C-7 Treefarmer Grapple Skidder

[Autocar]

I know alot of you guys told me not to over haul my 4/53 yet, but yesturday I pulled the radiator and all the iron off the front end. It's all one peace so that went real good. Today I unbolted all the hydrawlic pumps all wiring, fuel filters ect. I ran out of steam at three,I have the front bolts out but have the six on the rear mounts,three on each side then in the morning I will try and bring it out and build a skidd that I can bolt it in the up right position like it set's in the skidder. I have the radiator clean as a whistle, there was alot of oil/dirt from a couple of blown lines over the years. After I get the motor out of the fram I want to clean all the grease and dirt out of the engine and tork converter area. Right now it looks like a fire trap with all the old oily leaves and grease. I forgot everything that fishpharmer taught me about posting pictures, but before I get this to far down the road I will try to post some pictures of the whole project if anyone is interested in it. Have a great day Bill !

[Bobus2003]

Gotta watch out with having Oily Needles and leaves in the belly.. I had the CAT 518 at work catch fire the other day from a Hot Parking brake and oily needles, shot an extinguisher on it.. Gets the heart pumpin when ya see flames

[Mark K]

I think you ought to look for an engine stand. Makes it a lot easier. There not bad to overhaul. I've done a few 3-53's. I would send the blower and injectors out to be rebuilt while your there. Get a good service manual, also will need the tool to set injectors back up. There is a shop in the back of the Northern Logger that sells rebuilt Detroits also. Might be something to look into if you need a lot of machining done.

[Autocar]

Bobus2003 it's been a number of years ago but I caught mine on fire also when the brake was dragging ,for sure that will make your hair turn gray when theres flames lapping at your feet  :D

[mad murdock]

Good luck on your adventure Autocar, I hope you luck out like I did, and you find that things mic out decent, so you don't have to do tons of expensive re-work and machining.

[Autocar]

I got it out of the skidder today, I marked all the hyd. lines and as I moved the engine forward I found a few more  ;D Late this afternoon I started making a steel fram to hold it up right, I want to make covers to plug the mounting holes where the pumps were and all the hyd.fittings then I will high pressure wash it. It sure looks a lot bigger setting there on the shop floor. It has a Clark tork converter on the rear and theres also two hyd. pumps that were mounted to the rear of the converter. Once I get it cleaned up I will post the model number and maybe someone can give me a little imput on it. I don't realey understand how it works. I thought about taking it off to see for myself, then I talked myself out of it.

[Ed_K]

hope you have better luck than I,ended up buying a rebuilt head and new cam.Two rods were bent and the rings were broke.But I really love all the new found power  8).
Check your radiator tanks where they are sodered to the core,got mine back on the job and the first run up the mountain the soder split,and now I have a 5 core radiator at $1075.

[John Woodworth]

was running a Drott 40 fallerbuncher when it caught fire due to needles and junk coming through the hood around the exhaust pipe opening, the stuff built up behind the exhaust manifold on a 6-61 and caught fire, three fire extinghers tha refused to work and no shovel later I ended up putting the fire out using my hard hat as a scoop to through dirt on it. Needles to say the boss updated the estinghers and shovel.

[Autocar]

Just a up date on my progress, I have the radiator fins all cleaned out of oil and dust that over the years has filled the cooling channels. I also have the belly pan area and other knucks and cranny's cleaned of grease ,dirt, leaves, sticks and what not. I have a five gallion of junk that weighs close to fifty pounds. Once you get everything uncovered I have found a number of hyd. hoses that need changing,I would like to change all the ones that are hard to get to and thats about all of them in the engine compartment. I have the engine stripped alternator,starter and about everything that will unbolt.  I want to start changing all the hoses in the belly pan, to be honest Ive been draging my feet a little on tearing the engine down I don't want to get in over my head and get it back togather and find out I got something out of time or a water leak . Maybe I worry to much  :D

[Autocar]

After much consideration I decided to take my motor to a detroit repair shop for a out of fram over haul. I ordered all new hyd hoses for the steering cylinders and blade today.  Local shops wanted $310.00 for eight hoses 1/2 inch. I ordered them from Surplus Center for $181.00 delivered, double strand wire hose. I found double wire hose 5000 P.S.I. for $1.59 a foot where the local places were asking $4.55 a foot. I always felt if I was a few years younger I would have my own compression press to make my own hoses. After I get the motor back I will change all the hoses that run from the converter to the tranmission. Most of the hoses look in good repair but anyone that has ever blown a hose on the job knows how you can learn a bunch of new four letter words in a hurry. I know up front it gets in my pocket but I believe in the long run I will be better. As far as the over haul cost after they get it torn down he will call me back and I will go back to there shop and they will go over everything with me and I'll make the call on how much and how far I want them to go.

