1983 CAT 963, Potential Purchase. Need advice

[OzDozer]

That 955L appears to be in quite good order, and they're a good tractor. Undercarriage is good, bucket is good, you just need to run it and see if it shows any problems such as hard starting, smoking, engine miss, or low on power.

Check out the radiator core, they get sandblasted by dirt falling from the rear of the bucket onto the hood, which then goes into the fan, and the fan drives the sand and gritty particles into the core.

That tractor will do all you want to do. Operating a crawler tractor is all about thinking what you're going to do, and how you're best going to do it, with minimal effort and thought-out moves - rather than just repeatedly banging into the tree/rock/obstruction

The 955L has electric start, oil cooled steering clutches and pedal steer, and a reliable 3304 model engine, so it's a refined version of the older Cats.

Don't forget though, that traxcavators are difficult to work on, cramped, and contain many inaccessible components. You get best access by raising the bucket and propping the arms securely.

 

[328ifun]

Thanks again, all.

I really like the 955's, seems like they could be less of a money pit than the 963's and so forth and I could work on them myself more easily.

Only problem with that one is that its in PA, not that I don't want to make the trip, think it's like 5+ hours. The problem is that everyone I've went and checked out so far have be not advertised correctly, so it's been a waste of time. I'm afraid the same may happen again if I take a day off and go out there.
He's got videos and stuff of it running.

Only thing I can tell from the pictures is that it looks like the tracks were wet with something on them at some point. I guess if the price point is correct though, I wouldn't mind fixing hydraulic leaks as long as they aren't super bad.

Think he said he'd have that one delivered for $12,500... Again, I don't know of anyone in PA that could check it for me sadly. But the tracks even look pretty darn good actually.

 

[328ifun]

The best you can do are these couple of steps -

Always inspect the machine in person before any money changes hand
Take an experienced mechanic with you to inspect the machine
Get the machine to operating temperature to go through all the functions
Take oil samples of every fluid component and send it to an oil lab
Do not purchase the machine until oil analysis comes back

Not much more you can do other than a short term rental purchase type agreement where you can run the machine for a period of time before paying for it. Doubt you get any seller of old equipment to agree to that.

Thanks again, all.

I really like the 955's, seems like they could be less of a money pit than the 963's and so forth and I could work on them myself more easily.

Only problem with that one is that its in PA, not that I don't want to make the trip, think it's like 5+ hours. The problem is that everyone I've went and checked out so far have be not advertised correctly, so it's been a waste of time. I'm afraid the same may happen again if I take a day off and go out there.
He's got videos and stuff of it running.

Only thing I can tell from the pictures is that it looks like the tracks were wet with something on them at some point. I guess if the price point is correct though, I wouldn't mind fixing hydraulic leaks as long as they aren't super bad.

Think he said he'd have that one delivered for $12,500... Again, I don't know of anyone in PA that could check it for me sadly. But the tracks even look pretty darn good actually.

Apparently the tracks where wet from them filling it fluid, I guess some spilled

 

[Nige]

The problem is that everyone I've went and checked out so far have be not advertised correctly, so it's been a waste of time.

Most sellers have a very high opinion of their machines, one that is usually not shared by potential purchasers once they have seen the iron in person. Work on the “buyer beware” principle and, as others have said, under no circumstances should you part with money until someone knowledgeable has had the chance to cast an eye over what you intend to buy and given it a seal of approval.

 

[Nige]

I don't know of anyone in PA that could check it for me sadly.

All depends on where in PA it is located. From memory there are quite a few knowledgeable forum regulars in the state.

 

[328ifun]

Most sellers have a very high opinion of their machines, one that is usually not shared by potential purchasers once they have seen the iron in person. Work on the “buyer beware” principle and, as others have said, under no circumstances should you part with money until someone knowledgeable has had the chance to cast an eye over what you intend to buy and given it a seal of approval.

Thanks Nige, I agree with you there.

I guess I could maybe find someone in the area, a mechanic perhaps and ask if they could go look at it for me. It's in fort washtington PA

 

[328ifun]

Maybe I could create another post seeing if anyone is in that area?

