Rescuing A Cat D4D Dozer Abandoned for Years on a Steep Hillside

[@josephkarl2061]

Also, it's so great to see the dozer getting straight back to work. The tracks are fixed, and it's straight onto making the earth move. So great to see 👍👍👍

[@Frank-Thoresen]

Both track tensioners has to be repaired though. Maybe few things that need repair besides of that

[@TwoAcreDesigns]

No sponsors, no long speech’s, just Marty having fun working on cool projects. Love the videos !

[@Isthatyoudermot]

In a beautiful part of the world

[@Floris_VI]

Just the absolute best, such good production quality still, you see everything you need to, he says everything he needs to. Old youtube vibes

[@Al_Dente-d1p]

speech's???? Learn ENGLISH!!! The word is speeches. Tool.

[@jgorry69]

And did not blow a hydraulic line !!!!! WOW

[@campusmartius8450]

@@jgorry69 With added bonus of some guy having a pee at 1:17 😂

[@Darwinpasta]

Wakes up and finishes the job it started years ago--gotta love it.

[@dailystruggletv5403]

Facts 🔥

[@stuntdriver2147]

Nothing more satisfying than old iron coming back to life !!! Great job all around 😅

[@axeman2638]

Couldn't believe how well it ran when it started up, still decades of life left in that one.

[@nsbhagwat]

A simple and reliable mechanical beast.

[@axeman2638]

@@nsbhagwat No plastic, No electronics, No computers, built to last not to send you broke maintaining it.

[@ecclesmilligan8712]

Same, that engine sounds beautiful. No nasty noises and no misses, damn surprising given the amount of water in that cylinder.

[@GARDENER42]

Aye. Amazed at the lack of smoke from the exhaust after sitting like that.

[@xephael3485]

​@@nsbhagwatunlike the modern ones... It would have to be scrapped when all the electronics fail...

[@Lobo-ih3bh]

The robustness and longevity of these machines is amazing!

[@aserta]

If you take care of these machines, there's no reason why one couldn't survive ~200 years (which is about the time at which point the things you can't or wouldn't normally replace on these, would start getting severe metal fatigue and thus become unusable at a material level - 200 is a positive number, more likely 150 180 ish).

[@rob4b]

Easily beats the computer controlled machines which are an absolute nightmare with all the codes tripping and sensors breaking plus the cost of the scan tool and ridiculous software fee updates. Thankfully my friend is a bit of a computer wiz and has managed to by pass the codes and the dealership fee, enough said one that.

[@jenksify]

When this was built they made them to last. None of this plug and play BS we have now. Everything built today is made to throw away and buy a new one.

[@Debaucherousgeek]

Made in the USA back when that meant something.

[@Justin-C]

Yeah - pretty impressive to see such an old machine left abandoned/exposed come right back after some TLC, and put back to use right away. It's definitely not 'A-OK' though, lol. @@aserta With use? There's plenty of reason.. parts will wear and become difficult or impossible to find replacements for. There are hundreds if not thousands of ye olde machines that haven't stood the test of time for every one that has.

[@eugeneclarke5572]

Well, Marty ,you got the tears streaming this morning. To hear that old D4 start. Back in the 60s,70s my father used the D4C for our drainage contractor business here in Ireland 🇮🇪. It's the one I remember playing on as a 5/6 year old kid . Sitting on my brother's lap as he drove it. They are both gone now but the memories last because people like you bring them back by videos like this one. Cheers and thanks to the old school guys who keep them running

[@valve0radio]

nice story ! 😪♥😄

[@confidential3232]

such a small jack...

[@ericr.palmer8200]

My father (87 years old) helped to design these and future variants for 40+ years and was the project manager on many of CAT designs from the late 1950's through the late 90's working mostly out of the Decatur, Illinois plant (also some at the Arizona proving grounds). I know he holds numerous patents on the bulldozers, scrapers, and excavators which CAT paid him the grand total of $1.00 for each patent. He donated all of his CAT items (books, design models, etc.) to the CAT museum in Brooks, Oregon that is pretty impressive with at least 50-60 fully running CATs ranging from the first Holt tractors to versions made in the 1980's. Good to see his work still holds up to this day even though battered and beaten.

