Hello all, I thought I’d share a few pics of my new to me 977L It’s a 1978 48J model with large timber fork and Boughton rear winch. Plenty of questions on their way as soon as I get into it ! Cheers Chris.
Nice looking machine
I second that! Looks like good UC from a distance. Wish I had that cab! And the winch! And the grapple!
Maybe put the tracks on the right way and check the right recoil spring. Kinda looks like someone welded 2 build up bars on 3 bar wore out pads. Bob
Hello Bob, you are correct on all 3 ! We are currently looking for some recoil spring “stops” but non are available here in the U.K. Still awaiting a few emails from over the pond regarding them. I’m not sure why the track chains were out on backwards, and speaking to a previous owner the track pads were built up for working in forestry over here, cheers Chris.
I heard someone suggest it to put a newish surface against the sprocket teeth when going forward. It may mean the tracks are pretty worn out. I counted the links, there should be 41. I can only see 39. Sorry for being the barer of bad news
You need to count again ,those are SALT tracks . I've never heard of a good reason to run tracks backwards. Bob
Bob thanks for the correction. I'm thinking of the early L's and K's With the 8" pitch not the 8 1/2" pitch that Chris has. Sorry folks
Chris you might check your final drives before you run that tractor , it looks like an old oil leak on some of the pads on the right track. Although being on the right side may be a hydraulic leak. good luck Bob
Thanks Bob, yes you are right there is a weepy hose underneath the hydraulic tank that needs addressing and as for the final drives well there is a small amount of movement in both sprockets so they too will be looked at in due course. Both final drives are almost to level with oil and don’t appear to be leaking. Getting a list together now, still no luck with the recoil stops, the inner right side one is actually missing. Cheers Chris
7G4804-7G4805 are the part numbers Machinery Trader shows a lot of them too
Or look for the former P/Nos 2S-5967 & 2S-5968. All depends what's nearest to you. Chris, how about posting up some close up photos of all the undercarriage components.? If the rest of the U/C is in a similar state to the track shoe grousers you might have some serious money to spend before much longer.
Chris , The final drive sprocket bearings can be adjusted easier when the tracks are off ,like when you turn them. The right inside spring stop should be the same as the left outside spring stop I believe the 5968 part number. Going by the track adjusters those tracks don't look all that bad like someone reused old track pads. Good luck Bob
Thanks everyone for the replies, I will get some better quality pictures this weekend and post them up, cheers for the help, Chris.
Spotted either three Trimmed flange rollers on L side or has had a few changed already on that side, should probably have a Track Inspection done and find out what all ails beyond the loose sprockets and backward chains. Recoil spring/track truck guard covers need to be located and reinstalled as soon as any other required work done in there besides deep cleaning.
Here are some pictures I took today of the under carriage. I hope they are of interest, I have a few to put up, cheers Chris.
A few more.
A few more
Last set, cheers Chris.
I forgot to add I measured pin to pin length across 3 links and it measured out at 25 and 5/16 inches.
Shell of the roller under the rebound spring has enough wear to show a breaking rolled up edge or a wear edge that is chipping away. Rails measure across 4 Links from a specific pin to Fifth pin away and divide by 4. Should be 8.5" pitch. Bushings appear good and find if low internal wear.
Seeing those photos I'll echo DM's earlier comment and suggest you ought to get a full undercarriage inspection done sooner rather than later. If you give Finning the impression that you're in the market for replacement U/C and likely to buy it from them they'll usually do the inspection for free.
I think you picked up a nice flexible machine. Must have at least a third valve for the grapple so you could run a 4in1 or a root rake with a buncher grapple. Cab for running in foul weather, a great find. I wonder is it a PTO that runs the winch? Can you run other stuff like a brush hog?
Thanks Cat977, yes has a 3rd service fitted, one of the previous owners had it all installed in 1987 after we had the big storm that took down a lot of hardwood trees across the U.K. He also fitted the winch that came off the back of a ex army D6, PTO drive. He spent a couple of years on big tree clearance. Have located a 4/1 bucket for it also. We will get there eventually, just got to start working my way through what needs doing.
Those tracks are SALT tracks and you should have measured 25.5 " they won't show any pin to bushing wear unless you have a seal failure . Post pictures of bottom rollers if you could. All in all your under carriage don't look that bad. Bob
Not all that bad but could still end up expensive.
Congrats on your purchase! Fabulous machine and tough as nails! Rails don't look awful, would look at changing out rollers sooner than later, looks there might be some flat spots. will burn up your rails in short order if they aren't turning. Start with a good wash and see what your up against. I went through a much similar proccess on my 977L, learned a ton off of this forum. I posted a couple threads on rebuilding my track pads (mistake) and weld build up my front idlers. Good luck!!
Thanks, I will have a search ! Looking forward to getting it stripped some more and also learning new stuff as I progress.
Get yourself set up with a big impact and a good assortment of large swing bangs... Nothing light on that machine!
Rod that comes off top of lower bellcrank right side to bucket looks bent.
Yes, both rods are bent due to the geometry of the timber fork, the rods go over and can actually rest on the end of the loader frame before the stops are reached. Another item on the list to address ! Cheers Chris
When you get around to adjusting the bearing preload on sprocket with spanner wrench, put a block under the 2nd roller from sprocket allowing the chain some slack relieving tension from sprocket. That small oil drip by final might be some wet soil that froze in duocone seal. I would move it around when machine warms up. Stick your head in there check for rope or wire wrapped around sprocket.
A few pics from today. As the inner recoil spring stop on the right hand side is missing and I cannot get hold of any for reasonable monies I have had some plate cut to make my own. I think one has been missing for many years as the steel strip that is sandwiched between it and the trackframe has almost gone too. Best to get this job sorted before we start on anything else. Cheers Chris
Last few, Chris.
Time and age, still do not enjoy the thought working around the Death Spring.
Looks like your doing an excellent job of replacement! I thought there was a rod down the center of the spring you could tighten to hold the spring safely?
Yes, unfortunately the exposed part of the thread where the nut would end up when tightened is no longer there as has rusted away ! Will have to have a think about this ! Chris
Once the spring has been on the machine a while it can never be used to tighten it back up. The rod moves and threads get banged up. In any case that spring gives me the willies
Is the spring welded to the track frame? Bob
Hello Bob, no not welded to the frame. I will have to replace the strips too. Hopefully track split and recoil spring assembly out of the way next week. Chris
If the threads on the recoil assembly are rusted away then you are in a position where, in order to stay safe while disassembling, the spring really ought be cut with oxy-acetylene before attempting to take anything else apart. As DMiller said above those things are not known as Death Springs for nothing. It’s a shame really because the springs themselves don’t look to be in bad shape.
