Case W14 wheel loader

[onegreenday]

I want to buy a 1973-74 Case W14 wheel loader ($8500) It's supposed to have a new engine and break job in last 2 years with little use since the repairs but the guy moved his office and can't find the receipts.

He says everything works, good tires, just a little rusty (could use a paint job) and it was owned since new by a car dealer for clearing snow from the car lot. Not a lot of heavy industrial use, is the story/sales pitch.

It's a center-pivot steer (articulated) and I'm wondering what to look for in that pivot as far as wear & tear.

I haven't seen it yet. I hope the engine/tranny works good cause it's going into deep woods to bring out old stone walls.

Thanks for any help.

 

[plowrup]

I worked for Case when that unit was n Production, and we had very little problem with it-the only criticism that people had was that the Cab pivoted (was mounted) on the front rather than the back-not bad once you get used to it-

As for checking the Articulation Pivot, most people put a floor jack under the pivot and see how much up and down play, as well as turning the steering wheel and observing the play in teh Cylinders-

If in good shape I would definitely NOT be afraid of ti-

 

[onegreenday]

Thanks for the imput. I was able to get the owners manual and parts manual on ebay for about $20. each (gotta love the net) and the machine looks pretty low tech and straight forward to work on.

 

[EddieWalker]

Don't know anything about that machine, but the excuses your getting have me worried.

Also not being from around there, I could be wrong, but does it makes sense for a car dealer to buy a wheel loader for clearing snow? Sounds like the little old lady who only drove the car to church story.

It could just be me, but I'd be extra cautious cause the red flags are up.

New brakes and a rebuilt engine is a pretty good expense. Not having a record of it is hard to believe, but possible. You might ask who did the work and when, then go to the place and confirm it.

A guy I know bought a backhoe from a logging operation. They said it was bought new and used around the yard from time to time, but they really didn't need it and were selling because of that.

Not long after he got it home, he realized it was way underpowered. After doing some investigating, he found out a BB had been put in the injector to block fuel from entering a dead cylinder. It was a scam that turned into a legal battle that ended badly.

A mechanic once told me that putting sawdust into differentials was a common trick to hide rear end problems on older cars and trucks. It absorbs the sounds of grinding gears long enough to sell the vehicle.

Anyway, it might be a great deal, but sometimes those little things that don't add up or make sense are clues to bigger problems or that somebody isn't being honest.

Good luck
Eddie

 

[onegreenday]

Thanks Eddie for the good points. Yah the red flags are up cause he can't name the shop where the engine was replaced.

I'm wondering if I can trace the serial number on the motor to find out where it came from and to get more info on the shop.

He said he spent $6500 on the engine & brakes but the ad he put in the paper didn't mention the brake job; till I talked with him on the phone.

A significant omission in the ad since brakes can cost a few bucks. It's priced just right to suck somebody in (right around recent low auction prices ) and well below current offers on machinery trader.com.

 

[EddieWalker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Yah the red flags are up cause he can't name the shop where the engine was replaced. )</font>

I've heard enough. If it was me, I'd be done with it and him and walk away. It's not a good deal if he's scamming you and you end up with something that doesn't work and will costs thousands upon thousands of dollars to fix.

I'd say it's obvious he's already proven to you he's a dishonest, now you need to wonder what else he's lying about.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[onegreenday]

If the engine was made 2 years ago by checking the s/n and I can track down the shop where it was put in and it appears legit ; I'll consider it.

Manf. spec's say it will do 25 MPH in top gear. If the wheel loader can do 25 MPH on the road, that should prove that the engine is fully powered.

He could be a bit of a flake and misplaced the repair slip from 2 yrs ago. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and let the proof show in the machine. I can always have a mechanic look it over, since it's about $4K under value; if engine is new.

Thanks for the warning. I'll have my BS antenna up........

 

[onegreenday]

You were on the money Eddie. The guy skipped and dodges phone calls. I saw through his smoke and asked the questions he wouldn't answer. Too good to be true anyway....

 

[EddieWalker]

Good to hear it. I was very worried for you on that deal and I'm glad to hear that you've walked away from it. The sad thing is that somebody else might fall for it and get stuck with a problem they can't afford to fix.

When I was a Union Steward I had to deal allot with people lying. Both teamsters and managment. The thing I learned that worked the very best for me was to ask direct questions. When people lie, they get vague and don't like to give out any facts that can be checked. The more facts you ask for the harder it is for the to lie.

Of course, most people who rely on lies usually aren't smart enough to realize how obvious they are, or how silly there sound. Especially when they start changing their story and getting angry about it. hahahaha

Eddie