D6D SA Tractor Undercarrraige

Hello,

I am going to look at a D6D special application tractor with a serial number of 5X. I was told by the seller that it has a worn undercarraige and that it would need new sprocket segments and track chains at a minimum and the rollers need to changed out soon. Track pads are reusable if I want. The machine has not really been used as they think if they work it hard that it would jump chain pins on the sprocket. Does anybody have the measurements to check to see how worn the undercarraige is at new, 50%, 75% etc and how to measure them correctly? Any things to look out for on these tractors? What would the average worth of a machine with a worn U/C be?

I priced out new track chains with bolts/nuts for the pads for reuse, new idlers, new top and bottom rollers, and new sprocket segments with bolts and nuts for $21,194 for the parts. I am waiting for Holt to get back to me with a quote for the same parts but as CAT classic. Anyone know of any good aftermarket U/C companies?

Depending on how worn everything is, would just replacing the drive sprockets and running the chains to till they cant go no more be crazy? Or just replacing the drive sprockets, idlers, and track chains and replacing the rollers at a later date be bad for the new chain?

I would like to use this tractor to pull a L disc, pull a mud chisel, float, triplane, and rice roller on just a 100 acres or less and would like it to be a budget tractor. Something easy to work on and paid off!

So far you are only talking of the repair parts - and only discussing the undercarriage. If the undercarriage is that badly worn, what about the rest of the machine? What is the initial price of the machine as it sits? What was it used for, all considerations to take into account. 100 acres of rice -- would you not be as well of with a rental tractor, maybe even a Wheel Engine? Steel tracks are almost an unseen sight in the rice lands of CA now. There comes a point where nostalgia and good business senses do not necessarily compute out. There is a reason steel tracks are fast disappearing from modern farming operations - cost effectiveness is a big driving force. -- cts

Cts is probably right that other options could be cheaper. But if the rest of the tractor is better than the undercarriage, and you buy it right. I have several tractors here on rails that are way past 125% worn. For some reason they stayed on steep hills better than some much better looking tracks.

Everything is a gamble; on flat land I would think you could get a lot of work out a very tired undercarriage. That is provided it has sprocket segments. I have only seen one Cat that the sprocket was so bad it quit moving. And that happened real fast after wear was to much. But that was also very sandy soil near Fresno. I think rice land as having to be much more clay to be able hold water on top of the ground, but that is guessing on my part so???? I don't know how much segments cost, but labor charges to replace none segment sprocket would be a killer.

I just saw something make me think there is still a aftermarket undercarriage firm operating in Italy. I believe Berco was bough by the Chinese and they dropped the name. I believe Regal Corp is still in business. Have gotten some good deals out of them way back. They were into lots more aftermarkets parts last I checked on them.

I bought new D3 undercarriage from Tracks-n-Teeth and was happy with the price and availability. Rails and new pads, plus sprocket rings. I already had the 10 rollers and I'm reusing my D2 idlers. I think the items are ITR brand

Did you have the dealer send the UC specialist to measure the UC for you? He/she can give the proper measurements and write up a quotation, or possibly assist you finding a used set with lots of life left in them.

Unless your heart is set on a D6D, there are other machines out there that would do the job. On CL, there was a non turbo D7 17A for cheap. Not a hotrod, but slow and easy and will last a very long time.

Many CAT mechanics have told me one of the best machines was an older D6C 74A, compared to a D6C 17R which was faster, but wore itself out quicker.

I am not going through a dealer. Its third party. I just like the idea of having drive sprockets that are bolt on vs pressed on and its a more modern tractor than most cats I see for sale. Faster working speeds with more gears.

You are right in that rice ground has more clay in it. It amazes me to see a lot of the central valley is practically sand to me. The tractor is west of lodi so it's lived it's life in the delta I think. I am going to check the tractor out next week to see how good the rest of it is. He didn't mention the hours on it and it's from a farm that they took over the operation and don't really need it. It has bolted on drive sprockets which to me is way better! They were using the d6c SA as it's tracks were in better condition until they got a rod knock from the engine. You are right that used equipment is a gamble!

Faster speeds are not always the advantage - more wear and tear, tillage equipment bounces, and when something starts to go south, it is really hard to catch up to. In the days of Sixties, there was a farmer that told the dealership, block off 3rd gear, his tracks and equipment held up much longer. - The 3T's, 17A D7 were good machines, so was the old 9G and 7M series. They were the mainstays in rice for many years. - cts

As a farmer you end up doing what it takes to get things done. Early in time farming, I had 50 acres ready to seed and the rain was coming. I had a Allis Chalmers HD 5 and 12 foot grain drill. I had the seed sitting there on a truck. After a bit and the tractor is warmed up, I hit high gear. Everything is side hill here so sure did not stay in high all the time. But for the next 35+ years I seed in high gear with that tractor. Yes I have a crack in the frame of my now old JD 8350 grain drill, I have never seen in another. But it still has not failed. I know I was the talk of the neighborhood, at least the old guys that never farmed here with rubber tires. But the 5 to 5.5 MPH is not considered fast by the guys farming today with wheel tractors.

A cousin and I discussed this to death as he had come to the same conclusion as I, faster is Ok as we are the guy that pays the repair bill as well.

Yes the HD 5 is tired today. But that poor old tractor has to have hours on it. An uncle bought it new in 54 and planted 600 acres a year and summer fallowed another 600 with it and a JD A popping Johny. He always had a hired man to run the night shift. I think one or 2 years before he retired he had it to the dealer for complete rebuild. As an experiment one track got new pin and bushings the other was just turned. Fallow was all disc plowed with the crawler, and he always ran the track in the furrow. So the story I was told that track had a bit more wear, but ?? Those tracks are still on it, my guess 150% warn. Just starting to see holes in a bushing or 2, or ?? If anybody want the learn about changing tracks? I have much better sets. One is off an HD6 so it would need shorting. Sprockets still look good to me, and have a 6 or 7 new rollers.

I do not disagree with the idea speed wears tracks more. But 95% of what I farmed is clay without sand. From 85 to 2015 that HD5 planted better than 400 acres a year. So with other jobs better than 3000 hours.

So I would guess on flat clay land and new sprocket segments you could run that D6 until the pins want to break. Maybe not the best way but farmers are the best at using what you have and getting it done.

Ray,I always enjoy reading what you have to say in Farmer Talk.You always jog my grain farming days memories.You do what you have to do

Thank you. At times I worry about over sharing farming things. Some have thought this should be a bulldozer place.

place.