I think I would put the spring stops in before I broke the track. Are you going to replace the dowels on the spring stops? Is the inside spring still in one piece? How about a picture of the sprocket end of the spring. Bob
Hello Bob, yes the spring is still in one piece as far as I can see. I cannot fit the RHS inner stop as the studs that hold it in place need drilling out and the small angled plate that slides in between the stop and track frame is covering the centre stud hole because it has all moved sideways slightly. There are no dowels on these stops, just three mounting studs. Have attached picture of sprocket end of spring. I removed the LHS outer stop to use as a pattern for the RHS inner. Cheers Chris.
That's strange, I thought all the stops on that type of setup had dowels between the stop and the frame but apparently not on the 48J. Machines with S/N above 48J2011 show an additional plate (28 in the diagram below) in between the stop and the track frame. Is that the plate you're talking about that has moved sideways.? I don't know what anyone else thinks but I would suggest proceeding VERY carefully around that setup in the state that it is in right now. In fact I'd be very close to reaching for the gas axe and cutting the spring before proceeding any further.
Thanks Nige, I appreciate your help and advice. Yes, item no 28 is just a strip welded to the track frame that the stops bolt down onto. Looking at it I will say all four will want replacing. The plate that has moved sideways is attached to the spring assembly, it is an angled piece, I have attached a picture to show the plate but this is a picture of the other side from when I removed the stop for a pattern.
I agree on using lots of caution around that spring! The studs you have exposed should get Kroil, PB blaster, or your favorite penetrating oil sprayed on them. Doing so often over time does wonders. After the spring is made safe you can heat the stud up nice and red right on down close to the frame, without melting any of it. Let it cool to room temp. Cycle it several times if necessary. Use penetrating oil and a vise grip back and forth to loosen it up. If the bolt goes into the open frame too far it may have to be drilled out. The time is not wasted though, if it loosens up. Cut and grind flush, try to mark the center, drill it through or just past the depth of the frame is better, less work and the hole will hold your cutting oil. Use say 1/16" to 1/8" drill first. Then step up something less than the tap drill size. Push down pretty hard when drilling. Sometimes the drill will grab the stud and run it through or maybe you should stop after going in half way and free up the drill. The idea is not to wreck the threads. Maybe more later. Best of Luck Chris
Has someone been getting a bit "creative" in there..? I may be mistaken but what's shown in your photo ought to be part of the head. Yours though appears like it's a piece of angle iron welded on, maybe it's just because it is old & corroded it appears like an afterthought. The photo below isn't very good but this is what it's supposed to look like, taken from the disassembly manual.
Chris If you would see if you can take the nut Chris If you would see if you can get that nut off and see what condition the threads are. I see this tractor don't use dowels it has stops welded to the track frame. If you PM me I will offer a suggestion on the spring removal . Bob
When I see lots of corrosion on small nuts/bolts, I will cherry red the nuts/heads 1-3 times before I try to loosen them. Also cut the stud flush next to the nut so you don't drag the corroded threads through the nut. It also makes the nut easier to remove saving (hopefully) the threads. Even if things are super corroded on the outside the threads may still be good inside. Heating with a rose bud is best. Change the torch tip to keep the flame size to stay on the nut or hub/flange, and not on the stud/shaft. Heating the outside of a nut or hub/flange as fast as possible without melting is best. Cutting the studs flush with the top of the spring stop, then remove the stop, is best, or use the above technique to save the threads. Keep asking questions Chris!
I used the gas axe method to remove mine, can honestly say I haven't felt that kind of fear ever before working on a piece of equipment.. Making that first cut and the noise it makes when it let's go! Hahah I was trembling Chaining it down made me feel better, not sure it accomplished anything
If you're not frightened any time you approach a recoil spring with a gas axe then there's something wrong with you.....
looking at your first two photos of your 977L I have to say Ive never seen auxiliary hyd hoses to the front attachment plumbed that way.The hoses coming up from the swivel unions are a bit odd,was that a repair? usually they are hardlines off the swivel unions straight down the mast h-frame to the bucket pin area..was this something that was repaired,like the front aux circuit swivels went bad and were replumbed with hose?? BTW nice winch on your machine,hard to find one anymore in the US east coast
Thanks Bunkclimber, I would say the hose joints are a repair from sometime in its previous life although the 3rd service kit was added to the machine in 1987 to run the timber grab. All the parts were bought from Cat at that time. The owner at the time must have spent a good amount between the 3rd service, timber grab and winch. Cheers Chris
Esab used to offer an 18ft. long torch. I don't think it's still available so 12ft. might have to do.
Small amount of progress with the missing stop. Also found some pipe to get exhaust level with top of cab, cheers Chris.
Until I looked at the price of those stops in the Parts system I couldn't understand why you decided to make your own because availability is not an issue. Now I do.
Nice looking work Chris! I'm sure your you putting a coffee can on the exhaust to keep the rain off. Now that I'm getting older and more forgetful I put a flapper on one of my coffee can machines that I use quite often. That machine of yours is real nice!
Is that the correct handed Stop Bracket you need Chris??? tctractors.
Hello Nige, these stops are no longer available from Cat, "discontinued". I did find a few breakers in the States but they were unwilling to ship to the UK. Some in Jakarta, Indonesia, but price with carriage was out of this world. Cheers Chris.
Yes, tctractors, I took the outer left one to use as a pattern for the inner right one. Cheers Chris.
That’s strange. I have an account with a Cat dealer in the US and it shows both price & availability for both part numbers of stop - LH & RH. The prices make you wince though....
Out of interest Nige, what is the price and availability for these ? I approached dealer here and none were shown I think I can get these finished off for not much more than my time and obviously cost of the 80mm plate. Chris
They were priced at $642 ea. IIRC. So a full set of four would’ve been close to £2000....... I pretty sure that you ought to be able to fab them for a lot less than that.
A few pics of progress with the recoil stops, cheers Chris.
