So if you are interested in boring bits of a D9H dozer refurb, you are only slightly less deranged than the person posting such rubbish (me). Here is some photos of the end result of toil this evening. I can only work on the dozer in the evening when the kids are in bed and wife has given up with running cups of tea to the shed, as I work 40 hrs a week in an office job I hate and any spare time the kids are awake is devoted to them. I am working on salvaging any thing I can from the cab, so I have been scraping 40years of dust and mud from the windows rubbers and cleaning the cab pressurizer outlets. This machine is kinda special as it was one of the early machines used by Bell brothers in WA before it became a corrupt entity. There is heaps of red dust in this cab. If you are looking for inspiration on refurbishing a dozer, this thread may serve as a warning. I've been at these rubbers for about four nights now. Seriously think hard before committing to an old dozer.
Well you sure picked a good project. I see the brown bottle patience there. You'll be through before you know it.
A before and after of some rubber boots.... . All adds up.
Finally some reward for effort. Blast and paint has been completed after many days and nights dismantling and making repairs to the old girl. Now to get it back home and begin reassembly.
Keep em coming, one slightly less deranged person is watching, what are you gonna use it for when finished?
Very nice so far.
Less interesting progress. Cleaning out the cab pressuriser today and straightening the evaporator fins. Wife is now short one plastic hair comb. It was worth it. Before and after of the fins...plus a pic of the fan system Looks to have been altered as the cowlings have threaded holes without any attachment.. Odd.
As for intended use, the intent is to operate this as both wet and dry hire during the agricultural growing season, then once harvest is done, bolt on some proprietary hardware to help farmers improve their soil, and maybe run some subsurface drainage / tiling. Cheers
Maybe not the exact colour, but the cowlings got a lick of paint. No one will see except me when i need to service the ac unit. Still makes me happy.
Looks great, whatever the hell your doing.
Pulling up a chair for this one. Looks like no expense is being spared for this D9H re-animation, meaning of course that details of the exact cost had best be kept from one's better half, to preserve peace in the household while this necessary project is under way.
Slow progress, but progress all the same. Made the base of a frame for the cab which arrived from the blast and paint shop this morning. Now to begin the fit out. Need a bunch of seals and a head lining is shot. Cab pressurizer needs a good clean, red dust everywhere. Plenty to do.
This looks like the start of a great project. Where is the rest of the machine at and what are your plans for the rest of the machine restoration. Keep the pictures and progress reports coming.
Big bit engine assembly today. Bulk cleaning to get the bottom end sorted. crank, 4/6 liners in place and 4 slugs with rods ready to go. 2 new liner and cylinder packs will go in #1 & #6 location. Good days work.
Nice and clean, the best way to assemble a reman. Looking very good indeed.
Torqued up some beefier big end nuts and last two liners are in ready for cylinders tonight. Bottom end is almost done.
Not to throw a wrench in but you did square up the thrust bearing when installed the caps? I used to bump the crank GENTLY with a dead blow soft face hammer to get bot sides of the bearing squared up so would not run against on side of one shell and the opposite to the other shell.
Back to boring bits. Knocked out the needle bearings (what was left of them) from the clutch and brake pedals and gave them a good clean and buffed the five layers of paint off with the wire wheel. Don't think they have had any love for the last 40 years and should smooth out operating the clutch and brakes somewhat. Engine has all the pistons in along with cam shaft and rear cover. Water pump drive shaft has been pressed straight to remove the large wiggle it had developed when the engine failed #4 pot. Onwards and upwards. Edit: yep thrust bearing is all aligned and end play well within tolerance. Bottom end is looking solid.
I cleaned up the needle bearings on my D6 like that....then I installed grease zerks in the pedals so I could add grease occasionally. Did the same thing on several other linkage pivot points.
Sorted out timing for the cam shaft and fuel pump/injection system. Flywheel next to confirm and then onto the top end shortly. Parts order for the cab has arrived so will get onto that into the evenings. Managed to straighten out the A/C support plate and hinges. Lots of heat and CRC and she's working like it was designed. Seemed like it could have been fabricated with a heavier gauge steel. Needed plenty of straightening with the press and dolly. A coat of paint or two and that will mark the start of cab reassembly. First need to tap all the new paint out of the weld bosses.
