[Vwdiesel] crawlers was winter fronts

[James Hansen]

>    I'd really like to get a crawler again, at least a small one,
> just for the
> heck of it. Something like an OC-4 diesel or maybe one of the
> older JD diesels
> like a 2010 or 440.

Well, you would be better off with a D4 if that's the size you want, or find
a later generation Dresser, Tough as nails final drives- all planetaries,
but hard to find.  I rebuilt a D6B 44A, have to call it a labor of love,
took two winters to complete, did finals, undercarriage (20 lbs of mig wire
later), transmission, starting engine. It's in good shape now, and I got it
cheap enough... but you have to be able to wrench on the big stuff yourself,
and have a good jobber parts source.  I've ran a 440 JD, it was weak
compared to a good D4, and the steering clutches were a weak point compared
to others. Dunno the 2010 at all.  A Dresser in reasonable shape would be a
good score, but they don't usually come up for sale too often, just like
good volks diesels.


Down here in farm country, however, they want
> ridiculous
> prices for crawlers, often 2-3 times as much as what they sell for in the
> northwoods. Scarcity, I guess.

The small stuff is in demand certainly- good corral cleaning equipment in
smaller sizes, especially the traxcavators with a grapple.  It's the same
story here.  To buy my D6 in good running order, It would have cost
15-18000, and "rebuilt" (can mean anything really) is more like 25000. I
found this one for 4000, and installed about 4500 of new parts.

Heh.  My dog won't allow me to have the furry kind of cat on the yard, just
the iron ones. They run or get eaten, and she refuses to mend her ways.
Would like to have four legged mouse control staff, but it just doesn't
work. Without the dog, two legged rodents carry too much stuff away, so I'll
take the dog for now.
-James

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