Also exhaust has had a makeover complete with rain flap
You're doing some first rate work on that machine Chris! There's no covering up the jealousy anymore. The bolts for the spring stops look to be grade 5. In this place I would want to buy Cat bolts that are spec. as the same as the original bolts you took out, but of course longer. The Cat parts guy may not know about spec. for application. I've heard Cat bolts are all better than grade 8 with a taller head and heard that's not true. There are better than a grade 8 bolts. I think a B8 stud might be a good choice since the treads in the frame aren't 100%. Shear strength is very important in this application. You should torque the bolt or nut properly also. Best of Luck
A few update pictures. Stops seem to fit quite well, also found a bucket, the wire brush will be worn out ! Cheers Chris.
A few update pictures. Stops seem to fit quite well, also found a bucket, the wire brush will be worn out ! Cheers Chris.
Nice looking work Chris! A real good score on the bucket! Don't bother wire brushing or painting where the bucket has dirt rubbing by a lot. It'll get polished up just fine by working the dirt. On my 977L also has a 4in1 the dirt has worn down the sides that go down to the bottom of the bucket and teeth. I might be doing some reinforcing one of these days.
This looks like fun, was having a crawl round underneath and spotted some missing bits ! Any tips most welcome, these are the big bolts that attach the track frame to the main body underneath, I think they are 1-1/8 UNC. Chris
Looks like (maybe) track frame connection bolts. If so you may haft to block up the body. But then if you could do one or two at a time maybe not. Start spraying them with penetrating oil every few days. Heat the bolt head a few times before trying to unscrew. You don't say where you're pointing the camera. Definitely looking at some fun Chris! Shawn
Cheers, these are pictures of the rear track frame mounting bolts underneath that attach the frame to the rear casing. Challenge accepted ! Chris
Forgot to add these too
To get the bolt out that's broken off flush. Try drilling the threads out of a 1" nut. Then run a counter sink in about half way weld a rod to it to hold it.. If you can get an Extractalloy rod weld like you welding the nut on, stop at the chamfer let it cool, wack it a bit and the nut falls off. Then weld the nut on good, and let cool, more penetrating oil. Use a breaker bar and 3 pound hammer and wrap it gently back and forth. Work it free then drink some Beer! Scrape the frame flat where the washers go. Buy the cat bolts and washers. If you must use extra thick grade 8 Sae washers and bolts and lots of Neverseize or grease for rust prevention. Free all the bolts then replace and go one at a time on the Neverseize. Best of Luck!
Try using horse shoe shaped welding rods to the a joining bolt heads to hold the 1" nut in place. This way you can bang the nut in place and don't have to hold it. You may have to try several times but driving the heat into the stud will help loosen it.
I was thinking of your bolt removal challenge. The number 1 priority is Don’t Break the Head Off. Impact guns work the best sometimes, because they use a lot of little hits. Of course definitely once it's free to spin it out. If you use too big an impact gun with the power turned up too high you can twist the head off before you know it. I like a Big Gun and turning it way down gives you a better feel for what you are doing. It has less hits but they are more powerful. Don' just back out, drive in to. The idea is to break the bolt free. Also taking a 3 pound or bigger hammer wack straight in on the head to break the rust free under the head. If you can get a hammer breaker wrench in there it may break it free. Beware most have a 12 point, and you don't want to screw up the bolt head, use 6 point sockets. Get the handle of your wrench as close to the frame/bolt head as possible. Use a 3/4" or 1" set it has less play and less flex. Cut off the end of a deep well socket to get it in tight. Weld the socket to bar stock and take out any looseness or flexing. Make it heavy to match that Big ***king Hammer! Luck will set you Free!
Commonly referred as "Rain Rattles" around here!!
A few more bits replaced. The coupling between the turbo and exhaust bend was leaking badly and must have been like that for many years as it had been spinning round in the turbo and bend housing and worn them away. Also every time the throttle was opened more smoke came from there than the exhaust. Air filter housing going back on too after elements replaced. Slowly getting bits done !
Shiny parts are always nice....... I hope you had the safety engaged while work was going on. Don't depend on the lift cylinders to hold the arms & bucket up.
Hi Nige, yes loader frame has been propped using the supports I made. It didn’t come with one so I made a pair myself, cheers Chris.
Managed to get the timber fork removed, the bucket is getting closer !
Would anyone know the correct diameter of the main bucket pins ? Cheers chris.
Things are getting to the Excited side Again!!! Lots of Heavy work to tweaking the bucket in place for an Easy install of properly fitting pins. Loose fits get looser much faster than good fits. Looks like someone beat the **** out of the one pin you can see. While things are apart I suggest cleaning everything very well. Replace bushings and pins that have poor fits. Pull all the grease zerks out (esp.the lift arm) and run a tight fitting drill bit through them all starting small and work up to the fit. Rebuild the bucket clam cylinders and really clean up the lines. You don't want rust and crap in the rest of the 40 gallon system. You've been doing a really Fine Job Chris! Keep It Up!!! Best of Luck
Cheers, we are trying to get through the jobs as we go. The pins have seen some fair hammer rash in the past. Need to get it all mobile as we are going to get it in a better area to get the track frame assemblies off. Large chunks of timber rounded up already. Chris
Bucket is on ! (Albeit temporarily ) Easier to move the complete lot round in one, save moving the bucket with a chain all the while. Next job is get it somewhere more suitable for track frame assemblies off so we can peak inside the final drives as there is some movement in both sprockets.
It should be a really nice bucket to have! You seem to be a really lucky guy! Those sprockets have a special outer bearing. You can take the outer lock washers off and tighten to get the excessive play out. I think you need a special spanner type wrench for it. Nice looking bucket Chris! Maybe you can get some of the rust conversion coating. Power wash it then buy old Cat Yellow at the Dealer. I've painted a lot with a good Brush. Best of Luck
Will be able to get tonnes moved with that!!
Not much to show for my efforts today. Levelled the hardcore that the Cat is sat on and blocked up the front under the frame. Ran the front of the tracks up onto some timbers to make it easier to remove the bolts from underneath. Out of the six there were four left, one of which had sheared off and two of the others had been welded in by someone years ago. Using some old 14” x 14” landing stage timbers and a few chunks of railway sleeper for blocks. Next job is those large bolts under the rear that hold the track frame to the main casing, only six out of the eight remain.
Safety first! You can use blocking like you have in front, if you can push it. Better yet is a log the right dia.. Lift the front of the machine way up. Roll a log from the front to the back. Put your blocking back in front. Set it down and the whole machine will be off the tracks.
What usually works good for broken bolts is welding a nut on them or a piece of bar with hole in the middle. The heat expands and shrinks the bolt so it usually comes out. You can even get special rods to weld down in the hole that the slag protects the threads.