[@jacknife10000]

Cool! I currently work at the proving ground outside Tucson, our main machines there are the D10 and D11. Soon to have electric machines too there

[@pan2aja]

Is the company now run by the MBA and bean counter ??

[@jacknife10000]

@@pan2ajaI dont know what that means

[@richardmaurer9002]

If your dad designed that sorry D4H I’d like to have a chat with him

[@ROOKTABULA]

They paid him $1.00..... Typical corporation. 🤬

[@ronnieboucherthecrystalcraftsm]

to drain that cylinder you can insert a plastic tube and blow compressed across the top of the hose = make a vacum and it will suck out the water = test it and see ! = workes well !

[@davecalvo6418]

Wonderful job Marty and crew for getting that old girl running. Thats a "forestry" model dozer and those are really nice machines!

[@josephkarl2061]

It appears the top of the South Island is half bush, half discarded heavy machinery 😂

[@samblacklock9593]

Thought I was the only one who thought this 🤣 like I'm surprised he hasn't run out of machinery to fix lmao

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

@@samblacklock9593 The sheer amount of grown-in machinery they gotta have there does amaze me recurrently.

[@cv990a4]

New Zealand - a magical land of hobbits and abandoned heavy equipment. Marty's making a fair dent in the amount of abandoned heavy equipment, however.

[@tomrobertson3236]

That's a logging area

[@gala1ish]

And a fair supply of sand flies.

[@loumaga8331]

OMG, I have been running D11's for the last 10 years and it is so refreshing to see the equipment that helped start it all. Good job guys

[@Mr7yhnmki8]

That old dozer sat there all that time hoping someone would come along and put her shoes back on so she could get back to work. She happy now!!!

[@KrasherJack]

Old Cat dozers never die, just tired people...

[@DrewMarold]

It never ceases to amaze me how these old diesel engines can sit for years and with only a small amount of work, fire back up and go to town.

[@Swarm509]

They are dead simple (for an engine) which helps a lot! But still amazing bit of mechanical engineering that they can do it.

[@michaelb.42112]

It's like Jeff Goldblum starting the UFO in Independence Day. Too dated of a comment ?

[@trevorstewart8]

Diesels are far easier than petrol engines to recover. Far less components to go wrong and almost no special seals to perish.

[@eugeneclarke5572]

No computer !!! And back then , they were built to last .

[@Curtis7391-t8q]

No computer and no environmental junk on them…just simple mechanical fuel pump and injectors along with thick heavy engine blocks low rpm’s and low hp

[@markadams3047]

Wow great job guys now to restore the old Cat and your all set!

[@simsjef]

3 mates get together and decide to do what looks like the impossible - getting an old dozer which has lost a track off the side of a hill. Plus it hasn’t run in years and get it running - no big deal. Marty the drone shots and your camera work was spot on. Such an enjoyable episode.

[@tayzer22]

"Back to work" break time is over. It's amazing to me this equipment can set out for decades and still come back to life. Wow.

[@bluedunn374]

The sound of a 10mm ring spanner getting away from you…. Shivers

[@j81851]

That is one of those moments when you have a flash back to Sunday school and hear the teacher say "do not swear when you are angry". Us humans sometimes struggle with anger but I am so impressed with Marty for his kind manner, his passion for his family, his love of the underdog discarded machine like this. It says a lot about the heart of the man and his character. People like Marty are the glue that keep this crazy world together. Good on you Mate for being such a trooper.

[@Plons0Nard]

And why does it 9 out of 10 times has to be nr.10 ?!😊 What a teamwork. A true joy to witness. 👍🏻💪🏻🤝🏻🇳🇱

[@sheerluckholmes5468]

You just know that somewhere in the world there is a gazillion 10mm ring spanners and sockets all huddled together.

