D4H track adjuster

[willie59]

I have a question about something I don't know. We have a D4H that the right track won't stay adjusted, seems to have a problem with the track adjuster. The poor old thing has been through the mill and then tore it down! Has slack in all the blade pins/bushings, the undercarriage has about had it, but the old meow keeps going out on rental and everyone that runs it says "yeah, that's a good old machine". :beatsme I need to fix that annoying track adjuster. Problem is, I haven't done one on a Cat high track. Anybody care to enlighten me on what this project is like? Have at it.

 

[bill5362]

If the track adjuster isn't maxed out ( Its like a trencher boom with a grease cylinder and relief port so the boom can only be lengthen so far) I mean that the chain rails aren't stretched out too far.

So lets say you still have some adjustment but it just won't stay tight, then you will need to break the track chain apart, drain the oil reservoir in track frame, then you will need to pull the front idler and the cylinder attached, when you pull it out there will be seals and or o rings that keep the grease from seeping around the around the seal. Hope this helps with a general idea I have a 96 D4H III had to due one a couple of years ago. We did it at our shop, I personally wouldn't try this in the field unless you absolutely have too, this is just my opinion.

 

[willie59]

If the track adjuster isn't maxed out ( Its like a trencher boom with a grease cylinder and relief port so the boom can only be lengthen so far) I mean that the chain rails aren't stretched out too far.

So lets say you still have some adjustment but it just won't stay tight, then you will need to break the track chain apart, drain the oil reservoir in track frame, then you will need to pull the front idler and the cylinder attached, when you pull it out there will be seals and or o rings that keep the grease from seeping around the around the seal. Hope this helps with a general idea I have a 96 D4H III had to due one a couple of years ago. We did it at our shop, I personally wouldn't try this in the field unless you absolutely have too, this is just my opinion.

No, it's not run out of adjustment, just won't stay tight, like the grease adjuster has blown a seal. I need to take it apart and repair the adjuster. I've done grease adjuster's on tons of other machines, just not the Cat high track design. I just want to know the tricks of taking it apart. It will be done in our shop, a shop is the only place I get to work nowdays.

 

[Cmark]

This applies to the ET tractors I've worked on (D6 and up) so I'm pretty sure the D4 will be the same.

Split the track over the front idler and drive it back a little to give yourself some working room.

On either side of the track frame is a circular cover held on by 4 or 6 bolts. Remove these covers. Underneath you will find another plate with a threaded hole in it. Screw in an eyebolt or simillar and pull out the plates. These plates locate in slots in the chrome barell thing (called the "cannon", or at least it's called that around here). You may have to rock the cannon from side to side to free the plates.

Now you can pull the cannon out. As far as I know, on the smaller tractors there isn't a drain plug for the oil in the recoil housing. You have to catch it in a pan as you pull the cannon out. (I know the D10 and D11 have a drain plug and maybe the D9 as well)

At this stage it will be fairly obvious how to dismantle the adjuster for repair. On the early D6's, there's a threaded plug on the back of the adjuster which would come loose and tear the theads out. I've sometimes welded them back in for a quick fix. Don't know if the D4 has the same.

Reassembly is pretty much the reverse. Replace the big seal in the track frame if it looks at all suspect and buff out any rust pitting in the chrome on the cannon or else it'll damage your new seal. You may have to use a couple of come-along type chain blocks to pull the cannon into the track frame. It's a fairly tight fit into the seal.

I personally would have no worries about doing this in the field.

Good luck.

 

[willie59]

This applies to the ET tractors I've worked on (D6 and up) so I'm pretty sure the D4 will be the same.

Split the track over the front idler and drive it back a little to give yourself some working room.

On either side of the track frame is a circular cover held on by 4 or 6 bolts. Remove these covers. Underneath you will find another plate with a threaded hole in it. Screw in an eyebolt or simillar and pull out the plates. These plates locate in slots in the chrome barell thing (called the "cannon", or at least it's called that around here). You may have to rock the cannon from side to side to free the plates.

Now you can pull the cannon out. As far as I know, on the smaller tractors there isn't a drain plug for the oil in the recoil housing. You have to catch it in a pan as you pull the cannon out. (I know the D10 and D11 have a drain plug and maybe the D9 as well)

At this stage it will be fairly obvious how to dismantle the adjuster for repair. On the early D6's, there's a threaded plug on the back of the adjuster which would come loose and tear the theads out. I've sometimes welded them back in for a quick fix. Don't know if the D4 has the same.

Reassembly is pretty much the reverse. Replace the big seal in the track frame if it looks at all suspect and buff out any rust pitting in the chrome on the cannon or else it'll damage your new seal. You may have to use a couple of come-along type chain blocks to pull the cannon into the track frame. It's a fairly tight fit into the seal.

I personally would have no worries about doing this in the field.

Good luck.

Thanks Cmark, that's what I needed to know, your've described it very well. I had a feeling the plates on the side had something to do with it. It doesn't sound like a difficult project. I'll have at it when it comes back in from rental. Thanks again. :notworthy

 

[td25c]

Send us pictures of the repair ATCOEQUIP.I am not familiar with the D4h.By the way Cmark is describing ,It sounds like problem is in the recoil spring.My IH td25 uses "bellville" spring type disks for the recoil spring.Keep us posted.

 

[willie59]

Send us pictures of the repair ATCOEQUIP.

I'll try. It seems like this old worn out twice over machine isn't a Cat...it's a boomerang! It goes out on rent, comes back, and then it's gone again before I can do anything to it! Darn it!

 

[td25c]

I dont know if this will help.Here is a picture out of the IH td 25c manual of the recoil spring.I know your not working on an international,but I think Caterpillar copied them on some components.It uses the "bellville" type sping system Like an old metal oil can.

 

[willie59]

I haven't worked on the adjusters on the IH TD models. I have worked on a lot of components that use belleville washer/springs, but I didn't know IH used these for the track tensioning spring. That's some cool stuff.