Do you have details on these rods @Welder Dave ? Have asked the local supplier but they don't have any here in the UK. Cheers Chris.
Usually rods designed for difficult to weld steels like spring steel or unknown steels. Some will even say for broken bolt or stud extraction. I think you can probably get Eutectic in the UK. 9598CEC | Castolin Eutectic EutecTrode-9598-CEC.pdf (castolin.com)
The special rod for bolts broke off below the surface is Xtractalloy ,horrible expensive but does work well. I use regular welding rod for bolts broke off at the surface. Bob
There are different names for it depending on who makes it. Nice thing is that it is also great if you need a really strong weld on something. I used something similar to weld the cutting edge on my skid steer bucket. The edge bolts on but I got a deal on a wider edge with no holes at the end. I welded the ends on the outside and it's easy to grind out to reverse the edge.
Had a busy day yesterday, managed to get it lifted up, sat on blocks, both track chains off and both track frames off. Looks like we are getting somewhere now ! Chris.
If you are going under the machine to remove broken bolts, etc, can I suggest some additional blocking aligned fore-and-aft under the sprockets just in case.? Always pays to be extra-careful when anyone goes under the machine, there are no second chances.
Hi Chris and fellow HvEq members, I have a 977K with a broken recoil spring too. Got a replacement for $250. Now for the hard part. I’ll use a cutter tip on the bad spring and remove the entire assembly. First time messing with the death spring. Any advise greatly welcome.
Forget the Cat for a minute, I'm interested in the wrecker picking it up. Looks like military or railroad crane? Also the 2 Ford tractors?
@Welder Dave thanks for the interest. The wrecker is my 1958 Leyland Martian 6x6 recovery truck, ex British army. Bought it a few years ago without an engine in it and fitted a Cummins C series. Rotating crane will pick up about 15 ton with all the legs down and it also has a 20 ton recovery winch mounted in the chassis. It’s a useful piece of equipment, has a charmed life now and gets taken to a few shows. The Ford tractors are a TW 30 and a 8830 that belong to a good friend ( whose yard I am lucky enough to keep my truck and 977 ) Cheers Chris.
Hi rigidarm, I will let the more knowledgeable people offer advice on this, I only took mine off as a unit to replace some missing recoil stops, take care Cheers Chris
Gotta say Chris one heck of a Parade piece. Its nice that it lives on! Kudos for putting a new heart in it! The kids must go wild over it, yea dads too I bet. Nice conversation piece at a show. Just needs a trailer for the folks to ride on. I'll wager the local farmers have you on speed dial! Anyhow I love a smooth ride at my age and my old Buick LeSaber has those nice tall side walls. Makes you feel like your still on the couch at home. I was wondering are yours made to be high flotation if you reduce the air pressure?
Nice loader with the winch,I would love to have one on my little 941.
Ready for the big reveal, we will soon see what mechanical mayhem has been going on inside. Excessive play in both sprocket hubs and when I look inside through the filler hole the big reduction gear moves the same amount as the sprocket hub. Plenty of sparkles in the oil when I drained both final drives but no chunks of metal so fingers crossed More pics to follow at weekend Chris
Safest way for DIY removal is OxAxe the coils until all tension is gone, then take it apart
Both sides pulled down today, top pinions are ok which is a relief. Has had previous surgery prior to my ownership. The smaller intermediate gear and matching bull gear are complete toast. Both sides require new main bearings and seals. Not as bad as it could have been ! Chris
Those bull gears are not cheap!
Looks like that bearing sat in a water puddle for awhile. Reminds me I need to give my 977L a Spring oil covering engine heating run back and forth. That machine needs rails/tracks soo bad I'm afraid to turn it. Keep up the great work on the disassembly pictures!
Cheers, yes it could have been a lot worse. I must say that without the services, advice and help of @tctractors I would not got this far this quickly. Chris
One missed point is it did not grenade, had the teeth sheared could have destroyed a lot more
Looks like someone has been in here with the welder before. Hub and bull gear will make a good table
Most likely welded inside the last bearing race to make removal easier.
You have a good man helping you. Please tell him I said hello.
I will do Nige
Not much to to report, awaiting some bearings and seals that were not available in stock. Have had a bit of luck though, the place where the hub came from had a bull gear hiding in the store room so had that also. Saved a lot of searching ! Soon be ready for another visit from “The Firm” to get it all built up correctly. Cheers Chris.
Clean casings, and some bits in the freezer. One of the new bearings mounted on the hub too, small amount of progress but heading in the right direction I hope. Cheers Chris.
Looking like progress
A visit from The Firm today and some fair progress, just need some sprocket segments. Seem to be thin on the ground here, 3 - 5 week wait from one supplier.
Final drives filled with oil, transmission magnetic screen cleaned out, filter swapped and transmission filled with oil too. On to removing the studs now, welded some hefty nuts onto the studs and got at them with the inch drive impact gun. Feels like I am heading in the right direction now Thanks must go to @tctractors for all the work, advice and help so far, cheers Tony Chris.
Excellent pictures Chris! The resolution is the best I've seen. Looks like the machines sat in some pretty damp places. Petty flaky corrosion. Too bad it's such an excellent machine. All the nice extras on that one. I'm still Jealous! Best of Luck Shawn
Thanks Shawn, yes I agree with you about the corrosion, I guess working most of its life in forestry and lack of cleaning / maintenance has taken its toll. Chris
I've really had a problem whenever someone says that dirty five letter word "PAINT" Pew, Gag, Yuck! What'd you say? Shut up looks Fine! Go Back in Your Corner! I've only recovered to the point of using red primer on rusty places, maybe. If I rebuild, or make new projects, then I go red primer and 2 top coats. Back at the Plant we had lots of Old and sometimes Wet machines. If anything had paint, that part was just fine the way it was. If there was something I wanted to preserve (I'm Very Goofy that Way). I might steam clean, sand blast, ect... I never top coated anything or spread the primer over the paint that was just fine. But the oil base industrial primer was way good at keeping things rust free for a long time. I left the pretty painting for the relief shifts. a few things actually did get that finish coat. I have a friend that uses some type of Rust Converter sounds good. Never tried the Stuff myself, so I can't really recommend it. But maybe you take the flakes off with a needle gun, wash it, try it, and prime it. I only say it thinking about protection and it hopefully easier to get the dirt off in the future. I'm guessing you might go for a complete spraying. Just a thought for you, or other guys reading this Fine Thread. Looks like your doing "Very Fine Work". My mind just wanders around in my Retired state, I can't work much but typing and talking is OK. I haven't laid a brush to any of my Machines. "They Look Just Fine". Shawn
Cheers Shawn, Im unsure what to do yet as regards paint. I think its best to get it mechanically usable first before paint. Still quite a way to go yet. Chris
Chris Totally with with you in that regards. Mostly my work never gets paint at all, it gets fixed and goes back into serves. I do admire that you didn't start working the Machine right away. You did the work of digging in and finding out if there was issues before they found You. Like waiting for it to break First then do "Real Work!". Best of Luck Shawn
A very good days progress today, starting to look more like it, even got to use some of the Cat bolts Cheers Chris
Good thing about cat bolts, it increases its net worth
By the Bolt Expenses!! Is looking good.
