I am looking for the LEFT SIDE track adjuster/recoil spring covers for my D3-79U. The machine had been run for a long time without them and eventually broke the recoil spring and track adjuster adjuster seals from years of buildup of mud and dirt. Corrosion was bad enough to call for new spring, track adjust yoke, adjust cylinder, and removal of some badly seized bolts. Thank goodness for carbide and Cobalt M42 drills which helped the almost impossible job of removal and re-threading of broken and sized fasteners! The 4 white arrows in the RIGHT SIDE photo show the four covers of the set needed. The 4th arrow points to a missing top access cover. I've tried General Gear and a couple of dismantlers in Texas with no luck so far. Any leads (preferably west of the Rockies) would be most appreciated, though anything is worth considering of cost and freight. Thanks, -Tom
I have 2 good used recoil springs if your in need of them
Thanks for the reply but I've already bought a new spring, new track adjust yoke, cylinder, and required grade 8 bolts as needed. Cost of new versus used plus shipping just wasn't a question. Regards,--Tom
Do you have Part Numbers for the pieces you are looking for.? If not then it might make your search a bit easier.
If you can find the covers that are rusted or bent they can be used as a template to make new ones. Any half decent sheet metal shop with roller an brake press should be able to that job in an hour.
See this thread. Posts #147, 154, & 159 on Page 8. There may be others. Cat 977L 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. HeavyEquipmentForums
(1) 5G1803 GUARD, (1) 6S3747 GUARD, (1) 6S3800 GUARD
The original guards have been apparently missing for many moons before I got the machine, so searching for used is my first choice. Thanks, -Tom
Maybe Finney Equipment could help you. They sell new aftermarket parts and I think might also sell used parts off of machines being dismantled.
I bought the CAT manual for my blade group from Finney about a month ago, but never considered them as a parts house too. I'll contact them today to see if they can help me out. Many thanks, -Tom
The problem you are up against is that these guards are a part that regularly gets damaged and are possibly some of the first things that would be sold from a machine being parted out - if the tractor in question even had them in the first place. Check out the thread link I posted above. A decent fab shop with a press brake can knock those guards up quite easily.
I was just informed that the CAT 931B undercarriage is the same, so the recoil spring/track adjust covers that I need might cross to 931B part numbers. -Tom
I downloaded the CAT 931B Parts manual and can confirm part numbers for both machines are the same.
D3B should be the same then.
I found out years ago, that a person could get precision machined parts for way less than a stamped sheet steel part for a dozer, that was a Komatsu, I'm sure cat was the same.