The two-hole side base on the J400 loader nose
The J400 rung is where the loader ladder turns into a different kind of machine — 980 and 982 class buckets that load blasted rock rather than rehandle stockpiles — and the adapter tables give that class four different castings to put under the same teeth. 6I-8243 is the side-mounted one, bolted through two holes per side, and it is the heaviest of them all: 35.1 kg and 273 × 207 × 45 mm, printed against the 980 and 982, published as a pair with 6I-8244.
Its width is what distinguishes it from the rest of the family. Where the J300 two-hole casting 8E-5308 is 163 mm across and the J350 8E-5358 is 180 mm, 6I-8243 is 207 mm — and the strap thickness matches the bigger class at 45 mm, the same plate dimension as the flush weld-on 107-3404 and the top bolt-on 6I-9898 on this rung. A base 207 mm wide under a 45 mm strap is a casting sized for the loads a 980 puts through the lip when the bucket is loaded off a face.
The J400 teeth it takes
Five profiles are printed for the J400 rung. The base does not restrict which one goes on — the application does:
| Profile | Tooth | Weight | A × B × C | Where it earns its money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard long | 7T-3402 | 9.4 kg | 267 × 119 × 107 mm | Rehandle and general loading on a 980 |
| Heavy duty long | 8E-4402 | 10.8 kg | 278 × 119 × 101 mm | Quarry and aggregate — 1.4 kg more wear metal than standard |
| Wide profile | 107-3400 | 11.7 kg | 268 × 119 × 207 mm | Wide coverage across the point, softer materials |
| Abrasion | 7T-3403 | 13.4 kg | — | Sand, coal and slag — wear along the body |
| Rock penetration HD | 135-9400 | 16.9 kg | 312 × 119 × 45 mm | Blasted rock and tight faces — 1.8 times the standard tooth |
On a 980 the profile choice moves more metal than the base choice does: 135-9400 carries 7.5 kg more than the 7T-3402 standard long on the same 6I-8243 casting, where the step from the top bolt-on 6I-9898 up to this side casting is 7.6 kg. Both decisions are real, but only the profile is free to change at the next tooth order — the base is welded or drilled into the lip, so getting the mounting right first is the part that cannot be revisited cheaply.
Where the 6I-8243 sits in the J400 base family
| Mounting | Number | Weight | Printed size | Machine lines | Fastener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top bolt-on | 6I-9898 | 27.5 kg | 460 × 156 × 45 mm | 977 / 983 / 980 | Bolt 5P-8361, nut 5P-8362 |
| Side, two holes | 6I-8243 / 6I-8244 | 35.1 kg | 273 × 207 × 45 mm | 980 / 982 | Bolt 5P-8361, nut 3K-9770 |
| Flush weld-on | 107-3404 | 19.6 kg | 450 × 92 mm, 38–50 mm weld | 966 / 970 / 980 | Welded to the lip |
| Weld-on heavy duty | 125-8404 / 8405 / 8406 | 18.7 / 19.7 / 19.7 kg | 415 × 124 × 48 mm | 966 / 970 / 980 | Welded to the lip |
| Weld-on heavy duty | 114-0464 / 0465 / 0466 | 20.8 / 22.5 / 22.5 kg | 435 × 150 × 50 mm | 972 / 980 / 988 | Welded to the lip |
The spread on this rung is 16.4 kg per point between the lightest weld-on heavy duty casting (125-8404 at 18.7 kg) and this base (35.1 kg) — 393.6 kg across a 24-point lip. On a face-loading 980 that weight is deliberate; the bolts are holding a bigger casting because the lip was built to take it. On a rehandle bucket it is money carried for nothing, and the lighter weld-on family is the one the catalogue prints for the same machines. Mounting method first, then weight.
How to confirm you need the two-hole J400 casting
- Count the bolt holes per side. Two means this casting; the top bolt-on rows on the same rung bolt down through the base instead.
- Measure the strap width. Around 207 mm across the pocket points at 6I-8243 over the 163 mm J300 or 180 mm J350 side castings.
- Check the machine. 980 and 982 are printed against this base; the 977 and 983 appear against the top bolt-on 6I-9898.
- Send the pin you pulled. J400 teeth run pin 7T-3408 (116-7408) with retainer 8E-8409 (166-7409) — a pin off a J350 will not cross over.
- Say how many points and which positions. Side castings wear hardest at the corners, so the count of left, centre and right matters more than the total.
FAQ
Q: Which loaders take the Cat 6I-8243 adapter?
A: The loader adapter tables print it for Cat 980 and 982 wheel loaders, as the side bolt-on base with two holes per side — 35.1 kg and 273 × 207 × 45 mm, published as a pair with 6I-8244. The same J400 rung is also printed with the top bolt-on 6I-9898, so the machine badge on its own does not tell you which casting is on the bucket.
Q: What is the difference between the 6I-8243 and the 6I-9898?
A: 7.6 kg and the direction of the bolts. 6I-8243 bolts through the side of the casting, two holes per side, at 35.1 kg and 273 × 207 × 45 mm on a 980 / 982. 6I-9898 bolts down through the base into the lip, at 27.5 kg and 460 × 156 × 45 mm, printed for 977 / 983 / 980. Across 24 points the heavier casting adds 182.4 kg to the order.
Q: Which teeth and pin does this base take?
A: J400 teeth on pin 7T-3408 (116-7408) with retainer 8E-8409 (166-7409): 7T-3402 standard long (9.4 kg), 8E-4402 heavy duty long (10.8 kg), 107-3400 wide (11.7 kg), 7T-3403 abrasion (13.4 kg) and 135-9400 rock penetration HD (16.9 kg).
Q: Which bolts and nuts hold the 6I-8243?
A: Bolt 5P-8361 with nut 3K-9770. The bolt is shared with the top bolt-on J300 to J450 castings, but those rows are published with nut 5P-8362 instead — 3K-9770 is the nut used behind the 8T-9079 and 6V-6535 bolts on the J300 and J350 two-hole side bases. We quote bolt and nut as a matched pair against the base number.
Sources
Adapter numbers, published weights, printed A × B × C dimensions, machine lines, the bolt and nut pairs and the J400 tooth data on this page are taken from the loader adapter and loader teeth tables of the COHIDREX TRASTEEL TSJ catalogue (metric). 6I-8243 is an aftermarket cross-reference number: Caterpillar and the part numbers referenced are the property of their respective owners and are used here to confirm fitment only. Weights are the catalogued figures — the casting is weighed again before it ships and the weight goes on the packing list.