FREE Cat 977 - Episode 3 - Disassembly Begins!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Episode 1: • Non-Running Cat 977 - ...
Episode 2: • FREE Cat 977, Episode ...
In this episode, I finally have some good news - I now have a shop! And then the bad news - in this video, we start the disassembly of the FREE Caterpillar 977H and find even more issues, including a shoddy repair of an very important structural piece of the tractor. I really, really want to save this old girl, but the more I dig in, the more I realize it's going to be expensive and fairly difficult, too, especially if I replace the undercarriage, which has seen better days.
Don't forget to post up a comment with your thoughts, and please LIKE the video and SUBSCRIBE to the channel! Thanks, Scott - Авто та транспорт
I would get her up and going for the least money you can. It will be a fun project and I for one would love to see the videos. I would only focus on replacing the one bad final drive. Those tracks will be fine for a lot of jobs. You just won't be able to go anywhere very wet or muddy. The old track loaders usually didn't have big grousers on the pads. Make sure you have plenty of brake pad left and that the brake drums are in good shape. A brake job on these is major surgery. If the brakes are good, then I would go for it on the final drive. You could get a working machine for just a few thousand dollars and have a ton of fun in the process. I have a 977H as well and I've seen a fair amount of parts on Ebay and from parts dealers. I think you can get whatever parts you need on an as-needed basis. No need to buy a whole parts machine. This is a beast of a machine and worthy of a new lease on life for just a few thousand dollars. Best of luck either way!
Thanks for the input, Kenneth! Scott
Central Texas Limestone is hard on a machine. Im in Killeen.
Yep! I'm in San Antonio, but the machine came from the Killeen area. Thanks, Scott
Thanks for sharing, I’m a new subscriber, I love watching old machines being rescued and restored! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👌🏻👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🙋🏼✌🏻✌🏻💯💯💯
Welcome aboard, Kirk! Scott
Obviously not much maintenance on this machine in the past and that’s why they’re destined for the scrapyard, sad ending for a nice piece of equipment! Good luck guys!🙏🏻👌🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Unfortunately, I think you're right. I love to save 'em, but once I saw the roller frame and cross member, that kind of did it for me. Fixable, but a royal pain in the butt. Scott
Those bolts in the track frame are burned off by a torch,you can see the witness marks.. that’s the way it’s generally done if they won’t come loose. Once the track frame is out we would always weld a nut to the piece of bolt sticking up and then heat around the bolt n back it out by working it in and out after melting some beeswax into it. Works good. Better than trying to drill and easy out em.
Thanks for the info. I've welded nuts onto snapped off bolts before; rare that it doesn't work. Scott
That’s a nice machine,seems to run real good.. I wouldn’t worry about the track pads it’s not like you’re going to be running hard daily, it’ll still do a ton of work. I checked 15yrs ago and it was over 3k for the Chinese pads alone, couldn’t imagine what it would be now..
I’d gouge out the welds with a stick welder or plasma cutter change the final drive and springs, V out the cracks n weld her all back together.. Punching holes n bolting her wouldn’t be too bad either. It’ll last another lifetime. I understand it’s not for everyone but I believe it can be done “well” for a lot less. Be nice to see ya save her.👍🏻
@@phildo39645 - Yep, she absolutely can be saved, but I really think I would need 1 or 2 parts machines to keep her supplied with parts. Thanks for the input. Scott
Wow, that's a BIG job! Everything is so dirty and heavy. With the costs you mentioned I personally would use this old girl for parts.
Yep, there's a lot to do and you really can't tackle it with a few Harbor Freight jack stands, a cherry picker, and an aluminum floor jack... Thanks for the input, Scott
She's a sweetheart but you gotta know when to say when, if you can find one cheaper than what it cost to repair this one and if you can get all the parts and most likely you will find more issues the deeper you get into it but I absolutely understand if you pull the plug on it.
Thanks for the input! Scott
If you can buy a REALLY nice 977 for 11K and not just a pig with lipstick on it then by all means go that route and use the one you have for parts. Those track parts that you were told you can't get can be sourced aftermarket. Many track components from a D7 will interchange. You could torch that cross arm off where those gusset brackets attach then cut the plate that the cross arm is welded to and take the whole track assembly out and make a repair where they did the welding. Replace the plate and drill and tap it like it is supposed to be and make a corresponding plate for the crossarm. But I believe I saw the other end of the crossarm needs attention also. That doesn't take into account the worn under carriage. All this is way over the 11K point.
Thanks for the detailed response. I agree with on fixing it, but needing an undercarriage makes it not worth the trouble. I think this one is much better as a parts machine. Scott
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE That was really what I was getting at in a long winded wayLOL Especially if you can buy a nice one for 11K.
