Hey. I have a 1970 Cat 955K. I am trying to locate a support link retainer. This is the safety part that screws in to the lift arm when the bucket is up. The safety support link is still on the machine but the retainer/bolt that holds the support link is missing. I checked my part book and can't locate the part number. Does anyone know what it is or where I can find one?
I don't have the PN handy, but I priced one from CAT a few years ago and freaked out. Instead I bought a bolt and made a big washer, that's basically what the Cat part is, with the addition of a small T-bar welded onto the bolt so you can turn it in by hand.
Depends on what you have to work with. They originally had a longer pin in one of the knuckles/joints that extended out. With the bucket raised, you would line them up and slide that link over the extended portion of that pin. Then there was a very large washer that was attached to a bolt that threaded into the pin to hold the link on. Most of the 955's I've seen have had that longer pin removed and replaced with a standard size pin. I am assuming that with a little bit of wear, as the loaders developed some side to side movement, that pin extension was making contact with the frame, so most people got rid of them. I still have the washer on mine, so I went and got a piece of 3/4" steel machined down to 3 1/4" O.D. and had a 1 1/4" hole drilled in the center of it to use as a spacer. Believe it or not, a 2 5/16" hitch ball with the 1 1/4" shank is the same size thread as the bolt. I get the link lined up with the pin, insert the spacer into the link, place the washer over the spacer, and thread the ball into the assembly until it's tight. Here's a picture of the spacer and the ball. I welded a nut on top of the ball.
Thanks! Those are great ideas! I do not plan on paying Cat for a new one. I will try making something.
I didn't have one either when I brought my L home. I bought a bolt, 1-1/4" heavy flat washer, 2" flat washer, and a set screw lock collar to fit the bolt. Welded the two washers together and slipped the lock collar into the 2" washer to keep the washers on the bolt. Works pretty slick! Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
I also didn't have one, but I use an 8 foot long 6x6 under the cross beam. I like the 2 5/16 hitch ball