Going to look at a 955E Saturday

That's a high enough s/n to have the D6 undercarriage with hydraulic track adjusters. Should be a good unit.

Hi, Bryan289swmi.
They were a good solid reliable in their day. All the usual fluid checks, they don't have an equaliser bar but are bolted up solid to the main frame so check the track frame mounting bolts, all the pins and bushes in the loader linkage, etc.. IF it runs, which the photos might indicate that it does, cycle all the hydraulics through their full range and hold the levers in when they reach full movement in any direction while you listen for noises, especially whining or 'screaming' sounds, may indicate a worn hyd. pump - assuming that it has enough hydraulic fluid.

Also, IF it is a runner, drive it around a bit and get a feel for it. The bucket crowd lever IS supposed to work 'back to front' - push to crowd the bucket, pull to dump. This is so that you can push BOTH levers in the same direction with the one hand to return to the 'dig' position after dumping into a truck - works VERY well when you get used to it.

Also check to see if it has a support bar for the hoist rams to hold them up while working on the engine. If not, find one or MAKE a good solid one in the interests of your own safety and that of others too. Thus is usually just a U-shaped channel that drops over a hoist ram rod in the near fully raised position to stop the loader arms and bucket unexpectedly descending on some poor silly clot who might be working under them. I won't be very surprised if there isn't one at that age.

Just my 0.02.

[quote="Deas Plant."]Hi, Bryan289swmi.
They were a good solid reliable in their day. All the usual fluid checks, they don't have an equaliser bar but are bolted up solid to the main frame so check the track frame mounting bolts, all the pins and bushes in the loader linkage, etc.. IF it runs, which the photos might indicate that it does, cycle all the hydraulics through their full range and hold the levers in when they reach full movement in any direction while you listen for noises, especially whining or 'screaming' sounds, may indicate a worn hyd. pump - assuming that it has enough hydraulic fluid.

Also, IF it is a runner, drive it around a bit and get a feel for it. The bucket crowd lever IS supposed to work 'back to front' - push to crowd the bucket, pull to dump. This is so that you can push BOTH levers in the same direction with the one hand to return to the 'dig' position after dumping into a truck - works VERY well when you get used to it.

Also check to see if it has a support bar for the hoist rams to hold them up while working on the engine. If not, find one or MAKE a good solid one in the interests of your own safety and that of others too. Thus is usually just a U-shaped channel that drops over a hoist ram rod in the near fully raised position to stop the loader arms and bucket unexpectedly descending on some poor silly clot who might be working under them. I won't be very surprised if there isn't one at that age.

Just my 0.02.[/quote]

If you know what your looking at that tractor has the safety pins in the hard nose.
Bob

Looks like a good solid machine, check that it steers and there are no crunching noises in the final drives.

Hey guys,

Thanks for the advice thus far. From what I’ve been told it’s not been run since it was put in the building 35 years ago. Supposedly the engine is free. I’m just going to give it the once over and if I think it’s worth it make an offer for a “non-running” machine. Just wondering if there were any specific visual things to watch for on this model. Thanks.

Bryan

Check if mice got down the exhaust pipe, they get all the way in the head and build nests on top of the pistons, they piss and seize them up.

Hi, Bluox.
Thanks for that information. I have just learned something. I never got to operate anything older than a 955H. I did get to operate what I was told was an English-built 955K that had steering LEVERS and foot brakes - for one day - towing a vibrating roller. That one day was enough.

Just my 0.02.

European 955K was built in France, the only machine later than a 955H I ever saw was a 951B, initially available with lever or pedal steer.

Brian, Let me know if you don't work something out, or if you just want some help getting it home.