Considering selling off some or all of my equipment, wondering the current value of my CAT equipment.
D6C 10K- has ~6500 hours (would need to remove sight glass to get accurate hour reading), runs great, needs complete UC except pads and maybe idlers. Track adjusters work, but they don't hold, I assume new seals are needed. Not sure how to tell how worn the brakes & clutches are, but still turns fine. I was considering putting on a Korean import UC, but I'm not sure what the point is as I have only started the tractor ~three times in the last 5 years to move it out of my way... Also has a leaking exhaust manifold, bought all new studs and gaskets but have been leery to dive into that project because it is almost guaranteed I'd be taking off the head at some point due to broken studs. I'm not a diesel mechanic, not sure I want to mess with the injectors, injector pump etc just to change exhaust manifold gaskets...
225LC 51U - Has around 6500 hours (from memory, would need to go look at the hour meter), however the hour meter is a Hobbes not a CAT, so not sure what the real hour count is. Finally figured out the overheating issue on this one, it wound up just being the previous owner was too cheap to re-core a radiator that was very clogged. Radiator has been re-cored, I added a 6 blade fan, and rebuilt all the baffles. I also rebuilt the oil filter heat exchanger (not exactly sure if that's what it's called, don't have my parts book on me atm) as it was leaking engine oil. The 225 still needs 7 pins to be unstuck on the chains that are only 20% worn, 5 on one track, 2 on the other. Still needs the track brakes re-sealed as they are dumping HYD fluid into the final drives, they were doing this the whole time I have owned the machine. One of the track springs is broken. Even though the chains are only 20% worn, the UC needs new top rollers and idlers, the pads are all bent up too, rest of the UC was replaced not long before I bought the machine. They tried to weld up the existing idlers but did a crap job, they should just be replaced. As far as leaks, only leak left is one of the tank return lines from the rear main pump, not a high pressure line but has been weeping HYD oil since I bought the machine, all 3 tank return lines should be replaced. Both boom cylinders need to be re-packed, and the bucket curl hoses are about ready to pop, those should be replaced before the next job. One nagging issue on this machine has always been the slow boom lift when oil gets hot. Bob Ont was trying to help me along with that before he passed, it sounded to him like I needed valve shimming, but I never delved into that as it sounded like a bit of a since project to get right.
Both machines have their issues, the D6C needing more $$ put into it, but they both run and operate well. I did a lot of work with them over the last ~13 years or so. I likely overpaid for both machines when I bought them, $21k for the D6C and $23k for the 225LC. I probably have $50k total into both machines including maint./repair I know that if I sell them there will be future jobs that I wished I still had the machines, but for now they have just been sitting. They don't make money for me, they are just for personal use on the same piece of land. If I can't get $35k back out of them, I think I'll just keep them.