Hello everyone,been lurking and reading old posts for a while. I searched for a used hoe for a few months and settled on a cat after being unable to get a deere or case in my comfort zone! The cat has 5000k hours,runs well, has some issues. I haven't figured out what fluids my transmission and hydraulics take. It has a few hoses leaking and the main pump has some leaks I haven't found yet. I am an auto mechanic unafraid to tackle problems just want to be armed with info!! Hoping to not need to purchase a 400$ repair manual. It has a little slop in the hoe at the top pin in the swing knuckle, wondering if it has bushings? Thanks for any pointers fellas.
Serial number and pics are a great help
Hope this picture shows up
The trans takes 30W with the TO4 package , must be TO4. The hydraulics use any good quality 10W oil. I've been told AW32 is ok and basically the same as 10W. I'd opt for the 10W either Cat oil or Shell, /chevron etc. That's a decent looking tractor just a little upside down. There are bushings in the swing tower pivots , upper and lower. I just had to replace my swing tower and weld the bores up and fit new bushings. I greased it well. The bottom pin is tapered like an Apollo space capsule. Curiosity getting the best of me , what dollar figure was that tractor , my guess is mid to upper 20s. Get familiar with CAT sis on the parts store online , it will show you what part goes where. My manual covers your tractor , mine is a 416C. The weak point imo is the boom base pins that connect to the swing tower. No bushings in the tower bores and the pins will wear the ductile.
Second the comment regarding the need for TO-4 in the power train. You can also use 10W TO-4 in the hydraulics if you wish. Often you can find deals on it that make it cheaper than 10W hydraulic oil. Another suggestion. go on line to https://www.servicemanualpro.com/ and plug in your serial Number. An Operation & Maintenance Manual which will likely answer 99.9% of your questions is about $35 IIRC.
Thanks for info guys,I called a dealer asked about bushings,he laughed! Said call a linebore man. Bottom boom pins are loose too! I wish I had known that before I bought this. I was thinking deere and case were all bushed? Anyway, I gave 22k for it from a private seller who did some halfhearted rust repair on engine enclosure panels. Still haven't gotten any time using it, wanted to at least replace filters and fix parking brake before taking home from work. It was built in late 1997. I was sold it as a 1998.
I can tell you the cost to replace the swing tower which included line bore on the two main pins holding the swing tower to the machine , and an aftermarket swing tower cost me 5500$. The aftermarket tower was 1600$. A CAT tower was 2800$. Same warranty. The bottom bore of the tower can not be bored due to the fact it is tapered. It can be repaired but the cost supersedes the cost of the tower. You can drop the bottom pin and check the bushing in the tractor frame , if its worn it can be replaced but needs to be pressed in properly , no pounding with a hammer. My hoe looked like a skip loader with the boom removed.
Wow, that's pricey, I am now depressed. Can the swing tower be welded on? Hopefully I can come up with cheaper solution? Noticed a few drips of coolant under machine now, looks like it's coming from either headgasket or thermostat housing gasket.
If it's cast steel welding isn't a problem. If it's cast iron replace it. I would guess it's cast steel on a swing tower but can't say for certain on your machine. My backhoe it's cast steel. You can do a grinder test or see if a non critical part will cut with a cutting torch. If it doesn't cut with a torch it's cast iron.
I'm pretty sure the swing tower is cast iron or ductile iron. They told me you could overbore and fitting oversize bushings but not weld and line bore.
Sounds like ductile iron, might even say on it.
Ok, another question. The rear diff fluid is dark and shiny, would like to replace. Cannot figure out what fluid it takes! Cat dealer wanted to sell me universal tractor fluid? Any recommendations for something from napa. Napa has the t04 trans 30wt but haven't found anything saying what wt the rear diff takes. I am completely confused by all of the choices in fluids available!
Do you have an Operation & Maintenance Manual for your machine? All the info regarding fluids is there plus a lot more besides. https://servicemanualpro.com is the place to go for a manual. They are about $40 for a CD and $50 for a paper version.
Rear axle takes 6.2 gallons of CAT MTO 30W. It also requires 25-1403 Ford rear axle oil additive for the wet brake system. I would check into Ford M2C134D/C as well. Your coolant leak , check where the upper hose connects to the engine. Check the clamp and check to see if the hose is frayed or worn , lots of vibration here.
See here for details on MTO .......... https://parts.cat.com/wcs-static/pdfs/PEHP3050-04.pdf Also, the O&M Manual has the following comment: - "If you experience brake noise add Ford 25-1403 oil additive or add two pints of New Holland 970-6315 oil additive to the rear axle. While installing the new generation 230-4017 Brake Discs, fill the rear axle with TDTO SAE 30 oil. Also, add 150 mL (5.1 oz) of Cat 197-0017 Axle and Brake Oil Additive to the rear axle. The TDTO SAE 30 oil is new for the axle. The TDTO SAE 30 oil must be used in all axles that have the 230-4017 Brake Discs . If the former 133-7234 Friction Disc is used in an axle, you may use the TDTO SAE 30 oil with 1.0 L (1.0567 qt) of Cat 197-0017 Axle and Brake Oil Additive."
Thanks for getting back to me. I found mto at napa ,40$ 5gal. I ordered 1qt additive from cat $33! Napa has t04 10w and t04 30w. Is it OK to run 10w in hydraulics and trans? I found some new old stock bushings on ebay to hopefully tighten up front loader bucket at lower pins. How do aftermarket pins compare to original quality? Air filter was mostly plugged and hose to filter minder was missing! Runs better now, can actually hear turbo spool!
Also , I keep finding the plastic thermostat housing leaking until it's in the heated shop. I ordered a new o ring seal, is that a fix or do I typically need a new housing as well?
You can use T0-4 10W in hydraulics but for trans you need TO-4 30
Ok ,thanks.
John deere 310se just popped up on craigslist, I might have to go look! Hate to own two money pits for long but surely the cat would sell for close to what I paid. I hope! Something about the deere I like better, just feels more weight balanced.