 

[328ifun]

1992 Caterpillar 963 Loader

1992 Caterpillar 963 Loader, approximately 1500 hours on the rebuilt eng, machine has around 14,000 hours on it. Serial #21Z04499 for machine, engine serial #12Z467775, Runs and operates as it should.

bid.mountainvalleyauctions.com

 

[Cliffy]

Has 14000 hours, says next service 12500. Bucket GET adapters worn and teeth missing. Seat buggered. One track loose, could be track adjuster leaking. Sprockets worn to point but not worst ive seen. Bushing running on idler, rails worn. Rollers worn. Looks a little unloved.

 

[Cliffy]

Did you buy it?

 

[328ifun]

Did you buy it?

I did not.

There were about 3 hours left in the auction, and it was already at around $12,200. This doesn’t include the 10% commission, 5.3% sales tax, or shipping costs. It sold for approximately $14,000, which would have brought the total to well over $17,000. The condition of the machine looked a bit rough, as you mentioned.

The ad claimed the engine was overhauled, but when I called CAT with the serial number, they said the only record they had was of a gasket kit purchased to rebuild the top end (the cylinder head had cracked). After your post, I noticed several red flags. Thank you for the information.

The most concerning issue for me was the hours on the machine and the possibility that it missed a service. A cylinder head rebuild or replacement does not qualify as an "engine overhaul." This is especially significant for a turbo engine—what about the ring lands? A crack is usually caused by overheating, which suggests that the heat gauge might not work and there could be problems with the cooling system or its components (if they weren't replaced at the same time as the head). Additionally, I couldn’t inspect the machine in person. Another red flag was in the video: the operator kept the idle extremely low while maneuvering the bucket and moving it forward and backward.

I’ve been looking at 955/951 models, and one is up for auction a little over an hour away. It has been owned by the same people since the early '90s, which is a positive sign for me. There’s also another one in PA where the owner has the original manual and has had it for over 15 years. He seemed very honest on the phone, being the first person to admit that the machine leaks a bit of hydraulic oil but doesn’t puddle. To me, this is expected in an older machine and when some tells me that they are not leaking "at-all" is usually full of ****.

Auction in VA - 951 (about 14 or so days left) Currently at $70 bucks
Link: https://bid.mountainvalleyauctions.com/ui/auctions/125434/16831123

Facebook Marketplace PA - 955L around $16k (original manual guy)
Link: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/991020972817258/?mibextid=dXMIcH

Facebook Marketplace PA - 955L $19k (high dollar guy)
Link: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/594928299132736/?mibextid=dXMIcH

eBay / Facebook Marketplace - 955L Around 11k (Low price, quick sell guy)
Link: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2117135601989792/?mibextid=dXMIcH
Link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/387004230924

Thanks for the help all! I am itching to get on one of these but I am trying to be patient so I don't get burned!

 

[328ifun]

What yall think of this at 12,500?

1970 CATERPILLAR 955L For Sale in Roanoke, Virginia

1970 CATERPILLAR 955L For Sale in Roanoke, Virginia at MachineryTrader.com. OROPS, RUNS AND OPERATES GOOD. VIDEOS AVAILABLE!!

www.machinerytrader.com

 

[Cliffy]

Sprocket segments are new. Hard to guess condition of rails, but pads look old, cracked and worn.
Bucket has no teeth? Just adaptors and edge looks worn.

 

[Cliffy]

Ebay one looks honest.
Looks like who owns it has a bit of gear so more likely to be serviced and repaired, unlike farmer or small acreage owners(no offence)
Dont have facebook, so can’t comment on rest

 

[328ifun]

Ebay one looks honest.
Looks like who owns it has a bit of gear so more likely to be serviced and repaired, unlike farmer or small acreage owners(no offence)
Dont have facebook, so can’t comment on rest

Good point, it may be the gone I go with. I just can't make it out there to check it our, sadly.

