I am new to this site and need some information about a Dresser TD7E dozer if someone can help, please. There is one for sale locally but the problem is it won't shift into reverse. I need to know if this is most likely a simple fix or a major problem and how to determine that. They are asking $4500.00 OBO for the machine and I haven't looked at it yet but it looks good in the pictures they provide. Below is a copy of the add. If anyone can help I would really appreciate it. TD7 DOZER FOR SALE. IT WILL RUN HAS FEW MINOR HYDRO LEAKS. NEEDS SOME WORK ON THE REVERSE GEARS IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE ALSO NEEDS ONE TRACK TENSION- ER. IT WILL START TODAY WITH A HOT BATTERY. IT MAY BE A TD7E AND I AM NOT SURE ON THE YEAR.
Hard to say without putting eyes on it. The track tensioner will also be a pricey endeavor, depending on what it needs, could be a grand or two just in that.
Thank you for your response catfixer. I know what you mean that you need to be able to put eyes on it, I was just thinking there might be one or more things that would most likely be the problem like a clogged hose, filter, shift linkage etc. or maybe if there was a very good possibility that the transmission was shot and someone could give me some pointers on what to look for to determine the problem. As for the track tension-er, the pictures show a very loose track to the point of falling off so I was thinking it may just be the seal. I attempted to upload the pictures, hope it worked.
best way to tell on the transmission would be to cut open the filter and look for metal bits. I've never done anything to a dresser outside of welding and undercarriage so I can't guide you much as far as an issue that might be common on this model. Though for the low price, there is certainly a good chance it will be worth the gamble.
Hemidriver-Thank you for the Information catfixer, I plan to go check it out this weekend.
I did go and check out the dozer. I found out that it goes forward when the shifter is in forward position and when it is in reverse position. I think most likely there is a valve or something stuck or stopped up not allowing the fluid to flow where it needs to. Also almost all of the hydraulic cylinders were pouring fluid, the starter was acting up and the engine smoked pretty bad so I guess I will keep looking.
sometimes the maintenance 'to do' list is so large it can create a loss of interest to proceed....one learns that although it can be done, it is mostly the time that is an issue....often seems the cost for the parts is somewhat deducted from the value to determine a proposed sale price, but the time to accomplish isn't...
Well said oceanobob. Thank you.
I don't think you can expect to find a machine without any issues in that price range. The problems you describe sound relatively minor [if it's just a valve] and likely associated with sitting and not being used. The motor smoking is hard to diagnose from here but might improve with some new fuel and a little time. How many hours on it and how long has it been sitting? Did it have the shifting problem before it was parked? How's the undercarriage? It doesn't look bad from the little I can see. What kind of work are you planning to do with it?
Thank you Grady. I agree that the price is low but I forgot to mention that the dozer is addicted to ether and will not start without it. I would think the engine compression is low. I am only assuming that a valve is causing the reverse problem because it moves forward when the shifter is in forward or reverse position. The hour meter is disconnected and has 6000 hours showing on it. The seller said that he had taken it to do some work on his deer lease last year and it worked fine until he brought it home and when he went to unload it that it almost ran off the front of the trailer. The undercarriage is in good shape, I would say 75 to 80 per cent. I have some land and want to do some work on it, dirt work, clearing small trees etc.. Ten or fifteen years ago I would have jumped on it.
Not sure about the 7, but larger Dressers of that era had huge issues with o-rings and metal seal rings in the transmissions, but you had to disassemble the transmission to find it, and were likely to cut (or break) another seal or two assembling it again.
Thank you lantraxco, that was what I was afraid of, getting into something that I would regret, it could be a simple fix but it could also be a nightmare.
There's no guarantees with used equipment so you always have to assume the worst case scenario and figure that into your offer. I just think it's hard to find any machine of that size that you can expect to just climb on and use consistently for less than 10K and probably closer to 15 - 20 if the undercarriage is good, too. Maybe they are cheaper down that way. There are always exceptions, though, and machines that have already been gone through - but they can bite you sometimes, too. It hurts less to spend 10K on one you pick up on the cheap than one you think won't need anything major - and then does. Nice if you can find one that has been taken care of. Best of luck.
Thank you Grady, My thoughts exactly, and I don't have a problem with the price, it is the amount of work required to get it going, if you notice the add didn't say anything about the engine needing to be rebuilt and it stated there were some "minor" hydraulic leaks. I actually looked at another dozer that was in good shape and one other person had looked at it before me and the owner told him he could have it for $16000 and he told me he would have to charge me $16500 because if he sold it for $16000 he would have to let the other person have it if he wanted it. Something about that just didn't feel right.