CAT 374D L
 

My next project is going to be Cat 374D excavator in 1:14 scale:)
We shall see how it turns out since I have never build anything on tracks.
I was not able to find tracks that are wide enough, so I try to do my own.
Here´s a picture of the original and a few track links I made.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...yWallpaper.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...L/IMG_4395.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...L/IMG_4393.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...L/IMG_4397.jpg

Re: CAT 374D L
 

After seeing what you accomplished with your grader, this should be easy! Wow. Your sample track pads look great. See, you've already got it figured out!

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Awesome, another master piece in the making no doubt! Where do you source the bolts that are holding the cleats on? Here in NZ, I'm struggling to find anything approaching these small sizes, even in M3.

Glenn

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Glenn: I get small bolts from Knupfer Germany: http://www.knupfershop.de/shop/index...9a&cp_tpl=main

Here's the drive sprockets:

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...L/IMG_4400.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...L/IMG_4402.jpg

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Ohh man, i didnt think you would start this one so quickly, its all good for me! :)

Those track pads looks amazing, what material are they?

Cant wait to see more of this one, with your skills it will be a 1:14 replica!

Re: CAT 374D L
 

looks like another great build so far , Ari . seeing those pads , makes me want to continue with what I all ready have programed for my TD40B . the links will take me 40 Hrs alone on the VMC just on 1 side of them .

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Looks fantastic Ari! This will look sweet beside your grader! How long does it take to machine a pad and link?

Reg

Re: CAT 374D L
 

It takes about 25 minutes to make one link pair and pad:eek: I have only made two of them, and it just hit me that making the rest 100 pcs will take very long time :eek::eek:

Re: CAT 374D L
 

HAHA, It took hours to do the tracks on my Volvo and that was just a little tig welding and cutting and drilling. The end result of my effort works but doesn't look that scale:(. You may be there for what seems like forever but it will look perfect when it is finished. As a mechanic friend of my Dads always says "time, patients and perseverance"!

Reg

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Very nice start on a great project-have you decided how you will hold the drive pins in the track links?

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Does any of you guys have an idea how is the Variable Gauge Undercarriage actually made in 374.
I do understand that it's a way to narrow the machine when transporting it on public roads, but can't figure out how is the "sliding mechanism" done.

Re: CAT 374D L
 

I never saw one closeup of this modern of a machine but on some of the old Bucyrus-Erie machines they would telescope in and out and some had hydraulic rams to do this.
http://imageshack.us/a/img441/350/dscn1367p.jpg

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Mechanical ones have a sliding pad front and back in the track assembly, with the beam of the turntable having extra long arms.

So far best pics I can find are here at 1:08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmQXDLOO7wo

Re: CAT 374D L
 

I have some pictures taken from the dutch forum from someone that build a Liebherr 974.
It's a digger in the same 75 ton class as your Caterpillar.

Normally the tracks can slide seperate left and right, but he build them sliding at the same time. It's not a problem, if you slew the uppercarriage to one side, the weight is to one side and you can slide the tracks in and out without any problems, or lift the machine with the boom.

This Liebherr is build suberbly,build from steel and weighs 50 kilogram, runs on 60 bar and is completely hydraulic ( also slewing and driving), except for the tracks sliding in and out. It has two radial piston pumps with a variable slideplate, so it has load sensing.

The pictures of the under carriage:

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...09jx2Kopie.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...66ha4Kopie.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...96rfeKopie.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...27jn5Kopie.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...22xm9Kopie.jpg

I made some pictures of this machine at the Modelshow Europe:

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...anP3192646.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...anP3192645.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...00645Kopie.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...00620Kopie.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...00621Kopie.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...00622Kopie.jpg

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...00623Kopie.jpg

Here some films for a general impression:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2X3OKDglAU&feature=fvst

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqcYg...eature=related

He went to some shows in Germany and they call it "the mother of all diggers"
I can not tell you any more details, I don't know the builder, but this digger is famous. I hope this info helps.

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Thanks guys for your help, but it appears that Cat did this little different.
For me it appears that the track housing slides under the x-frame and there's some guide rollers on the side:confused: (some of it can be seen on the pugs video link)
In the first picture you can see that the 374 is narrowed for transport, and in the second it's wider.
It's a little bit confusing cause there's seems to be some differences between the 374, but if I understand correctly the Variable Gauge Undercarriage is standard in all 374.
There are plenty of pictures of the 374 in action but naturally the undercarriage is often so dirty you can't see too many details on them.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...20L/Image4.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...20L/Image3.jpg

Re: CAT 374D L
 

It looks like it's a sliding plate, but there is a great possiblity that in wide spread the plates are bolted on. That's not oncommon on these heavy machines, so the narrow position is only for transport, and the excavator cannot be used in this position.

You should considder this option then as useful or not, if you are going to use the excavator for what it is build, namely excavating, I think it's an option that is sensitive to malfunction. If you are going to dig in the sand of course, because that kills the undercarriage.You are building some strong tracks, they will hold for shure.

Here's a picture where you can see the undercarriage is on the tracks and not beside:

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...rpillar974.jpg

Transport in wide configuration:

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...illar974-2.jpg

This one looks like a one piece undercarriage, not so strange:

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...illar974-3.jpg

If a machine is running on closed ground for it's whole life, why have an extentable that's more fragile and sensitive to malfunctions. And in the wide configuration you can still transport the machine, it's not a machine that is running jobs for a few days and then transported again.

