My just picked up a new to us tb180fr serial # 178400550 that has just over 4000 hours on it. I will be the guy in the seat most of the time and I also do the maintenance on everything. We have never had a machine with this type of offset boom. The previous owner put a valve in the automatic track tensioning system because he said it was always too tight . I would love to hear if anyone has any advice, tricks or thoughts for us about this machine. Thanks for everyone's time.
#1...I cannot keep fanbelts tight. Every 300 hours, I find myself retensioning the alternator belt. If s/n is 1783####, then a pry bar must be used. If 1784####, then there is a jack screw to aid. Verify belt tension by attempting to turn fan blade with 1 finger. Turns= adjust belt. 300 hours just happens to be my oil change interval, too. #2 AC belt uses idler pulley. If adjusting alternator belt, loosen AC belt and spin idle pulley. Smooth and wobble free it should be. Pulley bearing failure is usually around 3k hours. #3 Adjust slewing arm vertical pin clearance as needed. Boom pushing down, air gap under slewing pins should be .030 in or less. Raise boom off ground, loosen jam nuts, turn Allen heads in until stopped, then back out 1 flat (60°). Same for inner slewing pin clearances. If greased somewhat often, not required but every couple thousand hours. #4 Hydraulic filler plug is 1-5/8". Depress vent button on breather before opening filler. Level to be checked "chrome in", unlike Caterpillar. Don't overtighten. #5 Oil is cheap. Change 90W in travel motors at least every 500hr. Nobody I talked to can even reseal them, and they are expensive. Duo cone seals are available should they fail. Finding someone to put them in never materialized. Did them here. #6 I run 10W TO4 spec hydraulic oil in all of mine. One just turned 11k hours. No hydraulic issues from using that oil. #7 Pump outlet fittings always seem to loosen or leak. With cab up, a 1-1/4" wrench can tighten the jam nuts. Orings need replaced if continuing to weep. Must be metric or Takeuchi, SAE is wrong cross section. #8 Learn how to enjoy the full radius feature (the FR in the model number). To rear of blade lever is "S,L,M" knob. That is for cab protection from bucket intrusion. At every startup, machine defaults to Wide bucket, regardless of knob position. When in Wide, boom will not go back fully, when slewn (slewed?) fully to the right. Rotate knob fully thru each position CW, then CCW, and set to "S". Slew boom fully to the right, then fully raise boom, FULLY, all the way back. Just watch for cab to bucket interference the first time you try this. If bucket is too wide, or system is screwed up by previous owner, either the cab will be struck, or the boom wont raise all the way over. Use "L" or "M" for wider buckets. "S, L, and M" are width defined in the operator's manual. Any more questions?
Good day Don Life is foe learning and your comment that you have automated track tension valve is new to me can you post any information on this device. We have a source for TB135 operators manual available I guess much is about the same I could ask for a extract if you believe it may help you, if so drop me a line. Kind regards Uffex
On the TB180FR, rather than conventional grease jacks, this machine uses a regulated hydraulic pressure to hold each track in tension. To loosen track tension, for service, a hand wheel (Allen set screw w/ jam nut on later models) on the track cylinder is opened. To tension track back to spec, tighten hand wheel on cylinder, then operate machine in high travel mode. My TB53FR does not have this feature, but my LeeBoy 7515 paver does.
For Full Radius (FR)...
Many thanks Heymcall That clears my question in a very prof way. Kind regards Uffex
This is a steel track machine. So with the track system can I choose how tight or loose I want them or does the machine do it all. Also is the system pretty good or is the previous owner onto something with his valve to keep the tracks looser.
What width buckets do you use? We dig in everything from very soft silt to areas that are just rock and the only thing done there is apple and sugar bush.
Also we are able to touch the bucket teeth to the boom cylinder is this normal on this machine or is something incorrect.