[donny hochstetler]

i"m sure once you get er out, it wont spite you for spending the money now, instead of later ,just imagine all those days you can go fishing,   instead of wrenching  8) I just got done going over my little clark sure is nice to know the small stuff has been looked after gotta cut a very nice walnut next week

[Autocar]

I got my motor back on Tuesday they fixed everything they felt need replaced, basically they gave it a infram over haul but had it all apart so theres new gaskets everywhere. Ive replace all the hyd hose except two that run from the tork converter to the transmission, there one inch lines at $10.33 a foot I can't believe what parts cost. I told my wife we will have a small fortune in it and it's still a old machine. I have everything starter,alternator, turbow, and air cleaner pipe brackets bolted back on. I am ready to put it back in as soon as I brack down and spent the final dollars on the inch lines. Ive been cutting my next winters wood supply all week and have cut four and half cords sence Monday one more cord which is already in the woodshed and we are ready for . It hasn't been warm enough yet to even say the word  ;D

[mad murdock]

Good show Autocar!  Sounds like it will be a new machine, at least from the engine perspective.  How are your pivot points on the frame?  It may be old iron, but with the $$ put in, I bet it is tens of thousands cheaper than new iron, and the best thing is, you know the machine in and out, and service down the road will be a no-brainer compared to trying to learn a new machine.  have fun!! We got about 4-5 cords in the shed already, and are working on the last 3- or so cords to be stocked up for next winter.  My wife stacked about 3-4 cords herself yesterday!!  I really like my machine, post engine repairs.  It is really nice to have it start, run and the power difference, wow.  Now to fix my winchdrum to proper operation, and i will be in hog heaven!

[Autocar]

I have already put new center pins in her,all the cylinders have been rebuilt. Also I put new gages in the dash,the only thing that I have never done much to is the power shift transmission not sure what I would do if it ever gave me a problem.

[lumberjack48]

Autocar what did they find wrong with the motor?

[treefarmer87]

autocar, is your c7 and a 170 franklin pretty much the same

[Autocar]

Lumberjack 48 they told me it was surprizing how good of shape it was. Did remark that the pistons were worn pretty good . They put new sleeves, pistons,thrust bearings.rod bearings,main bearings and rebuilt the blower. I had them change all those little hoses that look pretty impossible to get to when the motor was in the skidder and it got new gaskets all the way around. I also want a block heater but it is on back order.I hope before I get ready to refill the water it comes in so I don't have to drain it again.The head also was resurfaced pluse vale guides and the vales were ground,it looked like they put new frost plugs in it also. When I get it back in they will come over to my place and start it and check everything under the vale cover then they sent with me a new gasket for it also. The whole project [ everything they did plus everything I have done ] will bring the whole project in around five grand. I felt that wasn't to bad alot better then some of the prices I got from other companys around the U.S. on rebuilt motors at least I knew what was the matter with mine. Treefarmer 87 no I don't know for sure, but with my equipment trailer at 108 inches wide and it hangs over each side around 12 inches looks pretty cool coming down the roads  ;D But still surprizing how people will still drive 55 mile per hour down a narrow road and blow past me. With only one eye I pretty well slow down and let them go,but at 34 tons they should be thinking twice  ;)

[treefarmer87]

i remember the pics of your rig. how much does your skidder weigh and and what is the trailer rated at?

[Autocar]

Treefarmer I believe it weights 12 tons and my trailer is a 15 ton

[treefarmer87]

thats the same as a 170 i believe.

[Autocar]

Today the company that rebuilt my motor came over and started it and felt it was ready to go. The block heater they gave me was wrong so I sent that back and hopefuly they can get one by the end of the week. It sounds great and starts even better but then again it's 80 degrees. It was pumping 60 lbs oil preassure and I was lucky to see 28/30 before. I spent the rest of the day putting all the sheet metal back on,plus I had the seat tool box out of the cab. About the only thing I want to do yet is put a new lexan window in the front window. I want to go back to work next Monday, watch it start rainning again  :D