Got the D5 home yesterday, did some cleaning on it today, looks like I will be changing at least 1 track tension spring, it appears to be broke (it has an offset in spring and no gap between those coils) not sure if I can change it or if I will need special tools for the spring. Found out the hours on the engine hour meter are hours on engine since overhaul now showing 02089 they said it has not turned over (new meter installed at overhaul). It was 28 deg's F when we started it and it fired right up without either and hardly any smoke. The brake problem they think is linkage, brakes were replaced last year but soon afterwards they lost one brake and last week when they moved it they said the other just let loose and is like other side, one of the guys said he thought they had forgot to put washer on rod and the nut pulled through?? will have to wait and see what the service manual shows before I start into it, hopefully will have the books next week. Will start looking for sprocket segments, tracks and idlers soon, about half of bottom rollers have been replaced. Pivot points on the blade seem to be good and not much wear, will need to replace center part of cutting edge it has corners broken out at joints. Anyone know a good place to get the rubber seals for windows will need to replace some of smaller glass (have friend that can cut me the glass) and no way I can use old rubber. Russell
To safely remove the spring you need to torch cut it enough to release all the preload....don't want it flying out of there. To replace it you have to compress the spring and retain it with a NEW center bolt & nut. I wouldn't reuse the old bolt as they can be unsafe. Cat shows using a special hydraulic press tool to compress the spring and retain with the center bolt. Some guys will use a shop press, but that would scare me. Don't know about a D5, but on a D6c there is about 4" of preload on the spring that amounts to 25,000 lbs pressure.
Thanks for the advice I was wondering the best way to remove it. May see if Cat shop can preload spring for me, for a price I'm sure, but would probably be safer.
Unless you have some knowledge of the system. I'd leave the spring to an undercarriage shop. They can maim or kill a guy pretty quick. If you want to take a quick look at your steering brake linkage, right under the fuel tank are two covers held on with 3/8 bolts. Whip those off and you can see if the linkage is intact. Mine had a cotter pin wear out in the linkage and let a pin fall out. Also, make sure there's no water or gunk in the housings, should be drain plugs at the bottom to drain and clean them out.