Hello every body, I'm new to this forum and I'm not native English speaker. I'm in sub Saharan Africa where track loaders are not popular and I need to buy one of these three machines(943,953 or 963) or one of the last two followed by "C" as track loader are versatile machine, so as I'm not mechanic and never own track loader I'm seriously worrying about how this machines might be in Africa and what problems may I face in the future from this machine. The questions that I'm focusing are: 1-How can I find spare parts? 2-What parts of the machine do I focus checking before buying it? 3-As hydro-static transmission is expensive how can I check it's current state (whether good or bad)? 4-Is it to change the complete hydro-static transmission if fault or it have parts to change over time as the engines? 5-I'm planing to buy made in France from Italy what shortcoming have French cat versions? Adding all these some friends who operate heavy machines warned me from these machines as they are new to our environment and advised me to buy old slow machines which they are familiar with like fiat-allis fl10c or fiatallis fl14c knowing spare parts of fiatallis are rare all around the world. I'm more interest in machine that is versatile, easy to operate,do the job well and fast, So I'm requesting to all experts on this forum to help me chose the right machine. Thanks for advance to every body.
I would think an older and slower model would suit you better, something like a 955L or 977L. Hydrostatic drives would make me very nervous, especially with limited repair options. Good luck!
To elric thanks first, but I'm going to ask is there any reasonable repair options some where like Dubai or Kenya? besides I can order parts from some countries like Dubai,china or European countries but how frequently does hydro-static problems occur?
Gobsan, Welcome to HEF forums! First, I'd spend a few hours, and read through this whole Track Loader section. It'll answer a lot of your questions, as to drawbacks/benefits of various machines. As for " any reasonable repair options some where like Dubai or Kenya?" I'd be worried, as here in the states I've heard of some eye watering repair bills. Overseas I would think would be higher. Something that could be repaired by a good mechanic without specialized tools sounds like the best choice. That said, I've very little seat time on a bucket cat, perhaps someone else can chime in?
Mr. elric Thanks for your advise, change all my plan on hydro-static driven machines, I take the decision to buy cat 955l or 977l, but which one you strongly recommend as I need to take down large and small trees,grading,removing large stumps in my 100 hector farm. Thanks for advance.
Welcome to the Forums gobsan!:drinkup I think your wise to choose an older mechanical loader, not a hystat machine considering parts and service availability in your area. Either one a 955 or 977 would do what you need. Personally I would go with a 955 as they were more made and parts should be more readily available.
Good luck Gobsan, and please let us know how it works out.
Thanks for welcoming me to HEF forums. I would appreciate all the efforts you paid to help me take better choice, I would like to post images of the machine I selected to buy. Its from France and costs £11,000, it already done 6490 hours as the owner says. I'm happy taking time on this forums, please your comments about pics. Thanks all of you.
Many thanks to you. Finally I've purchased this machine in Switzerland and waiting for shippment, it costs $12k.
That a nice looking 955, I think you did well. How much will it cost to ship? I would've bought that loader if it was close to me.
Really I'm not sure how much will be shipment cost but it depends on container size and how to load it in the container but a friend who shipped two little track loaders I guess cat 931 and a Komatsu in one container told me he spent $4k to Mogadishu port. Now I'm planing to remove the cab and bucket to fit to the container.
Will a 955 fit in a standard shipping container with the cab and bucket removed? Or do they offer wider containers? Take some pics.
Ok, I'll take pics. But I'm little confused about the machine module it has 955L label with serial 64j4992, I've checked the serial with ironrecord.com I found this serial is 955K so is ironrecord.com data accurate? And what is the difference between 955K and 955L and is 955K have many shortcomings than 955L? Thanks for advance.
I couldn't tell you the differences between the K and L, they were a little before my time. There are other members who are much more knowledgeable, maybe they'll chime in.
Cat 955L container enterage. Can you guess the type of this container? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nnvo9A4N2o
That's impressive. That's got to be wider than a standard 40' conex? Reminds me of what an old timer did once to clean out a concrete culvert. He removed the cab and seat of a 953B in order to allow it to fit inside the culvert. The operator sat on a custom made wood crate to get low enough to clear the top.
