First off:
I want to thank those in this forum. I started doing some googling of random parts or questions a few months ago and everything always pointed back to something on these forums. Once I got here I immediately got absorbed into reading some of the lengthy threads on here. I have to give some credit to Boone and Nitelite as those were two of the first threads I went through and have followed since. After reading these, I realize two things, I am in way over my head (more on that later) and I shouldn’t have given up on my old loader! These guys are amazing. Also credit to Nige and the many others all who have an extensive knowledge base!
Some background:
So I live in NC and we (my dad and I) have a small family farm. I have grown up around equipment (mostly tractors and typical farming/harvesting equipment). I have always loved heavy equipment but never owned any. I have been in and out of motocross since a young age. Many years back I built a small track/trail in some woods on the farm to play on with a New Holland skid steer we had on the farm. Over time, the track was growing and I was in search of a CAT track loader. I only needed it really to “play” on but used a good excuse like others of having it to clean up farm when needed etc… Now keep in mind I had no idea (and still don’t?) what to look for or what I needed.
Picture of our skid steer
I found what I thought at the time may be a decent deal on a CAT 951B approximately a 1968-1972 with no hour meter. I went and ran it and pushed some dirt around and it seemed like it ran good as far as I could tell. I bought it and had it hauled home. I used it fairly extensively for a few months to clean up, work on the motocross track, clear brush etc… I had a great time with it. I continued to run it intermittently every few weeks just to find things to clean up or a reason to push dirt for several years. The only real issues I had with it over the years were the muffler eventually fell off (it was after market so this wasn’t its first time off), batteries from lack of running as expected, a few leaky cylinders, and the left side track tensioner did not work. At the time, I assumed the track tensioner was far too difficult of an overhaul based on nothing. We would pump in grease and it would push it back out within 30 minutes of running. We finally made a few small shims and would pump it out and place a shim in to keep tracks from jumping as they did. The UC was shot so we were trying to buy us some time before replacement since we assumed we would buy something newer soon anyway. It did slowly leak some oil but was very minimal and I would keep it topped off every few months. I did find that if the oil got low, it would prevent the throttle from being raised. That was an interesting thought as I spent some time tracing linkages thinking something bound up, only to find adding oil was the trick. After about 5-6 years of good service when pushing one day, something let go in the right side drive train. When pushing/loaded it would pop/slip on that side but under no load on flat ground it would travel fine. I made it back from the fields to the sheds that way without problem where it then sat for about a year. Finally a friend came along and offered to buy it and I sold it. We jumped it and backed it on trailer. He did get it fixed and last I heard it’s still running today. (After seeing Nitelite’s post, kinda wish I had kept it as a tinker project as this forum has started to give me more motivation that major overhauls are possible…. By those more skilled than I lol)
Picture of the 951c right before selling
Another 951c doing some work
I went a few years without a large loader as we still had the skid steer and a tractor with loader on front that does the day to day jobs around the farm just fine (when dry). Over time seeing equipment on the side of the road and at construction sites, I slowly got the urge and started looking casually online to watch prices again. For whatever reason (this brings back the over my head part), I told myself I needed a 953 or 963 this time and wanted LGP. I kept my eye out and found again what I thought was a good deal. Now after much reading on this since then, I realize I was somewhat foolish and had no idea the things that should be looked at when buying one as was pointed out when later reading ippielb’s thread and all the things he tested and you all suggested. In either case, I am now the owner of a 1997 953c. It has high hours on it ~13k and a brand new tracks, chains, rollers, sprockets. I will say that it has ran great thus far. It hasn’t leaked any oil and I have kept an eye underneath and in/around engine compartment and see none. None of the cylinders leak and it starts right up. I do have many questions given this one is much more complex than my last one which I will address in later posts. I must say the power, hydraulics/lifting, and steering are so much smoother and nicer than my last.
The 953c coming in on the delivery truck!
953c running that night
I will follow with some more pictures of it working as well as questions I have.
