Greetings, I took a big leap and bought a Catt 955H track loader with no heavy equipment experience whatsoever. I figured I would either have a fun farm loader or a horrible money pit. The so-called belly pan was not installed. It probably weighs 200 pounds. I searched for advice on how to install it and didn't find much out there so I thought I would make a contribution. I lined up the belly pan so I could drive the loader over it. I used these restraining straps to lift the pan in place. After I positioned the loader in just the right place, I attached to straps to the loader's tracks. Then I winched the belly pan up into place. I placed a rock bar under the straps to keep them from sliding off in between the tracks. As I winched the pan into place, I needed a third strap with the winch on the other side of the loader to keep it level as it came up. It must be because of beginner's luck because the pan came straight up and into place on the first try. I suppose the process can be reversed if I need to take it off again in the future. Best wishes.
Welcome aboard! Good job getting the plate on. A floor or transmission jack will work too. The problem with lifting it into to place with any device or straps is it can slide, slip, fall down, and crush you or vital parts of you. Always a good idea to have some cribbing under there as you lift it into place.
As posted above, the problem with straps is the potential for the straps to slip sideways which means, that if you are under there with the belly guard, it's coming down on your head. You just need to be very careful is all.
Thanks for the feedback guys. Safety was my first concern. That pan scares me. It's so heavy. I DID NOT WANT TO BE UNDER THE LOADER AT ALL! I didn't want my body or my hands to get hurt. I thought about using two floor jacks with cross bars. But I am working on a gravel surface and didn't think I could maneuver the pan into place on the gravel. I didn't want to get down there to pump up the jacks either. The pan has a flat bottom, and the three straps seem to cradle the pan securely. With the straps, I didn't have to get underneath the loader at all. I just had to reach down between the track and the machine to pick up the straps. Then, standing outside the track, I could thread the straps into the ratchet and start cranking. It was beginner's luck. The straps pulled the pan up into just the right position. I could easily insert the bolts.
If you are working in a loose surface such as gravel a sheet of thick plywood or similar can make a good support for a wheeled floor jack.
That's great you got it on. What might work good is a motorcyle lift. Kind of similar to a transmission jack but much lower. They have 2 rails to lift on a motorcyle frame that would be more stable than just a floor jack.
Those bolts are a good place for some never-seize.
I use a floor jack to lift belly pans. Take the swivel head off the jack and fabricate a plate about a foot square and drill a hole in each corner, insert a bolt (worn-out bolts will do) or a piece of rod in each hole, about an inch long, and tack weld them in position. Weld a piece of short pipe to centre of plate to fit hole in jack where the swivel head was previously fitted. Cut or drill corresponding holes in the belly pan to match the bolts or rods sticking up out of the plate. Make sure these holes in the belly pan are located pretty much at the centre of gravity of the belly pan, so it balances nicely on the floor jack. I use a sheet of steel plate to roll the jack on, if I haven't got a concrete floor. Position jack with belly pan sitting on the plate, fully lowered. Drive the tractor over it and position the tractor in just about the right position for belly pan fit. Get under tractor, pump jack up, jiggle pan into close contact with chassis. Lean through track frame, use small pry bar or screwdriver to line up holes, insert bolts with plenty of Never-Seez. Get all bolts started, then tighten them all up, then lower jack and plate - job done.
I install belly pans the same way, but with chain hoists. I use heavy C-clamps as stops to keep the chains from sliding, but I try to position the chain in a way it won't want to slide. I'm always stuck working on gravel or dirt surfaces. But never put yourself in the line of fire by being under it, even with the other precautions taken.
The flat belly pans are a cake walk compared to the ones that sit up there at an angle.
A 931B belly pan isn't that heavy but it can be a little bit of a pain to install because it doesn't just lift straight up. There's a 90 deg. lip on the front that has to fit on the I beam cross member. You have to lift the front of the belly pan a little higher and then slide it forward. I've made a loop with a tie down strap to the 2 side mounting holes to pull it forward while lifted with a small floor jack. Not a lot ground clearance to slide underneath to put the 2 bottom bolts in. Much worse with the hoe installed. You have slide under from the front. Not fun when your laying on a piece of plywood on a gravel floor.
The way to not get smashed is wood blocks. I've done chain and jacks on D8 to D355 belly pans, chains are used for safety as well as blocks. The oil pans can be as bad as belly pans on some machines. If the pan has a hinge that helps too. Brings back memory's.
Probably bad memories.