That's a bit of a tight fit right there! Would be nice if they could find a container with a removable top. We shipped out a used stone crusher a few years back and the container it went into had a top that could be removed. The thing that had all of us at the quarry worried about was the small ratchet straps they used on it! I believe this was a 4 ft Symons crusher and they used four 1 inch straps on it after setting it on wood blocks in the container. I use straps that big to haul my wife's Vespa scooter! Gobsan, be sure to get some pictures of it when you get it delivered, if it's as good as it looks in the pictures should be a good machine.
I've compared information from the website http://www.ritchiewiki.com/wiki/index.php/Caterpillar_955K/955L_Crawler_Loader to this http://ironrecord.com/ and the result I got was very different as you can see the attached files, www.ritchiewiki.com says "In 1971 and 1972 Cat replaced 955K with 955L, but retained the 955K serial number prefixes. The 955L features increased horsepower to 130 FWHP, beginning with 64J03994, 71J03198, and 85J04672." while www.ironrecord.com says 64J04992 is 1973 955K. Please see the attached as reference of my findings, and is any one can confirm me which website have correct data?
I talk to cat dealer near my area with email and they replayed to me like this " Please find the attached file as you required. Also note this is a very old version of machine but all parts will be available in classic which will be costly rather than normal price of Cat parts " with attachment data from this this link www.ritchiespecs.com/specification?...er&make=Caterpillar&model=955L&modelid=93219# I also compared information from the website http://ironrecord.com/ to the website http://www.ritchiewiki.com/wiki/index.php/Caterpillar_955K/955L_Crawler_Loader and the result I got was very different as you can see the attached files, www.ritchiewiki.com says " In 1971 and 1972 Cat replaced 955K with 955L, but retained the 955K serial number prefixes. The 955L features increased horsepower to 130 FWHP, beginning with 64J03994, 71J03198, and 85J04672. " while www.ironrecord.com says 64J04992 is 1973 955K. Research on first website http://ironrecord.com/ See this link how I made the query https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pSS2IJ1fes&feature=youtu.be View attachment 136980 As you can see the range of serial number returned starts 09258 and it is above my serial# 04992 so my serial# is not included in 955L 64J. Then I changed the query to 955K 64J as you can see below pic. View attachment 136979 After I changed the query to 955K 64J as you see I got a range that starts 04905 to 06214 which is estimated to 1973 production. Thus my serial 04992 is included and according to this website my machine is 955K model. Research on second website http://www.ritchiewiki.com/wiki/index.php/Caterpillar_955K/955L_Crawler_Loader View attachment 136981 This website states that in 1971 and 1972 Cat replaced 955K with 955L, but retained the 955K serial number prefixes. The 955L features increased horsepower to 130 FWHP, beginning with 64J03994, 71J03198, and 85J04672. Thus my serial is above starting serial of 955L which is 64J03994 and according to this website my machine is 955L model. Finally I got confused of this two information so any one can confirm me the correct information? Thanks.
Loading Cat 955L to Container for shipment. Thanks to Allah(GOD), we've loaded the cat 955L with other machines into 40 feet container as you can see the image. Thanks to all who helped in choosing this machine.
There are both 955K and 955L within the 64J Serial Number prefix range. 955L machines started at S/N 64J3994 so your machine is definitely a 955L. That is total BS. Classic Parts are cheaper than the "standard" part that they replace, maybe the local dealer will not have them available in stock which is a different thing altogether. Maybe you should be looking for another source of parts rather than the dealer if that is their attitude. Seeing the video of the 955 being loaded into the container reminded me of this ....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=234QcicJZ6c
Thanks to Allah(God), I'm going to share with you that cat 955L have reached me, below is some shots of the machine
Below is the serial plate on the engine. Can any body Identify the engine type whether it is d330 or 3304?
That would be a D330. I hope that Allah didn't run it for too long without an air filter.
Looks pretty go for it's age. The tracks looked better then mine when I got it. Going to need a new elbow (item 6) and maybe couple (item 5). Also muffler, clamps and pipe
Thanks, I have the muffler, clamps and pipe. Only I need is elbow. How can i get the manual book that you took the shots you showed here? My machine serial is 64j4992
This is from the CAT website. You need to find a dealer close to you and request access to the parts data base called SIS.
