Need advice on Caterpillar Thirty rebuild

Barstart, if you need "used" Thirty parts, such as bearings, one of the better Caterpillar salvage yards is run by Jim Zimmerman in Iowa. You can reach him at 641-982-4207. You can FAX him (if you have one of those old FAX machines that few of us use any more) at 641-982-4297. GWH

The following Portland, OR., company shows Fafnir 407-W bearings in stock ..

http://www.royalbearing.com/

Replace all bearings that show signs of severe wear .. unless you want to pull the component apart again, in 6 months time ..

The part number changes, due to engineering or process changes, is my guess. The part number today is 9B1322 at 13.94 each. You will need 16 of these parts. These are available at any CAT dealer. Be aware that CAT customers are comercial customers with accounts. Since these parts are before computor listings, they will probably have to go back other sources . I just finished my 30, and took it to a show two weeks ago. The restoring process took me four years. If you want to talk to somebody that's been there, give me a call (512-259-1054), Bob. Good luck on your adventure!

Bob, that is a beautiful tractor!

That is a beautiful tractor.

My Cat dealer is happy to deal with me without having an account set up. I just give them my company name and a personal credit card. Almost every supplier I've dealt with has been happy to deal on that basis.

If you don't have a company, make one up, make sure it's unique and doesn't conflict with anyone and use it consistently. As long as you don't try to cheat the state out of sales tax, nobody really cares. Unless you make money, of course. Then it's useful to get a CPA and be able to document how much money you dumped into your project. Given my experience, that's probably not much of a concern here.

Bob K

Fine looking 30, would you post or send me a pic of the intake, heat exchanger, and diverter valve linkage. I have never seen a complete one.

Thanks Steve A

GWH - thanks for posting!!!

Bob, nice machine. Thanks so much for the clutch link part number! Within the last couple of years I did get a commercial account at our local Caterpillar dealer, so hopefully I'll get a little respect this time. Did you get your clutch plates relined? Mine are about a 1/16th inch from the tops of the rivets, and the way I drive, that might not last very long. What height should the new clutch material be? 😕

Sure wish Caterpillar would link the surperceded numbers to the new numbers like other companies do. Hmmmm... If I ask the parts department to find out if an old number has been superceded, are they able to do that?

Oz, I think I sent them an RFQ for that part on Friday, but I sent another just in case I got bearing companies mixed up. We'll see.... I need to talk to the guy at our local bearing shop a little more about this (our sons are in the same scout troop) and I'll maybe get a more complete answer on Monday. Hey, are there going to be any more episodes of Chaser's War on Everything???? 😄

Barstart,

If the parts guys aren't too lazy, they can take the old part numbers and convert 'em to new part numbers. I find I have better luck with the older guys on the parts counter than the younger ones. At Western States Cat in La Grande OR (the nearest dealer to me) Dale, the old parts guy is trying to teach Jason, the young guy how to do this. So far, so good but I still prefer dealing with Dale. Also, usually the older guys know who has what as far as obsolete parts are concerned and will generally point ya in the right direction. Same thing goes for the mechanics, you can usually get better info from them than the young pups. Just remember to put 'em on your Christmas card list😊

Agreed that you usually get along better with the old guys than the young ones. But if you are fortunate enough to find a young one that knows a little, don't shrug them off. Nothing use to piss me off more when I was working in the shop was somone come in and tell you "I want one of the old guys that know something". I am only 31 but I have been working on yellow iron for the same dealer for 12 years, the last 7 of which have been on the road. I have seen some of the old guys that couldn't find there butt with both hands but the good ones can teach you a lot. I know some that have forgotten more about this old stuff than I will ever know.