D2 3J first tractor

I reckon if Marv was any kind of buddy he would of sold you one of his D2's that already runs, steers and stops for about 50 bucks more than you just handed over, I mean I'd sure hate to lose you after 3 years of wrenching on that D2 trying to get it squared away!😆

Good luck, they made a lot of those tractors, and everyone has a war story and plenty of first aid plasters to share! Don't forget to show us the dirty photo's, we love photo's here.
regards
Mike

This is the right side of the tractor from about 5 yards out. Why do these old farmers park their tractors in the thickest blackberry patch they can find? Must be something covered in Ag 101. Can you see any yellow in there?

[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d48/R_G_S/CAT%20D2%20Project/RightSideView3J.jpg[/img]

Here is the back from about the same distance. Lots of pruning has taken place to just see this much.

[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d48/R_G_S/CAT%20D2%20Project/RearView3J.jpg[/img]

This is the left side after substantial pruning.

[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d48/R_G_S/CAT%20D2%20Project/LeftSideViewaftermuchpruning3J.jpg[/img]

Wonder what the story is with this tractor? Renegade scrappers had the pony motor, radiator, hood, and dash loose. Looks like I may trade up to a running 4U and do some swapping. Stay tuned.

Those tracks look great, don't scrap them!

Yes tracks & rails are about 100%, 3 inches exactly between bottom of pad and bearing surface of rail. Both are CAT.

[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d48/R_G_S/CAT%20D2%20Project/FarmFresh2.jpg[/img]

The sprocket has a new set of teeth welded on. My friends found where each spoke was welded to the new outer ring. You can kind of see it in the picture. The tractor has 7400 hours on the clock and was made in 1945.

We figure it for a farm tractor. The draw bar also looks like new. Can't figure what this tractor was used for. No telling what the hydraulic unit was used for. No evidence of a blade, but anything could be hiding in the bushes around where this critter was pulled from.

You've already made your money back on the tracks alone! They are amazing!

There is a fan shroud for it on ebay right now...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1949-Caterpillar-D2-5U-Crawler-Cooling-Fan-Shroud-CAT-Tractor-Dozer-/270820721251

The shipping is absurd tho....

You've already made your money back on the tracks alone! They are amazing!

There is a fan shroud for it on ebay right now...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1949-Caterpillar-D2-5U-Crawler-Cooling-Fan-Shroud-CAT-Tractor-Dozer-/270820721251

The shipping is absurd tho....

Thanks Carl,

We've pretty much rejected the idea of restoring this particular tractor. The Pony is free, but the main engine is STUCK hard and needs complete overhaul. Main clutch is froze. Transmission is froze. Steering clutches are froze. Tracks will roll, but no breaks. It would be a nightmare for my first tractor project. Plus the dollars are just not there to fund such a project. Even if they were, I doubt the market value of the tractor would cover the dollars invested. This is also putting zero value on the hours and hours of work it would take. It is not the decision I wished for, but once we really looked it over, pulled the head, various inspection plates, along with educated guesses from friends who have been at this a long time, we decided on another direction.

So I'll take my time, and strip as much good stuff as possible from this tractor and scrap the rest. You may rest assured that pretty undercarriage will ride again. Most likely on a electric start 4U hidden in the back of friend Marv's shop. (it runs :thumb😊 Needs a little mechanical work, some body work and paint. Should be a lot less grief then the 3J.

Stuck D2's are a tough first Cat to restore because final drives need to be removed most times, and that takes longer and more $$$ than you think it should, I'd lean towards a Twenty Two or Fifteen or a 2 Ton first myself, only one simple low compression gas motor to repair, all parts are relatively easy to find, and importantly individual parts a good safe size to handle on your own without the need for cranes, plus the tractor can be hauled safely to local old machinery rally's behind most pick ups on a good tandem axle trailer, so no need for low loaders and big trucks for hauling.

I think you are making some good decisions there with the help of your friends, there are lots of small gas Cats waiting to be bought in the USA right now, and many will be sent to China as scrap if we can't find homes for them.
regards
Mike

Oh, come on guys!!! Where's your sense on Adventure???

A Real Caterpillar collector will start with a parts tractor and then invest a couple thousand dollars worth of parts trying to restore it.👍👍

Seriously, in hindsight I should have made the same decision with my D2 CDU. My pins & bushings are new, good rollers, decent rails and the sprockets & idlers are usable. The steering clutches on my D2 are not stuck yet and I pull it around with the levers tied back a couple times a year to (hopefully) keep them that way. My pony motor crank bearings were shot and the main seized up after several years of sitting outside (it was covered all those years too). Once I got the head off the main engine I found 2" of water in cylinders 2 and 3 (even though it was covered and had a good mix of glycol). The rainwater also rotted the exhaust valves & seats out of the head. At this point I'm looking at doing a valve job on another head, new rings and swapping out the pony motor with one from my parts tractor. Hopefully that will all get done someday and I'll hear it run for the first time.👍

I think you are making a wise decision. Don't repeat my own mistakes (my mistakes are copyrighted, I could take legal action😆😆:lol😊.