D6 9u hard nose mounting bolts

Your description of the bolt, Grade 8 Fine, may be the source of your problem. Those bolts, nuts and washers should be CAT hardware. You will need CAT parts info to spec the correct hardware. Both sides of the hardnose will need the correct CAT hardware if any is missing.

This will sound a bit extreme but I'd pull the hardnose, mark the centers of the worn holes, weld them up, grind them flush and re-drill them. I take it you don't know yet whether the frame is egged out or not. If there are any other areas on the frame or hardnose that show wear, they may also need to be welded up and ground to original profile.

From your description, I assume the holes in the hardnose are egged shaped (not round) and oversize by 1/8". If they're round I doubt they're oversize. CC Jersey ought to be able to give you those dimensions.

It would be a lot easier to open the holes up and use larger CAT hardware. Not my first choice but much better than running it the way it is. Your approach will in large part be determined by the tools you have access to.

Probably not what you wanted to hear but at least you know what you were contemplating is not as bad as it could be.

You should be able to jack up the front of the tractor and get more clearance between tracks and frame for reaming the holes. If necessary you could even disconnect the equalizer spring from the bottom of the tractor. A reamer will make short work of that job, but the job will have to be done with care or you will wind up with round, but oversize holes😆

Mike the nose has been banged up and needs new grill mounting tabs and i almost pulled it yesterday for a compleat rebuild witch is what it needs. only thing is this thing needs to push dirt! this winter i'm replacing the blade wounting and i'll be pulling the nose also.

OM i think the shoulder was the problem the bolts seemed high quality but no shoulder.did the cat bolts use hd washers or the style of bolt/nut that has flared clamping surfaces. cant remember the name now.

thanks
Dan

The original bolts and nuts were plain regular type. Using flanged head bolts and flanged nuts here would be a good application. I make use of a lot of this type.

Any chance you can make a large round or square washer that's 1/2" thick and weld it to the hardnose over the egged out hole, going back with longer bolts. That would solve your hole problem for now. You can remove the modification this winter when you do your rebuild.