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| We've got one of the very early serial numbers either late 87 or early 88. It's had a few odd problems with the transmission shift valving and still... every so often it will not shift when it's good and hot. Other than that... transmission broke a planetary at ~2500 hours... a freak thing that Cat partially covered even though it was well outside warranty. Other biggest issue is it's propensity to overheat. The close finned folded core rad was't their brightest idea. It's got marginal cooling capacity when it's clean and when it gets dirty.... you stop to clean it. That can be daily. The only other thing ever broken on this one was the singletree (part that angles the blade) as it broke through the pin hole while bumping 24" Yellow birch... Once I reconstructed that and reinforced it... never been a problem since.
I'd also agree with the sentiment that it's an underpowered machine. Some don't like to admit that her weight class is somewhere beetween a 5C and 6C (and closer to a 6)... but she just doesn't have that power... so what you got is a big, heavy unmanuverable dozer with clutch and brake steering. I've often though that if it had more cooling and you gave it more fuel it would do a lot more work... and if it had differential steering it could actually turn under draft. That's the main problem I see with it. Otherwise it's been a pretty reliable machine. I'd not worry about the undergear design... or the inside push frame. It's been quite reliable since I made that one reinforcement.
I'd also not be shy to look at a Case 1150 variant with split drives or a Deere with a hydro if that's the class machine you want. The 4H is decent enough... it's just that it's of the old technology for that class and I'd say the more manuverable machines could far outwork it in tight quarters.
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Anyone have a Cat D4H?
