Cat D4E - Looking for info

[ksliger]

Greetings,

I am looking around for a small dozer for my farm and land. I have a 1969 Cat D7E and a 977L. They are amazing beasts but I need something smaller for finer, more precise work. I also would like to eventually get a small dumptruck and be able to haul a smaller dozer to some jobs. I have been looking around at some dozers in the D4 weight class. There is a D4E for sale nearby and I'm wondering if anyone can tell me much about it just by looking at a picture. I don't have the serial number yet and I haven't gone to see it in person yet. I'm more just trying to gather preliminary info now. The owner said he thinks it will need new chains and sprockets soon. I will be sure to take some good pctures and measurements when I get out to see it, hopefully this week. I did notice that some D4E's have one top roller and some (like this one) have two? What is the reason for the difference? This one does have the 6-way blade which is a must have for me. Any thoughts in general about the D4E's and known issues to look for? What would be a price range for a D4E that has worn out chains and sprockets? I'm assuming that other things are worn out as well. Thanks in advance!

 

[.RC.]

It has the extended track frame with six rollers instead of five, hence the two carrier rollers. Plus it has a PAT blade. Quite the rare one.

 

[Glum]

As far as I know the PAT blades on the D4E were manufactured by Balderson.
-3304 engine is pretty bulletproof. Not the best design as for as the coupling goes between engine and torque converter. Engine alignment is critical or else you'll continuously replace couplings.
-Transmissions are pretty solid.
-Hydraulic system is simple and straightforward.
-Steering clutches and brakes are a PIA to work on as the entire cross shaft with crownwheel, and both steering clutches and brakes are removed as a unit. All this needs to be removed for something as simple as relining brake bands.
-Final drives could be better but are ok.
-Absolute worst thing on the D4E is that they never upgraded or made a modification to segmented sprockets, so replacing sprocket rims is a major chore.

 

[ksliger]

As far as I know the PAT blades on the D4E were manufactured by Balderson.
-3304 engine is pretty bulletproof. Not the best design as for as the coupling goes between engine and torque converter. Engine alignment is critical or else you'll continuously replace couplings.
-Transmissions are pretty solid.
-Hydraulic system is simple and straightforward.
-Steering clutches and brakes are a PIA to work on as the entire cross shaft with crownwheel, and both steering clutches and brakes are removed as a unit. All this needs to be removed for something as simple as relining brake bands.
-Final drives could be better but are ok.
-Absolute worst thing on the D4E is that they never upgraded or made a modification to segmented sprockets, so replacing sprocket rims is a major chore.

Thanks for that info. I watched a video of a guy replacing sprocket segments on a D4C so I assumed that D4E had segments as well. Thats crazy they didn't have segments on the later model. I need to get out and look at this one in person. I will just mostly be using it around my land and won't put hardly any hours on it. I would like to do some local jobs maybe but thats way down the road. If its something I can use as-is then I might purchase it. If not, then I'll likely pass on it. I have no idea how I'd find a 70 ton press around here locally to pull that sprocket wheel. How do most people handle this job?

 

[ksliger]

Here is the video I watched. The part number on this hub is 8Y6559. Any thoughts on whether or not this hub would work on a D4E as well? I'd be a lot more willing to tackle this job if I knew that I would just need to replace sprocket segments in the future.

 

[Nige]

The part number on this hub is 8Y6559. Any thoughts on whether or not this hub would work on a D4E as well?

Try posting the Serial Number of your D4E.

 

[Glum]

I don't think you are going to find another sprocket that works but would love to be proven wrong on that.
Your alternative to pulling the sprocket, if your final drive is good, is to torch off the rim and weld on a new one in place, either by dropping the track frame to get the new rim in place or cutting a wedge out of the new rim to clear the frame and welding it together again. Be aware that the big piece tends to spring inwards a little and needs pulling apart with a chain and come along to get the wedge to fit back in place correctly.
Some may consider this method a bit crude but it works well enough if done properly. The main thing is to make sure you get the rim centered and aligned with some tacks before welding fast.