Guys i found a fairly nice 955l cat about 10 miles from me. Its a 1977 model supposeably, serial number 85j11513. Its got a new reman engine with paperwork. Havent looked at the paper part yet. I know it needs a complete undercarrage job to make it a nice machine. I,ve called heavyquip to get a quote on "all" the parts to completely refurb it. Theres still life left in the u/c as the old fella said he used it to grade spots for new mobile homes to sit and according to him it never threw a track. Its a clean older unit imo. He's asking 12k for it but i can tell he's wanting to sell it pretty bad and i "think 8-9k will buy it". For my farm i think it will be ok and its old school so working on it should be more mechanic friendly than a say 943 or 953. He said it hasnt been cranked in 6-8 months as he dont use it and the battery is dead. I would get it running and operate it before considering buying it for sure. Going by serial number what all can you tell about this machine. Thanks bob WHERE SHOULD I LOOK FOR KNOW CRACKING POINTS/WEAR AREAS ?????
955 is a good machine. The undercarrage repair will cost you as much as the machine does and it costs you big time if you don't go the distance. It all works together and if you only do part of it the undone parts will destroy the done parts. Get it running and work it for a day or two doing stuff he needs done. Then you will find out any bad news while it's still his. Check all oil levels, top up and watch what happens while you work. Make sure final drives hold oil, don't leak at the sprocket seals and have no side movement of sprockets. Stick a magnet in the oil to look for metal chips. Look for trans oil low and steering clutch oil high. Just some things to look for. Later Bob
I started on a 955 but never got much seat time as back then I was the "he you get me a drink" guy.Iknow they are solid if it is a good machine. They are a lot harder to learn to do fine things with. I'm spoiled to the hydrastat models though. For farm work I'd say it would have to be considered for sure. Also I think the u/c would run at least 12to 15 k , to do it right. A guy I work with can run one as smooth as a 53C but he started on a new 955L in 1978. Many people around here liked the 955L better than the first model 953. I think you would be better suited on a 63. Post some pics.
heres a link to it. best i can do for now. I,ve gotta figure out how to shrink my pictures..... http://www.recycler.com/details/-30615691/1977-cat-955l-955l-85j-series-less-than--
That machine looks good in the photos, the tracks look decent from here, no bent pads etc. BUT it looks to me like there are triple grouser pads on the right side and double grouser pads on the left side - Is that correct? I see 3 knobs, does it have the plumbing for a 3rd circuit out to the bucket? I have an 85J, bought new in '72. Cat built something like 40,000 955Ls so there are lots of parts machines around. My first set of tracks went over 3000 hrs, then I took a link out and ran it some more. Last year I found a set of tracks and rollers from a 955K on ebay for $1200 delivered. A new aftermarket undercarriage should be around $10K. Front idlers will last through 2 sets of rails. They have track guides inside and out front and rear so it should never throw a track Later machines have larger D6 size tracks and the parts don't interchange. Take some photos of the undercarriage and post them here. http://www.ritchiespecs.com/specifi...der&make=Caterpillar&model=955L&modelid=93219 http://www.ritchiewiki.com/wiki/index.php/Caterpillar_955K/955L_Crawler_Loader
your right i never noticed that....... (grousers) you can tell I,am a rookie LOL. also your right on the 3 levers, i,ll make sure i check to see if its plumbed for 4-1 or ripper. ITS been pouring down rain here for 3 straight days when it gives me a break i,ll go and take a bunch of pictures of it all. anything special i should make sure i get pic,s of ? also where do i check all the fluids at ? i know the engine and rad but what and where else is check points.
Under the floorboard, there's a panel right in front of the seat you lift up. I don't know the weak spots I've never had much to repair on mine. My track recoil springs broke early on but you can't see them without pulling the shields off. Look for looseness in the lift linkage especially the bucket pivot pins. The mechanical hour meter is on the injection pump behind the right upper hood side, but it may have been changed when the engine was rebuilt. You can take that side off with a 1/2" ratchet and a 3/4" socket - 3 bolts at the top. Photograph the underside of the bucket for wear/repair. Does it have the rock guards over the bottom rollers? Sort of looks like it does in the photos and that's rare. Photograph the wear on the steering pedals. Here are the operator/lube manuals - http://safety.cat.com/cda/layout?m=388694&x=7
the rock guards on bottom rollers what do i look for ? will the bottom rollers be covered if there there ? old guy said he bought it at a auction in 1998 and it had a miss so he bought a reman engine from oklahoma or texas, said he couldnt remember ? i know engines pretty good and will check to see if its been into,blowby,leaks etc. the rest is foreign to me but i,am a quick learner and listen to my teachers.... where do I check trans oil level and how do I check for side movement in sprockets ?
