Just purchased a used 1992 D4C series 2 with 5900 hours. Will be changing all the fluids. Also may replace the sprockets. I plan on using CAT sprockets but aftermarket are half the price. Any good aftermarket segments out there? I did search the forums and know generally made in china is not good but didn't find a specific answer to this question. I bought this to replace my old TD14A that I've had for 20 years. I have a small timber farm and use a dozer around 100 -200 hours a year.
I would say if you're putting new sprockets into used rails, the aftermarket will work just fine. Unless the rails are 80% or better, then a case could be made to use OEM. How many dollars are we talking? $300 vs. $600, or $1000 vs. $2000?
$380 aftermarket $760 OEM
For that money, I'd put good ones on.
Thank you for confirming what I had concluded.
^^X2. Oh yeah Welcome to the Forums DJ! Glad to have you.
If you are going to run the tracks that wore out the sprockets, You might as well run the cheap ones as the tracks will give up before the new sprockets do. Bad Bob
Let me know where you’re OEM cat segments are made when you get them.
That's why I asked what shape the rails were in. But, for an extra $400, why not just put the good ones on? If he runs the machine long enough, maybe when he replaces the rails there will be enough left of the sprockets to put them on the shelf until next time, like Nicky does.
China but I would still buy OEM made in China instead of pop shop China made and save $380. Like Shimmy said if it was $1K or more then probably not since OP said he only runs 100-200 hours a year. Change them once and not worry about it for 10-15 yrs. It's what I would do if it were my dozer. YMMV.
Maybe you guys have different experience than I do but the Korean made ITR segments run hour for hour with cat sprocket segments, 2 sets per rail swap under normal conditions.
Running the first set of Korean rails and sprockets on our 321DL excavator not sure if they are ITR or not. Might have put 500-600 hours on it since install and they are wearing well. Now that was a different $$ decision. IIRC the Korean rails were around $4K less (don't remember exact # but it was significant) than Cat and we swapped the pads and rails ourselves. Ordered them from a distributor in Atlanta.
I guess it doesnt change my life no matter which direction they go, just throwing out my experience with ITR undercarriage components. We have dozens of sets in use on D6N size dozers and have been using them for quite awhile. Their rails are probably 80% life expectancy vs cat rails and the cost savings is signifigant. I'm not aware of any extended links before the bushings were cracked and ready for replacement anyway.
SALT rails or just greased? My 6N has standard SALT rails, but some guys claim you shouldn't run SALT on an LGP dozer. Guess I'll find out in a few years because it will spend more time on solid ground than muck, but that's just how it is.
Thanks for all the great info. The replies give me confidence in the future to seriously consider aftermarket. Plus I now have a couple of aftermarket producers to consider. Will likely still go with OEM since cost differential is low and dealer is close by. I understand OEM is likely made in China hence my original comment included "generally".
Just for fun could you post some pictures of your undercarriage especially the bushings and sprockets. Cat should have aftermarket undercarriage parts available. Its silly to waste money on tracks that may not make a couple hundred hours. Bad Bob
Here's a few pictures. I've bought the machine but not transported it home so this is all I have.
We run salt rails on both lgp and xl machines.
A bloke in a track shop told me not to fit SALT tracks if the machine is traveling over uneven ground and that's the reason they're not fitted on excavators. A dozer following a blade is good, pulling timber not good
At 200 hours per year, with new sprockets, it's going to take you 10 years to wear those rails out. If they were measured, I'd bet they are close to 50%.
Thanks for the confirmation, I had thought they were plenty good for my use.
Personally,I use ITR sprocket segments all the time.They are softer,a third of Cat price here in UK and I replace them at around 50% worn Approx.They are cheap and easy to replace.I’ve just fitted new ITR segments on new Cat chains and will get 3 sets during the life of the chains. Cat segments are harder and wear my bushes out faster in my application.
Just from what I see in the pictures I'd say the sprockets are around 50% too, pictures are deceiving but if I had to guess I say the UC on the machine now was all new together at one time. i've run ITR components on my smaller dozer JD450E with good results.
Thanks for the info. The machine will be delivered tomorrow so I can get a more exact idea of the sprocket wear. I observed the tips on the sprocket were rather pointed. The pictures I uploaded don't show the sprockets very well.
Looks to me like someone put on a new set of tracks on a wore out set of rollers. You can see where they ran the old tracks way too long. You will need new track rollers before too much longer. Bad Bob