Be aware.. ANY of these heavy machines.. old or new.. have a sweet spot to operate in.. find it.. where the engine & transmission run the smoothest together.. & you'll avoid most of these niggly break downs.. every machine is just a little bit different.. harmonic vibrations WILL break ANYTHING.. that's what destroys those torque converters even in new machines.. operators run them like sports cars & those guys have never ending problem, on any machine they they run.. that seal failure would have related to the poor gearbox installation, related to the drive coupling CV joint failure.. be sure to torque to spec all your bolts etc.. you need BIG spanners to avoid things coming loose like blade pivot pin bolts.. practice lifting the machine with blade arm blocks.. no more sissy little 20t jacks.. look for a 50t traction engine screw jack
Riley, in future attach a chainblock to the excavator bucket. It gives you much more controlwhen lifting and lowering slowly and safety is improved drastically.
I second this. You guys did a great job. If you need to pull it apart again though I would definitely get a chain block/chain fall. Gives you fine adjustments that you can't get with the loader.
Man, you guys are so inspirational! You just don’t quit, absolute monsters, smashing the work, and still find the time to video it all for us. I hope RUclips is helping pay for your endeavours, greetings from Scotland!🏴👌
Coming from an old guy like me, I am glad to see your independence in DIY repairs. Riley you remind me of me about 50 years ago. Glad to see you guys foster that. Gives me hope that all is going to be well in the future.
Riley, glad to see your abandoning your 'reckless' nickname - great job on a tough repair. A few suggestions that may help in the future: always use forged eyebolts (or at least weld it shut); a grade 8 bolt and washers to secure the chain to the eyebolt (wont slip out like your hook did); using a chainfall suspended by a beam across the top of the FOPS is much more controllable (and a lot less work) than FOPS removal and a second person to run an excavator (also much safer - less likely to loose a finger); use the chainfall for lighter stuff too (like the pedal assembly and u-joint) to line it up faster, and help prevent damage to parts and hands); always use a nut (or a soft deadbolt hammer) to save those high quality cat pins/bolts; replace old hoses when opening up inaccessible areas or draining hydro fluid for other repairs; use lock-tite (or nylocks); get a few rattle-cans of cat yellow paint to touch-up scratches and welds (fight back against corrosion); repair your seat (so it doesn't tear yours up); don't operate without a belt on; install some good mirrors (helps keep you in better position to control the machine)... Good on you for: new fluid and cleaning all strainers; cleaning up with a pressure washer before disassembly, and covering parts and dirt entry points while unassembled. NOTE: if you must use your excavator as a hoist take the bucket off to: increase lifting reserve force, make it less likely to drop by inadvertently curling the bucket, less likely for a chain to slip, and greatly improves visibility and clearance. Note on note: if you insist on using excavator (with bucket on) as a hoist, weld on a good chain attach point to bolt a chain to your bucket where it cannot slip, jerk, or bind even if the bucket curl function get activated. Thanks for posting your road making progress. You guys made smart decisions to buy a big used machine to get more done. Even though you have had to take a lot of time to make repairs, your way ahead of where you would be using your mini ex.
I love to see how well you guys work together. We have been married 40 years this year and I think the reason is being able to communicate and finding the fun in each others company even as things seem to be going wrong. I see those traits in you guys too. Keep working at enjoying your relationship as you work through all these seeming setbacks. They are actually opportunities to build feelings of survival and trust you can't get any other way. I am truly amazed at y'all.
I have been a Operating Engineer for over 40 years. (retired after 35)I can’t begin to tell you how impressed I am with all you guys have done! Riley’s skills as a dozer hand with no experience is quite remarkable. Courtney’s skills as a excavator operator are we equally impressive. I spent most of my Career on a service truck for companies large and small working on older stuff like your dozer actually had a D 9 with a pony motor if I could make one suggestion how you could save quite a bit of money is that the hydraulics transmission and engine all can use 15/40 weight oil you don’t need to buy the caterpillar brand oil. Thanks for all of the great content I look forward to your videos every week.
I never expected this to be a heavy equipment repair channel. But you were able to safely get everything out, checked out, fixed, and replaced. Pretty cool, even if that's some of the dirtiest work ever. I can't wait to see what's next, it's like every week you're learning something new and unexpected
That was a tough repair! Hats off to you, Riley! I'm hoping this was just a temporary setback and you two can get back to realizing your dream! You earned my subscription with this one!
Most Excellent!!! Riley has an outstanding mechanical aptitude!!! From watching this one, it is Great to see that Riley understands Courtney's equipment operations abilities and doesn't give her tons of undue (obvious) signals while she is driving. A few things I noted were, I didn't see Riley do this one but while removing parts and stepping down on the tracks with them in hand reminded me of something I witnessed while in the service. No matter how strong one feels or safe, never Ever jump down from any height with an object (of weight) in your hands, it can destroy your back. Saw a coworker jump off a tailgate with a can of 50 cal in his hands.. he was medically discharged the following month.. Be Safe, Work Smart. If you need to hammer a bolt (on the thread side) whenever possible install a nut leaving only a small gap for movement, then hammer the whizzbang out of it. Without the nut, damaging the threads can lead to more heartache than its worth. Something I learned during my years working with/in hydraulics is, when you get your shirt/pants splattered with oil, it really is an easy fix, simply remove the item and dip the whole thing in the same oil and wring it out really good, hang it over some newspaper for a few days to free drip then, wash it at first by hand with dishwashing soap (Dawn). This way the whole shirt is one color instead of all splattery looking and you don't have to throw it away. Along these lines (not sure of your time line) remove the item and wash off as soon as you can, oils and especially hydraulic fluid can seal the skin pours and cause damage/burning. You Guys are Great, Love watching your channel
You two work together so well, what a team you make!!! Please hurry and get your next video up, so we can see super CAT working again. Road building isn't for the weak.
A $50 selection of gaskets and seals handled professionally by a $1,000,000 TEAM hopefully solved your problem forever. Riley's stick to-it-ness and Courtney's precision handling of the tractor was amazing. Glad to see Courtney's parents "Supervising" was nice too. Can't wait to see you pushing rocks and dirt and trees soon too. God Bless. Stay Safe!