Local Cat dealer screwed up the parts order so couldn't start the cab pressurizer. Got tapping bolt holes instead. 52 holes later and am about a quarter to third of the way done. Will need a big tub of anti seize! Slow, but progress all the same.
You are aware one swipe of anti-seize is enough to cover the entire globe! Stuff gets on a finger and spreads as if it self expands, have done that on a hundred different jobs, ruined I don't know how many t-shirts and jeans, all off a little dab from a bolt thread or off a wrench that touched a little dab!!
True, all anti-seize in the world comes from the one test tube that the inventor mixed up decades ago!
Impressive work!
After tapping out all the threaded holes (183 i think i got to!) Turned attention to cab internals now the parts arrived. Reassembled the cab pressurizer unit with new seals for the evaporation coil and bloerr cowlings. All snugged up and ready for a bench test of the electricals. Next job is to mock up the linkages and mark out location and orientation of grease nipples to install. Then a final clean and paint before re assembly of the controls. Slowly getting there.
Mock install linkages for clutch and brake controls. Not sure on having the interior brown on the external rods leading to the bellcranks. May throw them in the highway yellow pile of painting to come. Drill and tap for grease nipples next.
Cleaned up all the awning window hardware, door handles and latches and installed the doors awnings and most of the hardware. The left hand door has a twist in it which will make finding seals interesting. Probably result of a tree branch or just the operator running the machine with the doors open. Poor quality phone camera photos taken at night when I do cab work...
When this D9 is done it might be too pretty to take it out in the dirt and work!
I was just thinking that!!
Haha, yeah it will get plenty dirty don't worry about that! My business partner and I wanted to get the cab as good as we could for a few of reasons. The main one being that this machine will represent our startup business when it is onsite. We want our reputation to include having reliable, well maintained gear that operators will want to run. Also we want it to be respected by the operators. If it looks rough, it sure won't be looked after by the clients and their operators. It makes the discussion around back charging a non issue as well, as it was in near new condition when handed over. Plus it satisfies my strange desire to have it all shiny and new!
Plus clean and shinny cleans up easier when the job is done! Agree on the "If it looks like junk they treat it like junk" One of the biggest problems I had was the attitude of bosses who would say "It's just going to get dirty so why wash it!" When ever I could before servicing a machine I would give it a good hosing down. Made the service work easier and gave me some time looking over the machine to spot that loose hose hold down and small crack in the frame.
For me warranty work always happened in the busy season and I would not have time to wash a truck before taking it to the dealer so it would be all muddy and dirty and invariably come back scratched up, grease on paint and/or shoddy work. If I was able to wash it first so it looked good to them, the repairs would always come back much better quality.
Bit of cab and engine the last week. Heads are on, rear cover and flywheel is on ready to set valves. Intake, exhaust manifolds and external bolt ons got a sandblast to clear up scale etc. Exhaust manifold is in place. Next up is valve set, intake manifold etc. Cab has new door and awning window seals. New seals for the hell hole and other plates are also in. The doors have a satisfying "thunk" when they close, and don't budge after the latch engages. My business partner has been tackling the engine during the week and I help on weekends. He is a real technician and has the older mindset of the grey haired cat men. Great to watch and learn. With any luck the engine will be sooting hard by the end of the week. That will be a big milestone!
Accessories are starting to go on. Intake is massive but the intercooler looks to be a huge restriction. Some of the water lines are pretty rotten and need replacing / repairing. Part of the fun of reviving an old unloved machine I guess.
Glass reinstalled. What a prick of a job that was. Don't want to attempt that myself in the field...definitely a two man job....
That looks like a first class job. Keep them picture's coming!
Looks as if you have the old split seal key lock glass rubbers. They have a key in or roll in 'flange' that is a bugger to get into place. I use a tool that I got from Sears Craftsman eons ago called a cotter pin puller to which it was actually useless for to drag along that seam line while lubricated with spray window cleaner to get it to key in. Will take a photo of it later, found nothing easier. BTW, where is the rest of the machine, no photo not happenin'!! Oh and the 'ghost' child in the tip out window is funny!!
