Hello all, as the jobs are getting less on my 977L I will soon be turning my attention to the D7. It’s a 1949 D73T #3T11352 with a Bray and Company hydraulic blade. It does run albeit with a tow as the donkey engine is seized and has cracked cylinders. I am guessing the starting engine exhaust has had water down it eventually finding its way into the cylinders. Both are cracked internally. Main engine has antifreeze coolant in it. On the rear there is a bank of hydraulic services I am guessing were used to run implements, the oil tank for this is in the cab and has a pump on the crank pulley at the front. The tank and associated items on the back are to run the blade. At present it needs clutch adjustment and both brakes are none existent so first job is to get the cab and seat / tank out of the way. I wasn’t looking for another project but it was had for what it would bring in scrap value. I plan to keep it in original clothes but get it mechanically usable. Cheers Chris.
A few more pictures I forgot to put up yesterday. A bit rough round the edges but I like the way it looks. Chris.
Last few for now, more to follow when we get the cab off Chris.
Busy on Christmas Eve, the D73T has had its cab taken off in preparation for getting the brakes re lined and everything adjusted up. Happy Christmas to all Chris in U.K.
Wow. That hydraulic blade has to be rare.
It will look just fine once you get some shine on the track gear.
Yesterday was a steady day, managed to get the seat / tank off which then kindly decided to spring a leak from its side ! Drained about 30 gallons out with surprisingly little gunge. Found an old plough part in amongst the rust that was on top of the fenders, looks like “Ransomes” blue colour to me. Took off the brake / steering clutch covers which I guess haven’t seen daylight for many years. Brake adjuster seized, brake linings come adrift, grease tube broken, pin seized in brake band etc etc. Does anyone know if brake bands are available new / aftermarket as the top one on the left side has almost rusted through. Plenty to go at again ! Ran out of daylight so called it a day ! Also looking for a Hyster D7 winch to suit, Cheers Chris.
Doesn't Professor TC Tony know.?
He is my next port of call Nige, I'm sure he will have the answer
Chris,I’ve bought a few brake lining kits from Sue Kelly at James Gaughans in Rochdale.Tony has fitted some for me in the past,however,I allways bought the rivets from Cat. I also recall an old D6 that I took the brake band to a local Seddon Atkinson dealer who made one up for me the same day.Was along time ago when people knew what they were doing abs actually wanted to help out. I think you’ll get those bands replaced fairly easy?
@nicky 68a thanks I will give Sue a call in the morning, I'm not sure if they are open but worth a call.
I'm waiting for the paint job.
https://www.tpaktopc.net/d7strcltch.htm
Well not much to update with, but at least something ! I have found some second hand brake bands and also a good used donkey engine block, just awaiting delivery. Plenty of cleaning up going and chasing out the threads. Chris.
Chris I have B/Bands and steering clutch packs in stock, those clutches will need work I feel, she is " Rusty as an Owled Oss Shoe". drain the g/box and see how much water she has on board, I do have a fuel tank ready to retail. tctractors p.s. check the oil level in the top steering chest.
Thanks @tctractors I will be in touch over the coming days when my voice starts working again
A while since there was a D7 update. Starting engine clutch freed off and new plates riveted on. Still waiting on a head gasket for the starting engine. Would anyone have a part number for the large rubber o ring that goes in the flange that holds the water line from the starting engine to the main engine heads ? My parts book does not show it. D7 3T11352 Chris
The Parts Book does a poor job if illustrating but I believe the 0-ring is 8F2691 cross section 8.79mm ID 37.34mm
I think I have a pipe in stock waiting for a victim.
That old D7 is in pretty good shape, considering its age. I thought I had major corrosion problems with my 931B, it's good to see someone else dealing with the same problem! A sandblast and a coat of paint would make that old girl look like new.
Thanks @OzDozer , this one is staying in it’s working clothes, we will see how we get on with the engines and brakes first though Cheers
A bit more cleaning up and chasing threads out, proper gasket too ! Some donated spark plugs are on their way. Starting engine petrol tank has some “extra” holes, I will have a go at repair before adding to the shopping list. I know of a fine gentleman that has a small selection of items ready for retail. Cheers Chris.
Great looking D7 project; enjoy seeing the pics/progress…keep up the good fight!!