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Thanks William, you are probably right about that it's bolted on when digging:)
It's true that excavator this big does not change job site so often that the bolting it solid is not too big of an issue.
Actually this information made my life easier:D, that is if I make it permanently wide.

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Ari , in my research on the 385 CL , IIRC , I read that the track frames are just either bolted wide or narrow depending on application .

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Hi Ari,

If Steve found the info on the 385 it's probably the same for the 374.
To give you an idea, I have some pictures of a Sennebogen lattice boom crane.

This one has a sliding track, but it's also constructed to use for a longer time.

Here you see it in transport situation, and the slides are sticking out a bit:

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...ebogen2011.jpg

But when it is in use some additional steel blocks are screwed to the side to make the carriage wider. These blocks weigh a few hundred kilo's and there are I believe 9 strong bolts. This is not a daily exercise, but when you move the crane every few months, it's happening maybe 3 or 4 times a year, something you can overcome.

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...bf/6100-12.jpg

A closup from the block:

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...bogen12911.jpg

And sometimes they don't even bother to take them off!!
If you already have a permit for the transport, better give the dimensions with the blocks:

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...-800x60080.jpg

Just to give you an impression how it's done with a crane. This same type is also delivered with removable tracks, they can lift themselves up and take the tracks completely off:

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...oet5500_19.jpg

This all is off course different from an excavator, but you see what type of solutions there are for transporting large equipment.

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Thanks guys for your effort, I learn something new again:)

Today I got the drive hubs and covers done:

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...L/IMG_4408.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...L/IMG_4418.jpg

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...L/IMG_4410.jpg

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Ari, go to page 7 of this document. It has a very good picture of the car body. You'll see extra bolt holes to move the track in and out.
Rob

http://xml.catmms.com/servlet/ImageS...mageId=C616591

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Looks great , Ari . Are you using 2mm bolts ? I'm trying to figure bolt size for my TD40

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Those are 3mm bolts.

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Amazing! Will be a great build to follow!

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Ari, you are blazing into another build! I'm sure this will be another jaw dropping piece of art. Keep up the speedy pace and great work.

Ben

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Thanks Ari , I 'll be watching ;)

Re: CAT 374D L
 

After seeing the work on your grader, I am sure this will be an amazing build. I am in awe at what some people can accomplish in a scale model.

Re: CAT 374D L
 

You have already come a long way with this build, guess you have a lot of drawings ready now in computer to be machined. There have been discussion about having a seperate heading for questions about those CNC machines, I think that would be very useful when it becomes more popular with CAD/CNC production. I would like to have one but one thing that has scared me so far is how programming is done. Doing a drawing in a CAD programme is a start, but how do you translate it into actions in the CNC machine? Is it easy? I think it would be very interesting to see the different steps from first drawing to part ready. This , maybee, takes away the affraidness.
Thanks for sharing another fantastic build, Ari! Hat off from me.
Dan

Re: CAT 374D L
 

I like where this thread and project is going. Not only for the beautiful parts you machine, but because of the technical talk that is also included. The hows and whys, of the way these real 1:1 machines work. All of this information together makes for a very enjoyable thread!

Re: CAT 374D L
 

I machined the stick side panels.

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...C/IMG_4474.jpg

I also made a video of making it.
I speed it up it a little so, somebody might even watch it to the end:)
For some reason parts of the video has no sound:o

http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k...stickpanel.jpg

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Good video, good build!

How much do you think your builds cost to you when have everything done? I mean the grader and now this one.

Keep posting updates and CNC videos :p

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Very nice to see the machine work as well, keep it coming, this will be an outstanding build!

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Hello Ari !

Nice, another well started / build model from you !


Short info to the Liebherr 974 from the dutch: It should be Stefanf s Liebherr. I think It is the only one in Europe with selfbuild hydromotors and functional hydraulik sensloading.
In one of our german forums is a build thread of it.

The futureprojekt of Premacon (german manufactor also know before as liebherrmodelle.de) a hydraulikhammer (deliverable maybe end of 2012) you have shown it at your second video is also a develpment from stefan !

He is a great builder (10*) !

Greets Ultrshort

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Nice work Ari! I like the CNC video... Keep em comin!:D

Reg

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Ari... another project. Fantastic start as well.

I'm really interested on the CNC video, more of these would be nice.

Also, not that I'll ever be able to do it, but how long does it take to draw a part like this in the software program that you use?

Do you have the complete machine drawn in CAD, or do you just look at the drawings and design that part?

Keep the updates coming, please!

Elliot

Re: CAT 374D L
 

You don't ask questions like this. His wife or girlfriend could wander onto the site and then start to wonder if what he told her it cost was true or not. I once read a sig that said "My biggest fear is that my wife will sell my toys for what I told her I paid for them."

Re: CAT 374D L
 

LOL!! Yes, I think we all have a little of that fear in us. Plus, I don't know if you can put a price on the many trials an errors that we put into our toys.

Re: CAT 374D L
 

You are right about that guys, I too have to lower the cost of some parts if my wife happens to ask it:o.
You might thing that when you build something from scratch it's much cheaper, but if you count even some amount per hour, you'll end up high numbers.
So it's very difficult to give any estimate of what these things cost. I'm thinking that this is a hobby that I like and if somebody is ready to pay you some money of something you build that's a bonus :)

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Do not misjudge your wife's judgment because look who she married. Ed

Re: CAT 374D L
 

Ari, with comments like that, you'll have a list as long as your arm... and I'm at the front! :D