A good day ! Tracks are on after 10 weeks in bits. A coupling oil leak prevented a trip round the yard Cheers Chris.
Nice work
Chasing the leaks ! I replaced the pipe joint in the engine bay and thought all was good Drove it off the blocks and got about 10 feet and there was a steady flow of oil from under the front belly plate that protects the bottom of the radiator and oil cooler. Back on the blocks and removed the front plate to find all manner of junk in there, I think the build up of soil/leaves/muck etc around the pipes has caused the corrosion. The steel lines that run from the torque convertor are shot as are the flexy lines that run from the hydraulic tank. All are getting replaced this week. The tomb raiders have been in there too as there are some very creative pipe jointing techniques going on under the cooler LOLOL Getting there slowly though.
Bummer
Oh So Excellently Put!!!! Not the best of custom Plumbing! Not that Cat is cheap, but the Repair wouldn't Leak! Best of Luck to you Chris!
On the move again, 4 hoses replaced, about another dozen to go
I’m happy to say the 977L is back mobile again after a fair bit of work. Still lots to do but at least it’s up and running again. Engine oil, filter and fuel filters today, hoses to re route too. Cheers Chris.
That winch on the back can't be very common on a 977. Would be nice to find some covers for the recoil springs.
Not much progress to report, turbo oil drain gasket and O ring, throttle shaft oil seal too. Fitted belly plates but as I was on my own I had to improvise to lift the rear one as its too heavy for me !
Nice fulcrum
The Cat 977L is finally in use ! Still have to get the bucket rams re done and piped up and a few more hoses to do also. Track frame guards on the list too. Cheers Chris.
On with the bucket strip down now. I took both rams off for attention and thought we had better have a look at the bucket pins and bushes. Thinking this is going to be a long job..... Cheers Chris.
Worst I can see is probable line-bore the outer pin bosses on rear assembly for a steel bush up and replace the existing inner bushings. Hoses should be easy peasy!
If you have new rods built for your clamshovel bucket, I’d put these on. https://www.sealsaver.com/ I’ve been using some, and they work well.
977 is still getting attention, still awaiting bucket 4/1 rams. Few more hoses done too. Have made a cardboard template for recoil spring guards, just need to find someone to bend some sheet to shape. Let’s hope 2022 is a productive year Cheers Chris.
You’re way ahead of me. I did 3 months work on my house. Dry rot all ripped out and replaced and entire 3,500 two story fully primed and painted. I hope to get the 977k in good condition by Spring. Speaking of spring I’ve gotta tackle that beast. Happy New Year!
Yes, Happy New Year ! Looking forward to seeing pictures of someone else’s 977 adventure Cheers Chris
This is an absolute thorough and first class job so far.The money spent will be eye watering,but you’ll easily have the most unique,mechanicaly sound traxcavator on the UK vintage show circuit.Add to that the province of having TC tractors doing the work,those lovely Cat bolts, the unusual cab and winch,and you have a serious outright winner in my opinion.You’ve also documented it very well. It’s superb and jo mistake. So…..the thorny issue of painting the brute? Well,I have done a few up over the years and the final painting gives me immense pleasure and closure on each project,but in your case,I’m very uncertain what to say.It’s a unique machine allready,and the paint work is very good and I assume original?.It may be a shame to paint it and cover all those lovely black Cat bolts! I really don’t know.I’m glad it’s not my decision,but one thing is for sure,if you do paint it,you’ll paint it right. Keep up the good work sir.
Chris, is there any way you can jiggle brackets, fasteners, etc, around to get the hydraulic hoses on the LH side of the machine away from the lift arms like the ones on the RH side.? I'm wondering if at least some of the damage you showed on your photos was caused by hoses rubbing on steel.
^+1 you ought to be able to just loosen the top or bottom clamp a bit, and rotate one end and it will dial the hose away from the lift arm. Nice catch, @Nige
Chris, I have enjoyed reading you thread along with several others on rebuilds . I reworked a 955H almost 30 yrs ago it took me 2yrs working every spare minute I had.The first time I filled it with fuel it was .68 a gallon. I have ran it thousands of hours since then and it’s on a job now.Doing things right to start with pays off. If you have trouble getting someone to bend spring guards I think I can show you a simple way that works. I made some for mine that work fine. I just reworked a 4&1 bucket for it.Will try to post some pictures. Sam
Like the way those were made, mine were not as clean
Thanks, yes have managed to move them a touch so they all clear the loader arms and the bonnet, took a few attempts to get them where they needed to be as there’s not much room to spare between the loader arms, hoses and bonnet. The main lift rams hoses will also need a bit of careful looking at as I think debris has come up and moved / bent the the steel lines and support brackets that run along the bottom of the rams. Getting there slowly but surely. I’m not skimping on stuff but it’s certainly not a open cheque book restoration Cheers Chris
Thanks Sam, any advice would be welcome Chris
What about wrapping the hoses for additional protection? My 955 are wrapped
I love seeing your progress on this project. You are doing a GREAT Job! Keep the updates coming.
Yes, I have been thinking of this too Cheers Chris
Hey Chris, hope this is something you can use. I used 11 gauge 1/8”material,8”H beam and 6 1/2” heavy wall pipe. I think your roller frame is wider so you will need to adjust beam and pipe size to fit your needs. I bent mine in a press took less than 20 ton, I think you could use a large trackhoe or other machine if needed.All pieces can be bent the same and then the ones in front that go to front idlers can be spread to fit on top so they can slide.Drill holes in flat bar and bolt up then put guards over springs and weld to flat bar.Make pattern to cut shape and drill to fit idler yoke, cut window for grease fitting.Might want to bend a test piece. Let me know if I need to clarify. Sam
Thanks Sam, that’s great, I’ll get some plate sorted. Cheers Chris.