[@chuckdworak1909]

Why is it always the 10 mm 😆

[@MartyT]

😂

[@C2Baird]

I have watched hundreds of excavator recoveries over the years...This one tops the list of shear determination and guts. Love that you are doing the road work that it was meant to have done years ago! Kudos to the 3 of you💪💪💪

[@markditz6282]

It's like it wanted to come out of there. I loved hearing the engine come back to life! Congratulations to all involved!! I enjoyed watching the rescue evolve.

[@petropete3122]

Wow. I’m impressed fellas. Nice work. This brought a tear to my eye when she 1st fired up again. Tks for sharing.

[@BruceWSims]

My utmost respect to folks who have the skill and Faith to get an old player like this back in the Game! Well Done!!

[@SONNTAG10001]

Good to see that we still have people with the ability and know how to carry out the type of repairs that was a done in the feild daily a couple of decades ago. This was the type of repairs we as feild service mechanics undertook on a daily basis. I did 40 odd years in the trade 90 percent of that time working on heavy machinery on site. A great vocation but the old body is a bit tired now, very much like the tracks on that D4.

[@stonyjon.w1475]

Really enjoyed watching. That engine sounded beautiful. Well done all of you.

[@TruckerChick]

What an absolute gem of a machine. Nice see the old gal pushing again. Good job guys.

[@timmcfarland2736]

I have a d4d unfortunately it’s hydrostatic. As for the track cylinders I had the same problem were they would loose the grease and flip the track. The grease works as a cushion so that if a rock or something goes through the track it alows it to flex and not break the sprocket. So I removed them and reconditioned them. It’s pretty easy. Had some very large rust pits like a 1/4 inch deep . A torch some brazing sanding dosnt have to be perfect grease is thick and it is fixed I was amazed it was so easy . I did a few modifications to make it easier to take apart and put back together but I have forgotten what I did . You’re very mechanically inclined I think you would figure it out quickly.

[@MartyT]

Good idea, I'd do that if it was mine

[@walterwhitaker1395]

BRAVO! MARTY once again you have defeated dispair and brought another piece of old iron back to work!

[@pete3897]

I imagine there is quite a feeling of achievement from fixing a situation that others have given up on for so long and doing so in less than a day. Well done :)

[@MartyT]

Thanks mate.. It was a big day but well worth the effort

[@greggb1416]

Awesome gentlemen..! I could watch that machine operating for hours…, kind of mesmerizing.

[@OldGrizz59]

Just some coolant ( aka water ) 3 in one oil, 2 screw drivers, an adjustable wrench, pocket full of sockets and wrench, bailing wire, 2 minutes walking around the project, tilt the hat back and with a slow " thats not to bad" then done before beer 30 lol

[@cdpgbc-mw2kz]

Greetings from Canada. My brother and I own a D4 to plow the roads in the Winter. It has a pup motor which you have to get going first, and then you can turn over the engine and it comes to life. . A real bear when is it is -30c.

[@roybrown4944]

Beautiful just amazing

[@heighRick]

Thanks Marty, helps a lot.

[@davidbarnsley8486]

Fantastic after all that time You guys get it sorted and up and running and back to work That is so good 😍😍👍👍🇦🇺

[@julianwinn4502]

Nice work. Enjoyed seeing you bring it back to life.

[@briancalvey4997]

Very cool to see the teamwork and expertise! Thanks!

[@johnerway7255]

Great job guys, thanks for allowing us to watch. Very interesting seeing you think on the go.

[@davem4423]

Great vid, i love these old cats, they never die, a quick tinker , oil , water & a battery, shit ton of elbow grease & sack full of ingenuity. Imagine those drive by wire modern crap that need a computer , update, diagnostics tool cost thousands ......bugger all chance of getting one going, old skool engineering at its best , thanks mate perfect wet sunday nite viewing , bloody fantastic backdrop , amazing site too , you are a genius a big hello from crappy grey britain

[@jimdieseldawg3435]

Leave it precariously on a hillside for several years, then flush out some water, show it some diesel and a battery and boom - right on the button. Back when stuff was built right and engineers had at least an equal input to beancounters. Magical. Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@davidblake8612]

These days you'd need to download the latest software patch, accept the new terms and conditions and then be told "This machine is no longer supported, please contact your local dealership"

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Chinese crap sucks!!!!