I wanted to make a plea for your SAFETY. I would recommend you remove your wedding ring when you are working. I was on the EMS team at our CAT plant and injuries involving metal objects on limbs were too numerous to begin listing. Ie., rings caught and injured the finger, even amputated the finger. Ring touching electrical equipment, especially high amperage batteries etc. Metal wristwatch bands make great conductors and equally good "catchers" when trying to pull the arm out of restrictive places.
The operator too? That's thoughtful of them. A friend of mine used to drive trains & he reckoned that the crumple zone protecting the engine was the part with the driver's controls in it :-/
I get so jealous watching you 2 work in such a positive way. You guys are doing such a great job. Every time something breaks and doesnt go right, its awsome to watch you guys never letting that get you down. Keep it up. keep smiling and thanks for sharing your life with us all.
I agree, you kids certainly have more patience than I do! Your patience in fact makes me really look forward to a new episode. If you kids have not introduced yourselves to Matt at diesel Creek he would be an absolute library of knowledge for you to tap into. You can just find him at diesel Creek.
@@antondefense3325 how about 30 years older? I do not call them kids in a demeaning or disparaging manner. I have all the respect in the world for these two.
I am really proud of you two!! You have tackled HUGE repairs with this D8! Courtney is getting to be a master equipment operator the way she runs that excavator! And Riley tackles repairs and projects that give fits and bad dreams to mechanics and operators with years of experience! Hang in there you two, you will come out ahead!
You guys are amazing. At some point you will have that 60 year old dozer completely rebuilt. The many thousands of dollars you have saved doing the labor yourselves makes it all cost effective and worth it. You are so fortunate to have the mechanical and research skills to make it all happen. You are right Riley, every thing is heavy on those big beasts. So glad you have the excavator for lifting. Riley, please warn us the next time you take your shirt off, so we can put our sun glasses on.....dang! 😁
Riley, no matter what happens you always look like you are having fun. Courtney is always there for support and to pitch in, plus keep you on the right track.
Having grown up in a family of mechanics I'm genuinely impressed. That repair is no small feat and doing it with basic tools aside from the excavator is impressive.
Riley, you are now the look of a certified construction equipment technician. You did a super job changing the torque converter on that old dozer. You did a masterful job repairing that machine. I am super impressed! Keep the maintenance up on that old dozer and, it will do you a good job
I have no words. It takes a special kind of patience to do that kind of heavy lifting. I am a mechanic and I would have turned the air blue a long time ago. Great work "Team"!!
Hats off to Riley!! Doing this kind of job is really taxing mentally and physically. Reading manuals watching tutorials correlating the details to your case and keep working! Great great job you guys!! You are the best. Keep it up! And keep creating awesome content!!😄
Great Job!!! Put and new seat beat on it and use it especially on slopes and hills .It can save your life! A dozer can throw you out the seat also if you go over something just right. The ROP is made to take the weight of the dozer if it rolls. Not suppose to cut or weld on it so repair it good!! I run heavy equipment all the time and use my seat belt. Had a friend that said he would jump if he ever rolled his and one day he rolled it off a road bank and jumped. It almost rolled on him killing him but just got his leg and broke all the bones in his leg. He now has permanent injuries from not using the seat beat. Only time you should jump is its falling off a cliff and you would probably die anyway but then you probably should have never been in that spot in the first place. Watch videos of people doing stupid stuff on heavy equipment and that will stay in the back of your mind and when you think your about to mess up your probably right!
An operator friend of mine was thrown out the window of the excavator he was running. He was tracking on pavement and using his knees to hold the levers pushed. He landed on his head and his arms were paralyzed for about a week. You did a great job fixing the dozer!
Love the show with all the great content! My fav line in this episode….” Im pretty sure I’ve spent more time fixing it, than operating an woking it” LAMAO!! I’m super impressed with your dig in and get things fixed attitude!
As a mechanic (automotive) I am SO impressed with your skill and determination to: A.. tackle this monster, and B. power through the learning curve and problem solving it took to get this sucker fixed! Congratulations!!
Hey Riley, I think that you have done a fine job with the repairs to your D8. I have had the same exact thing happen to both my 8 & 9. By the time I did the second tractor I found an enormous short cut. I just pulled the sun gear and re-sealed it and I didn’t have to pull the entire converter. Good job and your gal is invaluable helping you with these headaches. This is just part of equipment ownership. At one time I owned 23 pieces of equipment and heavy trucks. To this day I question my sanity for getting so big. Good luck. Al
I'm fairly handy around gear but I wouldn't of thought about getting into a job like that ,RUclips helps but you still got do the hard yards,Well done Riley you the man
your mechanic skills are off the charts for a man who wears many hats. you two produce something. you are not paper pushers. you will succeed at whatever you do.
Honestly, kudos to you both for getting in and having a go. If you had paid someone to use their dozer to do the same job it would cost more than what you have spent so far. And you get to keep the equipment after this job is completed! Never regret taking a chance on doing it yourself, you get more results and great memories of the events that happen in life.
Riley, you are an amazing person and are not afraid of attacking any task. Courtney, thank you for being such a good support with assisting Riley. He would not be able to do any of this without you. Another fantastic video. I look forward for your next one.
When using a machine like a backhoe or loader to lower heavy assemblies in position, consider using a chain fall. This gives you more precise control while raising and lowering from where they load is. Instead of relaying commands to. The machine operator. You can lower it by fractions of an inch without any jerking or bouncing.
Very impressive repair. THE Best combination of engineering skills, fortitude, mechanical skills and a great red-headed partner on RUclips. Well done Riley, you are awesome. - from a 76 year old engineer turned housebuilder when he realized sitting behind a screen at age 50 was a death sentence.
The pair of you are amazing, neither of the tasks was easy, running the excavator or rebuilding that transmission, both were essential, you both contributed to the success. You worked with great care and patience, so well done to both of you. I never could have done such work, and certainly not at my present stage of life. Well done.
OUTSTANDING! Good job, Riley. Good job, Courtney! Your operating skills help Riley more than you will ever know. I cringe when the fingers and arms get into a sketchy area, but I know it's part of the drill. Keep on keeping on, but please please please never forget to be careful.
New to the channel and really enjoying what you do. One safety tip: please remove your wedding ring when doing this type of work. If something catches it (like when the torque converter fell) it will remove your finger from your hand.
You guy are incredibly ambitions digging into a big piece of machinery like that, very impressive. You both work so well together. I am glad it was only a small part that was broken and not something super expensive.
