Hello, I have a 1970 Cat 955K. I have a few questions. I would like to know the ballpark cost of having a full servicing of machine? As in having a service tech come change all of the fluids. I also need to patch my my bucket corners that have rotted out due to water and wear. What guage metal should I use to weld patches? I have had this machine for about a year. It runs great. The only issues I have found so far using it last summer was one of the bucket pins will no longer take grease. I have taken out the fitting and replaced. Still wont take any. The other issue is the left steering clutch seems like it needs adjusted. Not sure if I could takle this myself? Thanks, Shawn
Not sure why you feel the need to have a service tech do an oil change. Other than the size of the buckets to catch the oil it's not much different than doing an oil change on a 1970 Chevy pick-up! If you need numbers for filters and seals for the canisters give us a s/n. This would also help in getting the correct adjustment instruction on the clutch, have never touched a 955 but if it's anything like a D6D it is very simple to do. As for the pin not taking grease depends on what tools you have available but a simple grease gun with a hose on it might do the trick. Take the grease cartridge out of the gun and remove the coupler from the hose. Then screw the hose into the hole where the grease fitting goes. Fill grease gun with 10w oil and while holding it up so oil doesn't run out pump the oil into the joint. Could also help to thin the oil some with a bit of diesel fuel. Idea is to soften the hardened grease and dirt in the joint. I'm trying my best not to go off on why you waited from last summer to worry about a pin not taking grease! You should have been here asking for help as soon as you washed your hands and came in the house! Sorry but I've replace too many worn out pins and bushings over the last 45 years and know that a properly greased part will last for many many years and one not grease is lucky to last till the end of the shift with out damage! Rant over for now!
If you are sitting down good, be ready when you call Cat for service or any other off highway service tech as the price starts here at $105/hr + mileage from the time they leave the shop + disposal or waste fee for the oils. 955K will have around 70+/- total gallons of various fluids there are just at 6 filters or serviceable strainers, last one I serviced this deep took a full day. Some repair shops only charge a service for travel time call but generally those are just as steep in cost. A 1/3 section cut off from a 55 gal steel drum or a plastic barrel will hold most of any single drain from your machine, filters are readily available as are the regular hand tools to perform basic services, I am a old wrench bender and prefer to change my own to know what is going in and how it was done. Second, to repair the bucket will take more than just welding patch plates on, a better alternative is to completely cover the worn sides with material similar to what used to be there, for a bucket side or bottom that will be AR or abrasion resistant steel and most weld/steel supply houses sell or can get that. I am currently overhauling a well worn GP bucket of my own and have just at $500 in 1/4" & 3/8" AR steel plates I am cutting to fit which will be stick welded 7018, once recovered I will add cutting edge to the sides to limit contact to the sides and cross lacing with hard facing welds. The pin that will not take grease will most likely need removed to clear the cross drilling, after time dirt with old grease can become as concrete. I would invest in a service manual to perform any adjustments/services you can to save a little coin.
My serial # is 85J2362. I do have a service manual. I've never serviced a machine this big. It seems a little overwhelming. Do I need to remove the belly pan to drain the oil and coolant? I assume that if I changed the fuel filters, I will have to bleed the system? I have only done that one my Massey tractor. Can you tell me what critical fluids and filters should be serviced before I start working again this sping? The bolt for the bucket safety mechanism of the side of the machine is missing. Is this a dealer only part?
Primary service, Engine oil, oil filter, fuel filter(s), hydraulic and trans filters if you decide to not just change fluids, when you pull the filters look for debris or the oil breaking down, samples of all fluids taken to Cat will tell if service is due, they used to supply a kit with appropriate bottles for sampling(done with warmed up oils). How long has coolant been in, used any additives or does it have a coolant filter, if has a filter how long since last change. At east by serial number it was a US build.
I have only owned it for a year. I am not sure how long any of the fluids have been in there. I guess I need to get a list of filters and fluids put together. Do I need to drop the belly pan to drain the oil and coolant?
Should be drain plug access plates or plugs on the pans, still not a bad idea to drop pans ever so often and clear the fire potential in them.