CAT0287BCZSA03116 Looks as if I am going to tackle this leak myself. I think I need to pull the track off to get to the hose ends. I looked in there and there appeared to be no way to get a wrench to the hose ends for tightening or removal with the track in place. Is this a correct observation? Alas, it is a hose, good news for me! It is one of the hoses to the drive motor, comes from the pump (area) I'm sure. I lifted the cab but will likely need to free the drive motor end of the hose and wiggle it to see where it comes into the main frame, then trace it to its other end. Does the 'book' have one removing the track and drive motor to get the hose off of that end? I may be able to access it with a crow's foot, but it looks difficult at best. I could cut the line at the fitting and get a socket on there for removal, but that won't help me install the new line. Also, it looked like there were 2 bolts that held the slide/tension plate locked down. Is that it besides the threaded adjuster as far as loosening the tension for removing the track? TIA
I’ve done about every repair you can make on a 277B. The drive motor end of the hose “should” be a flange type fitting so there are four bolts to get loose but only two need to come out so you can wrestle the hose out. I have done them with the track on so unless there are major differences between the two you should be able to cuss your way to getting it free without track removal. That’s the lesser of the two evils if you don’t have the tool to help tension the track with the front top set of idlers. If the belly is full of crap my preferred method to clean one is a screwdriver and a shop vac. Break stuff up and suck it out. The fittings will be running front to back and if it’s the bottom hose the top will have to come off to gain access. The clamps holding the hoses where they pass through the frame is fun too . 1-3/8” wrench on the fitting inside the frame and I want to say 9/16 (maybe 14mm?) on the flange hardware at the motor. -12 flat face o-ring cap and plug for the inside fitting. Those hoses are stiff when new so get your hose routed, do the flange fitting and then the one inside the machine. Track tension occurs in two places. The top front idler and at the very back. Since you’re installing the same track dropping the front idler should get you enough slack. If not the rear idler will have to slide forward as well. When I wrestle them on by myself I use another machine to shove them on.....they’re harder than say a 289 or 299. If you’re still lost I can pull your machine up on SIS and send the info.
I could see the drive motor end of the hose with more contortionist work. It threads into/onto the motor, no flange. It looks like this with 2 places to hold with a wrench. I am not sure if it is male or female, but that isn't relevant I guess.. This MTL has the ASV undercarriage. Thank you for your help!
If you can't get to the hose in situ, you don't need to remove the entire track. Remove the adjuster bar, lift up the track and slide the motor assembly all the way forward. Insert the pivot bolt (5) and you will be able to swing the entire motor and mounting bracket away from the machine.
Oh, and the hoses should have ORFS fittings.
So the adjuster bar is the only thing that holds track tension? There are no 'cinch' bolts like a chainsaw adjustment? From my cursory inspection earlier, I thought #5 above may have been a 'cinch' bolt.
The adjuster moves the track motor and it is then held in place by bolts at locations 1 and 2. Location 3 is well forward of the motor and is only used during repair to swing the motor outwards. (Yes sorry, I should have mentioned removing the mounting bolts as well. I assumed you knew about them)
The whole hydraulic fluid issue confuses the heck out of me. Some guys say 10w, some guys say 30w, some guys say engine oil. I dont get it. I just recently drained the reservoir on my CT322, and refilled it with an ISO68, which near as I can tell is a 20w. I went with that because it was the only one that said specifically on the bucket that it was good for final drives. Who knows, my theory is fresh new oil has gotta be better than old dirty used up oil of any sort. Hope I'm not wrong to the tune of new finals lol
The "hydraulic fluid issue" is a lot to do with climate & ambient temperature. To avoid problems with hydraulic system response on a cold machine the oil has to flow right from the get-go. Cold climates generally need a thinner fluid than hot ones. Viscosity-wise ISO68 is actually closer to being an SAE30 than a 20. For your climate (esp. in winter time) I would have said it was a tad too heavy, but if your machine runs OK with it right from a cold start is the acid test. If it was a Cat machine in your location I'd go with SAE10W hydraulic oil. Your machine manual may say something different.
Does the undercarriage manufacture affect the travel motor lines, or are the travel motors themselves part of the ASV undercarriage setup..? On a machine with Cat undercarriage the lines look like this...........
^^^^^^^^ Part #1 in this diag. That would be nice if it terminates there and I could get to it from the outside of the machine!
Thanks Nige, I believe my CT322 actually calls for the same JD oil in the hydraulics as the engine uses, if you are using JD fluids that is. Which I imagine is a multi viscosity, and probably on the thicker side when cold. Which is probably why there is a big warning message in the cab stating that you need to let the machine idle for at least 10 minutes after start up in temps colder than 32 degrees to avoid hydraulic system damage. Sorry Ianjoub, didn't mean to hijack your thread.
Both Junkyard & CMark were right. Hose #1 has ORFS fittings both ends, hoses #2 & 3 have ORFS one end and Cat flange-face fittings at the other. Would disconnecting hoses #2 & 3 at the motor end give you any more space to remove hose #1..? Part Number of the Hose is 218-6639 if that's any help. With your machine having different undercarriage that P/N may or may not be correct.
Removing a roller or 2 from the squirrel cage looks like the best option. Still looking for the other end of the hose, it is buried. Looks like the hose wore through from rubbing on a bogie wheel. I'll have to rig something up to keep the new (and other old) hose from rubbing any more. It also seems that a few bearings on bogie wheels have disintegrated, sorry I found that. Ignorance was bliss.
Looking at the breakdown of the hose, the Bill of Materials calls for an external abrasion sleeve on the outside of it to prevent the type of rubbing damage you found. If the failed hose doesn't have that type of protection it could explain a lot.
It is present, and worn through as well. I'll just weld on a bracket to hold the hoses off of the abrasion points and likely wrap the hyd hose with some heater hose for added protection.
I run TO4 spec 10W in almost everything here. Even with 10W, @10°F, if the hydraulics aren't babied/ warmed on my Takeuchi TL150 machines, the hyd filter under the cab will suck shut.
Wow! Is it a metal screw on filter like an engine oil filter?
Cartridge in an aluminum screw on can. This one...
Technically, it blows shut, as it is right after a gear pump.
HMC, I know that it's been discussed on other threads but have you ever tried (or do you know anyone who has) an SAE 0W/20 TO4 in place of 10W..?
Looks like it is time for a $7000 cash infusion. I need all 10 idler groups, 20 mounting plates, 2 hoses, 2 sprocket rebuild sets, and need to weld one of the undercarriage frames where it is broken. This turned into a real project. The drive motors did swing out of the way easily, GOOD DESIGN! I did end up fighting both tracks off for a thorough inspection of everything. That was my big mistake, the one that let me find all the other crap that was wrong. Is NT heavy tractor my best bet?
When installing these, what is recommended, grease or never seize?
I would say nothing on the the rollers and bolt, maybe some neverseize on the threads though.
It is bolt, bushing, roller. There needs to be something in there to lube it and keep corrosion at bay, in my opinion. You say no? Why? Would it attract unwanted dirt and cause excessive wear?
No, it needs to run dry or it creates a nice grinding compound in there. I had a 287B, put 2200 hours on it and never messed with the “squirrel cage” but I did replace some idler wheels and bearings in the undercarriage.....and drive hoses too
^^^^^^^ Thanks!
Vine and Branch or Track Loader Parts will have what you need. Also check out Bair Products for undercarriage parts. I have used all three for my ASVs