I can’t tell you guys how impressed I am at your tenacity. I’m a retired heavy equipment operator. I’ve certainly operated my share of old pieces of equipment. Great job you two! It’s those kinds of repairs that send those old dozers to their grave. I look forward to that thing pushing dirt again!
A tip for Heavy lifting with chain, bailing wire the hook so with random slack it can't fall off. Love your stuff! Thanks for sharing and please keep it coming.
You people are amazing. You bring a whole new meaning to "Here, hold my coffee" as you go about tackling so many things you have never done before. I think you are clearly qualified to do nearly anything with nearly nothing to work with. You are an inspiration to all of the off grid and DIY people. Greatly enjoy all of your videos. Thanks Steven
Hats off to the both of you for keeping your cool and thinking your way through. Also special mention for Riley for sticking to it despite the grease and mess.
One comment, one question, one marvel. For Riley; Perseverance pays off!!! and How do you stay so humble when you're so good ... and Courtenay; Your talent isand that you simply lift where you stand. And ... Oliver, you wonderful gift of Love, entertain Mom, Dad and the dogs with lots of your Shenanigans. Please remember to play as hard as you work; with purpose, pleasure and intent. God bless.
I can't help but think how much fun it will be for you to watch these videos when you're old and gray. Challenges like these. When handled as you two do. make the best memories.
R&C, both of you are a great team! I was a heavy equipment instructor in the Army, and the dozer D7 was one of 6 types I taught. For what you've accomplished, I and the many others following here send much respect. Thanks for the front seats. Regards, Bert from 'Bama
I wanted to let you know, for your safety concerns and that you’ve undertaken a very heavy piece of machinery. I’d recommend that you purchase “shouldered” eye bolts when removing heavy items. You could possibly over load the eye bolts you purchased and the bolt will “unfold” and your choker would slide off causing serious damage to your well being as well as damaging a part that may not be easily fixed, replaced or on this old of a Cat found surplused. Such as the torque converter. You’re doing a tremendous job on reconditioning it.
Riley your determination and gumption and positivity really comes through here. Some people may not realize how ambitious a project like this is to do - especially on camera!
Great job and teamwork on the Cat repairs! Proper eye bolts would have been better for lifting, but gotta use what you can find. Like another had said, chainfalls give better control, less chance of lost fingers. The more you work on the dozer, the more you'll learn about it. Getting bigger tools, and cleaning as you go are all going to pay off later. Looking forward to more dozer content! Hopefully you'll get road in good shape before any more mechanicing!
Great job! Your positive attitude is a real plus when it comes to these types of situations. I hope you get the road done without any more mechanical issues. Good luck!
Hat’s off to you Riley, for a job we’ll done, for someone with little Heavy Machinery Knowledge you have done an Amazing job. Here down under you are a true Bush Mechanic.
Get a small chain fall hoist for your next heavy repair. I’d have replaced those hydraulic lines that were deep in there. That Bimini is to protect you from falling debris like widowmaker tree limbs. You could have harvested those trees leaving a 3-5 ft stump to push them over. Should you decide to harvest those pushed over proceed with caution as they may be under tension and will prong up or down when cut. Great job folks!
I do not comment a lot of videos, but y’all’s fortitude is so awesome. I am working on my van at overland west, chasing down electrical problems, scraping off melted tape, etc and it feels like nothing when I see what y’all tackle.
GOOD CATCH ON THE SHIFTER KNOB COURTNEY, GREAT WORK THAT'S WHAT KEPT ME FROM A OLD D8 WITH A PONY STARTER WARN FINAL DRIVE AND PARTS ARE HARD TO FIND...I WOULD CALL A CAT OR PAPE DEALER WHO KNOWS THE OLD BULLDOZERS FOR HIS ADVICE N WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHILE IT IS OUT
I wana be like Riley when I get older dude is amazing at everything he does props to both of y’all and thnx for sharing your experiences keep up the great content.
Riley, you have my respect! That was a huge job to undertake as a professional mechanic, much less doing it as a crash training course and doing it in the dirt with minimal tools. There's no doubting your initiative, for sure! Congrats on the win!
And to think I stumbled across all your postings on RUclips specifically for installing solar panels. Which you did a fantastic job by explaining why you chose to do this or that along with listing every single expense. And now I'm watching you obtain various pieces of equipment, repair, why you need, etc to live in Utah. It's extremely addictive but I love every aspect. You two are the most ambitious people I have ever seen. I think I speak for thousands of subscribers that we are so jealous and envious. But so happy couples like you do exist. Thank you once again!!!
Impressive! Riley is not your average shade tree mechanic and whether by luck or good planning to only bust a knuckle is great. Courtney has serious skills with the mini-ex and being able to make tiny moves blind is tricky. Glad you got it fixed and it was the $50 part. The $800 in fluid had to hurt.
Now that you have a 3/4" drive impact (excellent decision) it is time to get a good air hammer/chisel. One the best is the Astro Pneumatic 4980, but the Harbor Freight Chief Long Barrel is pretty good.
Well, I'm pretty impressed with the diagnosis and repair here. "Take the torque converter out of a huge dozer, figure out what's wrong, and fix it". That's intimidating.
I continue to be amazed by you two. There doesn't seem to be anything you guys can't handle. Thank you so much for taking the time to record and share this with us. Good luck on the rest of the road rebuild.
Was on the edge of my seat watching you guys driving it up to the shop. Was so glad to see ya made it. Now of course at this point you know what’s coming next, safety tip! Plus another bonus tip! I want to center it around my work experience and what you guys did in your vid is perfect for it! So I was a tower climber for many years and have stabbed lots of very heavy steel into many different places so of course I want to talk about pinch points! You guys did so awesome with what I’m about to talk about too and were very careful. You even had a squirrely moment there and reacted very well. You always always always want to be hyper aware of where your hands are at and where that steel is going. Every single time I’ve ever hung steel we ALWAYS make sure to go over pinch points in our pre-work safety meetings. It happens in a split second as you saw and it can put you out for a long time if injured, no fun! I was also going to add to be extra careful when lifting heavy objects with an excavator/non-crane because they can be jerky but holy cow your machine is smooth! On top of that it looks like you’re already masters at operating. Just continue to be extra careful because as things wear down they can become jerky. The bonus tip which also has to do it hanging steel is, spud wrenches! They’re so easy to stab right in as a temp in place of a bolt so you can get your steel nice and lined up with all the holes when doing bolt on type work. Have a good rest, you guys have accomplished so much! Celebration is certainly in order. Excellent work and I’ll see ya on the next repair! 😉
I have to admit your both impressive and the way your repairing this machine is a credit to both of you. Keep up the good work. Im really enjoying the vids
The most perfect couple and you two compliment each other so much. Riley get that road in! Concrete in before winter and I wish y’all all the good fortune in all you do
My father in law was chief mechanic for a large excavation company, he always, always put out clean towels one for tools, for for parts pulled. And one for new parts. All tools were cleaned and put back at the end of day. When he got a call to go do what you are doing, he told them to clean first then move to safe area to work. 🤙
Great teamwork, a good operator on the excavator made lifting and placement of pieces easier. Perspective is important in life, you are still ahead of the road building even with your breakdowns. You are also learning your machine, for your investment you are in the win column, even though it may not seem so at the moment. Thank you for sharing your journey and you life with "Double Wide".
