Cat V40 B forklift

I just purchased a Cat V40B. It is not at the shop yet, so I am guessing at the model number. It is an LP flat head 4, 2 speed manual transmission.
I can't seem to buy anything with good tires, and the solid rubber tires on this lift are pretty slick. I am planning on buying some new pneumatic tires for it after it gets here. I need the best possible traction in dirt, and don't really like the price of new solid rubber tires.
Everything seems to function on it, though it does have some issues. The steering valve is stiff turning left, so that likely needs to be rebuilt. The side shift cylinder was leaking and was removed and capped off, not sure if I will even attempt to repair that right away. Other repairs are mostly cosmetic. The paint is awful, the plastic piece that the gauges sit in is falling apart, as is the escutcheon for the shifter. Clutch and brakes are decent.
It will likely get moved Tuesday or so. I will likely pressure wash all the old grease off of it and regressed all the pins and the mast, then use it for a while to figure out what the worst parts of it need repair.

After getting it home, I figured out that it had a bad LP converter and no gas in the tank. I installed a new converter, as well as an IMPCO carb that a friend of mine brought over. This resolved all the power of the Seuss the machine had.
I ended up picking up the side shift seals and repairing that. I let the machine run while pressure washing the carriage and engine bay so I could work on it. Oddly, once the cylinder was in, the steering problem was resolved. Two different pumps, same sump. Also, the shaft seal leak is down to a tolerable level.
Last night I had the torch out working on another project, and took the opportunity to straighten out the backstop.

Next project is new tires!

Got a new set of front tires. I went with pneumatics instead of solid rubb for a little better traction in the dirt.

I also made a new gauge panel, and slotted plate for the control levers.

TCM Technology forklift

Walker1 said:

Got a new set of front tires. I went with pneumatics instead of solid rubb for a little better traction in the dirt.

I also made a new gauge panel, and slotted plate for the control levers.

Click to expand...

If any interested in purchsing new forklift, please contact me.

I had some time to start tinkering with my lift the other day. I was unhappy with the amount of power available at low rpm, so I started with a compression test. Cylinders 1 and two are about 10 pounds lower than 3 and 4. I suspect a bad head gasket, as there is a coolant leak as well. I then started trying to figure out how to time it. There is no timing mark that I was able to find, so I connected a vacuum gauge and set the timing to the highest vacuum at idle. I had to pull the distributor out and turn it 180 degrees because it was hitting on a stud in the head. Once the timing was set it ran much better and has a lot more power at idle. I would estimate it was off by 20 degrees or more retarded.
Next is going to be the clutch. While it worked okay initially, it really has some trouble. It is an oil spray clutch. It works decent cold, but after a few minutes, once the oil starts to get warm, it starts to slip. I suspect it is just worn from slipping the clutch to overcome the lack of power issue. It appears to be a quick change clutch, though I am having trouble finding a parts break down. I was hoping to just buy a disk and do the R&R all at once, but it looks like I may need to pull my disk and mail it off to be relined. There is a local reline place but after several bad clutches from them in a row I will no longer ever use Arizona Brake & Clutch. Perhaps while it is down I will get the new tires on the rear too.

I pulled the head of and cleaned it up and found it to be true. I could see where the coolant was leaking into the cylinders, as well as out from the head. I could also see where the compression was leaking between cylinders.The valves are a little worse for wear but none burned, so I cleaned off the block and bolted it back together. I used the Victor gasket. It seems a bit more robust than the old felpro gasket. It has much more low end power now.

I had ordered a kit for the shaft seal on the Ross Hydraguide orbital valve. The shaft was leaking like a sieve. It also had problems turning one direction. With the price of them I decided to fix the leak and live with the left turn issue until a cost effective replacement came available. When I pulled the cover off the gear the shaft came out of the gear box and wouldnt go back in. I pulled the whole gear off and took it back in the shop where I managed to get it back in and reassembled.
Once it was reconnected there was no more leak, and as a bonus it turns both directions fine now.

I am going to end up replacing the clutch disk at some point, but it seems to be doing much better now that the engine has more low end power.

I finally broke down and ordered the clutch disk for my Cat V40B forklift. Still haven't been able to locate a reasonably priced manual, but my forklift mechanic buddy gave me some pointers. It was really not that difficult.
Start by removing the two cover plates on the transmission and the clutch housing. Then remove the hoses from the oil spray pump. Them remove the pump itself. I ended up having to pull off one of the shift rods for access to a bolt head on the pump. Then there is a big internal snap ring behind the pump on the front of the transmission. Then I tapped on the front bearing with a piece of wood to get it moving forward. The whole shaft slides forward. I was a little nervous when the gears and syncros started dropping down to a thinner part of the shaft, but it was not a problem. Then pop out the throw out bearing, unbolt the pressure plate and remove the pressure plate and disk together. A piece of wire fished into the pressure plate helps a lot as a handle.
Reinstall both piecesand start the bolts on the pressure plate keeping the disk centered, then reinstall the throw out bearing andslide the shaft forward. I had no issues getting the shaft into the disk with my eyeball alignment of the pressure plate, YMMV. After that is was a simple matter of bolting everything back in place and aligning the pump drive tang.
Afterward I adjusted the clutchand verified oil spraying on the clutch. All of my shifting problems have disappeared. Shifts great and holds great now, wish I had done this as soon as I got it!

I just saw this thread. I have a very similar fork lift, V50B. Now I know who to ask if something goes wrong. Mine is in decent shape for how old it is.

Whatever you do, stamp you model and serial number in several places on as you will have a hard time getting the correct parts without it.

Mine has the original plate, but it has some cracks and may fall off one day, and also the SN stamped above the right front wheel.

I have a bigger brother to your forklift, V50B. We all love it. Great forklift to work on it all day long.