Hello everyone, I have a “newer model” Dresser TD-7E. My grandfather bought it for his farm when I was about 10 and I grew up operating it with him for weekend projects. He gave me the dozer for Christmas the year before he died. I had great memories on this thing and I have recently been trying to get it back up to operating condition. It ran and moved when I brought it to my house but could barely push anything. I did an out of frame rebuild on the engine first thing. I got it back up and running and did a small project around my house with no problems. The next step was going to be to change all the fluids and filters (probably should have done it first but I was too excited to get it out and drive it). Anyway when I pulled the transmission suction screen I found what I think are rivet heads. Do any of you guys know where these might have come from or what I am in for? I think it is from the steering brakes or clutches but I am unsure. No matter what it is, I know it’s probably not good. See the pictures below.
It definitely looks like some sorta rivets. I’d imagine it being a later 7E that it has the fiber steering clutches & brakes. But it reminds me of the rivets that’s in a pressure plate.
I know a little about these machines. Mine is a TD7G. The E was first produced by International Harvester. After Dresser took over production I presume they continued production of the E only briefly. I believe mine to be built in 1989. It's in my avatar. I see little difference between mine and my two friends who have TD7E. Mine does have the 3900 CC Cummins 4 cylinder. Theirs have IH engines of the same displacement. I do have manuals for both E & G models. The man I believe to know more about these tractors than anyone else is Reggie Lussier At Winmill Equipment Rutland VT. He'll get any parts you need and is a living encyclopedia of these machines.
I don't believe the brakes and clutches have rivets. That a look at this video for a clutch and brake job on a TD7C. First thing they show is the new set - look to be bonded on I don't think the E would be different. A good video to have . Especially if you might have to get in there to do some work. I have no idea where they might have come from though. They don't look too mangled. gg
g_man thank you for the video, that is good information to have for sure! They are not mangled at all really, it looks like they just came out. I don't even see any signs that they might have sheared off. I was thinking that they may have come from the outer brake disk where it attaches to the hub because the aftermarket parts that I have found look like they may be riveted. Also after watching the video you can see what I am talking about at 11:30 into it, I also could be completely wrong though, it wouldn't be the first time for sure! Where is the pressure plate located, is it in the "differential"? The weird part about this whole thing is that I have not seen any issues with the steering or brakes on the machine since I rebuilt it. They all seem to work perfectly fine and it pushes much harder than it did before the rebuild.
In a side note, Hi Gordon! I'm glad to see you haven't succumbed to this #$%$ virus. You might possibly live far enough from others to survive. I really hope you do. Seth (oldest son) and I were doing a major rewire in a home lived in by two medical professionals. Husband works in E room in Rutland hospital. On March 23 he developed symptoms, we aborted work. This morning he reported he, his wife, and both his elderly in laws all got it. They are medical professionals trained in contagious disease. All got it. He reports as of this morning his wife is scheduled to clear in 14 days, allow another 14 for the virus to die inside the house. Then we can finish our job.
Hi Willie - so far we are both good. Easy to stay isolated here. Interesting rewire job - scary. Hawk10 you are right. According to my parts book for a TD7G, which is pretty much the same as an E in the rear main frame, the clutch disks are riveted to the hub with four 1/4 X 1-3/8 rivets. The brake disks use a dozen 3/8 X 1-1/4 bolts each. So maybe you should take a look in the round inspection hole and see what you can see. Do you have power to both tracks ?? gg
I seem to remember a switch over from riveted shoes to bonded shoes when I started at the IH dealer in 1979. There was some trouble on bonded shoes on the larger machines at first and the linings were coming off. The thing is I don't remember any of the rivets looking like the photos. We had the rivet press back in those days and put new linings on in the shop. The bonded shoes and linings that failed were covered under warranty, but as I recall some were sent to a brake and clutch shop to start with. Are the rivets in the photos sharp on the small ends?
I will try to take a look tomorrow night, do you have to drain the fluid to open that cover or is it above the fluid level? Yes, I have power to both tracks and it steers great right now in both directions, which is really strange because based on the number of rivets that are in those disks from what you said, I only have two left (6 came out of the suction screen). The rivets look like they have a v-notch in the end of them right across the center but I do not think that I would call them sharp? Willie B that is a really cool picture, I hope to have my machine looking that clean and running that good at some point! Edit: Also if it helps at all the serial number ends in 9996
I believe those are ring gear rivets.
Nice picture - 25,000 pounds or so Willie ?? Not bad for a little TD7G. gg
I think you should be able to but I would definately take a measurement off the dip stick to be sure. gg
750 to 800 lbs each + the boat. We have a little antique pull each year on Saturday, Columbus Day weekend. Usually there are a few people between them bring about ten very big tractors. Each had health problems last fall, so late day there was time to screw around.
That is a good idea, I looked at that last night briefly and it looks like the fluid level is going to be close, I didn't measure anything though.
Hawk10, that trans & brake system shouldn’t have a pressure plate I don’t believe. The older years would have but when they went to the power shift it should’ve done away with that. I was just referring that’s what it looked like to me. Sorry for the confusion there
No big deal at all, I was looking through the parts book and I couldn’t find anything like that so that makes sense. Whatever these rivets came from probably needs them to operate correctly so I am sure that I am going to have to get in there and fix it to have a reliable machine. Out of everything that will have to be done to rebuild the steering system the thing that I dread the most is splitting the tracks. I split one track to change an adjuster seal and it took me two days with a sledge hammer. This time I am either building a press or cutting the pins out and buying new ones.
Go on YouTube look up “Digginok”, go through his videos. He has a TD8G the same as mine. Well he made a homemade track press, & done a video for me of how he made it. Neat little tool he made, helped me completely.
Or maybe some fool wasn't there when his cat knocked crap off somewhere, Or some disgruntled assembly line employee engaged in sabotage. The word originates in a Dutch shoemaker's rebellion protesting machine tools replacing human workers. The blocks of wood wooden shoes were carved from are sabots. A saboteur threw sabots into the works of machines damaging them. I believe production of the TD7? moved to Korea soon after yours. Mine was 249 in the earliest Korean production. Can't remember g_man's serial # it is close to mine.
I hope that it is something that easy, but I am afraid that it wont be! I did find a toothed washer that is used for wood in the oil suction screen when I was rebuilding the engine, maybe they tried to get it in two different places!