Cool videos U guys make, just came across them recently and luv seeing what you are doing and how you go about it. I have been a dozer operator for over 50 yrs and still do it full time as a living but having a toy like that D 8H as a property machine would be the dream come true. Got to hand it to you both for diving in the T Q like U did and fixing it and filming it for all to see was awesome, Cheers to U both.
Enjoy your videos. Reminds me of me over 30 years ago. My first property was 16acres that I cleared over ten acres with a small chain saw. Built a 1000 foot road but I rented a dozer and pan scraper. I bought a 40 year old ford jubilee tractor that Broke down just as much as your dozer. I didn’t have the equipment you do but my road wasn’t nearly as long as yours. I enjoy watching your videos. But after doing this kind of project several times for me and also previous house flipping I just don’t have the youth to take on these kind of projects anymore. But I always enjoyed the everyday adventures. Just don’t catch anything on fire!
Riley, you're one heck of a "bush" mechanic! To remove and reset your torque converter in a dozer that size, by yourself is remarkable. I have a Dresser TD7 dozer, which is smaller than yours, that took three of us two days to pull, fix and replace. I figured that I worked 34 hours getting it done on a concrete pad in front of my shop.
Impressive repair!💪 I had as big a smile on my face as you did!😃 Another plus on the old dozer is there is so much information available on their problems and how to fix them. Several videos ago you asked how to clean Double Wide. You have discovered one of the most effective ways. You wiped that section clean as you repaired it. Mechanics are called grease monkeys for a reason!
Nice Job! You both get an A+ for achievement and ambition! Good news , also, is that as you fix and replace, you are getting a lot of the the accumulation of crap cleaned up, which will make it easier to service in the future, and may even prevent future damage.
Courtney and Riley: we’re so happy to see that you continue to overcome all these setbacks. As you so aptly demonstrate, your skilled tenacity continues to pay you big dividends.
Riley deserves a CAT hat for this repair. He is a true CATaholic now. I'm really surprised he was able to do this. Surprised, extremely impressed, and apologetic now for doubting you guys when y'all put the video out about buying the dozer. Awesome, awesome job guys! There should be a seat belt on that machine. I'd highly advise you to install a seat belt so the R.O.P.S. does keep you from getting severely hurt or worse. If you continue to fix the things that break and are worn out on that dozer and service it on a regular basis, every 100 hours; it will run forever. Those older pieces of equipment are so much more reliable when they get older than the newer stuff. Don't get frustrated when it breaks down and give up on it. That dozer will serve y'all well in the future and last forever as long as you take care of it. Excellent video. Stay well. -Wil 👍
I know from another video that you both have a background of customizing and repairing off road trucks and rock crawlers, but this is a whole new level of mechanics to me. Y'all are so impressive with your troubleshooting and repair abilities. I wish I could wrench like you. And you both picked up heavy equipment operation like you were born with the skills. Just impressive!
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The dozer is not easy job my friend .hello from grecce
The roll over thing is referred to as a canopy More for Rain and sun and if a tree falls ect.
@@SuperHurdman I thought a can of pee went under the bed. Hehe
I think if you can’t fix it this time scrap it and buy a better dozer this one is becoming a money pit for yawl
Be aware.. ANY of these heavy machines.. old or new.. have a sweet spot to operate in.. find it.. where the engine & transmission run the smoothest together.. & you'll avoid most of these niggly break downs.. every machine is just a little bit different.. harmonic vibrations WILL break ANYTHING.. that's what destroys those torque converters even in new machines.. operators run them like sports cars & those guys have never ending problem, on any machine they they run.. that seal failure would have related to the poor gearbox installation, related to the drive coupling CV joint failure.. be sure to torque to spec all your bolts etc.. you need BIG spanners to avoid things coming loose like blade pivot pin bolts.. practice lifting the machine with blade arm blocks.. no more sissy little 20t jacks.. look for a 50t traction engine screw jack
Riley, in future attach a chainblock to the excavator bucket. It gives you much more controlwhen lifting and lowering slowly and safety is improved drastically.
Incredible feat fixing this! Definitely get a chain fall. I’ve seen 15 times you would have used it so far. The chain fall for sure!!!!
I second this. You guys did a great job. If you need to pull it apart again though I would definitely get a chain block/chain fall. Gives you fine adjustments that you can't get with the loader.
Good advice. and take the bucket off of the excavator for several reasons.
Man, you guys are so inspirational! You just don’t quit, absolute monsters, smashing the work, and still find the time to video it all for us. I hope RUclips is helping pay for your endeavours, greetings from Scotland!🏴👌
True that! 👍
Coming from an old guy like me, I am glad to see your independence in DIY repairs. Riley you remind me of me about 50 years ago. Glad to see you guys foster that. Gives me hope that all is going to be well in the future.
Riley has some serious skills. Legendary courage and effort.
