiofor parts this week-end. Maybe I need to get a better list of what I need before I make the 8 hour round trip... I'm sure that I'm going to end up on toad's wild ride with this machine. Unfortunately, I don't have a space to work on it until I can use it to do the site prep. The dreaded circle of doom methinks. Ok time to leave the office and go pick up a kids doing something somewhere. And look at the new ducklings we just added to the farm!
I'm about 50 miles south of Lexington. My son moves back in 2 weeks to UK. I'll be up that way quite a bit and could stop by to see what you have going on if that works. I'm in Whayne Lex a couple times a month.
Most times on these starters a little TLC removing the solenoid assembly removing, cleaning up or flipping the internal contact plate and contact bolts does wonders.
I'll remember that on the starter. Dickjr, that would be AWESOME! I work in Richmond, and make the drive from south Fayette county almost every day. Let me know when you are available and in the area and I'll try to be as well. Will hopefully get some pics and video this weekend.
OK! FIRST PICTURE UP!!! A bit over emphatic but I've tried a few times to get something uploaded. This is the side with the broken tensioner spring. And the other side...
Here's one of the worst bores. I think I can do a little filling and minor dressing without line boring. But, I may be entirely too optimistic.
The bucket side I think needs a bit more help...
Still have to work out the video I took. I am blessed to have high speed internet at all being so far out (I tell myself in an attempt to have proper perspective...), but it is challenging. It goes down often and is 3mb when it is running great. But I remember having 300 baud in Japan in the 80's, so this is not that. It will take me several hours to get the video up on facebook and then linked. This is the first night I've been home this early in a couple weeks. Weekend was a bit rough, axles going out on one car and the EGR cooler went out on my tow vehicle. Parts run is postponed until I can deal with that. Ah the trials that let us know we are alive. Time to set this to upload and go pick up a kid at work. I hope you all have a blessed and happy evening.
Bucket on my old Allis was absolutely far worse EXCEPT the pin bores. I still need to fill them and get my hands on enough material to Line bore the lowers, same for the lift arm pin bores. One of those Gettin' Round Tuit jobs that sit alongside all my other projects with the not to be forgotten Honeydo's!!
Here is some bucket repairs that I did a few years ago on my old 941 Loader to repair worn bushings etc. HeavyEquipmentForums
Recoil spring repairs on my old 941 Loader if you decide to replace the spring on your 951. Maybe this can help some. HeavyEquipmentForums
Here is some video. Not sure if the sound is good enough for anyone to be able to tell me anything, but you guys are wizards... https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=279351669563400
Were you throttling back or the engine dying back when trying to steer? I hear prechamber style combustion and a slight amount of piston rattle when idled down but not untypical.
And now a year later. I just got my EGR cooler issue sorted out and might be able to start crawling through the projects that have stacked up to get to this one. I hope you are all doing fantastic despite all the rain. Trying to decide if welding up and line boring or milling out new round stock and replacing the bosses on the bucket pins makes the most sense. Lots of time I've not found yet either way...
This machine better off weld up line bore, new pins.
Don't overlook a new bushing in the arm. Might not need much build-up.
I finally broke down and let CAT do the line boring work, as well as swapping what turned out to be both broken idler springs. Came back from CAT giving me some questions I'm hoping one of you can answer. There is a large amount of space between the pin bosses. I cannot find a spec on what the clearance between the loader arms and the bucket bosses should be. Right now there is about an inch for both lower pins, at least a half inch on each side of the loader arms. I have a number of the washers that were in the parts book that I assumed were spacer shims. I had thought that I'd seen facing specs somewhere, but can't find them now... CAT is picking it up again as they didn't bother to do any corrosion prevention or painting of any of their repairs. Just left ground bare and rusting. At least they gave me a discount (3 times half price...) If anyone could give me, or point me to where I could get the specs, that would be fantastic! Boyd CAT in Lexington says they don't have any specs for it...
Should be some form of Space Compensating shims, Cat has ALWAYS had them.
Did the dealer build up and face the bosses at the bucket end of the Lift Arms when they line-bored them.? Did you ask them to or did they point out at any time that the faces were worn down.? From your photos on Page 1 that much is obvious, it's only a question of by how much the faces are worn. Could the gaps you are seeing also be a result of faces of the bosees in the bucket being worn down in the same way as those on the lift arms.? We have to start somewhere so go ahead and measure the dimensions W-1 and B-1 as shown in the illustration below. If they are within spec then W-1 should be 899.2+/-0.5mm and B-1 should be 76.2 +/-0.5mm Not shown in the Parts Manual for the OP's machine, unless they are hidden somewhere that I can't find them.
Thank you! They didn't give me any info, just told me there was no spec on it. (That didn't sit well as everything has a spec) I'll get the measurements. And yes just as posdible rhe bucket bosses are worn, but the lined and bored those too... They are picking the machine back up next week. Also to look at why it still drops ghe bucket, but that could be control valve as well... As I'd mentioned in another post, they didn't do any painting or corrosion prevention around where the welding burnt all the paint off the bosses and area in the HAZ. Just left it to rust... But at least it was super expensive...
I have 8 or 10 7K9222 "washers" that are listed in the parts book (pg. 118A #18), which I had assumed were the shims. Boyd said there was no spec, they didn't use any of them, so they gave them all back to me... Snow and ice hit so didn't get the measurements yet...
Like me, they obviously didn't look far enough. My bad as well. The 7K9222 appears on the parts list but not on the parts illustration where it states "Use as Reqd" which is a clue. Casting the net a bit wider I found this illustration for a different model. The 7K9222 is Ref #25 (#24 is the Pin). There isn't a spec for side play but here's how I'd suggest to install them. The washers will be installed between the boss on the inside of the lift arm and the boss on the bucket as per the arrows in the illustration below. Remove each lower bucket pin about half-way towards the outside then using something like a bar adjust the bucket side to side until the space between the inside face of the lift arm boss and the mating bucket boss is roughly equal on both side of the machine. Put as many washers as you can to fill up the gap on each side of the machine with resorting to hammering them into the gap. The ideal is to have the same number of washers on both sides but if you end up with a difference of one between the two sides to take up all the side-to-side movement that's OK.
That should have said without resorting to hammering the washers into the gap.