Ok, is there any costs for the access of this web?
Not that I am aware of, it was no cost to me. Won't hurt to try
Ripper hydarullic tubes socked some sand, so what can i do
That doesn't sound good. If the ripper has sand in the cylinders the rest would also, they all use the same hydraulic tank. Only way I could think of to get it out is to open them up. Hope someone else has a better idea
Is D330 engine bad?
I think he is saying that hopefully it wasn't run very long since the air filter isn't hooked up.
I got that point, but what I need to know, is there any known weak points in d330 engines? And what is the difference between d330 and 3304 in qualitity and functionality?
I got suprise on, right side final drive is filled with water and small amount of derty oil,so how do water can get into there?
The seal could be weak and the drive was sitting under water. Need to remove the bottom plug and drain it. Sure hope your transmission is not in the same way
Where the seal is located? I'v checked the transmission oil it is clean, is that enough or i need to open it?
If you checked all the fluid levels and they are OK, then your good. Now the seal I'm talking about is behind the sprocket. Same kind of seal on the axle of a truck just bigger. Like you said your seeing water, water shouldn't get in there unless the track was under water and the seal leaked. Water mixed with lube/oil looks like milk. I would drain, refill and run it for a couple hours then drain and refill to get the water out.
Not sure how others would feel about this but I might be tempted to drain out the oil and fill the compartment with diesel fuel and if possible to lift that track off the ground run it for a couple minutes in each direction then drain and fill with proper oil then run for a couple hours and drain a second time. If it is not possible to raise the track off the ground then just move machine back and forth maybe 100 feet or so a couple time to mix things up. The idea of the fuel is to thin out the oil and help it drain faster, like AllDodge says oil/water mixed looks like milk or even heavy cream. I'm not familiar with these track loaders, do the finals have any kind of strainers or filters in them like the larger Cats like say a D9?
Don't see any kind of strainer, think it's set up like a differential. After looking at the design I do remember others having problems with the seals in the pic below. The transmission can leak into the final drive, and if it does it will fill up the final casing. You know this when you pull the plug and oil comes pouring out.
Hello every body, I need to share with you this two clips on my cat 955L Traxcavator so I appreciate any comments from you. Thanks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCX4DBRRjDI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slmpGxqNnLI
That actually looks like a really nice straight tractor. Points of interest include; Belly guards look to be not stoved in. Ditto the cab. Very straight and tidy. Original wiper motor and heater. (You will be needing a heater, right?!!) German? stickers in the cab. Very little wear in the FNR gate. Steel spiral wrap on the hoses look to be original Cat. Honest looking wear on the undercarriage. Rock guards still in place. Good bucket. Green paint on the ripper? Interesting. The wear on the pedals suggests to me under 10000hrs on the machine. If you can sort out the mystery of the water in the final drive, I would say you've made a good purchase.
Agree, not a bad looking machine. Was a little worried your helper was still sitting next to the bucket when you cranked it up!
Looks good to me, a lot better looking then mine when I picked it up. Only noticed the track pedals are even but set further in then mine. This is probably the correct position for your series model, but check below. See if the pedals are coming all the way back and are moving freely. You probably have grease fittings at the pivot points
This machine is from Switzerland I think it is cold country but I must remove heater, instead I need Air conditioner Yes, German is one of Swiss four national languages I think there was green paint before the yellow paint Is this mean that this water may cause hardship than I anticipate?
Your always reference yours, so can you post a pics of your machine if it is possible?
If the water has already damaged the bearings, gears and seals then you have problems. Now, if the water has not caused damage then just clean it out and go use it. Time will tell, fill it up and watch it for the first 10 hours or so
I noticed in your video that the fuel pressure gauge doesn't appear to be working.
Like AllDodge says it all depends on if there is already damage from the water. It would all depend on how long it was in there. As I look at it you have but two possible ways to go. Number one would be to take the drive apart and clean and inspect everything replacing anything that is even questionable. Number two would be to drain flush and fill with good oil and drain again after a day or so. Then just keep a close eye on it for any bad noises, leaks or running noticeably warmer than the other side. Most Cats have magnets on drain plugs, would be good to keep an eye on these to see if there are any signs of metal on them.