I would fix the final drive and fix the cross member and the spring and run it
I thought about that, but I would hate to go through all of that trouble just to put that worn out undercarriage back on it. Thanks, Scott
Great video! Kinda seems like a parts rig 😬 I started watching the channel 1 episode in to project Brutus and I gotta tell ya, it’s good to see you’re content back in the cue. If you ever find yourself in Galveston county I have an 88 F350 extended cab frame with a 7.3 IDI core if you can use it, you can have it. Thank you for all the diesel bricknose knowledge. It has dang sure come in handy.
Yeah, I'm ok with doing dumb stuff, but trying to resurrect this one would take the cake. Thanks for the offer on the IDI core! I'm not in need of one now, but if you run across an F350 crew cab 4x4 with an IDI and a ZF5, please let me know! Scott
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE sure will! Have a good one!
The only way to deal with these tractors is to buy multiple units and piecemeal them together if you have a large project to use it on if not it's just a waste of time and money
Agree 100%. Thanks for the input, Scott
Looks like you found a nice work space. As you know old machines like that are a Black Hole to Throw Money Into .... it's a part's machine!
Hey Roy - good to hear from you. It is a nice work space; beats the heck out of working in the dirt and 100 degree temps. Thanks Scott
Check the magnetic transmission filter
Yep, thought about that after I checked the paper filter. Thanks for the input. Scott
It's never fun laying under equipment or anything for that matter
Well, if you watched the first two episodes, it's 10x better working on this in my air-conditioned shop. Scott
There is a heavy equipment wrecking yard in Prineville Oregon, I don't remember the name but you might check them out
There's a good place here in Texas that has the final drive at a reasonable price, but thanks for the input. Scott
Need some heavy duty arc gouging my friend, I’m a retired welder of over 38 years! I’ve had to get under equipment and arc gouge but it’s definitely not a fun job! The grousers are worn out!
I can Mig and arc weld, but arc gouging is something I'm not familiar with; I'll have to do some research. Thanks for the input, Scott
@@THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE I imagine that repair was done out in the field and probably in the mud! I know how that goes, been there myself in the past! Some of those pipe setting dozers would break down on the pipeline and I’d have to go out on a field job and the mud was so bad they would have to get a dozer to pull my welding rig through the mud to get to the dozer! Then I’d have to have knee high rubber boots to move around to get the job done! I’m glad I’m not doing that anymore! I’d come back muddy as hell! Arc gouging is a special lead that blows air and uses a carbon rod and you actually scrape at the old weld to blow it away and get right to the original seam! And it’s loud! Back in the day we didn’t have ear plugs and that’s why I now have ringing ear, 24/7! Price we pay to make a living! Thanks for your response and sharing your video! Kirk from Louisiana sending prayers and best of luck my friend! Take care!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👌🏻👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🙋🏼✌🏻✌🏻💯💯💯
@@kirk467 - Thanks for the details! Sounds like dirty work!!! Where do you live in Louisiana? I'm originally from Slidell. Scott
Hi mate I’d buy that other one and keep that one you have for parts
Thought about that. Thanks
hell yeah more bulletproofgarage!
I'm back!!!! Scott
I would only fix it if you need it for a dirt job. And I would only fix the right drive and NOT change the track. Otherwise it is a parts/scrap machine.
Dave - I have to agree with you on that. Appreciate the input. Scott
There's a reason it was free.
Ha! Good to see you here. Yes, it was free for a reason. Scott
It's still good content Scott. At least you see its a part machine. Part it out, buy something else. Content flows.
@@86turbodsl - Yep. Maybe I'll buy something a tad smaller next time. This thing takes up half of my 20' x 50' shop.
You might irritate a few people but once you have those belly pans scraped out load them up and take them to a self-service car wash and spend 10 dollars cleaning them the rest of the way
Yep, they could use a power wash. Thanks, Scott
I think you've got a money pit
I tend to agree with you on that. Thanks for the input. Scott
Was waiting…
Yep. Work has been busy, along with moving into a new shop. Have another 8N video to edit, another Brownie video to edit, etc. Scott
Your probably looking at 30k +
Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking, too. I'm over $20k with stuff that I know about. Who knows what else I'll run into. Thanks, Scott
Parts machine
You just might be right. Thanks for the input, Scott
Have not watched the video or other episode's. But work on the mechanics first, than see if its worth going further.
Robert - otherwise in good shape, but the final driver, roller frame, and worn undercarriage means that the effort and expense would be way too much given the cost of a 977 that's ready to go now, with a good undercarriage. Scott
But if you fix it all and sell it you could get 50k maybe more and you got it for free so you would make like 15k maybe 20k in profit
Derek - I wish you were right, but if it's fixed, it's only worth about $15k. And it would cost $25k to fix it. Trust me, I've done the math. Thanks for your input, Scott
Parts
You just might be right. Thanks, Scott
Enjoyed the video Scott
@@mikeashmun4120 - Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it. Scott