I just bought a 2002 D5G with 3600 hours on it. Whoever owned the dozer prior to the guy I bought it from turned the pins and bushings. The problem is the bushings were already busted thru when he turned. The guy I bought it from had no idea what he had. I was quick to point it out. Anyway, this undercarriage is trash. I bought this dozer to clean up a farm I'm purchasing beside another property I own here in East TN. I'll put a few hundred hours on it cleaning up and building a couple small ponds then I will sell it. Do you think I should go back with all Cat parts or should I cheap out on the other stuff? When I sell it, will saying it's an "all cat undercarriage" get me more money from a buyer? Other than the rails, this dozer is in excellent condition. Not a leak on it anywhere. Fluid samples came back perfect. It still has the original paint that looks decent. I should not have any problem moving it when I am done.
That's not many hours on the machine, it has a lot left in it. I'd think the Cat undercarriage would help on the resale. It would if I was looking at it to buy. Call Off Road Equipment in Alcoa TN. I just bought some new old stock Caterpillar rollers for a late D4C that were cheaper than any aftermarket that I found. Also, call your Cat dealer and ask for the PSSR (Product Sales and Support Representative). He'll give you a better price on a new undercarriage than the parts guys will.
I can tell you from recent experience what Cat will cost. On our D5G it was around $16,000 with labor. That was new everything because at some point Cat made a change to the pitch and/or size of the pin/bushing therefore it all needed changed to match. Labor included resealing tensioners etc. That was sprockets, all the rollers, rails and pads, idler etc. They were pretty hungry then so I don't know how it will compare to what you get quoted. I wouldn't think twice about doing a Berco undercarriage on a machine that size. I don't think resale will be affected enough to justify that added expense, at least not based on my experience here. They ended up doing Berco after I left, I don't know what the final cost was. I can find out. Those machines seem to wipe out the undercarriage in about those hours according to our Cat guy when he did our evaluation. Junkyard
They've told me the rails with pads already installed and sprocket segments would run me about 4000 per side for the parts alone. Heck, the Trek I was quoted Friday was $5200. The PSSR guy with Stowers Cat is measuring up the rollers tomorrow. The only ones that look bad to me is the top one on both side. I'll see what he has to say. The bottoms are nice and tight. I checked them when I bladed up the dozer when I bought it. I've never installed tracks before on a dozer, but I'm thinking about tackling it on this one. Looks pretty simple according to the videos I've watched on it. I have the shop and all the tools to do it with already.
None of it is bad on a smaller machine. Not any harder on a big one other than the parts are way heavier. Sealing the tensioner isn't bad either which I suggest doing since you'll be 99% of the way there with the track off.
You have any information on how to reseal the tensioner? Does it just have o-rings in there?
They're a lip seal like a hydraulic cylinder has on the piston. It's pretty straightforward. Once the track is broke or off the idler will slide forward on the track frame with the tensioner rod attached to it. Pull it out far enough to get the rod out of the tensioner cylinder body. Make sure the plug that releases the grease pressure is out completely so you don't create a vacuum taking the idler out. There will be a seal on that rod, most likely held on with a retaining ring. There will also be a wiper seal in the housing for the tensioner that will have to come out. Pay attention to which way the lips face or it won't hold. Once you pull it apart it'll be clear. Sometimes the shim plates on the side of the idler will have to be removed to get the idler loose enough to slide with the aid of a prybar. If you look through my work thread there are a couple different machines I've done it to lately. When you go back together grease the seals up to prevent a cut or rolling a lip. You'll possibly have to shim the idler different to line it up in the new rails. On occasion both seals end up in the housing and the rod itself doesn't have any seals on it. Inspect the surface of the rod for damage as it can chew up the new seals. Clear as mud? Lol Junkyard
10-4 Thanks a lot!
No problem, you're welcome. Good luck with it. Look back far enough and I was playing with a D11, that should make the work on the 5 easy
When I priced out undercarriage several years ago for a 931B, Berco was the most expensive, even more than Cat.
That burnt dozer had 6 like new rollers on it. 2 top, 2 double flange, 2 single. Where is the best place to buy some good aftermarket roller for the others?
Around here most of the aftermarket U/C stuff I get from Industrial Tractor Parts. I'd imagine there's a similar outfit around you.
2004 d5g 7800 hours complete undercarriage cost 12,800 three months ago from cat ...jacked it up blocked it up and broke tracks used a 304 mini to drag tracks out and changed rollers and segments repacked tensioner and dragged new tracks under jacked it up unblocked it and drove it down tracks used 304 to pull track over drive using a chain to front roller ( now remember when you break tracks its 4 bolt 2 long 2 short remember where they went also use 8x8 blocks to prop front of track up curled back to machine watch front step on c frame ) my helper didn't remember what bolts went where and I was on 304 mini couldn't see ...when I asked I got a idontknow...lol
send me a price for machine like it is or new undercarriage....
Rollers I have are all at 25% used and 75% life left, so the rollers i bought were wasted money....
PSSR guy today said even thought the bushings were thru on one side, I could still possibly get quite a bit of use out of the rails just the way they are with dry pins. The bushings on that side are pretty good.
yup how much did you pay for d5g?
dry yes and no worries it will squeak like hell ...I had one that caterpillar said run it 250 more hours its all gone ...that was d6h cost was 26000 it was costly 12800 hours ..and only had new undercarriage changed once given they say it will last 4000 to 5000 you can go more but don't over do it ..this machine shook its self a part I had a lot of machine work on axle housings and plus new c frame parts
I'll let you hold it - with the new rails, sweeps and side/back screens for 55k.....and that's you putting on the new tracks. It's getting a fresh 500 hour service at Stowers Cat right now.
12k to much by auction values with new tracks on it ...sorry I would love it have her but I still have to watch the dollar
not saying she aint worth it but I cant
If you're interested in it, let me know. Everything is negotiable
That's not far off around here, that size machine is pretty popular. Easy to haul and will do a good bit of work for its size. I'd gladly pay a bit more and know what I have then take a chance at an auction. Any machine my former boss brought home with an auction sticker on it meant OT for me as there was always something wrong with it..... It's all relative anyway I guess. Junkyard