[@rellis881]

​@@davidblake8612damn! Hit the nail right on the head.

[@Pow3llMorgan]

@@davidblake8612 "Your license subscription has expired"

[@Fitaroy]

Rah rah rah mate keep blabbing about how the old gear is better. Thing is the new machines are light years ahead in terms of capability. Don’t feel bad that tech has passed you by, there’s plenty of young blokes who have the new gear worked out just fine.

[@hhardwood]

It was sooo good to watch these guys succeed.

[@110americalovingpatriot2]

Absolutely beautiful scenery wherever you guys are at👍🏻

[@cfa61]

-- What a treat! Thank you. -- For chaps who drive on the wrong side of the road, you are huge optimists, and admirable practical fixers. -- Did a repair like that on a Model Zero (memory) John Deere dozer. In the winter, in Jackson Hole, WY. A stack of blocks of solid wood, a bottle jack, a come-along and chain winch, and... an 8' cheater bar will solve much. -- Cheater bars still do not come in metric, do they? :-) Thanks, best.

[@MC-ft8zv]

Beautiful old girl, quality machines from the day..try leaving a new dozer out for 5 years, there would be nothing left except the plastic computer box. . Great video, teamwork by like minded guys makes for a good time. Thanks for sharing Marty!

[@BaronVonBeef]

From someone living in a busy city in the UK I love seeing the views you have while driving to/from locations, It's amazing

[@465painkiller465]

Visiting NZ is one of the greatest experiences of my life

[@sd3457]

I feel the same, and I'm in Auckland!

[@skasev]

You mean you can recover equipment without a low boy, a black hawk, 3 Sani’s and a Nikola sales pitch? Unbelievable! Great vid as always!

[@MartyT]

😆 They've got all the toys

[@thaddeustroyer]

😂😂😂😂 had me rollin. Was thinking the same thing. You forgot to mention, getting everything they brought stuck trying to get what was originally stuck, "unstuck" and recovered.

[@Theupstateidiots]

Amen. There was a time where I did all my winter recovery with a chainfall and chains. Get a length, shorten chain and re rig. Took forever but it worked.

[@86FxBdyCpe]

Don't forget about the HET, Snowcat and the rest of his million dollar BULLSHIT!

[@ezipezy]

And the ether

[@Heysupdan]

Absolutely amazing save Marty, love watching your videos!❤❤❤

[@ni_wink84]

So amazing to see that old machine pushing dirt again!! Great job!

[@Barnagh1]

My favourite part of seeing old tracked machines brought back into use is to see the tracks and blades get shiny again when the gravel cleans off the rust. It looks great to have a shining blade on a dozer.

[@mrjaylesmeister]

I love how he puts it right back to work, finishing what it started so many years ago.

[@tezsullivan6048]

Amazing effort guys getting it going and back on it's feet in one day. Tough old machine that idled very smooth considering how long it hadn't been running. Awesome effort and awesome video 👍👍👍

[@Hastnaset]

Great work guy´s, really love seeing old machines getting back to life and being useful again.

[@emehlhar]

A testament to Kiwi skill, hard work, and never give up ethic.

[@basiljeffrey5926]

I had the pleasure of owning and operating one of these machines,did many Ks of hours . With some tlc , great machine !

[@Ricardo-8369]

That was super neat. I always love hearing old machines roar back to life and see them get another chance at life. Thanks!

[@ajo3085]

What a great video and satisfying result for you guys. It took me back to my childhood a bit too. I grew up in a country town in Australia and we were about an hour from the coast. My dad was a keen fisherman so we made many trips back and forth over the years. To get to the coast we had to go through heavy forest and there were a lot of timber plantations amongst them. One of our favourite landmarks was an old dozer one of the mills had abandoned just off the side of the road. It was estimated to have spent about 30 years sitting there slowly rusting away before the local council decided it had to go. Apparently the crew who were sent down to remove it were less than thrilled to find the local snake population had set up home in it in fairly substantial numbers. Glad you guys avoided that!