Those are some good looking gaurds,I would love to see how you made them.
Thanks , look at my post to Chris above #154 attached files
Bit of an update on the 977, homemade line boring rig almost complete and ready to try and the track guard covers are awaiting fitting. Plenty of smaller jobs have been getting done too. Progressing now, I think it will look a different machine with track guard covers on and missing engine side screens in place. Cheers Chris.
Last few, they may not be as original but far better than nothing at all
Thanks for showing your set up for line boring. The tool holder might be tricky, but you have been showing Excellent work right along. I've used square broaches before to make a spot for a square bit, you drill a hole through the bar, then push the broach through. The broach starts out round and turns into a square. A 5 to 10 ton press maybe less should do it. The holder needs to be off center in the bar to have the cutting tip on the center line of the bar. Hard to do in a drill press. Spot face the place you want to drill with an end mill. Keep on trucking Chris!
Good looking guards , they will work fine and thanks for sharing
Thanks Sam, will still need to cut and shut a bit to make the door for the grease adjuster and the cutout for the actual frame, will get there eventually
Quite a productive day today with the 977L. Trial fit of track guard covers and our first ever go at line boring with the home made rig. Trial and error with speeds and feed and we broke a few cutting tips to start with. Had to reinforce the bracing a bit too with anything to hand. One down, seven more to go ! Cheers Chris.
A few more, Chris.
Update from last weekend, 2 more holes done and other guard trial fitted. What would be a good material for having the bushes made up ? Slow but steady this line boring Chris.
A good mild steel that can be replaced later if beats out would be my choice. Get too extreme on SS or Chrome alloys and become a bugger to precision cut.
Thanks, Chris
What is the Bore and pin size???? tctractors
Was just contemplating this very subject. What I have used in the past on some tractor pivots as Schedule 40 or 80 pipe for wall thickness, cut or have cut the outer Diameter to fit new bore, weld in place with point Welds not full circumference, then cut to fit desired pin AFTER all set and cooled.
Still working at the 977, have managed to straighten the bucket clam side as it was bent in at the top on the right hand side, possibly due to a previous repair / welding. We braced it with some heavy angle and used chain type load binders to tension it up along with serious heat. Track covers are still progressing, albeit slowly as I find metal work frustrating lol. Hopefully back on with the rest of the line boring next week too so that should have the bucket sorted out nicely. Cheers. Chris.
Last few pics, Chris
Really nice work. This beast is in the right hands.
Yesterday finished off the line boring on the bucket clam pivot points, the last one broke a few inserts as the cast steel piece seemed to have some nasty hard pieces in there, not sure if it’s been built up with weld in the past. Have found some pins to suit so will machine these down to suit the bore diameter then that will give me the internal diameter of the bushings I need for the back of the bucket where it attaches. Still got a way to go but felt good to get all the boring gear cut off. A good day, cheers Chris.
Last few Chris.
Sure look Sure looks like weld material in the pic but being a die maker I can attest to how hard work hardened steel can become. I have had to sometimes hone with milling. I will finally begin my 977k next week. I have a retired Cat mechanic with lots of 977 experience to lead the way. I was going to buy a new D6 but they are a year out and none are available in USA. So it’s 977 time…. Wouldn’t mind a pull of that sandwich there mate.
I hope there was HP Sauce and not ketchup on that sausage butty.........
Well Nige, as there was no HP left I had to make do with Ketchup, I hope this is a worthy excuse..........
Nope. F'kin heathen......!!
OK what's HP?
The only condiment that should ever be allowed to approach a bacon or sausage sandwich - IMHO. https://www.hpsauce.co.uk/
OK, but on this side of the pond I never heard of it. Is it like Heinz 57 or something else
Curiosity seeks a answer!!!
Better than Heinz anything. Can be found on Amazon but I can get it at the local grocery.
Bbbbbut which flavor ?
As it says on the label..... All the others are nothing but marketing ploys.
I am guessing it would be sacrilegious to try one of the other flavors ? I try to never go off topic on a thread. But, inquiring minds need to know.
According to the "original HP sauce site" they just had a contest to vote for HP or heinz ketchup, as the favorite flavor of the U. K. --- and ketchup won. So if it can't even win on its own website- I'm not sure how good it really can be ( a american ad exec would just cheat the results- who loses on their own website?). But in the interests of science, I'm just going to order a bottle to find out what its like. How else will we know? Nige is supposed to tell us how it tastes by text? My monitor doesn't have a taste sensor. Come on guys, live a little! Maybe its the secret sauce we've all been missing from our lives!
I like to add it to burgers on the grill.
I never thought that using a homemade line boring rig on the bucket of a 977 would lead to a HP Sauce / Ketchup stand off. I have to agree with Nige though, original HP Sauce can’t be bettered !
How does A1 sauce compare to HP sauce? Was it a copy of HP sauce? HP sauce is one of many UK products that has a blurb about it having a royal warrant. What exactly is that about? Peek Freans cookies is another one. Does anyone really care if the Prince of Wales gives an endorsement. The Queen has basically said he's not worthy. HP sauce and Peek Freans cookies are very good though. Is a royal warrant only for food products? I wonder if Rolls Royce and Land Rover have a royal warrant? The Queen drove a land rover and gets chauffeured in a Rolls Royce. Shop like the Queen: British foods that have the Royal Warrant (britishcornershop.co.uk)
Cant seem to find pics from today other than one of the step tack welded on so you will have to take my word that progress is being made lol. Got the front bucket rams back from the hydraulic guy yesterday too, new cylinders, rods and resealed throughout. Cheers Chris.
Very tidy work Chris
Right sharp Chris! Quality work through out.
Still not much to update with but have got first set of pins done (for bucket clam pivot), the bushes should be here this week then it’s the job of putting it all together. Cheers, Chris.
Today I fitted the first of the bucket bushes, these are the 4 that the bucket clam pins pivot in. I’m pleased with how they turned out and just have to sort drilling’s for the grease fittings. Not much more and I can get the bucket together, that will be a good day, Chris
Looking real nice
Today was a good day, finally got the bucket back together. It may not seem like a lot but this is certainly not my line of work so I am quite happy with how it has turned out, it all lined up and went together without any undue force. Hopefully rams on next week and get it plumbed in so I can get the bucket shined up Cheers Chris.