Nice video. ....and in hindsight a chainsaw and some ten or twelve logs serving as stilts for that ramp would have made me feel better.
If all damages you mention happened, then how much do you think it costs me to fix?
It all depends on what was damaged and how much it cost for you to get parts. If it's just seals and bearings, maybe 1 or 2K, gears and pinions several K., but there is also used parts for gear and pinion. You might not have any damage If it was mine, I would fill it with oil, run it for a while like kshansen mentioned. Drain the oil and check the drain pan and plug for metal filings. If none are found use it some more and check again after a few days. Here is a guy who is currently rebuilding one
Plus I would also have to take into account on how you will be using this machine. If it was being run hard 24-7 in a mine application having everything prefect would be important. In your application it probably would not be as critical. Not knowing how the water got in there or how long it was in there makes it hard to decide what to do. But as I said flush and replace oil maybe a couple times and just keep close eye on it. This may be a bit off topic but was wondering what crops you have on this farm, as I understand your area is a bit on the dry side so do you also have to irrigate the crops?
Of course yes. I hope I will send you some of my crops.
My cat 955l have reached it's final destination Balcad district, middle shabelle region, Somalia Transporting from Mogadisho Sitting it's home
To:All I need to add my machine two things so any comment is wellcomed #1- I want to add dozer blade so I can make fine grading like the below pics show cat 951 with dozer blade #2- I need to add aratro attachment so that I can make aratura ploughing as shown below pics Every comment is wellcomed, and thanks for advance
Never done anything like this but seeing you have a ripper attachment, I would think the hydraulic lines would be just swapped with the plow (aratro). Now if each plow needs a separate control, then I would think you would need a multi valve control box. As fo the blade, I don't know which blades would work but I would measure the pin diameter and find a blade which uses the same ones. I think yours might use a D6 style, but one of the other guys should know more
Seems like with a little bush modifications any blade the right width could be adapted. Weld some ears out of say 1 inch thick steel with holes cut to fit the pin size of the boom and dog bones (slang term for the links that connect to the tilt cylinders). I'm assuming this is not going to be a full time application using the dozer blade.
My cat 955L made it's first tree clearing mission, really it worked more than my expectation and consumed roughly ~9.5-10 liter per hour desiel, but I noticed one problem which is it consumes more engine oil what could be this problem? some mechanics suggested it could be the turbo charge and some says it may be heater fitted to the engine. Thanks for advance
Are you seeing a lot of smoke when running? What does the outside of the turbo look like, oil dripping?
I'v noticed no change in smoke it seems to me quite normal, no leaks on the turbo. I gonna visit it tommorow if God says and I will take some videos to show how things are going on. Thanks.
HI GOBSAN check de oil leaks on the seals of the crank shaft, the oil pan, and other components, finaly check the clerance betwen the valves shafts on the bearing in the head of the enginne
This how it start in the morning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndYEdG2tar8&feature=youtu.be And this how it works on heavy jobs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OjnNu3u2b8&feature=youtu.be here are some shots View attachment 149924 View attachment 149925 The the turbo no leaks at all
Hello every body, I have some problem with my cat 955L it doesnot start after it is been set off for some 5 hrs, at first it was taking long time to start but now it wont start at all I've checked the heaters and they were in good condition so what are the possible problem of this issue? thaks.
I'm thinking it is cranking over with the starter fine? If it is cranking over and not starting is there any smoke coming out of the exhaust? If there is no smoke it sounds like it's not getting fuel. Guess I would start by checking fuel filters and fuel strainer. Was it running good when it was shut down? One place to check that some people do not know of is the small fuel strainer mounted to the bottom of the drive for the injection pump. It is held on with a thumb screw and after the little cup is off the strainer unscrews from the housing. I have circled it below in red: Do not take this wrong, but is there fuel in tank?
No smoke at all, and when it was shutdown it was running good. The operator also did some thing I guess may couse problem in the future, he touched some bansin to some were in the air fielter and it started normally, he noticed me that he used start this method for the last two days. Some mechanic I showed suggested that problem comes from the injection pump(Diesel Inizione). Is that posible?