[@Qspecialman]

South Island is a special place. On a visit towards the fjords we can across a WW2 Chevy truck sign written with “Underground Airways “ Real Kiwi sense of humour. Great country.

[@kennetharntson5912]

50 years ago just out of college I got a job in New Guinea ( Irian Jaya) building pipelines in the jungle there. Seismic teams exploring the jungle found two D6 Cat sidebooms abandoned by the Dutch during WW2. They had found oil and had been building pipelines before the war there. We had D6 wide track dozer that pulled the sidebooms into our camp where our mechanics went to work on them and actually got then running. I remembered looking at the counter weights that looked hand made and saw a metal tag on then that read Caterpillar Works Argentina 1929 stamped on it. Some how the mechanics were able to remove the old gas jocky starter motors and install electric starters and the sidebooms were put to work dragging out logs for a sawmill we had for making lumber for our camp construction. That was all very amazing for a 24 year old man from Louisiana in 1973.

[@kristopherkerr4128]

Inspiring work gentlemen! Greetings from Southern Oregon.

[@41dodgee300]

It's good to see old quality equipment run and still have a purpose!

[@frankfarklesberry]

Amazing what was accomplished with a few guys, some sketchy tools from a pickup, and a lot of knowledge. Thank goodness that didn't roll over on anyone. Cheers!

[@barrybegley5379]

A Testament to 2 things. Caterpillar's built in quality and longevity, and Marty's quiet, calm determination to succeed with the task at hand. Always entertaining quality video. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Ontario, Canada.

[@craigchristensen6082]

Ahhhh, another dozer rescue. What a great way to end an evening.

[@jafo9346]

Absolutely outstanding, Marty. You and your mates there, did one fine job of rescueing that poor, stranded dozer. Cheers! Crack on!

[@austinado16]

Fantastic work Marty, Jamie, and Sonny! Incredible how perfectly the engine ran, and how, after a bit of working-against-a-load time, the steering clutches broke loose, and she went right back to what she'd been doing. Really great to see be saved.

[@brucemitchell4581]

Great job with this project guys I enjoyed it very much

[@ManxAndy]

That was awesome……cheers Marty 👍😉🇮🇲

[@mauiazn32]

Caterpillar tractors from the 60-70s were made so well.. I had 4 on my farm from the mid 70s.. D7s… sat for maybe a decade in the elements.. never garaged.. just changed the batteries .. bled the fuel lines.. and they started right up.. amazing engines. Literally last forever. Just had to change belts and some o rings on the hydraulic lines.. very very well made tractors.

[@berjo77]

Watching this gives me regrets I didn’t get into this work as a career. Great job!

[@jimmyj2563]

As an Aussie I’m supposed to give our kiwi cousins a bit of attitude. But, I have to admit they are a tenacious and clever crew that are absolutely able to do a lot with a little.. thumbs up from the West Island!!

[@wanderer7755]

Yeh totally agree , our Anzac cousins have a ton of ingenuity . no nonsense people

[@gtestastretta1]

ANZAC power! We’re a team at the end of the day.

[@POCarton]

What a great video, nice work guys. It is amazing how these machines hold up. If cars were made like that they would last forever.

[@cameronskaggs4188]

You guys are awesome to restore that bulldozer and to clear the roads❤

[@WaynesAdventure]

It’s great to see these machines come back to life. Thanks to you guys 👍

[@MrNosajwhitey]

Just the right people with enough knowledge to make everything work without making it worse

[@richardford4570]

Great job boys and you have a pretty good operator there .cheers from Australia 🇦🇺

[@arboristo4407]

Love to see old machinery come back to life 👍 ! Nice work gentlemen!!

[@ditherdather]

What an enjoyable project to spend the day on and get to know your neighbors.

[@johngrace199]

What a grand gesture...old dozer dormant for years, you and some buddies say we can put that thing back together, do this as a favor to the gentleman. Great job Marty...an even better story.

[@stephaniewilson3955]

Those old machines were built to survive abuse and misuse. Another amazing rescue.

[@obee1kanobee]

What a great day, three Lads working on an resurrecting an old beast. Bravo

[@rosco4659]

Feel so chilled after watching this. Nice and simple format. Just the lads messing with a machine.

