Changed my transmission fluid/filters/screens…. Went to change finals fluid and filter and the oil level is above the fill level… odd. Any idea on what I did wrong or what is wrong. When changing tranny fluid. All fluid was drained from plug on bottom of machine… no side plugs were opened.
That could be an indication of the upper pinion seals leaking internally between the steering clutch compartment and causing the final drive to be overfull. It happened on my 46a. At the time, the finals showed no unusual wear so i removed the canopy, fuel tank etc. And the steering clutch covers. Then the steering clutches and then removed the upper pinions through the steering clutch compartments and took them to a guy who had the tooling to pull the hubs and press them back on after the seals were changed. Mine had the old lip-type seals and were hard and worn out. Maybe yours does too or i think there was a field-installed kit available to convert to duo-cone seals or maybe the newer serial number range came with duo-cone seals. What does your parts book show?
You can change the pinion seals and or bearings when you have the final apart when you change the sprocket hubs. Bob
I’ve had D8’s transferring like this before over the years. Yes,it could be a sign that something is going to let go expensive style. However,they are all 40/50 years old and most likely the seals are simply hard and weeping when it’s stood. Let them settle and weep through into the final drive casing,then top up your oil level in the transmission. Most likely,it will run for ever. I’ve had them like this and still done 10/12 hour shifts without issues. Probably weeping after months of being stood.Drain the finals off and they’ll probably take a long time to fill back up again for the duration of a job.If they fill up quickly though,you’ve got a problem and they need taking apart
It was totally fine and was being worked regularly. Now it has sat for about a year while I rebuild the ripper cylinders and was deployed for a long time. So now I’m finally getting back to it and this was what I noticed. I’ll drain it off and go from there. Thank you!
I’ll take a look and get back to you, thank you very much for then info though!
The odds are a few possible faults here but I am no expert, firstly check all the breather points on the back case, this would include checking the tubes are clear to both F/Drives, the oil transfer is often blamed on the top pinion seals but this I have found to be a lesser reason, the common problem is fine cracks in the main case after years of Scraper or Ripper work, the best thing to do if things are all running well, is to fit a new copper gasket to the fill plugs then tighten firm and forget about it, always stand off to 1 side when you check any D8 or D9 F/Drive fill/level plugs as there is a great chance of getting a soak, I have found the breather tubes to the drives to be cracked in the past also, if it's got to much oil in it's a lot better that no oil, don't make work for yourself until you have to pull things down. tctractors. p.s. I often do a simple test after rebuilding the back ends by hooking shop air into the F/Drive breather position at around 5 to 7 psi and check for leaks into the main case, they soon show up.
I think it was a couple of years into my time before I realised what the breathers actually were Tony They would get buried in a layer of dust about 6” deep.The first time I ever jetwashed under the tank,I found some strange things called steering clutch covers and the likes.I wish I didn’t know By the way,I never thought about the fine cracks in the casing weeping through.I learn something every day. Hope you’re well.
Thank soo much, really appreciate your time and sharing your experiences. Lord knows I often make more work for myself, yet with this thing I’d rather just keep it to work that really needs to be done…. Not to hijack my own post but would you share your thoughts on my UC, I’ve already bought new parts over the years to replace these. I think they are warn out… other say they may have life left in them.. planning to replace all.
Your pictures show a wore out undercarriage but a few more would help like the sprocket, the front idler, the bushings, and the bottom rollers. Bob
You got some wear but are far from worn out. Take photos of the front idlers and their position on the track frames for a good quick check. The rubber plug in the track pin shows that you have SALT chains. When the combination of wear between the track chains and the bottom rollers is 100% or more is when you see wear marks at about half way across the track pin. As Bluox says, sprocket tooth thickness and bottom rollers would also give a good indication. If your machine has rock guards, take a photo of the distance between the bottom of the guards and the back of the track pads.
I looked at your other post and you tracks are past wore out they be junk. So if you have work for that machine and the right parts time to have someone get after it. Bob
Here is a video showing what to look for on oval track dozers. Decide for yourself how badly worn your machine is.
When the bushings are worn thru and you are running on the pins even SALT tracks are junk. Bob
The target is to get every last scrap of wear out of anything on your CAT, if it still moves it will still earn so keep on pushing, the track groups will let you know when they have nothing left to give you. tctractors
Now that's some funny homeowner advice. Bob
Black Kitty lived 21 years I guess I got every last scrap out of that CAT.
After all these years, you still never miss an opportunity to take a shot at someone whose knowledge is vastly superior to yours. Hard to understand why you feel so inferior.
Catitude, seems to happen to many that work for dealers.