Riley, glad to see your abandoning your 'reckless' nickname - great job on a tough repair. A few suggestions that may help in the future: always use forged eyebolts (or at least weld it shut); a grade 8 bolt and washers to secure the chain to the eyebolt (wont slip out like your hook did); using a chainfall suspended by a beam across the top of the FOPS is much more controllable (and a lot less work) than FOPS removal and a second person to run an excavator (also much safer - less likely to loose a finger); use the chainfall for lighter stuff too (like the pedal assembly and u-joint) to line it up faster, and help prevent damage to parts and hands); always use a nut (or a soft deadbolt hammer) to save those high quality cat pins/bolts; replace old hoses when opening up inaccessible areas or draining hydro fluid for other repairs; use lock-tite (or nylocks); get a few rattle-cans of cat yellow paint to touch-up scratches and welds (fight back against corrosion); repair your seat (so it doesn't tear yours up); don't operate without a belt on; install some good mirrors (helps keep you in better position to control the machine)... Good on you for: new fluid and cleaning all strainers; cleaning up with a pressure washer before disassembly, and covering parts and dirt entry points while unassembled. NOTE: if you must use your excavator as a hoist take the bucket off to: increase lifting reserve force, make it less likely to drop by inadvertently curling the bucket, less likely for a chain to slip, and greatly improves visibility and clearance. Note on note: if you insist on using excavator (with bucket on) as a hoist, weld on a good chain attach point to bolt a chain to your bucket where it cannot slip, jerk, or bind even if the bucket curl function get activated. Thanks for posting your road making progress. You guys made smart decisions to buy a big used machine to get more done. Even though you have had to take a lot of time to make repairs, your way ahead of where you would be using your mini ex.
I love to see how well you guys work together. We have been married 40 years this year and I think the reason is being able to communicate and finding the fun in each others company even as things seem to be going wrong. I see those traits in you guys too. Keep working at enjoying your relationship as you work through all these seeming setbacks. They are actually opportunities to build feelings of survival and trust you can't get any other way. I am truly amazed at y'all.
They are an awesome couple. I don't think there is nothing they can't do as long as they work together.
I have been a Operating Engineer for over 40 years. (retired after 35)I can’t begin to tell you how impressed I am with all you guys have done!
Riley’s skills as a dozer hand with no experience is quite remarkable. Courtney’s skills as a excavator operator are we equally impressive.
I spent most of my Career on a service truck for companies large and small working on older stuff like your dozer actually had a D 9 with a pony motor if I could make one suggestion how you could save quite a bit of money is that the hydraulics transmission and engine all can use 15/40 weight oil you don’t need to buy the caterpillar brand oil.
Thanks for all of the great content I look forward to your videos every week.
I never expected this to be a heavy equipment repair channel.
But you were able to safely get everything out, checked out, fixed, and replaced.
Pretty cool, even if that's some of the dirtiest work ever.
I can't wait to see what's next, it's like every week you're learning something new and unexpected
That was a tough repair! Hats off to you, Riley! I'm hoping this was just a temporary setback and you two can get back to realizing your dream! You earned my subscription with this one!
Most Excellent!!! Riley has an outstanding mechanical aptitude!!! From watching this one, it is Great to see that Riley understands Courtney's equipment operations abilities and doesn't give her tons of undue (obvious) signals while she is driving. A few things I noted were, I didn't see Riley do this one but while removing parts and stepping down on the tracks with them in hand reminded me of something I witnessed while in the service. No matter how strong one feels or safe, never Ever jump down from any height with an object (of weight) in your hands, it can destroy your back. Saw a coworker jump off a tailgate with a can of 50 cal in his hands.. he was medically discharged the following month.. Be Safe, Work Smart. If you need to hammer a bolt (on the thread side) whenever possible install a nut leaving only a small gap for movement, then hammer the whizzbang out of it. Without the nut, damaging the threads can lead to more heartache than its worth. Something I learned during my years working with/in hydraulics is, when you get your shirt/pants splattered with oil, it really is an easy fix, simply remove the item and dip the whole thing in the same oil and wring it out really good, hang it over some newspaper for a few days to free drip then, wash it at first by hand with dishwashing soap (Dawn). This way the whole shirt is one color instead of all splattery looking and you don't have to throw it away. Along these lines (not sure of your time line) remove the item and wash off as soon as you can, oils and especially hydraulic fluid can seal the skin pours and cause damage/burning.
You Guys are Great, Love watching your channel
And to think we use to do this kind of stuff with no cellphone.
You two work together so well, what a team you make!!! Please hurry and get your next video up, so we can see super CAT working again. Road building isn't for the weak.
A $50 selection of gaskets and seals handled professionally by a $1,000,000 TEAM hopefully solved your problem forever. Riley's stick to-it-ness and Courtney's precision handling of the tractor was amazing. Glad to see Courtney's parents "Supervising" was nice too. Can't wait to see you pushing rocks and dirt and trees soon too. God Bless. Stay Safe!
Thanks Jay!
I wanted to make a plea for your SAFETY. I would recommend you remove your wedding ring when you are working. I was on the EMS team at our CAT plant and injuries involving metal objects on limbs were too numerous to begin listing. Ie., rings caught and injured the finger, even amputated the finger. Ring touching electrical equipment, especially high amperage batteries etc. Metal wristwatch bands make great conductors and equally good "catchers" when trying to pull the arm out of restrictive places.
The cage is for logging, it’s to make sure no trees destroy the engine or the operaptor
The operator too? That's thoughtful of them.
A friend of mine used to drive trains & he reckoned that the crumple zone protecting the engine was the part with the driver's controls in it :-/
I get so jealous watching you 2 work in such a positive way. You guys are doing such a great job. Every time something breaks and doesnt go right, its awsome to watch you guys never letting that get you down. Keep it up. keep smiling and thanks for sharing your life with us all.
We can’t always control what happens around us, but we can control our attitude!
I agree, you kids certainly have more patience than I do! Your patience in fact makes me really look forward to a new episode. If you kids have not introduced yourselves to Matt at diesel Creek he would be an absolute library of knowledge for you to tap into. You can just find him at diesel Creek.
Would love to see another live dozer video
Riley and Courtney..you may also want to check Marty T in new Zealand..he fixes aged and abandoned heavy vehicles and farm equipment.
Only those at least 15 years older would call Riley and Courtney kids. R&C you are adults doing adult things a kid could only dream about. 👍
@@antondefense3325 how about 30 years older? I do not call them kids in a demeaning or disparaging manner. I have all the respect in the world for these two.
You guy's keep forgetting the man in Southern Idaho, Jay Paydirt. He's got 3 D9s
There is a huge sense of relief when you can return to service a broken machine, nice work.
I am really proud of you two!! You have tackled HUGE repairs with this D8! Courtney is getting to be a master equipment operator the way she runs that excavator! And Riley tackles repairs and projects that give fits and bad dreams to mechanics and operators with years of experience! Hang in there you two, you will come out ahead!