[@VladDrakull1]

Nice teamwork, working hard and having fun, great day.

[@robwoodke6592]

I was a heavy equipment road mechanic for a rental company for 33 years (retired) and I had to do this on a construction site. It took three men and a Bobcat. You did it on a side incline with just four men. I’m very impressed. This is exactly why I love watching your videos. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@jasmith1867]

This was a very satisfying video. I hope the old dozer is still serving someone well.

[@TheOneWhoMightBe]

I'm continually amazed at how you can leave these things sitting in a field for who knows how many years, and with just a couple of hours work and some basic tools, they can be up an running again.

[@eldonmiller955]

Also seems NZ is blessed with hills made from what looks to be really good road base. You got rock, fines, and some clay right where you are cutting!

[@josephcure7376]

you guys made my heart swell!! bringing back to life these old machines..there are no words..thank you all for what you do!!

[@oldtimer449]

Old soldiers never die ! Bravo !

[@ianjohnston2361]

Great job.... A very happy machine... 👍 🇬🇧

[@unclefranko2452]

Well done guys ,one of the best reclaim video's i have seen for a long time , she was obviously looked after before she lost a track Runs sweet now . All the best from England 🇬🇧 regards uncle Franko😊

[@markburns2545]

Awesome vlog and job boys....am super impressed with this....thanks...😊😊😊....well done 👏

[@___PK__]

Perfect little dozer with a huge skidding winch! Awesome rescue!

[@oak699]

Caterpillar New Zealand better send you guys a crate of beers each for this brilliant endorsement of their machines. If they don't, everyone will think them downride stingy 😅

[@darcieedmunds2370]

You more likely to get a bill

[@bardricmacgregore4863]

I'm impressed. A seemingly junk cat saved and made right with the world. The end grading was a nice anecdote to the life expectancy of a cat. Good on ya mates!

[@46fd04]

WOW! I am impressed what you guys have done. Well done!!!

[@TheRonnyL]

Stunning video guys…This is real fun! 😊👍

[@rustymckinley3398]

Great job gentlemen!! Love seeing these old machines come back to life!!

[@charlesroberts6965]

That's some absolutely amazing work done in some very tough conditions..quite the job having it done in the shop...let alone out in the bush and the addition of a thrown track as well. Some great wrenching 👨‍🔧🛠️😕🤠🔧🧰 and a job well done. Appreciate you taking us along for an amazing adventure.😊👍

[@tellyjoossens4186]

That's the way a video should be ! To the point, no funky background music, no ads, no 2 hour long bla bla bla. Everything we need and want to see is there! Why didn't I find this stuff earlier?

[@WiseOwl_1408]

You sound like you goon to this

[@webstercat]

I watch them all

[@edsmachine93]

Nice to see this Old D4d Cat come back to life Marty. Working like it was supposed to do. The Old Cat sounds really good. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day.

[@Davett53]

Great!....My buddy rescued a 1920s era CASE brand dozer, (in the USA). In around 1973,....my friend was a back to nature fellow, bought some un-farmable land , in what is called in the US, a "holler",.....a heavily wooded (crevice), with large sandstone outcroppings,.....surrounding areas are farms, in a very hilly area. So he was offered a free CASE brand treaded dozer, sunken in a peat bog,....probably setting for 25 years or more. All he had to do was tow it out. The CASE dozer, had a hand crank engine, he contacted CASE which manufactured them in Ohio, in the USA. They identified it as one of their earliest models from the 1920s. The mucky peat, preserved the dozer. He simply hosed it down with water, and found it was to be easily restored. The hydraulics were sound, hoses too. Grease was still good. Rust was minimal. Treads intact. A weeks worth of work and it started up like a champ. He went on to using it down at his "holler", to haul timber out of his woods. A year before, he rescued a 1940s, (portable) sawmill, that ran off of leather belts. He began making money, cutting logs to be used for railroad timbers, (ties).

[@geraldharkness8830]

bloody excellent job,great team effort!

[@bobuncle8704]

What a tribute to a great piece of equipment