Caterpillar 120 89G Motor Grader

Hi, Juiceman.
You could pick a LOTTTT worse machine with which to do some light grading. It won't have quite the weight and grunt of Glen's 99E but not far short of it. If the controls are a little 'ruff', don't let that put you off 'cos there IS adjustment on them which will help cure a lot of 'ills'.

If the general condition appears reasonable, if it handles O.K. and the 'price is right', it would be well worth considering. If you have any questions about the controls, there is a bit of information in this thread:

http://www.acmoc.org/bb/showthread.php?20409-Cat-12-Graders-Pre-G-series

If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.

Here is a link to the Ritchiewiki page on them:

http://www.ritchiewiki.com/wiki/index.php/Caterpillar_120_Motor_Grader

Some photos would help to give a better assessment (Photo-hungry vultures.) as would your general impressions of the machine.

Just my 0.02.

1966 model with D333A (4-1/2" bore)
Direct Drive 115 hp, oil clutch
Weighs about 23,700 lbs
Only 2,314 units produced from 1965-1968

OM,

We had Cat 112s in Viet Nam. Were they built before these 120s? It sound like these 120s were about the same size. We rented one of them for a small job one time but that is the only one I ever saw.

Jan

Hey Juiceman,

You've got the Yellow Fever Cat Bug... It's addictive. That's all there is too it!!! Your out of control... Hey, if you want me to take the 89g for a while, I'll be happy to play with it for you... Where are the pictures?

Hey Juiceman,

You've got the Yellow Fever Cat Bug... It's addictive. That's all there is too it!!! Your out of control... Hey, if you want me to take the 89g for a while, I'll be happy to play with it for you... Where are the pictures?

The 112's were 4-cylinder machines up until 89J's in 1969. A couple of thousand pounds lighter but still very similar to the 6-cylinder machines.
The 120 may have improved multiple disc clutch controls but I don't believe they became full hydraulic control until about 1975 on some machines.

The 112's were 4-cylinder machines up until 89J's in 1969. A couple of thousand pounds lighter but still very similar to the 6-cylinder machines.
The 120 may have improved multiple disc clutch controls but I don't believe they became full hydraulic control until about 1975 on some machines.

Hey JuiceMan,

I wouldn't worry about a power shift. It sounds like a good blade. On the 80c blade I just bought, I went to Napa, they had the brake lines in stock that were rotted. I replaced them, added fluid, pumped them up and bled them and they worked great.

I think the 89g still had knuckle busters. It may have hydraulic sliding moldboard, but if I'm not mistaken it should still be a knuckle buster.

Wow! So far you guys seem much more believable than the seller! Hahaha! He told me it was a mid 70's model and hyd. Controlled for the power box. I did see the valve for the sideshift.....he was shocked when I told him the brake pedal went to the floor...hmmmm.... Maybe I shouldn't be so eager to buy it; I found a larger machine a few hours from me; gonna have one of my buddies do some legwork for me. My apologies for not posting pictures. In my eagerness to buy lunch for my group today, I actually forgot to take photos! Secondly, it seems like every time I do post a picture, it always come out upside down. Maybe that's the feature provided for the folks in the Southern Hemisphere? Lol. Yeah Glen, you know you can play with my tractors anytime, as a matter of fact, I am out of parking at the main shop. You'll be doing me a favor.