Got a Free Cat 977H Track Loader. Now What?

[Bill G]

I can remember when I was about 7 standing in the cold and snow as Dad welded the rollers up for our 1949 IH TD-9. Then into the shop to turn them on the lathe. Now folks just remove and replace.

 

[davidwyby]

We have a buildup lathe

 

[Yukon Stihl]

Yep. Transporting via lowboy cost me $1,800 to move it 125 miles, and that seemed reasonable to me.

Thanks

Yikes that’s more then I charge
And USD.

 

[Bill G]

Yikes that’s more then I charge
And USD.

You could make a good living here then.

 

[Junk Meister]

They're triple grousers on each track pad so that might take a a minute or two to build them all back up...

One sprocket has bolt on segments, the other doesn't.

The rails have some wear. Not horrible, but they're definitely worn on the wear surface.

In my neck of the woods Street Pads are different from Grousers. The Lingo changes some as you go different areas.

 

[Wilhelm]

Since no one asked, did it come with the bucket or did You have to attach it?

 

[Wilhelm]

BTW, since no one mentioned that either - You suck!

 

[Yukon Stihl]

You could make a good living here then.

Yea. I have a 7 axle double drop lowbed configuration for heavy stuff.
My KW with tridem trailer is what I use most at $4.75 a Km or $250.00 hr guess I need to up my rate.

 

[Bill G]

Yea. I have a 7 axle double drop lowbed configuration for heavy stuff.
My KW with tridem trailer is what I use most at $4.75 a Km or $250.00 hr guess I need to up my rate.

Is that $4.75 per loaded KM? How about load and unload time. If a guy dinks around 2 hrs loading/unloading and you only went 100 Km you are losing your shorts.

 

[Dustin4185]

Nice find! The H model was from 1960-1966 if I recall. We have a D6D dozer that we have done some work on and surprisingly most parts are still offered through CAT. We are going to have to put an undercarriage on it soon! We just put an undercarriage on a 400G and about died at the price! We did a 450G pre-vid19, and it was around $5500. Those 977s were good machines. I ran a K model for several years before they decided we didn’t need one any longer. I wish we had that machine back with a stacking rake and single grouser shoes!

 

[Yukon Stihl]

Is that $4.75 per loaded KM? How about load and unload time. If a guy dinks around 2 hrs loading/unloading and you only went 100 Km you are losing your shorts.

Load and unload by the hour

 

[bulletpruf]

I can remember when I was about 7 standing in the cold and snow as Dad welded the rollers up for our 1949 IH TD-9. Then into the shop to turn them on the lathe. Now folks just remove and replace.

Yeah, replacing 'em would be a lot less labor intensive, but welding and turning is still an option if they're NLA.

 

[bulletpruf]

Since no one asked, did it come with the bucket or did You have to attach it?

The bucket came with it...

 

[bulletpruf]

BTW, since no one mentioned that either - You suck!

I agree!!!

 

[bulletpruf]

Yea. I have a 7 axle double drop lowbed configuration for heavy stuff.
My KW with tridem trailer is what I use most at $4.75 a Km or $250.00 hr guess I need to up my rate.

Here's the rig that I hired.

 

[bulletpruf]

Nice find! The H model was from 1960-1966 if I recall. We have a D6D dozer that we have done some work on and surprisingly most parts are still offered through CAT. We are going to have to put an undercarriage on it soon! We just put an undercarriage on a 400G and about died at the price! We did a 450G pre-vid19, and it was around $5500. Those 977s were good machines. I ran a K model for several years before they decided we didn’t need one any longer. I wish we had that machine back with a stacking rake and single grouser shoes!

Yes, 1960-1966 is what I'm seeing for the 977H.

It has lever steer and later H models came with pedal steer, so I'm guessing it's 1961, give or take a year. Still need to find the serial number.

This one needs an undercarriage, too, but that's way down on the list. If I could do it for $5,500, that would be awesome, but I think it's going to cost more than that. One sprocket has bolt-on segments, but the other doesn't.

 

[Wilhelm]

The bucket came with it...

Cool!
Nice bucket.

 

[bulletpruf]

Cool!
Nice bucket.

View attachment 419497

Ohhh, that bucket!

I had to install it. Made me nervous, but there wasn't one on there when we got there on Saturday.

 

[Bill G]

Ohhh, that bucket!

I had to install it. Made me nervous, but there wasn't one on there when we got there on Saturday.

I was lost at his first comment about the bucket also.....

 

[Wilhelm]

Ohhh, that bucket!

I had to install it. Made me nervous, but there wasn't one on there when we got there on Saturday.

I was lost at his first comment about the bucket also.....