You guys are amazing. At some point you will have that 60 year old dozer completely rebuilt. The many thousands of dollars you have saved doing the labor yourselves makes it all cost effective and worth it. You are so fortunate to have the mechanical and research skills to make it all happen. You are right Riley, every thing is heavy on those big beasts. So glad you have the excavator for lifting. Riley, please warn us the next time you take your shirt off, so we can put our sun glasses on.....dang! 😁
Riley, no matter what happens you always look like you are having fun. Courtney is always there for support and to pitch in, plus keep you on the right track.
No pun intended, of course!
Not to mention Courtney is an ACE operator, and understand the technicalities of what is going on. This makes them a true team, imho.
@@gregbailey45 fully agree
Having grown up in a family of mechanics I'm genuinely impressed. That repair is no small feat and doing it with basic tools aside from the excavator is impressive.
It's insane how you both stay happy and joking through this whole process. I'll take two of whatever you're on.
… and with real live people watching in real time …
Riley, you are now the look of a certified construction equipment technician. You did a super job changing the torque converter on that old dozer. You did a masterful job repairing that machine. I am super impressed! Keep the maintenance up on that old dozer and, it will do you a good job
Thank you Steve! I hope it's the last major job we have to do on her for awhile. 🤞
@@AmbitionStrikes 3 things guaranteed in life, death, taxes and if you own equipment you will work on it
I have no words. It takes a special kind of patience to do that kind of heavy lifting. I am a mechanic and I would have turned the air blue a long time ago. Great work "Team"!!
Thanks Ray! It has been a frustrating week but it’s important to remember how far we’ve already come on the road!
Riley, you are what every DIYer should aspire to. This has become my favorite channel.
check out marty t down in NZ
just amazes me that you two will tackle anything and everything......great team work....
Hats off to Riley!! Doing this kind of job is really taxing mentally and physically. Reading manuals watching tutorials correlating the details to your case and keep working! Great great job you guys!! You are the best. Keep it up! And keep creating awesome content!!😄
Great Job!!! Put and new seat beat on it and use it especially on slopes and hills .It can save your life! A dozer can throw you out the seat also if you go over something just right. The ROP is made to take the weight of the dozer if it rolls. Not suppose to cut or weld on it so repair it good!! I run heavy equipment all the time and use my seat belt. Had a friend that said he would jump if he ever rolled his and one day he rolled it off a road bank and jumped. It almost rolled on him killing him but just got his leg and broke all the bones in his leg. He now has permanent injuries from not using the seat beat. Only time you should jump is its falling off a cliff and you would probably die anyway but then you probably should have never been in that spot in the first place. Watch videos of people doing stupid stuff on heavy equipment and that will stay in the back of your mind and when you think your about to mess up your probably right!
I’m sorry to hear about your friend. That is awful!
@@AmbitionStrikes please take his advice to heart! You don't want a Darwin Award
An operator friend of mine was thrown out the window of the excavator he was running. He was tracking on pavement and using his knees to hold the levers pushed. He landed on his head and his arms were paralyzed for about a week.
You did a great job fixing the dozer!
I had a classmate who was killed in a dozer rollover. Definitely get a seat belt, your life is worth the $100 bucks!
Seat cover and seat belt, but definitely seat belt. 😜
Love the show with all the great content! My fav line in this episode….” Im pretty sure I’ve spent more time fixing it, than operating an woking it”
LAMAO!! I’m super impressed with your dig in and get things fixed attitude!
As a mechanic (automotive) I am SO impressed with your skill and determination to: A.. tackle this monster, and B. power through the learning curve and problem solving it took to get this sucker fixed! Congratulations!!
Hey Riley, I think that you have done a fine job with the repairs to your D8. I have had the same exact thing happen to both my 8 & 9. By the time I did the second tractor I found an enormous short cut. I just pulled the sun gear and re-sealed it and I didn’t have to pull the entire converter. Good job and your gal is invaluable helping you with these headaches. This is just part of equipment ownership. At one time I owned 23 pieces of equipment and heavy trucks. To this day I question my sanity for getting so big. Good luck. Al
> I owned an old D8....... .. . mind goes blank when thinking about it.
I'm fairly handy around gear but I wouldn't of thought about getting into a job like that ,RUclips helps but you still got do the hard yards,Well done Riley you the man
I don’t think you two have limits but more stages, sign posts, markers but your sense of humour, fearlessness and hard word carries you through.
Both of you did all that precision jostling without a chain fall(s) is amazing. Well done!
your mechanic skills are off the charts for a man who wears many hats. you two produce something. you are not paper pushers. you will succeed at whatever you do.
I can't say it enough, YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! Great job and perseverance!
Totally Agree Times 10!!
Honestly, kudos to you both for getting in and having a go. If you had paid someone to use their dozer to do the same job it would cost more than what you have spent so far. And you get to keep the equipment after this job is completed! Never regret taking a chance on doing it yourself, you get more results and great memories of the events that happen in life.
So happy you had the less expensive problem and were able to fix it.
Riley, you are an amazing person and are not afraid of attacking any task. Courtney, thank you for being such a good support with assisting Riley. He would not be able to do any of this without you. Another fantastic video. I look forward for your next one.
I am so impressed by the determination in both of you
You guys have such patience. It always amazes me.
When using a machine like a backhoe or loader to lower heavy assemblies in position, consider using a chain fall. This gives you more precise control while raising and lowering from where they load is. Instead of relaying commands to. The machine operator. You can lower it by fractions of an inch without any jerking or bouncing.
When improvising with anything.... chain falls ain't around
Very impressive repair. THE Best combination of engineering skills, fortitude, mechanical skills and a great red-headed partner on RUclips. Well done Riley, you are awesome. - from a 76 year old engineer turned housebuilder when he realized sitting behind a screen at age 50 was a death sentence.
The pair of you are amazing, neither of the tasks was easy, running the excavator or rebuilding that transmission, both were essential, you both contributed to the success. You worked with great care and patience, so well done to both of you. I never could have done such work, and certainly not at my present stage of life. Well done.
You two are freaking amazing! Nothing gets you down! You just put your shoulders in to it and carry on.
OUTSTANDING! Good job, Riley. Good job, Courtney! Your operating skills help Riley more than you will ever know. I cringe when the fingers and arms get into a sketchy area, but I know it's part of the drill. Keep on keeping on, but please please please never forget to be careful.