I want to thank those in this forum. I started doing some googling of random parts or questions a few months ago and everything always pointed back to something on these forums. Once I got here I immediately got absorbed into reading some of the lengthy threads on here. I have to give some credit to Boone and Nitelite as those were two of the first threads I went through and have followed since. After reading these, I realize two things, I am in way over my head (more on that later) and I shouldn’t have given up on my old loader! These guys are amazing. Also credit to Nige and the many others all who have an extensive knowledge base!
Some background:
So I live in NC and we (my dad and I) have a small family farm. I have grown up around equipment (mostly tractors and typical farming/harvesting equipment). I have always loved heavy equipment but never owned any. I have been in and out of motocross since a young age. Many years back I built a small track/trail in some woods on the farm to play on with a New Holland skid steer we had on the farm. Over time, the track was growing and I was in search of a CAT track loader. I only needed it really to “play” on but used a good excuse like others of having it to clean up farm when needed etc… Now keep in mind I had no idea (and still don’t?) what to look for or what I needed.
Picture of our skid steer
I found what I thought at the time may be a decent deal on a CAT 951B approximately a 1968-1972 with no hour meter. I went and ran it and pushed some dirt around and it seemed like it ran good as far as I could tell. I bought it and had it hauled home. I used it fairly extensively for a few months to clean up, work on the motocross track, clear brush etc… I had a great time with it. I continued to run it intermittently every few weeks just to find things to clean up or a reason to push dirt for several years. The only real issues I had with it over the years were the muffler eventually fell off (it was after market so this wasn’t its first time off), batteries from lack of running as expected, a few leaky cylinders, and the left side track tensioner did not work. At the time, I assumed the track tensioner was far too difficult of an overhaul based on nothing. We would pump in grease and it would push it back out within 30 minutes of running. We finally made a few small shims and would pump it out and place a shim in to keep tracks from jumping as they did. The UC was shot so we were trying to buy us some time before replacement since we assumed we would buy something newer soon anyway. It did slowly leak some oil but was very minimal and I would keep it topped off every few months. I did find that if the oil got low, it would prevent the throttle from being raised. That was an interesting thought as I spent some time tracing linkages thinking something bound up, only to find adding oil was the trick. After about 5-6 years of good service when pushing one day, something let go in the right side drive train. When pushing/loaded it would pop/slip on that side but under no load on flat ground it would travel fine. I made it back from the fields to the sheds that way without problem where it then sat for about a year. Finally a friend came along and offered to buy it and I sold it. We jumped it and backed it on trailer. He did get it fixed and last I heard it’s still running today. (After seeing Nitelite’s post, kinda wish I had kept it as a tinker project as this forum has started to give me more motivation that major overhauls are possible…. By those more skilled than I lol)
Picture of the 951c right before selling
Another 951c doing some work
I went a few years without a large loader as we still had the skid steer and a tractor with loader on front that does the day to day jobs around the farm just fine (when dry). Over time seeing equipment on the side of the road and at construction sites, I slowly got the urge and started looking casually online to watch prices again. For whatever reason (this brings back the over my head part), I told myself I needed a 953 or 963 this time and wanted LGP. I kept my eye out and found again what I thought was a good deal. Now after much reading on this since then, I realize I was somewhat foolish and had no idea the things that should be looked at when buying one as was pointed out when later reading ippielb’s thread and all the things he tested and you all suggested. In either case, I am now the owner of a 1997 953c. It has high hours on it ~13k and a brand new tracks, chains, rollers, sprockets. I will say that it has ran great thus far. It hasn’t leaked any oil and I have kept an eye underneath and in/around engine compartment and see none. None of the cylinders leak and it starts right up. I do have many questions given this one is much more complex than my last one which I will address in later posts. I must say the power, hydraulics/lifting, and steering are so much smoother and nicer than my last.
The 953c coming in on the delivery truck!
953c running that night
I will follow with some more pictures of it working as well as questions I have.
Overkill... 951b -> 953c
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