Hey guys, I finally got around to pulling my track off and looking at the idler assembly to see why it's going crooked on me. I took a couple of pictures maybe you fine gentleman can tell me what's going on. You can see where the pin has been sitting completely off to the side of the other one.
It might seem like a stupid question but shouldn't that piece that's still in the frame be part of the idler & tensioner assembly ..? That looks awfully like a break to me.
I thought that initially but both sides are the same and it's a there's no signs of it being broken since it's a perfectly straight end.
Well to start i would check the wear bars in the truck frame, along with the pin and bushing wear due to the yoke may be extended to far out ,bottom first roller looks like its had the chain running in the center at some time also. Need more pic's of the frame where the idler yoke slides in and the yoke and idler. What is the make and hrs and track width, also do you work on slopes much. The center plate in the recoil housing does not look that bad but would pull it out and inspect. I would turn the idler assembly over and place on two level blocks and take a few measurements also along with a string line down the frame.
It's a cat 301.8, 2400hrs not sure how wide the track is. I've only put 100 hours on the machine i bought it used.
Checked the parts listing. you're correct, it is 2 pieces. Wear on the sliding plates in the track frame where the idler support runs in that case.
Where did you find the parts listing at?
I have access to Caterpillar Service Information System on the web ........ needs a login & password from your Cat dealer.
Does the picture show the undercarriage and idler assembly? Can i replace wear plates? I'm sorry but i've never owned an excavator before.
I think ive figured it out, it appears as though the carriage has spread where the idler goes in. It'a like 3.91 inches at the front and 3.85 inches back towards the spot where it's rounded. So my Proposed fix is to weld either one plate on one side on the inside of the carriage or two thinner plates the same way. Does that sound like an appropriate fix?
hougie, did you look at the other side before removeing to see how far the idler yoke was pushed out, just a thought that the stretch or wear let that idler out to far and is causeing the frame to spread, may also need the spec's to see if it's out to far from the dealer or someone with a op or service manual. If you shim the frame and the stretch is the same it may bend it more than it is now! it looks like it could be past or at the idler shaft due to the pic and this may be the issue at hand, i don't no how far you are from the dealer but around here they have a track suport man that will check you machine and give you a report on % worn.
Both sides if i remeber correct have the same issue with the idler slop. So you figure my tracks are work to the point where i'm over extending my idlers? Would be possible as i as the lugs are showing on the inside of the track.
Hello All; i am new to this forum, so just want to start with HELLO to everyone. I register to this forum, since i have a problem, with my Cat 301,8C It looks to me like the idler wheel assembly has broken completly down, disintegrating the bearing. Anyone with a drawing or split schematics showing hos this parts are put together ? Assume CAT locally can help me, but it would still be nice to have an overwiew over the problem area...
The idler is very simple to disassemble. On your machine you probably have a head start because the bearings have disintegrated. Procedure is as follows: - 1. Remove the track & then pull out the idler/track adjuster mechanism. 2. Remove the 2 bolts (1 each) that hold the LH & RH Idler supports. Remove the supports. 3. Remove the outer grease seals from both sides followed by the inner grease seals. (In your case I doubt there will be much left of them) 4. Remove either of the spring retaining rings that hold the shaft in place, then remove the shaft itself. Then remove the 2nd ring when the shaft is out. 5. Drive the 2 bearings out of the idler. Reassembly is basically the reverse of disassembly, but you have to fill the idler cavity with oil before installing the final seal.