Installed new undercarriage on 953C. Got everything put back together and tried to tighten tracks. Both sides will not tighten and grease just oozes out the end of the piston. What are my options? I tried pulling the idler out a little and greasing with no luck.
What about the possibility of the chrome of the piston surfaces of the tensioner being damaged so that when you retracted the track tensioners you tore up the seals..? f I understand you correctly that's where the grease is coming out.
Yes. I think that is correct. I know I need to break the tracks again. I just don’t know exactly how to pull out that piston to get to the seals. I can’t find and good pictures for instructions.
Is it possibly the seals are in backwards? Maybe I spoke to soon. Were the adjusters reseal when you had the tracks off? New seals in the adjusters are probably the least expensive part of this whole operation.
I didn’t install new seals on the piston. All I did was put on new idler.
First time to install undercarriage. Will definitely put new seals in the adjusters if I ever do it again. So what is the best way to get the piston out? Do I take out the 2 big bolts around the piston?
These are the bolts I am talking about. Do I need to remove them to take out the piston? I can’t find much info on this part.
It has been years since I have been around a 953. A parts book if nothing else would give you quite a bit of insight into how it comes apart. A service manual would be much better.
I’ve been looking online for pics but can’t seem to find any that give good detail.
Cat has most manuals on line if you want to down load them on pdf. Nige could definitely send you in the right direction for them. Very reasonable in price for the information that is contained in them.
I’ll post something first thing tomorrow morning. Meantime a Serial Number would help.
Pull the idler off as in the picture the piston will stay in the frame put a new seal in the rod. This part is a little tricky I normally put a board or spacer between the recoil spring and the piston to keep it pushed to the front. Then slide the idler and tube together. You can take the tube off the idler if you need to but I never do. also on the piston where you pump the tracks up there is a bracket bolted to it with 2 bolts there is a o ring under there replace it too is is a small fat o ring have to get it from cat No need to pull those 2 bolts unless you want to change the bushings plus they are a real bear to get out
Also I don't know if you are aware but on the track in your picture you see tht big plug you need to unscrew it and you will find a grease fitting in there this greases the rod and bushing.I have rebuilt many of these because no one greases it
2J6274 is the o ring part #
Serial # 02ZN05477
Here is what I did this morning.
It looked like this before I pulled the idler forward.
if this is where it is leaking there is a o ring under that plate or you did not tiggten the grease valve back
Must be the o ring. Definitely tightened the grease valve several times wishing it was the problem.
Well if you have the tracks apart you might as well put the adjuster seals in it I always do it when I do tracks
Do I need to remove the bulkhead too?
No I explained it look back to my earlier post you just have to put a block in between the rod and recoil spring that will allow you to start the rod in the cylinder part that the idler is connected to its is not to hard to do, I usually get it started then take a bar and pry the rod into the cyl.
Ok. Will give it a try tomorrow. Thank you
Starbuxs I've had to replace this grease fitting before on my BBX 953. Is the grease coming out of the top of the fitting or around the base? The one I had to change the grease was coming back out the top at the ball valve. Thought at first we had a leaking track adjuster seal as the track wouldn't stay tight but it was just the fitting. I am looking at a UC for my 953 this year and I'll do the track adjuster seals whether it needs it or not due to age - 15 YRS. What brand UC did you go with and how much did it cost?
Grease is coming from the base. We bought ITR We bought everything including the 4 guards for the back and the 4 guards for the front. 15k
Thanks for the info. Total Cat parts including the kitchen sink and dishwasher is around $26K - no labor. Here's a schematic of a BBX track adjuster- I assume the 2ZN is the same. #5 the grease fitting is around $50 FYI.
Thank you for that schematic!!! That’s exactly what I needed!! We priced Caterpillar too!! 26k including labor. I really wanted to go with Cat but they shot theirselves out of the water.
While I'm not familiar with the 953C maybe these instructions can help. If there is more I can see what I can find on SIS. There are also instruction on disassembling and then reassembling just let me know what you could use and I'll see if I can find it.
Wow you guys are awesome!! Thank you so much for this info!!! It will be much easier now. Any information you can send is greatly appreciated!!!! Thank you
Cat says to pull he bulkhead but i have never pulled it to reseal and I have done a bunch of them
Ok. Got the bulkhead out and the piston. Do I need to replace the seal around the bulkhead part? Here is a pic.
there is there is a no seal there there is one where the rod goes in to the bulkhead it is just a grease seal if it is still in place then it should be OK if it is not there or beat out then the bushings are loose