Bluox, can say anything he likes about anything it just adds to the Pot I feel, I am now 50 years + working with equipment so i tend to have some Non Standard thoughts on the replacement of parts, some Firms in the U.K. have a "Healing Bench" this is a nasty old Bench in a dark corner that they heap up with worn out components, these parts become good enough to use again to just get something working after less than a few weeks of Bench time, so it follows that if you get every bit of life out of the component so it is total scrap it will never get placed on the Healing Bench, it's just my thoughts in my World. tctractors
I see plenty of life left in your D8 tracks. I’m guessing it just sees abit of use occasionally and you mentioned you don’t want to give yourself more work and expense than you allready have. Post pics of you’re segments please. They are a cheap and easy job that will make an incredible amount of difference to your old D8. Don’t buy Cat for this machine,ITR segments will be half the price and just as good. Just make sure you clean all the mating parts up perfectly and tighten them up to spec
As for running on pins once your bushes hole through. I have steady men in the seat,and I generally expect at least 300 clock hours out of the chains once they’ve worn the bush through before changing.That’s the price of a new undercarriage. However,that tactic does require a steady operator and regular visual checks by myself.Snapping a link and have the track snake up and take a fender out or final drive on a hi drive tractor is a risk that I consider. I’ve seen relatively deceant Cat chains snap way before they are worn. In your case,good top rollers,new segments and steady treatment of the old girl will probably keep you going for the life of the D8. I seriously doubt it’s going to be working 70 hours a week flat out spragging about pushing scrapers or ripping
I’ve just seen you’re other thread sir. Yes,your segments are worn out and you mention your bushes are worn through to the pins. You also mention,you have a shiney new complete undercarriage to go at that you’ve already bought You may aswell fit it all as it will give you a lot of satisfaction looking at it once finished
Bingo . Bob
What’s your thoughts on what’s going on here?
In my opinion, it all depends what the machine is used for and how many hours of use are projected. Also down time for repairs during a job and location need to be considered. If all my work is for customers then i can't afford to be broke down. If its on my back fourty doing my own jobs then its my time and inconvenience. Also depends on how you operate your machine - any type of machine. Careful and slower operation can still get the job done and get the most life out any component. It makes me cringe when i see operators rattling the tracks needlessly. Obviously they're not paying for any maintenance costs
Same with trucks, if it came out of their pocket.
Nicky, are you referring to the uneven wear across the length of the links?
According to some of the guys on here with a lot more expertise than me they are barely out of warranty. Kinda looks like dry joints? Bob
So,what would your advice be?
Sorry Shimmy,I should have stated that I was asking Blouxs Bob. I’m very keen to consider his advice
Mr. Bluox, the attitude in your writing style comes through a so disagreeable to most as you keep trying to make yourself look better by putting down someone else. You might have mentioned that there was another post in your initial writing. But instead, your writing comes out that by what you see here indicates everyone else is stupid and you provide no basis for that. Now you come out throwing rocks at people that many of us have a very high respect for, again providing no basis for your comments. This community is one of the few I regularly participate in. It is genuinely people trying to help others. It is devoid of the trolls who spew know it all attitude and inane put downs only trying to blow up their own egos. I would suggest that if you want to participate, drop the snide comments and stupid put downs.
I think I did mention I read his other post where he said he was running on the pins. Reading this guys plan to winter overhaul his under carriage and he has the parts and to use his tractor next year to clear land some one telling him to keep running a past junk undercarriage makes sense in your world? Bob
No problem. I was just wondering what exactly you were intending to show in your pic. I used to run a 7H and I noticed the same wear (uneven link wear) happening on rails that had new seals installed due to leaking joints. It was a set of rails we purchased used off a salvage tractor that were at 90% (as measured by Cat) and when we went to install them noticed the leaking seals.
Shimmy,the undercarriage is on a older D9 that was well gone undercarriage wise when it arrived.I’d never meant to keep it this long,but I’ve had another busier than average year with the big tractors again,and it keeps coming in handy in taking the heat out the job. The entire undercarriage is completely wore out in my opinion,but I drive this one myself only. It sees 2 shifts a week and I’ve clocked another 500 hours on it. I’ve put some new segments on it about 80 hours ago to take it to complete destruction. I’ve deliberately left the cannon in spec according to the operators manual allthough the track sag is way beyond help I bought it on a whim with my dealer chap and I’ve kind of taken a shine to the old dog as it performs very well.I’m not really sure wether to keep it and retrack it,or flog it. Like the original posters D8H,the tracks were pretty well done when he bought it,but with careful operation by him,and a set of segments,my opinion was that he could quite easily get the lifespan he needed out of it without paying through the nose for all new tracks. However,it transpires that he allready has a complete set lying in his yard anyway. As for scalloping on your D7 rails,all my high drives suffer from that too,but there’s allways 30 or 40% rail height left on my operation once the bushes are holed through,so I don’t mind. Blouxs has kindly offered to help me on the D9 wear thing too,but I’ve a mind to run it on longer yet.
Nicky, thought it worth a few verbs on the Bluox thing as it is a retarder that I first came across built onto a a 450 bhp 3406, they seemed to lack any strong marketing in the U.K. and Europe, possibly due to the wide use of the Jacobs Brake that could be fitted to a lot of common engines DAF etc, Scania had it's own Hydraulic Retarder that worked very well, also Volvo had things sorted so the options for the Bluox were very limited here and very scarce to find. tctractors
From my vast internet based armchair experience on dozers you have not it washed it is what is going on there. Other then that I would not have a clue but in classic forum etiquette thought I would add my bit anyway.
RC,I think you are on to something here I will give it a wash and polish first thing in the morning!