You've a keen eye DMiller! Didn't notice him there. I am not a fan of putting pictures of my young ones on the internet, so tried to get a quick snap before he jumped in the frame. He was so keen to help clean the new glass. Found a photo I took of the rubbers when they first came out as a comparison. Stiff and covered in dirt and over spray. They have shrunk a little over the years so need some Sikaflex to fill the gaps. Cheers for the encouragement. Need them occasionally. Will post photos of the rest of the machine shortly. It is in bits across various sites as it gets refurbished. Time for some shut eye. Day job tomorrow!
Have never walked to my tool box and found right off the bat ANYTHING, until today!! Well worn but not from pulling pins.
While I would love to replace the head linings with new ones from CAT, we need a turbo and T/C components. $50 for felt and some glue vs $1100 for the two liners out of Melbourne. Will have to do until we are up and running. Will cut holes once glue has cured. Time for bed.
Big day today. New Borg Warner C15 high HP turbo was setup on the exhaust manifold today. Is almost a direct drop in to the old cat turbo. This has billet turbine and much less restricted. Will fit a 90dg mandrel and clamped hose to the inlet/intercooler and she is ready to spool up nicely. So impresses with the quality of the manufacture and so glad we didn't go a cheap chinese job. Water manifold was installed along with side plates and mocked up the oil cooler etc.
Cab day with some new painted parts. Grab iron and front grills in black to break up the yellow. Linkages all drilled, tapped and zerks installed. A few extra bushings and the linkages are sorted. Have new clutch and brake levers that have mocked up for bending. Window rubber seals keyed in and sikaflex the gaps. Getting there slowly.
Couple of other pics. Stoked with how this is coming along. Had about 3" left from a 50' roll of sticky-back seal tape. Phew!
Must be really hot down under, in seeing those 'Ventilated Safety Boots!!!
There's an idea, steel toed sandals.
Managed an evening on the cab last night. Got the internal wiring loom re-installed up to the windscreen wipers, and bench tested the cab pressurizer. Looking like a proper operator station now there is switches and ammeter etc. Need to order some new gauges and install the cab pressurizer, liners etc and she's almost ready to be reacquainted with the rest of the machine.
Mini cab day while looking after the eldest while "sick". Installed condensor fans and coil with new seals, ran A/C lines and sorted park brake and transmission selector linkage.
Time to get this puppy back to work!!
I'm trying! With four kids under 10 plus a fulltime job this project is taking every other waking hour. Will make it so much sweeter when it's doing what it was designed to do.
Cab pressurizer and wiring sorted. Time to get this beast back together and start pushing some dirt.
Quick update. Cab and the engine were transported back to the rest of the machine on Saturday morning. The engine was dropped in, and the rear cab mounts made up and we connected up all the filtration and fuel injector lines. She took off after we got oil pressure and bled the lines. What a weekend!
No Photos of that first cloud of black smoke ??
Nah, I was busy holding the pressure gauge and trying to hear anything suspicious. It was pretty windy as well so the smoke was hard to see. Once we get the turbo on, I will get a photo.
Got some painting done this weekend. Pretty well wore out a needle gun prepping surfaces. Hand still feels like its vibrating. Great tool.
Having issues with uploading pictures
Furious last few weeks getting the machine ready to demo at an ag show. She performed really well without missing a beat. A few minor things to tweak and she will be ready for work.
Looking Good! How's it running?
Can't wait to see a video with sound if it's possible
What Hansen said!
Running pretty well. There is a slight leak on the 2nd injector at the pre-comp and the LH track adjuster needs a new seal, otherwise we couldn't have hoped for a better runner. Will attempt to get some video up shortly.
See if this works. Operator is just getting into the seat for the first time with this machine. Engine has less than an hour since rebirth, with UHE filters all around.
Very Nice.
You did the rebuild with the machine outside? That makes it even more impressive! With all the work you did rebuilding it, it's likely the finest example of a D9H out there!
Thanks Welder_Dave! We are very proud of what we achieved on a shoestring budget and after hours on top of full time work and parent duties. Engine was reassembled in a workshop, otherwise it was disassembled and rebuilt outside, purely because we had no other way.