If you can't see the bottom rollers the guards are on. Usually they get thrown away before the first set of tracks are worn out. The manuals I linked to will show you how to check the oil - their photos explain it better than I can type it, Look for oil leaking onto the track pads under the final drives - at the sprockets - before you move it.. Whe, you have the hood side off, look for leaks dripping into the belly pan.
WELL GOT A EMAIL FROM KNOXVILLE HEAVYQUIP TODAY CONCERNNING THE UNDERCARRAGE REBUILD. HERES THE QUOTE THEY SENT ME. ANY THOUGHTS ? THIS WILL MAKE BOTTOM U/C NEW ALNG WITH THE ENGINE. Estimate 5700 RUTLEDGE PIKE KNOXVILLE, TN 37914 Date: 865-522-1335 TEL 865-637-3140 FAX Estimate Prepared By: Toll Free 800-666-8722 Sales Rep Email: Customer Make Model Serial Number Name: BOB COWAN 955L 85J11513 Contact: BOB COWAN Phone: 423-384-8938 Engine Model Engine Serial Arrangement Fax: Account: [email protected] Qty Part Number Description Unit Price Extened Price 2 CR4267/39X LUB TRACK CHAIN $2,229.83 $4,459.66 78 CR3324/17 DOUBLE GROUSER PADS $38.43 $2,997.54 2 CR3325/17 MASTER DBL GROUSER $38.43 $76.86 312 1S1859 BOLTS $0.80 $249.60 312 1S1860 NUTS $0.50 $156.00 ASSY TRACKS $150.00 $8,089.66 6 CR6152 SF ROLLERS $173.58 $1,041.48 6 CR6153 DF ROLLERS $190.87 $1,145.22 2 CR2650 TOP ROLLERS $117.75 $235.50 2 CR3330 SEG GROUPS $183.76 $367.52 2 CR4094 IDLERS $858.80 $1,717.60 $4,507.32 2 SPRING ASSY RECOIL SPRING ASSY $1,050.00 $2,100.00 2 904400 KITS $21.96 $43.92 $2,143.92 1 LABOR R&I TRACKS, BT ROLLERS, TOP ROLLERS, SEGMENTS, IDLERS, TRK ADJ, $1,850.00 $1,850.00 1 SHOP SHOP SUPPLIES $102.50 $102.50 1 CLEAN MACHINE CLEAN UNDERNEATH OF MACHINE. $200.00 $200.00 $2,152.50 Estimate Total $16,893.40
I would rather but something a little newer, and if you have to spend money on it you would be spending it on something that is going to be worth more, Because there is a limit to what a 78 model anything is going to be worth no matter how nice it is. Don't think that a 955l will be more friendly to work on than any rear engine machine, atleast one before a c model. I think most will agree with me on that.
That would be way more than I would spend on that type of a machine, with 953 &963C's priced reasonable in today's market, in addition I feel that they are a much better machine and will hold there value vs. the older front engine types.
I THINK I CAN shave 4k off this price. how do you change the spring in the recoil spring assy. ? that is a big spring... i noticed the springs was about $200.00 each and the 2 kits was 44.00. they want $2144.00 for this. there cant be that much labor involved. is there any other places besides heavyquip i can get aftermarket parts reasonable east of the missippi river ? I THINK HEAVYQUIP THINKS I FELL OFF THE TURNIP TRUCK YESTURDAY AND IS DEEPLY GOUGEING ME. $400.00 FOR PAD BOLTS AND NUTS ????? I can get grade #9 fasteners for alot less at fastenal. I bet whith some homework a fella could save 4 to 6 k off this easily.
you won't beat their price on components, the labor isn't bad either considering what labor costs these days. You must remember there is a torque converter, trans, bevel gear, two boosted steering clutches and finals which hours are unknown on and will someday need r&r. Run the cat really hard for a couple hours to see how hot the trans temp gauge goes, if it won't cool there may be several problems which will need attention from your checkbook. Did you measure your undercarriage? what parts are shot? maybe it just need rails/sprockets and rollers? You can put that all on yourself. If you don't have much work to do on your farm run it till you can't keep the tracks on it. Every hour you get is that much you already paid for.
You don't need the recoil springs until yours are broken. to change them you take the adjuster assembly out and put it in a recoil spring press - that spring is dangerous. You don't know if you need all those parts until you measure the machine's parts up. Don't dismiss the track bolts too lightly, they are special bolts with taller heads than normal and the nuts are square to fit in the links. Stronger than grade 9 too I think, you torque them to 120 ft lbs then give them another 120° turn, ends up near 400 ft lbs usually.
