Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:37 pm Post subject: Cat D4
Just a few pictures of my Cat D4, it's just a tractor and never had a dozer blade fitted. It's 1941 vintage so almost certainly came over from the States on a Liberty ship to help with the war effort. No electrics, starting is via a small two cylinder petrol (donkey) engine. My understanding is that this one worked over on the eastern side of the country, but quite a few worked around my neck of the woods, ploughing up land that had never previously been ploughed due to it being too wet etc.
Major work was fitting new (refurbished) track chains and stripping down the rear final drives to change seals - all the rest of the machine is in good order although the donkey engine burns a bit of oil.
Since taking the pictures I've applied all the proper decals, so it looks much nicer now!
Yes, it is good fun, getting it up to full revs in top (5th) gear is a hoot, it has a fair turn of speed and sitting between the tracks with them thrashing around is an experience.
Actually, the restoration was a lot of hard work, about twice the work of a wheeled tractor and much of it physical, I had to grind every bolt off the track pads to get them off the chains, that's 4 bolts times 62 pads, each one with the 9" grinder, then belting out each shank with a punch and builder's lump hammer. Next job was to enlarge every hole to suit the new track chains on a vertical mill - the pads are made from steel found in rock crushers and are as hard as hell. But I really enjoyed it. I hope to take it along to Tom Athertons working day near me later this year.
Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 640 Location: Hampshire UK
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 11:47 am Post subject:
My user name relates to my 1961 Peugeot D4B van as per my avatar
It's funny you ask as often when I use the internet to search for spare parts it comes back with caterpillar stuff, now I know why.
Great work I would love to see it in action someday, perhaps you could
post a video of your day out next time?
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