I just put up a pole shed in late 2015 after having to do all my repairs outside and leaving equipment out in the elements. The biggest machine I have is a cat 931B loader with a backhoe but I've had to do some repairs outside that made them even more challenging. Nothing on a D9 is light.
She doesn't smoke like the ones I've been around. I guess the different turbo is the difference.
Awesome machines!
Just looking at that nice green pasture he's working in makes me think of places close around me that you couldn't rip in a field but just 20 feet or so before you'd snag a rock bigger than the tractor LOL.
Maybe so but if the 9 snags a rock bigger than the tractor chances are in a little while it would be several rocks smaller than the tractor.
The result is simply fantastic. I can't imagine the work and sweat and hours invested. Congratulations!
that's awsome!
Well done mate it's a credit to you restoring a cat icon,hope she gives you many more hours of service.make sure you put a good operator in her tho
The old girl got some new GET on the blade and rippers. Old cutting edges was a mix of standard and heavy duty. Was a rusty mess underneath. 3 hrs on the needle gun sorted it.
Nice restore job. Do you have any more pics of the machine?
Your steering clutch levers. They look like they are straight out and not at a 90 degree angle, or are my eyes fooling me. We have a 7G with basically the same cab. Wish someone would do that kind of Reno on her. Everyone calls it the penalty box. It works good, but man is she hot in the summer. Your old girl looks great
Other work done recently and a happy snap or two. Water pump replaced, split both tracks to inspect, clean and retorque master links while repairing track tensioner cylinder/piston. Drained and replaced final drive oils. Cleaned tranny mag screen and hydraulic filter replaced with advanced from UHE. Machine was tracking to the right under load, so cab over and tank out to pull clutch spools. Cleaned and replaced springs etc and installed pressure test points. Adjusted brakes while cab was over and cleaned out the governor control assembly. Set low / high idle and played a little with fuel settings. Boost is a smidge over 20psi but suspect it is running lean. Will hook up EGT at next visit and advance as appropriate. On and on and on, because this machine was not loved at all for so long. With luck she will repay us with good service for many years. First SOS sample from the rebuilt engine is in for analysis. Won’t expect miracles given the amount of time it spent open but we need to get a trend on the oil and maybe drop it before the 250hr service. Fun and games, but what a machine
Just a Massive Impressive machine!!
Last jobs (for now) have been done this weekend. Air con is working great and degreaser the whole machine before we painted out the ripper and track frames as best we could when the air compressor died. Installed Muirhead engine/transmission warning system, new seat belt and fire extinguishers . So off to work Wednesday.
Looking really good! Do you have any pics of the engine/trans warning system? Or a link to where you bought it? I would deffinetly like to install something like thay on our d9.
Looking really good, what color is he yellow used on the machine, does not appear Cat Yellow too dark.
Here's some info I found on Google:
That’s the one. We have alarms for oil pressure, coolant flow, trans temp and engine temp. Colour is Cat Highway Yellow which made way for the current Cat Yellow back in the 80s I think. Prefer it to the current Cat Yellow.
Apologies cutting edge, I hadn't seen your reply. Yes the levers come straight out and up with no other bends in them. With the A/C renovated, we had air coming out at 8degC with an ambient of around 28degC, so it is working as good as possible. Needed a new TX valve and thermostat, plus clean out the lines and evaporator / condensor and she is all good. Thanks
If you don't mind me asking what did the system cost you? Did it come with the sensors or was that a additional cost?
No problem. Approx $1600 with sensors. We supplied dual core wiring and Deutz plugs to keep it tidy. Keep in mind this is Aust. Dollars. Figured it was cheap insurance after all the effort we put into the rebuild.
Wanted to put up a pic of the D9H before she fired her first shot, and after putting a couple hundred hours on her. Such a beast and goes hard all day long. Couple maintenance issues to sort when she’s off hire and hope to pick up some more work. Finding it difficult to change people’s opinion of old vs new, but once they get in the seat they soon change their mind. Don’t get me wrong, if I could afford a D10T, I’d go there, but the old machines still move a lot dirt! For those in Western Australia, she’s available shortly if anyone’s interested!
What is the plate with the teeth on it on your ripper for?
Nice old machine! Keep up the good work.
Slip plough for agriculture applications.