Good day Often the quick couplers installed are not an original item in the design of machines if you have one it can increase the turning radius of the bucket which results in the bucket being able to excavate your boom cylinders. Kind regards Uffex
Coworkers completely destroyed boom cylinder rod guard on all four of my TB180FR machines, and our TB53FR. I've got Geith and Strickland hydraulic couplers on all of the TB180FRs, and a Werkbrau mechanical on the 53. (We'll discuss why to never buy a Geith coupler another time.) Surprisingly, even though all of the rod guards were destroyed (and scrapped), I havent had any cylinder damage to any of them (the TB180FRs). My TB53FR got so bad (and expensive) that I shortened the arm cylinder barrel by 1.5". Voila! No more damaged boom cylinder. It did sacrifice a little of the FR, but, on my 53, I seem to always encounter operators who have zero clue that the boom will go back that far anyways. Since you asked, I can't help but wonder if yours isnt already missing the guard?
We have the guard but at the moment it is taken off because I have to fix it since the boss broke it.
So after putting some hours in the seat of this machine I am very happy with it. The FR feature sure makes it feel like a smaller machine whenworking in tight places. Over all we are very happy with this machine. We have a 24 inch digging bucket and a 45 inch ditching bucket but I feel like both of these are small for the machine. What do you guys think?
I am having a brain fart and do not understand what you saying here. I guess I will have to take a closer look at the machine and figure it out.
i know this is an old thread but thought maybe someone can help me out. I have the same machine and for the life of me I cant find a ac belt for it. Didnt have one on it when i bought it, have searched internet a lot. No dealers here close in Mt .It is a 1784#### and has the 4tnv98 Yanmar. Also where are you guys buying parts for these things if need something major?
For the fan belt on my 153 dealer didn't have or know specs, I just had to measure it and got one at NAPA, any automotive place should have a belt that matches i'm sure.
Well, the 1783#### is definitely different than the 1784#### series. I finally wrote down what I used on mine. To get the AC belt on, I have to remove two of the 3 idler pulley bracket bolts. EX005 is my fleet unit number.
I have two of the early and two of the late machines. For the later, the book shows this
Takeuchi is only $45 for belt. You can use andersonequip . com to look at pricing. I don't believe you need a log in.
This kattrak link let's you download entire parts manual. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...CCwQAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw2X9kTDAWQS927Bddq1pDz0
Thanks a million to all the responses, saved me a lot of time. I purchased this machine I guess knowing parts are hard to come by in Montana but I dont make a living with the machine just use it around the ranch. Dont think Ive ever read a negative thing about takeuchi so hope Im happy with it. Ive put about 15 hrs on it seems to work like it should. Has 2780 hrs on it, steel track machine, a little rough riding.
More questions on this takeuchi tb180fr steel track with automatic track tensioning. One of the tracks is banjo tight , way to tight. I took off the plate and loosened the locking plate and tried to turn the knob, to tight, took knob off and tried to turn with a wrench wouldnt budge. I hate to reef to hard on it and brake it. Cant loosen either side. In the original post the fella talked about a valve , wonder where he installed that. Was wondering if crawl under machine and see if i can loosen the hoses going to the cylinder see if that would work. I tryed to push on the track with skidsteer and see if it would go back but didnt. Not much info in the service manual .Anyone else seen this problem
Loosen wing lock. Turn valve CCW to relieve pressure. Broken a few due to being obscenely tightened. If you relieve tank pressure, and remove the hand wheel, you can remove the whole valve and work it off the machine (in a vise, etc.). BUT, being that it is a tensioner valve, use due care in removing...ie, deep socket with extension and rag stuffed into the frame hole. Technically, the pressure and excess oil will go back to tank when removing, but, again, I've seen weirder. Oil loss will be minimal. Track tension is derived from rabbit travel pilot pressure....so, upon reassembly, place machine travel in rabbit and tip the travel lever (either one) into travel (either direction).
Thanks I will try that, then hope it will tension up right.
another option for you. The prior owner on my TB175 removed the hyd. and installed a grease bleeder and zerk on both cylinders. where the hyd line was. Works good and no problems, and can set them where I want them
This thread gave me a new project, I was sure my boom wasn't going back all the way and sure enough only goes to the M position, even resetting it, etc. Something else on the list to fix.
I took your advice heymccall and took the whole valve out, I see how it works now. When I loosened the whole valve the track slacked off. No oil came out. The small wheel valve worked easy when I had it on the vise, guess was so much tension on it. Put back on started it up , hit 2 speed and rotated track till slack about right and shut off 2 speed to keep it their , hopefully it will. I dont need fast travel here any way. So thanks a million for all the help.