Cat 955K.... Maybe

[super]

Hi Nate I was only thinking last night I hadn't seen a video for a while with the farm or machinery. Looks like you got all the experts commenting on this machine. It is what it is hopefully cheap, and got the few hours use in it you want, without spending $2500 or more fixing it over a few years or sooner. When I got my JCB 3D3 it was totally unknown from an auction other than it ran, I got it for $5500 and with trucking and repairs i'm in it at under $8000. yeah it needs the lights and some other small jobs doing still, but I have used it on the farm for over a year. it's been loading my spreader with manure 7 hours a day the last week or so.

The hours I got on it so far have paid for it, not hiring in a machine and driver. Plus It still has a value, even if it was scrap at the end. The other thing is it's here in the yard when I need it, no messing around in good weather and the custom goof's not turning up until 2 hour before it rains!. It's a total crap shoot but so's a 50- $100.000 used one somebody beat the crap out of you won't know until you own and run them. I know a guy spent $25.000 buying a used JCB backhoe loader mechanically it's no better than mine was when I got it, it's just 10 years newer and front assist. I thought you had Ernie the fastest dozer driver in the west, what happened I hope he didn't die on ya?. Good luck with anything you purchase Take care see ya for the next update

[blcnc]

That will be so so so handy on your farm. We got a 953 on the farm with a slow leak in the front cylinder and been using it for 2 years. If it's not bad that wouldn't scare me too much for farm use. We can get by with more than the construction people that use them everyday. I like the size of that machine too, you could probably move it short distance from farm to farm with a 2 ton and flat bed instead of having a road tractor. The easier and quicker you can move it, the more use you can get out of it. I'm loving how your farm is comin together keep them vids

[festus]

Hi Nate. It is a crap shoot buying old heavy equipment. If it will run for several hundred hours with not too many problems it is a good buy. But when they break it is VERY EXPENSIVE special Cat parts. The good thing Cat always has parts for their old stuff.
I would be a little gun shy of that front idler problem. That is heavy work fixing that.

[letsdig]

looks like a solid old machine. fixing that track idler could turn out to be a nightmare or a money pit. Like they always say, it was easy the owner would have already fixed it.

[banditfarmer]

Don't walk away, RUN ! If that bar is that worn its go a lot of hours on it and who knows what else are worn out, Could get real expencive real fast ! Plus No ROPS, Pass on it. Bandit

[mrbill]

I see a lot of comments, a lot on Larson farms warning about old used equipment, that it breaks as if new stuff never does. In my mind if you get a piece of equipment slightly above scrap price what the he'll have you got to lose. Its not all of a sudden going to become worthless

[samtalley]

Nate i'd say on something like this I'd have somebody that knew track machines go with me. (And I'm an ag mechanic) But I never see anything with tracks. The rest is all nuts and bolts it can be fixed but I've heard guys talk at length about checking over an undercarriage on anything with a track due to parts availability and price. Hope you have good luck if you do buy it!

[crslyrn]

Looks & sounds pretty good. Sounds like some work for Jake. LOL Get all the little things taken care of & you should be able to really tear something up. Question is, did you end up buying it or something else? Stay safe.

[VintageFarm]

Looks good and sounds good. Nate I work part time for an excavator part time 955 cats are good machines, I can see from your video it soon going to need track chains make sure the rest of the under carriage is in good shape. I’m not trying to rain on your parade, I just know how expensive parts are.

[t.c.bowling]

Heavy parts just saying... l never operated one. Depending on price looks a little tired! Was the engine treated, those liners in Cats pit. It just takes a pin hole in a sleeve and your over hauling motor.

[UnitCrane]

That machine is a complete money pit! No way for me. If they broke that idler frame like that everything else is stressed and ready to break, god only knows that they did to that old girl

[pepifarms]

Don't walk, run, nothing but a money pit.I know first hand

[tony]

A tracked tractor-loader would be useful and this one looks very clean overall but... how is the parts availability/cost?

[festus]

I just thought of something Nate . You might look into renting a machine. It is not always as expensive as you might think.

[Excavating]

No nate you don't need that you will have half the farm tore all to hell!! Haha lol good lookin machine!!

[bushdog]

run run run away it sounds like a money pit

[mhft]

I can't wait to see what damage you will do with that! Hope it works out for you good to see your still going

[AndersonCattleCo]

Looks cool   I tried to buy one a few years ago and the guy said come look it is cheap but then he wanted $30, 000 because he put $25, 000 into it so I was in the $7500 range so I didn't even make an offer.

[billyhott]

seems like a too good to be true situation friend. just remember buying that IH and the SNAFU it created

[PeterbiltBoy-Kyle]

Pretty good-looking old Cat for being 69 years old did you end up getting it Nate my buddy? You can tear a lot of shit up with that thing