New to the channel and really enjoying what you do. One safety tip: please remove your wedding ring when doing this type of work. If something catches it (like when the torque converter fell) it will remove your finger from your hand.
You guy are incredibly ambitions digging into a big piece of machinery like that, very impressive. You both work so well together. I am glad it was only a small part that was broken and not something super expensive.
I can’t tell you guys how impressed I am at your tenacity. I’m a retired heavy equipment operator. I’ve certainly operated my share of old pieces of equipment. Great job you two! It’s those kinds of repairs that send those old dozers to their grave. I look forward to that thing pushing dirt again!
A tip for Heavy lifting with chain, bailing wire the hook so with random slack it can't fall off. Love your stuff! Thanks for sharing and please keep it coming.
You people are amazing. You bring a whole new meaning to "Here, hold my coffee" as you go about tackling so many things you have never done before. I think you are clearly qualified to do nearly anything with nearly nothing to work with. You are an inspiration to all of the off grid and DIY people. Greatly enjoy all of your videos. Thanks Steven
I really like your show. I’ve been around heavy equipment my entire life and this is just how it goes. Please keep up the awesome work.
Thanks Brett!
Hats off to the both of you for keeping your cool and thinking your way through. Also special mention for Riley for sticking to it despite the grease and mess.
One comment, one question, one marvel. For Riley; Perseverance pays off!!! and How do you stay so humble when you're so good ... and Courtenay; Your talent isand that you simply lift where you stand. And ... Oliver, you wonderful gift of Love, entertain Mom, Dad and the dogs with lots of your Shenanigans. Please remember to play as hard as you work; with purpose, pleasure and intent. God bless.
I am impressed with your skills. Don't get discouraged. You are getting the bugs out.
I can't help but think how much fun it will be for you to watch these videos when you're old and gray. Challenges like these. When handled as you two do. make the best memories.
Fantastic job, Riley. Courtney was a big help too.
R&C, both of you are a great team! I was a heavy equipment instructor in the Army, and the dozer D7 was one of 6 types I taught. For what you've accomplished, I and the many others following here send much respect. Thanks for the front seats. Regards, Bert from 'Bama
Roll Tide…..Thad from Tuscaloosa….
I wanted to let you know, for your safety concerns and that you’ve undertaken a very heavy piece of machinery. I’d recommend that you purchase “shouldered” eye bolts when removing heavy items. You could possibly over load the eye bolts you purchased and the bolt will “unfold” and your choker would slide off causing serious damage to your well being as well as damaging a part that may not be easily fixed, replaced or on this old of a Cat found surplused. Such as the torque converter.
You’re doing a tremendous job on reconditioning it.
Riley your determination and gumption and positivity really comes through here. Some people may not realize how ambitious a project like this is to do - especially on camera!
Great job and teamwork on the Cat repairs!
Proper eye bolts would have been better for lifting, but gotta use what you can find. Like another had said, chainfalls give better control, less chance of lost fingers.
The more you work on the dozer, the more you'll learn about it. Getting bigger tools, and cleaning as you go are all going to pay off later.
Looking forward to more dozer content! Hopefully you'll get road in good shape before any more mechanicing!
Great job! Your positive attitude is a real plus when it comes to these types of situations. I hope you get the road done without any more mechanical issues. Good luck!
Hat’s off to you Riley, for a job we’ll done, for someone with little Heavy Machinery Knowledge you have done an Amazing job.
Here down under you are a true Bush Mechanic.
That was super impressive Riley!! Wish you both the best of luck and hopefully nothing breaks on the dozer for the rest of summer 🤞🏼!
🤞🤞🤞
Get a small chain fall hoist for your next heavy repair. I’d have replaced those hydraulic lines that were deep in there.
That Bimini is to protect you from falling debris like widowmaker tree limbs. You could have harvested those trees leaving a 3-5 ft stump to push them over. Should you decide to harvest those pushed over proceed with caution as they may be under tension and will prong up or down when cut. Great job folks!
Those roll over protection worth there weigh an more
I'm totally impressed with your willingness to take on a project of this magnitude. I fixed cars for 20 years and this project would intimate me.
I do not comment a lot of videos, but y’all’s fortitude is so awesome. I am working on my van at overland west, chasing down electrical problems, scraping off melted tape, etc and it feels like nothing when I see what y’all tackle.
It's great to be so mechanically inclined . Saves so much money. Great job.
WOW Riley is a very talented man. What a great team you guys are. I’m excited to see the road building again.
GOOD CATCH ON THE SHIFTER KNOB COURTNEY, GREAT WORK THAT'S WHAT KEPT ME FROM A OLD D8 WITH A PONY STARTER WARN FINAL DRIVE AND PARTS ARE HARD TO FIND...I WOULD CALL A CAT OR PAPE DEALER WHO KNOWS THE OLD BULLDOZERS FOR HIS ADVICE N WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHILE IT IS OUT
I'm having fun watching you do what only 1 in a million people can do. Your doing the ultimate YT repair job.
I wana be like Riley when I get older dude is amazing at everything he does props to both of y’all and thnx for sharing your experiences keep up the great content.
Riley, you have my respect! That was a huge job to undertake as a professional mechanic, much less doing it as a crash training course and doing it in the dirt with minimal tools. There's no doubting your initiative, for sure! Congrats on the win!
I thought I was a decent fixer of most things but you are fantastic. You research, plan, do & complete. Unbelievable.
I am just in AWE! This was actually better than watching a movie. 🤩 You two are incredible. Thank you! 🙏 Looking forward to your next vlog❤
I told ya there isnt a job too big for the two of you, great job guys! Who would have thought to do the repair on their own?? Rileys the man.
he wasn't on his own!
You guys are the best !!
Someone needs a pair of coveralls for Christmas!!
And to think I stumbled across all your postings on RUclips specifically for installing solar panels. Which you did a fantastic job by explaining why you chose to do this or that along with listing every single expense. And now I'm watching you obtain various pieces of equipment, repair, why you need, etc to live in Utah. It's extremely addictive but I love every aspect. You two are the most ambitious people I have ever seen. I think I speak for thousands of subscribers that we are so jealous and envious. But so happy couples like you do exist. Thank you once again!!!
Every video you both continue to impress me with your DIY skills. Keep up the awesome work!