Nice Noticed your upper rods are a little bent. Think mine were to before I got it. Someone welded some angle iron to the rods the full length
Thanks @AllDodge , yes both the tipping links are bent. Before I found and fitted the bucket it had a ”HawkFawk” timber grab and the way the geometry is the tipping links actually foul on the ends of the loader frame before the tipping linkage stops are reached. I will get them off over in the coming months and get them pressed straight. The bent links are always the first thing mentioned lol. Chris
Rams are on, track guards are on (in primer) hydraulic hose man next week ! Getting close now ! Cheers Chris.
Bucket hoses are on, more pins and bushes, lots of grease ways cleared and fittings renewed, still moving in the right direction. All being well it should be on the move soon ! Cheers Chris
Chris, I am not super sure but think its worth a verb that the pipe connections from the loader frame to the bucket come in on a 90 deg end or there about not a straight fitting, this allows an improved scope of movement when the bucket is rotated a full cycle range, you might want to check out this point as it could be easy to fit 2 block 90 deg or even 45's positional fittings, it's something that is very hard to get right when you have no reference how the hoses are fitted, the bucket mounting of the pipes I think on all shovels come in on an angle not straight, anyhow you seem to have pulled this knackered bucket out of the Scrap Mans grip and done wonders to make it viable so well done chap. tctractors
Mine also have coiled wire springs over the hoses down there. Like tc said all looks really sharp!! You may not need protection from large debris coming straight in and higher up. With the extra length on mine and a 90 deg. fitting they they droop down a good bit. Its been great seeing your work come along! Ever since it rolled up on that flat bed I've had a green eye on... cab...winch...third valve. Sweet Machine Chris!! Cheers Shawn
Thanks Tony, for your help, continued advice and encouragement, I will get some better pics next week Chris. Cheers Shawn, quite a bit of work so far but I think we are on the right side of it now. Chris
Another few hydraulic hoses done and I was able to get it off the blocks for the first time in many months, certainly looks better on the ground. Pics to follow in a week or so when we get it working, bit of soil to strip off. Chris.
Finally got the 977L out doing something, it seems like an age since it arrived. A lot of work, time, and a fair bit of hard earned has gone into it so far along with a lot of help and advice from @tctractors . Still a way to go to get it how I want it but can safely say its in fine working order ! Cheers Chris.
Looks great! The bolts for holding the pivot pins for the 4 in 1 bucket are missing but you probably knew that. The bucket looks huge in the 1st. pic. but it's on a 977.
How Sweet! Pushing dirt after all the patient work that's been done soo... Well... All the Best Shawn
You have done an AWESOME Job on bring this machine back to life. Thank you for taking the time to show us your work.
My Cat 977L has an electrical problem. Batteries are up. When I turn on the key and turn the switch to the left for heat, the electric meter does not move. However if I turn the switch to the right to Start the electric meter move to the left showing current going to the starter or voltage dropping showing the same. However the engine will not turn over. All safety item are in place battery cables are tight. Was running OK and starting easy 2 week ago when I parked it. Help! Any ideas
IMO you would be far better creating a new thread for your machine. This link shows how to do it - HeavyEquipmentForums
More pics from Saturday just gone, got the D7 lined up too. Trying to get a bit done before the weather and ground turns, it will be back to getting the little jobs ticked off the list then, Chris.
Next year your ready for more than little ones!!! Cheers Shawn
A bit more done on the Cat, 4/1 bucket rams are getting bushes and pins after a delay. Next job is lift cylinders re seal too. Few pics to go on with, Chris.
nice work Chris..Ive got a lift cylinder to do on my 977 as well in the spring as winter has come here..gettin cold out
What saddens me is when machines are left to go this long, will last a lifetime with care and repairs.
Bit more to report on the 977, first of the two lift cylinders have been re sealed, this one was weeping excessively, too much to ignore. The biggest job is getting the nut undone, ended up welding the socket to some heavy plate and using hydraulic help to get it moving. Thanks must go to @tctractors for advice. Cheers Chris.
Sun was out so 977 was out, bit of clay shifting for the future tractor pulling track. Cheers Chris.
Good to hear is Back to Work!! Good Job Chris.
yes those cylinder piston nuts were supposed torqued to like 800lbs/ft crazy torque..tough to move without a cylinder bench to bolt the rod down to..but you made do and got it done..nice work. thats a nice machine with cab and winch AND 4in1 !
Thanks ! Still a few jobs to go at but useable now Cheers Chris
A few pics from warmer weather ! Still finding a few jobs to do on the 977, they are slowly being ticked off the list. Hoping to get the engine bay side screens done over the winter, I’m missing one top one and one bottom one. Cheers Chris.
nice machine with full cab and 4+1 bucket..be sure to grease your cooling fan bearing when u can..best of luck
I do not need the extra and really heavy weight work but do need something as heavy. In all actuality need both a Loader and Trackhoe with a Tandem dump truck to get done what I need to do here. Allis was a good eye opener as to TOO Small even at 24k weight and yard and half bucket, SA GM five yard was just PAINFULLY Slow as well as to capacity and operation. 12-16yd, truck, tractor capable of 2.5-3yd loading, excavator with enough weight and reach to take out the dead or thorned trees. Dreams of a Old Guy that cannot attain. Looking really good Chris.
Thanks @DMiller , your comments are always appreciated, cheers Chris
3306 is the best engine
Bit of a 977 update ! It’s decided it wants a new alternator ! Safety strut is fitted cheers Chris
Some days the yellow monsters cannot be appeased!! Appears the machine is doing well for you Chris
Nice job on all the work
An old Cat worth regular feeding! Cheers Shawn
Morning all, the 977L winch (A British Boughton HC56) is getting a new rope as this one is beyond redemption. The brass information collar on the rope is still in place, it states 200ft of 22mm diameter cable with a test date from 1969 which pre dates my 977L by quite a bit (1978). The Boughton winch was taken off a earlier M.O.D D6 that was to be used on a firing range after getting burnt out and fitted to the 977L along with the third service hydraulics to run the timber grab. The Hawk Fawk timber grab and winch were purchased and fitted in 1987 to clear up many hardwood trees at 2 Country houses in England after the storms we had here in the U.K. that year. Cheers Chris.
Nice unit
Looking good. Chris you might want to think about a screen across the back of the ROPS legs. Some heavy material out of a screening plant works nice.
Just read the entire thread. Great write up. Shame about the finals but the old girl looks good.
