Good Morning, I have this farm dozer that the track adjuster blew out on. I got the seal kit and searched every pin to try to find one that looked different as a master but they all appear identical. So having not done this before I pulled a couple grousers over the idler and started after the pin with a large round bar/punch and a 12 lb sledge. After many blows, liberal oil and no movement I lit the torch and applied copious amounts of heat around the links. Something in the pin smelled and smoked like rubber which I was not expecting. With my 21 yo son helping we went through several rounds of heat and beat with no sign of even a cat whisker of movement. So I am looking for advice or pointers. If I have to carry to a shop to press it out and repair it then I will but it would be dandy if I could manage it here. Thanks from East Texas
Those are probably SALT rails, which I think stands for "sealed and lubricated tracks", so I believe there are rubber seals and possibly oil or grease in them. I'm sure someone that knows more than I do will come along and correct me if I'm wrong.
Hey thanks for the reply. I learned something. And that would make sense with the awful stink I smoked out of this pin.
My 850D has this type of link to allow separation:
Those are SALT chains. The bushings that ride against the sprocket teeth don't interlock with the big ends of the links and they are essentially a chain full of master pins. In the hollows that are on the inside of the big ends of the links will be seals to keep the oil in place. The rubber plugs you see on the outside of the big ends of the links is wear the oil is injected into the pin that is drilled so oil will fill the space between the pin and the inside of the bushing. The master link shown above is known as an alligator link and is held together by the pad bolts. The pins are pressed in using a 100 ton press. The only way to remove them now is to press them out or burn a hole inside the center of the pin with a torch to let the pin crush and then you can remove it.
Hey I really appreciate that advice. As I do not have a 100 ton press, but do have a oxy acetylene torch I guess that makes the choice easy.
Ha ha ha, I can remove a good old style track pin with a small ball peen hammer. Well a 2 or 3 pounder works a bit better. I refuse to wreck myself over those stupid pins. Sure a nice track press would have been wonderful, but at the price of one of those we could buy some decent tracks for 2 or so machines back in the day I suppose. Just torch it out. Grind out the holes with a die grinder for easy install of new one and tap it in and weld both ends. Job done. And hands and arms and back not broken.
Hey man that is outstanding advice. Plan to hop back on it in the morning. Live and learn.
If you have sealed & lubricated tracks, there is always a master link. One link different to all the others. To split the track, find the link, unbolt & remove the grouser plate, use a 2lb hammer to separate the "hooks" & your done. The oxy torch is dramatically shortening the life of your chain!
Afternoon fellas. Thank you again for all the advice. I did end up pressure washing the chains and I did find the interlinking links folks described above. I never knew such.a thing existed. I am going to add some more pics here in case it helps someone down the road. Lord knows ancient forum posts about a problem have helped me more than once. We got the track plate over the split link removed but broke one bolt off. We were able to get it apart by supporting the left half while using a punch to strike down on to the broken stud with a 5lb hand hammer. Oiled the broken stud and will tackle it with a pipe wrench later. The Two bolts that serve as stops for the idler were stuck too so I torch cut them for later replacement. I pulled the grease zerk/ check and began pulling the chrome rod by hand. Until it stopped. I do not see a retention clip in the end of the cylinder nor any type of set screw. I thought * would ask here if there was something I was missing before I got rough with it. Also, and I confess I have never had one of these apart before. The idler has A LOT of play. leftt, right and side to side and I Guessing this is undesirable. Thought I would ask though before I took it apart ( like I wish I had done fire I started working on that SALT pin with 4000 degrees of flame). Anyway, thank you everyone for the helpful advice.
Adjuster
After some looking, I am going to guess that this bushing in the idler is out.
So I guess that just leaves me the question of getting the rod out of the cylinder for the track adjuster. It feels and looks like it is nearly out but comes to a stop before coming out.
Am I missing a trick?
How are you trying to separate it; are you pulling it apart, or pumping grease into it?
I tried pumping it with air which pushed out till it stopped and then the grease pumped up and out around the seal. Then I have just tried manually pulling it out by hand.
I'm not familiar with your machine there, but on the ones I've been involved with getting apart it's hard grease and corrosion that stops them popping out. Doesn't look like a lot to hold onto on the outer end.
Have you a service manual? There is a thread on this forum, [or from the manufacturer?] will help maintenance. Also the parts surfer might have some clues from: Parts Catalog for CASE CE Heavy Equipment - Crawler Dozers 800 Find technical drawings, OEM part fitment and assembly guides for Case CE Heavy Equipment - Crawler Dozers 800 www.mycnhstore.com
Well, you are right on "not much to hold onto" part. I thought about hanging it by the idler and trying to see if gravity can help me pop it out. Then if no luck, I could try to see if I could pump it with grease to help pop it free. I will work on it again in the morning.
Hey thanks for that, no...I don't have a service manual but that is a good suggestion
Righteo, just checked the service manual for an 1150D and as John says above, it just pumps out, so there might be a different approach for the 850K which has a "spacer" item #12 in the parts list whilst the one in my service manual doesn't. I have seen these as a single replacement part in after market sellers where the yoke and cylinder are all new and a drop in solution, maybe this is one course to check out.
When the rod jams and won't slide out (pulled with a 750kg lever chain hoist) have tried pushing back in and pulling a few times, if that don't work then pushing back in and pumping full of grease does work - it's amazing the force behind a 10,000 psi grease gun. But it might depend on how ragged the seals are. Good luck
She will come out. I would put that nub on the end of the shaft in a vice and maybe a little heat on the cylinder, might get that hard grease and maybe a little rust, to let loose.
Or weld a washer or chain link on the end to pull on, cut it off afterwards.