Got a Free Cat 977H. Now What?

[bulletpruf]

You can fix it, a good friend who has since passed used to say the big machines are not as hard to fix as the smaller ones. He was the cat mechanic for the mill here where we live. His job was field repair of all the heavy equipment used for 2 crews, a very talented welder and improviser to keep the crews working! RIP Lowell, we had some great adventures that I will never forget! We took a 1945 troop transport Greyhound bus to Cabo San Lucas from just north of Sacramento, CA. back in 1982. Did some marlin fishing and drinking and made it safely home with no major mechanical breakdowns! It was the best time I think I've ever had as a young lad! I'll try and find a picture of the bus affectionately known as " The Yellow Submarine "

Good point on the fix. Stuff can be hard to get to on smaller machines.

Cabo is fun, isn't it? When I was stationed at Ft Bragg, some buddies of mine tried to take MAC flights to Hawaii for Christmas in 2000. We made it all the way to Travis AFB (San Francisco) and couldn't get a ride from there so we rented a car and drove 33 hours straight until the road ended in Cabo San Lucas. Epic trip.

 

[grizz55chev]

Good point on the fix. Stuff can be hard to get to on smaller machines.

Cabo is fun, isn't it? When I was stationed at Ft Bragg, some buddies of mine tried to take MAC flights to Hawaii for Christmas in 2000. We made it all the way to Travis AFB (San Francisco) and couldn't get a ride from there so we rented a car and drove 33 hours straight until the road ended in Cabo San Lucas. Epic trip.

I've been back to Cabo with the wife yrs later still enjoyable, but not the same city it was back in the 80s. Fast food joints everywhere, not as authentic as it was when I was younger! Flying in is not the same experience as driving the countryside and meeting the locals!

 

[sean donato]

Working heavy duty diesel most my life, that sentiment of bigger is easier is 100% bs. Possibly on antique stuff like his loader, but not on anything even half way modern.

 

[sean donato]

@grizz55chev you can laugh all you want. You have no clue what you're talking about. What's easier to get at? What's so easy to work on? Cylinder heads that weigh half as much as you do, tires that can fall over and kill you. Hanging upside down between frame rails to get at a bad wairing harness. There's nothing "easy" about heavy duty diesel. That little antique were discussing is easier to work on, but remember everything is 5 times as heavy and awkward.

 

[grizz55chev]

Working heavy duty diesel most my life, that sentiment of bigger is easier is 100% bs. Possibly on antique stuff like his loader, but not on anything even half way modern.

This was back in the 70s, so no electronic bs to deal with, mostly welding repairs as he was a field repair expert. If there was an engine problem or trans issue, it went back fo the shop. The mill also had a grease monkey to service the machines, so each operation had its own technician! I saw his welding skills firsthand, and his skill was amazing with both gas and stick, way before wire feed and the machines you see today. He welded me some custom headers and a special oil pan for a 70s Ford van I had that was a work of art, and I traded some brake work on his 71 square body short bed 4x4 chevy. I got the better end of the deal, sure do miss that man! calm down, I meant no disrespect, I hit the wrong emoji, ☺

 

[ElevatorGuy]

@sean donato it’s even like that with elevators. Nothing as huge as your pics of course but a couple of my guys just did a worm shaft on a huge 65 year old or so geared Elevator traction machine. It snapped the worm right in the middle. We had to buy 2 20 ton chain falls just to hang the elevator to be able to work on the machine.

 

[JRM]

. We had to buy 2 20 ton chain falls just to hang the elevator to be able to work on the machine.

When you need a chainfall to hang a chainfall.

 

[sean donato]

@sean donato it’s even like that with elevators. Nothing as huge as your pics of course but a couple of my guys just did a worm shaft on a huge 65 year old or so geared Elevator traction machine. It snapped the worm right in the middle. We had to buy 2 20 ton chain falls just to hang the elevator to be able to work on the machine.

Id love to see some pictures of that. Old machinery is fascinating.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Id love to see some pictures of that. Old machinery is fascinating.

Here’s one of the chain falls, This was the only picture sent to me. I’ll ask the repair mechanic if took any of the machine.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

 

[ElevatorGuy]

@sean donato this what the heavy repair mechanic sent me. No pics of whole old machine.

New machine had to disassembled at our shop, craned to the roof in pieces where they still had to pull it up 40’ through 2 penthouse hatch doors in the floors.

 

[bulletpruf]

New video is up in case anyone is interested -

 

[sean donato]

Unless you find a parts machine that you can get what you need dirt cheap you're gonna have quite a bit of money in just the final drive.

 

[bulletpruf]

Unless you find a parts machine that you can get what you need dirt cheap you're gonna have quite a bit of money in just the final drive.

Yep. A used final is going to cost me about $3k + shipping.

 

[grizz55chev]

Yep. A used final is going to cost me about $3k + shipping.

Shoulda got a free boat!

 

[artbaldoni]

Shoulda got a free boat!

Yup.

Boat = A big hole in the water into which you pour money.
Dozer =A big hole in the dirt into which you pour money.

 

[regg]

I spend a fair amount of time in FB Marketplace and have been looking for a vintage Cat dozer for a while, when this popped up - a 977H, listed as inoperable. It was on a 130 acre farm/ranch near Killeen, TX that some investors had bought. Farm/ranch went belly up and they sent in someone to liquidate everything, including the 977H. The liquidator didn't know anything about the 977H other than the fact that there was something wrong with it.

When I called him on Saturday to discuss, I asked how soon would he need it gone. He said it had to be gone by Wednesday morning. I think he heard my jaw drop over the phone. Then he said, "Look, you're the only one who's been serious about it, so if you can get it out of here by Wednesday morning, it's yours." Challenge accepted!

Headed there Sunday with a buddy of mine. Had it running and operating in about 2 hours; it just needed a jump start and track tensioner maintenance/repair. Left steering clutch is very weak; I suspect that's why it was laid up.

Anyway, got a lowboy out there on Tuesday and had it brought to my buddy's ranch near Fredericksburg, Texas.

Now I guess I need to give it a good once over and see if I can get some work done with it. This is my first piece of heavy equipment, but I've been working on vintage cars for decades.

Scott

Very nice, had a 955H,good ole loader.

 

[Crftrapper535]

Well hey if ya ever needa know about that ole thing I could probably tell ya about it I've done my fair share of work on stuff like that so any questions or anything I gotcha also good fine

 

[bulletpruf]

Well hey if ya ever needa know about that ole thing I could probably tell ya about it I've done my fair share of work on stuff like that so any questions or anything I gotcha also good fine

Ok, have you replaced a final drive on one of these?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[Crftrapper535]

Ok, have you replaced a final drive on one of these?

Thanks,

Scott

Well Scott I can't say I have but I can't say I haven't I had a friend awhile back in Idaho who did a replacement on one and I helped on that but based on your video you have got your work cutout again so first off well start with the price if I had to guess gonna be over 5k but hey we only live once so 5k we will spend next I would go to the local cat dealer and get a parts break down print out it'll give you the parts number I would also check and see how much it would cost for cat to fix it next you seem to be somewhat mechanic inclined so that's a plus and as for parts you got a few options 1 find a cat like that one and take its parts 2 order them online 3 the cat dealer may have some of them I remember on a old 1947 d4 I was working on they has some of the stuff for it