 

[Cat977]

It does look like that 977L has a good undercarriage and they are a good machine from my understanding. The cost of that undercarriage would be as much as the price of that machine. It's really not that far away if you go to haul it the cost isn't too bad. You may want to take a quick look and take some chances just to get it. I think they made a lot of them and the parts shouldn't be too hard to get. It's a simpler machine without the big risk of the hydrostatic machines that can blow up into being a big repair bill. Could be worth the cost of getting a local caterpillar service rep to go out with you. Get it hot and push into a pile or something solid It should spin both the tracks in first gear. It should also steer just as well both ways in forward and reverse. Not a bad size for small acreage. Your neighbor probably knows something about them too That's a bonus. Best of luck no matter what you do!

 

[Cat977]

You want the double grouser track pads like the 955L you're looking at not triple grousers if you want a machine that'll push well. The triple grocers are great for spinning around to load a truck or just to change direction without allot of friction and ground damage. With the money your talking about it may be a hard machine to find that's got the weight and horsepower you may be wanting/needing. The older machines are more in the price range but they may need work and your short of time. Above all things you don't want to have to put an undercarriage on a machine, especially a big one! I like to stick with caterpillar it's going to be your best choice for getting parts in the future. I saw this 977L with a winch I don't know if you have a lot of use for a winch but it's great for getting trees out of the woods. I think this proxy bid company is just bidding for you on a local auction but I'll send a link. The bucket and teeth look good and by the position of the front idler it looks like it has pretty new under carriage on it regrettably can't see a thing from the sides. I like buying things through iron planet auctions that have their iron clad assurance where they do an inspection and if they screwed up the inspection you can get your money back.

1979 Caterpillar 977L Loader | Online Auctions | Proxibid

Runs and Operates; 2,381 hrs; Serial# 14X1285; 3306D Engine<br />

www.proxibid.com

 

[nicky 68a]

I know very little about the rear engine mounted Cat traxcavators other than they are best bought brand new,or very young,looked after,then sold on around 8000 hours.
It’s that simple.
I’ve owned plenty of old Cat equipment that’s done ok for me,even a few new Cat dozers,but I’ve never dared dip my toe into the Cat traxcavator business,943,53,63 or the mighty 973.Unless you are absolutely at the top of your game in diagnostic testing and repairing your average 963,you’ll blow a hole in your bank account and you’ll start sucking down Valium like sherbet candy.
Stay well away from one.
Repeat that last sentence.
On a more positive note,a nice Cat 955 or 977 is a different ball game,and providing you’ve a few thousand dollars hanging around to repair a few pipes,replace a few rollers and the likes,you may be ok and get away with something in the $15k mark and another $15k contingency fund.

 

[DMiller]

Anything larger than a 955 and in some cases those, will need a Overhead Crane or Gantry to remove parts, just flat heavy, on field are a royal PITA to work on require many heavy jacks, stands and cribbing blocking. Changing rails or UC is not for the weak or soft headed, get you hurt in a heartbeat.

 

[Cat977]

Look at the steering pedals and the floorboards for wear a lot of times they can tell you more than the hour meter. Pull the oil filler cap to check for blowback when she's running. Pull the oil screen on the transmission to look for metal. You can get a case of oil sample kits from Caterpillar and a little hand pump pretty reasonably run the oil samples through them. Each sample bottle comes with a long skinny tubes you run down dipstick tubes, oil fillers, whatever, the tiny hand pump sucks the fluid out and puts it in a little bottle. You bring it back to Cat and they ship them out simple and pretty reasonable. Sometimes if you wait for oil samples you're going to miss a good deal sooo... you can open up the filters by cutting the edge of sealed cans with a grinder. The idea is to break the seam but not put the grinding files in the filter. Once you have a paper filter element exposed you can take a razor knife and cut a strip out of the side. I usually like to take the accordion strip and press it in a vice to get all the oil out so you can see things better maybe you can use some other type of clamp probably a wood clamp. Tip that back and forth in the sunlight or some good lighting and look for sparklies that'll tell you a lot. If you think you're serious and you're going to go look at it either talk to the guy ahead of time or just buy the filters and bring them with you and some oil if you're going to seal the deal tell him you got to do this first. Get a good telescoping magnet that you can fish around in the final drives with after you've run it around and worked it good. That'll pick up the worst of the problems of bad gears or bearings.