Impressive! Riley is not your average shade tree mechanic and whether by luck or good planning to only bust a knuckle is great. Courtney has serious skills with the mini-ex and being able to make tiny moves blind is tricky. Glad you got it fixed and it was the $50 part. The $800 in fluid had to hurt.
Now that you have a 3/4" drive impact (excellent decision) it is time to get a good air hammer/chisel. One the best is the Astro Pneumatic 4980, but the Harbor Freight Chief Long Barrel is pretty good.
I lift my hat to you Riley, for your perseverance, hard work and abilities. What a job. You guys together make such a good team, love your videos.
Well, I'm pretty impressed with the diagnosis and repair here. "Take the torque converter out of a huge dozer, figure out what's wrong, and fix it". That's intimidating.
I continue to be amazed by you two. There doesn't seem to be anything you guys can't handle. Thank you so much for taking the time to record and share this with us. Good luck on the rest of the road rebuild.
Courtney is one heck of an excavator operator.
Hell of a woman also. 😍
@@dnscud1 who needs a catwalk. She looks dynamite in an excavator!
@@tryscience anywhere
Was on the edge of my seat watching you guys driving it up to the shop. Was so glad to see ya made it. Now of course at this point you know what’s coming next, safety tip! Plus another bonus tip! I want to center it around my work experience and what you guys did in your vid is perfect for it! So I was a tower climber for many years and have stabbed lots of very heavy steel into many different places so of course I want to talk about pinch points! You guys did so awesome with what I’m about to talk about too and were very careful.
You even had a squirrely moment there and reacted very well. You always always always want to be hyper aware of where your hands are at and where that steel is going. Every single time I’ve ever hung steel we ALWAYS make sure to go over pinch points in our pre-work safety meetings. It happens in a split second as you saw and it can put you out for a long time if injured, no fun! I was also going to add to be extra careful when lifting heavy objects with an excavator/non-crane because they can be jerky but holy cow your machine is smooth! On top of that it looks like you’re already masters at operating. Just continue to be extra careful because as things wear down they can become jerky.
The bonus tip which also has to do it hanging steel is, spud wrenches! They’re so easy to stab right in as a temp in place of a bolt so you can get your steel nice and lined up with all the holes when doing bolt on type work.
Have a good rest, you guys have accomplished so much! Celebration is certainly in order. Excellent work and I’ll see ya on the next repair! 😉
it's not the excavator that's smooth, it's the operator!
I'm always impressed with your willingness to tackle anything. Great job!
I have to admit
your both impressive and the way your repairing this machine is a credit to both of you.
Keep up the good work.
Im really enjoying the vids
The most perfect couple and you two compliment each other so much. Riley get that road in! Concrete in before winter and I wish y’all all the good fortune in all you do
My father in law was chief mechanic for a large excavation company, he always, always put out clean towels one for tools, for for parts pulled. And one for new parts. All tools were cleaned and put back at the end of day. When he got a call to go do what you are doing, he told them to clean first then move to safe area to work. 🤙
What a crazy ride! Love Riley just jumping in and ripping it apart like he's been there before. Nothing like learning out of necessity!
I love the old cat dozers but they can get very hard to work on especial in the winter good work guys 👍👍
Great teamwork, a good operator on the excavator made lifting and placement of pieces easier. Perspective is important in life, you are still ahead of the road building even with your breakdowns. You are also learning your machine, for your investment you are in the win column, even though it may not seem so at the moment. Thank you for sharing your journey and you life with "Double Wide".
Cool videos U guys make, just came across them recently and luv seeing what you are doing and how you go about it. I have been a dozer operator for over 50 yrs and still do it full time as a living but having a toy like that D 8H as a property machine would be the dream come true. Got to hand it to you both for diving in the T Q like U did and fixing it and filming it for all to see was awesome, Cheers to U both.
Enjoy your videos. Reminds me of me over 30 years ago. My first property was 16acres that I cleared over ten acres with a small chain saw. Built a 1000 foot road but I rented a dozer and pan scraper. I bought a 40 year old ford jubilee tractor that Broke down just as much as your dozer. I didn’t have the equipment you do but my road wasn’t nearly as long as yours. I enjoy watching your videos. But after doing this kind of project several times for me and also previous house flipping I just don’t have the youth to take on these kind of projects anymore. But I always enjoyed the everyday adventures. Just don’t catch anything on fire!
Riley, you're one heck of a "bush" mechanic! To remove and reset your torque converter in a dozer that size, by yourself is remarkable. I have a Dresser TD7 dozer, which is smaller than yours, that took three of us two days to pull, fix and replace. I figured that I worked 34 hours getting it done on a concrete pad in front of my shop.
Impressive repair!💪 I had as big a smile on my face as you did!😃 Another plus on the old dozer is there is so much information available on their problems and how to fix them. Several videos ago you asked how to clean Double Wide. You have discovered one of the most effective ways. You wiped that section clean as you repaired it. Mechanics are called grease monkeys for a reason!
Nice Job! You both get an A+ for achievement and ambition!
Good news , also, is that as you fix and replace, you are getting a lot of the the accumulation of crap cleaned up, which will make it easier to service in the future, and may even prevent future damage.
Courtney and Riley: we’re so happy to see that you continue to overcome all these setbacks. As you so aptly demonstrate, your skilled tenacity continues to pay you big dividends.
Thanks Tom and Peg! 😊
Riley deserves a CAT hat for this repair. He is a true CATaholic now. I'm really surprised he was able to do this. Surprised, extremely impressed, and apologetic now for doubting you guys when y'all put the video out about buying the dozer. Awesome, awesome job guys! There should be a seat belt on that machine. I'd highly advise you to install a seat belt so the R.O.P.S. does keep you from getting severely hurt or worse. If you continue to fix the things that break and are worn out on that dozer and service it on a regular basis, every 100 hours; it will run forever. Those older pieces of equipment are so much more reliable when they get older than the newer stuff. Don't get frustrated when it breaks down and give up on it. That dozer will serve y'all well in the future and last forever as long as you take care of it. Excellent video. Stay well. -Wil 👍
What great attitudes. I know editing is a wonderful thing and don't always smile but you two exude great vibes.Thanks for your efforts and sharing.
I know from another video that you both have a background of customizing and repairing off road trucks and rock crawlers, but this is a whole new level of mechanics to me. Y'all are so impressive with your troubleshooting and repair abilities. I wish I could wrench like you. And you both picked up heavy equipment operation like you were born with the skills. Just impressive!