966D Refurbish and welding

[Tugger2]

Thats not a bucket of snow ,its a friggin ice berg in there lol.Good operator! The thing id be wary of on different tire diameter would be would the the stress on drive train between front and rear especially on hard dry ground. Not unlike a 4X4 pickup when your in 4 wheel drive and you try steering on dry pavement .i know it wouldnt be an issue in snow ice or mud.

 

[alaskaforby4]

Thats not a bucket of snow ,its a friggin ice berg in there lol.Good operator! The thing id be wary of on different tire diameter would be would the the stress on drive train between front and rear especially on hard dry ground. Not unlike a 4X4 pickup when your in 4 wheel drive and you try steering on dry pavement .i know it wouldnt be an issue in snow ice or mud.

By swapping tires to back they are the same size now. (Well, 1/4” overall) The tires now on the rear are more of the round tread pattern as the front have more of a squared off look. I believe the round ones are squishing more, skewing measurements some. For the record here, I agree with everyone and mismatched tire/tread designs isn’t ideal. That being said, I have to make the best of the situation and I believe this is it.

Next, is figuring out why the bucket drops at a free fall if placed in the down position?
Would it help if I got a video to explain better?

 

[Tugger2]

I dont know much about those newer machines ,but on my old Cat 910 theres a float position if you shove the lever right forward. Maybe needs adjustment between lowering and float?

 

[Nige]

The thing id be wary of on different tire diameter would be would the the stress on drive train between front and rear especially on hard dry ground.

That’s why the SAE J2204 standard exists. See Post #52 on the previous page….

 

[alaskaforby4]

That’s why the SAE J2204 standard exists. See Post #52 on the previous page….

66 1/2 on the back
66 1/4 on the front
Should work aye?

 

[Delmer]

If one is taller but squatting more, I'd measure from the top or bottom of the rim for rolling radius rather than rolling radius plus unloaded radius.

 

[alaskaforby4]

If one is taller but squatting more, I'd measure from the top or bottom of the rim for rolling radius rather than rolling radius plus unloaded radius.

That makes sense, looks like 3/8”s difference that way

 

[Nige]

66 1/2 on the back
66 1/4 on the front
Should work aye?View attachment 275690 View attachment 275691

You're doing it wrong dude........
Measure the rolling radius from the CENTRE of the axle to the ground. Because of the weight of the machine this measurement will always be less than from the centre to the top of the tyre.
As I said before you really need to do the measurements with the bucket loaded beacuse the front tyres will squat more, and the rear ones will tend to lift a bit, but if what you are moving isn't too heavy I guess it would work either way.

Delmer has the right idea as well.

 

[Welder Dave]

If that was with the bucket empty be aware that when you fill the bucket the front end will squat down and the back end will lift up a bit, thus changing your measurements.

That's why I suggested putting the tall tires on the front. They will take more weight than the back ever will.

 

[Blue-Fox]

What did you do with your old tires?? I have a set of barely used L4’s (rock tires) that I would like to trade for a set of used GP L-2 or L-3 tires. These are showing some cracks between the lugs but really aren’t a problem. The sidewalls are nice. These are in Kenai.

 

[Blue-Fox]

Next, is figuring out why the bucket drops at a free fall if placed in the down position?
Would it help if I got a video to explain better?

I would very closely check that you don’t have a snow bucket which is much larger than the GP bucket from Cat - I worked on the BP field crew many years and all we had was snow buckets and if a new guy went and loaded up a full scoop of gravel heaped up - it would break the “dog bone” every time. I think you got our old D model that was high time and went away for a rebuild?! We ran Case 821B’s most of the time and we’re always happy to get in the Cat and feel what real loader was like. Lol.

On another note in my shop I have welded up many cast steel parts with some stick electrodes called “super missle weld” that a Russian welder left behind from an old oilfield compressor plant project. I have used it all up over the years and none of those welds ever failed. Rear axle housings under a heavy rough terrain forklift was the last job, and it’s still going.

I wouldn’t be afraid to clean that cracked looking spots up real good and just put some light primer on them and mark across the ends of the cracks with a sharpie so you can be 100% they are getting worse until you can repair it or replace it.

 

[Nige]

Next, is figuring out why the bucket drops at a free fall if placed in the down position?
Would it help if I got a video to explain better?

There should be 2 available positions on the bucket lift control lever if it is moved forward from the HOLD position (3), LOWER (2) & FLOAT (1). Pushing the lever slightly forward from Hold should give you power lower, pushing it all the way forward will engage float and make it drop like a stone.
A problem in either the pilot control valve or the linkage underneath the armrest.?