Starting engine re fitted, it’s a tight squeeze with the Bray dozer equipment fitted. Thought I had the job sussed, the idea was to get it into place then feed the gasket down between the two faces but not so, I hadn’t taken into consideration how far the flywheel sticks out of the back of the crankcase. Some profanity used, pulled it back forward and rotated it out and there was just enough room to fit the gasket. Awaiting a few parts still but at least it’s back on. Chris
Bit of a D73T update. Have been slowly getting bits together to get it all going. Fuel tank has been cut open, cleaned out and welded back up with a new bottom. Carb has been made up from a total of three. I have so far been supplied with 2 magnetos that do not like producing a spark. Before I lay out more money on getting one re done or even find another known good one I thought it wise to try and see if the starting engine would run. I stripped down the worst of the 2 mags and removed the coil as it is no good. I borrowed a couple of automotive type external 12 volt coils and wired them both in using the points in the magneto. The reason for 2 is not finding a good enough way of attaching the HT output of the coil to the mag pickup rod and therefor being able to use the mag as a distributor. The way I have it rigged is that both plugs fire at the same time so like a wasted spark type system. I know many will frown on this but it has proved useful as the starting engine now runs after 30 years. Cheers Chris.
You must love restoring old dozers to take on a project like this. I thought my D5B was old. Haha I recall my dad buying what was then a very old D7 to use on the farm and I'm almost sure it was a 3T. That one was all cables, no cab, and I recall a hole in the side plate just forward of the left track where the hand crank was inserted to start the pony engine. When I was 12 yo my dad put me on that thing to clear land and left to go do other things. I remember being scared of it, scared of killing the engine, scared of the track popping off the completely worn out undercarriage (which it did and my dad was not happy). None of that mattered and off I went. I had been operating farm tractors and trucks from 9yo. My kids don't know how easy they had it. I know I was 12 so that would have been about 1970. A few years later I was very impressed when I operated my first power shift. Pretty sure it was a 7E. Sorry for the trip down memory lane. I couldn't help myself. Wish you the best on your restoration!
Good trick , do you still have the condenser in there ? . More wires in that photo than on a dozen T3's or the T4 I recently sold for a guy .
@Costnsg These stories and memories are good and what it’s all about, thanks, Chris
@epirbalex yes the condenser is still in the mag. The wiring job is a very temporary measure and was just to see if we could get it to run, will no doubt get a better mag in the future, Chris
That coil system is genius well done
D7 update time ! New brake band linings fitted and installed in the rear end so it actually steers now ! Have spent yesterday getting the Bray Equipment blade back on so the whole thing is together and mobile. Would any of the more knowledgeable recognise this blade as a LaPlante Choate type ? Have been having a look in some brochures and the ram mountings do look very similar. Blade is 12ft 2 inches wide. Still an awful lot to do but Ed will get there. Chris.
Last few as can only attach 4 at a time, Chris.
similar, but not the same..
D7 Update time ! We are on for a engine strip down as one of the liners has gone porous. After getting the starting engine running nicely and starting the main engine it blows coolant out of the radiator, most disappointing. I took off one of the crankcase inspection covers and rigged up a light and camera and when we pressurise the cooling system you can see it coming through the liner as shown in picture. It has taken an age to round up the parts needed. Got it raised up a bit on some railway sleepers to make it easier to work on underneath. Both belly plates are off now. Pics to follow Chris.
A few more Chris
The first dozer of that size I ever operated was 1 of these. It was originally fitted with a cable blade and double drum CCU and spent its early years up in the Pacific during WW11. It then came back to NZ and was restored by the army and that's how I came to operate it but without the CCU and blade although they were in the compound. Newbies got it and was used for towing rollers, me at the time. The pony motor was cranked through the bonnet though and lost skin off the knuckles by the petrol tank cap until I was told to use fingers only. Every newbie did the same thing.
D7 3T update. Engine is now out and stripped for new liners, rings etc. We have however come to a bit of a stop as the liner gaskets (shims) are very hard to come by. The parts book asks for 2B6463 which is a copper shim. These are no longer available and that part number has been replaced by 1M0775. These newer type shims are a slightly different size to the originals, they are too big to fit into the block and the inner diameter is too small for the top ridge of the new liner to pass through. Would anyone on here have a set of original 2B6463 copper liner shims ? Have priced getting some laser cut but minimum order is 50 and the price is frightening. Cheers Chris.
Do stainless steel shims not work Chris?
The newer type are the wrong dimension and are a bit too fragile for filing down to size, they are also a different thickness to a NOS copper shim. Awaiting a brand new Cat item to see if that is any different to the CTP type that were supplied. Chris
Ah right,I’m not well up on shims.Had a few shims,liner cutting and major inserts over the years on the D342’s,but all becoming abit distant on the little grey cells
The oversize shims might be for Z sleeves. Counterbores that are worn past spec for a cut and shim can be completely cut out and a Z sleeve installed that has a new original dimension counterbore.
@John C. can you explain what a z sleeve is please and how they work / are fitted ? Cheers Chris
The block is machined in what looks like and oversized counterbore. The Z sleeve has the new counterbore step on the inside and the oversize reverse counterbore step on the outside. It is frozen usually in liquid nitrogen and dropped into the block. I have seen people use dry ice and then pressed the sleeve into the block. The counterbore depth is then adjusted by shims or being cut to get the right depth. Our Cat dealer had the tooling to do the job with the engine in the machine.