Started on the engine bay side screens, it was missing both top and bottom on one side. Still doing a few jobs Chris.
It would good if you could put some slight bends (cross braking) in them like they do with large sheet metal pieces like panels and doors or weld something like square bar on the inside to reinforce them. A 90 deg. lip on the top would help too. That's a big machine and could push large tree's and stuff that might bend the side panels too easily. Might consider bolting them on the outside of the frame too. I could see a branch catching on the frame sticking out further than the shields. Would be better to have it slide past. Not sure if the factory shields have perforations for air flow or not. The ones on my much smaller 931B do like you can see at the very top of your 2nd pic.
Thanks Dave I’ll get some pics today of what’s left of the originals, cheers Chris
The upper screened side shield on alot of the 977's I have been around can be a real pain to put back on because they have been bent and re-bent numerous times. That being said, I have often thought if it would make sense to have that made into a 2 piece shield. Like a front half and a back half with 2 or 3 bolts that hold them together. Maybe it would be too much of a pain in the ***..... Just a thought.
Pics for @Welder Dave showing the strengthening pieces on the inner side. Chris
As I recall in the late 70s, many of these ended up discarded as broke up on heavy use machines, no one seemed to care as machine lifespans were short on hard contractor use and trade outs. Few of those survived those years here.
The internal bracing should make them much stronger.
Update time ! The two lower engine bay side screens are now bolted in, have started on the top sections too. Just in a base coat colour for now until we get to painting it one day. The front bonnet bolts have previously been cut off with a grinder, not sure why. On with drilling them out as didn’t fancy heating the front cowl with the gas as it’s a bit too close to the radiator for my liking. Cheers Chris.
Is that a CAT cab? My 1977 or 78 977L cab looks nothing like that. It's a CAT cab. Mine looks like this... Cat 977L Crawler Loader **This item sells off site**Cat 977L Crawler Loader with ripper attachment, 200 HP. Runs strong. 1079hrs www.eugeneequipmentauction.com I have dozer tracks on mine and forks. Was used for pulling CAT trains and moving materials here in Prudhoe is what I was told.
It was made by a company called Westlode for Caterpillar, I’ll get a picture of the data tag next week. It’s the only 977L I’ve seen with this type of cab. Cheers Chris.
I recall seeing Westlode cabs on UK-built D8K's sold by Leverton back in the day. Strangely enough I can't remember seeing them on units sold by Bowmaker. EDIT: I just discovered that Westlode Engineering was a division of H Leverton & Co. That would explain it. On the basis of that I would say that Leverton would be the dealer that orignally sold the 977L that @ChrisUK now owns. Westlode Engineering Westlode Engineering Ltd. was an engineering company based in Spalding, Lincolnshire. The company was founded in 1960 and dissolved in 2000. Westlode was a division of H Leverton & Co. for a number of years. They built special agricultural versions of the Caterpillar D4D for the UK market... tractors.fandom.com
Good find @Nige thanks
The sun was out so the 977L was out, bit of farm track extension and general tidy up. A bit overkill for loading the 4 ton trailer behind the Ford 5000 but it’s what we had out Chris
What a beautiful lady.
Are the arms for the bucket tilt bent or are they supposed to be curved?
Bent
I figured they were bent but haven't seen them bent that much before. I wonder if the 4 in 1 bucket might have contributed to the bending?
Someone welded some heavy angle iron on those on my 955 so mine are still straight
977 were not 'Fast' machines but had Power, would be all too easy to over pressure the Curl links in a tough Push thru tough materials.
I'm thinking they bent because of operator error. Maybe from tilting the bucket down to use the teeth like a root rake in hard material? Another thought is from tilting the bucket down all the way with the loader arms at a low height and then raising the arms higher or the opposite, tilting the bucket all the way down with the arms high and then lowering the arms/bucket to the ground. The manual for my 931B states to not to do this because it can damage/break the tilt rams. Not sure if the curl links would/could be affected by this. A 977 may have bucket linkage that allows the bucket to be fully dumped and move through the full stroke of the lift cylinders.
I don't think either of those scenarios would bend them, Most likely bent by tying a chain around them and trying to pull something.
With the size of the bucket that is installed on that particular 977 nothing would surprise me. It is big and heavy and the 4-in-1 will make it heavier still.
4/1 or MP as cat denotes is around a full third heavier than a GP materials bucket Damned thing on my old Allis was near to double, odd machine.
I think it was a design flaw, and some either preemptively added angle iron or they were straightened and angle added later. This is my 955, and I didn't add the angle iron
Regardless how they bent you need to avoid doing things that have the potential to bend them again.
The teeth on that 4 in 1 bucket are out in front by a fair amount more than a standard GP bucket. Tilting them down at 45* or more would put a heck of a lot leverage on the bucket arms and cylinders. Prying on stumps could possibly have bent the arms too. That bucket is huge.
Would be willing to bet that Root Rake/Grapple head they had on it was a defined Culprit.
Morning @Welder Dave yes the bucket link arms are bent. It’s from when it was fitted with a timber grab before I put the bucket on. The geometry / mounting pints on the grab are not correct as when the grab was tipped all the way forward the bucket links fouled on the end of the loader frame main bucket pivot points before anything hit its stops. I guess a combination of wrong geometry and operator error / rough use has contributed. Cheers Chris.
@DMiller yes sir, it is definitely the culprit
Had the 977L out, winch rope off and on and moving the new scraper box round. Cheers Chris Looking at the pics I think we need a new phone camera haha
So Jealous Chris!! Bought my Allis with a MP hoping could actually get much done with it, should have waited and gotten a Bigger machine as Yours.
Still a few out there your side of the pond I’m sure sir ! Chris
Prices went nuts, no longer can manage
This is the winch the several I've seen have.
Nice, would that be a Hyster made unit ? Chris
Looks like a 15 ton machine with a big winch. Are these a type of single grouser pads? Are they like 1/2 normal height?
They look like standard single grouser pads but have had the ends cut on more of an angle so it's easier on the driveline when turning. Possibly used dozer pads that were worn down.
I may try clipping the corners on mine. It does cut in pretty hard.
The only ones I ever saw with single grouser and a winch was a company that cleaned up train wrecks
I have a 4in1 on a 1972 977L. I pulled some tracks off a 977k with grouser bar stock welded on looks like the picture. Chris has them welded front and back mine are just fronts and taller.
Have single grousers on mine from previous owner, yeah I now have to rip the final drives off the right side. Something snapped in there.