Considering buying a track loader

[JASONM]

Never had one. Trying to read and understand as much as possible from other threads. I've never read any post about the Cat 983 though. Does anybody have any knowledge about 'em?... operating them or owning them?
What years were they manufactured? What engine? Problems associated with this model? ............... and most importantly, the niche tasking that they were built for?
Again, never owned one, (or even operated a Track Loader, other than skid steers on rubber tracks), but would consider buying an old-time conventional track loader if the price was just too good to pass on........... but then again, nothing is a good deal if you can't use it.
First impression was that simple maintenance was going to be awkward. Looks like simply changing a starter would be a tough feat due to the loader arms and lift cylinders directly in the way.
Was considering just buying it to use as a "yard mule" on my salvage yard. But maybe I'm thinking incorrectly. Will you folks please enlighten me?

 

[lgammon]

from what i understand is that they were d8s with buckets, and the front idlers fell apart with all the turning

 

[JASONM]

That's what I've heard, but I don't know "why" that would occur. Seems like all machines, track loaders included, are equipped with buckets or blades, appropriately sized (aka engineered) to the rest of the machine, so I wonder why that particular model is labeled as such.
The frame does not oscillate like a D8 dozer; so maybe that's why the idlers don't last; all of the weight on the nose could, at times, be put onto a single idler. Just speculating. But aren't all track loaders rigid frame units?
What else do you know 'bout 'em? Where do they shine, if at all? Anything good about 'em? Nobody ever made a thread about 'em.......... maybe for good reason; maybe just a terrible design worth forgetting.

 

[buckfever]

i've never run one but my dad did. said they were heavy as hell and if the ground was just a little wet you sank like a stone. they were great for demo work. tons of power and would crush everthing into dust.

R. J. Corman is a derailment company around here and they have a few that they use to move rail cars and there loads. Don't know if you ever saw one up close but sitting on a lowboy they are HUGE.

 

[JASONM]

That's good information, buckfever & lgammon, and I appreciate your responses. I love old iron; just want to be careful into "getting in over my head!"......... mainly with a machine that can't serve a useful purpose.
I have indeed seen one up close and I agree that they are HUGE, probably not offering much utility in the way that smaller skid steers do, but it seems like the Cat 983 would be the cat's meow for heavy work...... land clearing-because of it's immense weight/ hp & bucket hinge assy for stacking debris for burning, heavy lifting of other old equipment with the use of fabricated forks, etc. This is what I'd consider using a big Cat 983 for.
Maybe the Big 983 can't play well with smaller work areas, but maybe it can really shine in the proper work environment. What kind of engine do they have?
Thanks for the info and please, keep it coming.

 

[JASONM]

Did you say that a single983 could lift a railcar? That's remarkable.

 

[Randy88]

I have two smaller track loaders love them both, like stated before any track loader will sink like a rock in soft ground, narrower pads and the failures of the front idlers are from carrying the entire load instead of just pushing it, big difference, most run street pads because grousers are too aggressive when you pick up the load and carry it so they put street pads on for less traction. The jobs they do are demolition, land clearing, loading trucks with about anything, piling stuff up, carrying stuff over a longer distance, you name it they can do but they are a machine designed for a special purpose and unless your into that kind of work they are basically boat anchors and useless. We leave my small one at a quarry for loading trucks with shot rock when we haul that out, we also use it to rip and strip shot rock at private quarries as well and to load demolition debris. Don't know if it was any help or not. Don't have much experience with cat crawler loaders though, ran a few, the ones with the engine in the back was impressive though, they put the weight in the rear were it is needed on a loader.