Bob, Forgive me for this observation, but in the future you may want to consider the possible ramifications of coming on a public forum and openly accusing a vendor of such behavior as it speaks as much or more about how you conduct your business as it does them. Nobody really likes the costs of 'playing the game' but the realities are what they are when you're dealing with consumables. Besides, you may need these folks help in the future more than you may anticipate, and if I saw this in print about my business I'd be very tentative about future dealings knowing the laundry is going to get hung out in public. The above is just my personal opinion, so take it for what it's worth. This is just a 'heads-up' and not a scolding, btw.
Guys, welcome to the world of heavy iron. If you are new to it, it's not like used cars. Get a lemmon, part it out or scrap it. They are big ticket items and you need to understand the first repair can easily be a lot more than you paid for it. As for repair parts quotes, some aftermarket is good and some is not so good. The lowest quote can become the highest cost if you don't know and trust the source of parts. This may not be a welcome comment but I am very skeptical of any parts from China since I saw a bull gear installed in a mint condition 13X, 955 split into 3 pieces and destroy the steering clutch case. BUYER BEWARE. Later Bob
All comments are welcome and the quote i got came dowm almost $700.00 today. Like with h/d truck parts there is a large markup. Looks like no matter which way a fellow goes a good reliable machine is going to end up around 50k. If a newer machine seems o have lower hours most likely somewhere along the line the hour meter has been changed and most likely it will need a u/c job also. Seems like your in a crunch no matter what you do and in todays life you have to make every penny count.
I believe you should be able to get into a good machine for 25k up to 30k. That would be a early model 63. Right now you just need to figure out what you want.My uncle sold a 955L with a resealed trans , a complete new u/c and a freshened engine for 15k , that was a year ago and the guy is using it pretty regular. But that was the best offer he got. On that machine you have to work the money back out of what you put into it. If you buy the 955 holler back at me and I'll get my guy to quote a u/c . I put a complete u/c on a 953C 3 years ago for 13500. Rebuilt swing arms , track adjusters , wear bars etc. Took 3 days , short days 6 hours or so to change it out.
Will do and thanks. I,d probbly be better off with a 953 or 963, just got that feelin. The only way i could even start to come out on that 955l was to get it in the 7 to 7.5 range and i dont think the old fella would go that low. He told me today one of the steering pedals sticks !!!
How many hours do you expect to put on a machine? A machine with half the life left in it's undercarriage will still go a couple thousand hours. My 955L had a sticky pedal, turned out to be the linkage under the floor was rusted up from disuse and just needed lubed. Later on one of the return springs broke and that pedal was slow coming back. Shifter did the same thing.
What are you going to be loading
Why in the hell do you need a new undercarriage for farm work? If it doesn't chuck the track, run it. I bought a 955K. Never sat on a loader before. Got stuck several tiimes, submerged it, (as in hood was wet),dried it, runs its ass off. I am just using it for my land too. It isn't an every day use piece. Run it. Wags
I'd narrow it down to an early 63 in good shape or a 53B or even a C. Early 53 had the 3204 and seemed light on power. Don't be afraid of the 3116 either. I think you said you were a truck mechanic , the 3116 would be easy for you to work on. Early 63s are plentifull. I would get the later model with the better track adjuster. Or theres the 53B that I know of.
Went to buy some semi tk parts today and me and the old salesman got to talking. Come to find out he spent 19 yrs working for cat in used equipment sales/ evaluation for trade in and parts. I mentioned to him about this 955l and his eyes got real big. He said "can i go to look at it with you "? I said sure and i,d be honoured to have your opinion on things. He said i know them like the bottom of my hand and when i get done you,ll know exactly what its like. then he said can I run it ? and the seller just told me he has a big dirt pile and feel free to run it to my hearts content !!! What a blessing huh ? Tell you fellas what when your in need the LORD always comes thru if "you let him" more to come hopefully with pictures. Its been rainning and now snowing here for a solid week. Talkin about soggy.... My creek sounds like a locomotive running down the tracks.......
As long as the 55 u/c is not totally shot that might be a decent choice. If you can run it long enough , as long as the u/c is not excessively noisy leave it alone and run it. The thing about the u/c if its ruined you can't ruin it any more. As long as its not skipping on the segments or stretched to the point it keeps trying to throw a track , ride on. I will say this if you can find a 63 for 25k in good running condition thats the way to go. Look at www.whayne.com/ . Go under used equipment then track loaders they have one for 25 asking price. If they took it on trade you bet it better be pretty good , they offer 30 days on used equipment.