Push or Pull D8

I would push it. If your front hook is attached to your engine oil pan in any way you risk a cracked pan. If the hook is attached to a belly pan, its made for short pulls and is not as rugged as you think. If you want to pull it you need advice from someone who works in the woods, the mud or down under.

We have generally found pulling the towed Cat backwards (drawbar to drawbar) works pretty well.

Hi, M Rust.
The slidebar was found on the 1H, 8R and early 2U series D8's. Some D8's, notably the early D8H's, did not have oil feed to the final drive bearings when travelling in reverse. I don't know how the oil feed would have been set up on whatever slidebar D8 you have but I would check before I towed it any great distance backwards.

You may also find that tying both steering clutch levers back will make it easier to steer whether pulling or pushing.

I can't recollect ever seeing a front pull hook on a Cat attached direct to the engine oil pan. They always seem to be attached either to a belly pan or to a separate pull frame if no belly pan is fitted.

My personal choice would be to pull it nose first, even if you end up with a bridle of chain hooked to each side of the equaliser spring in case the front pull hook is not strong enough.

Just my 0.02.

Theres no need to worry about pressure lube on D8 final drives before the D8H, there wasn't any. The front pull hook was for recovery purposes, there should be no worries about it being strong enough but pulling rear to rear will cause less damage if the towed machine runs away and makes contact!!

I'd recommend a push/pull bar connected between the two draw bars.

A neighbor has a 951 bucket cat, he said it might pull it better then my d6. Do you think it would be better to use it instead? He said its got a convertor.

The 951's are only 4-bangers....probably smoke the torque converter and for sure overheat the D330/3304.

M Rust, perchance things aren't as "on the level" as you think. Get the 951 behind holding back and the D6 infront drawing. Then you will not get trampled by a runnaway D8 on the down grade and have some help up hill. I doubt the ol D6 will nead much help though.
Later Bob