D8R dozer undercarriage replacement

[Robert0769]

The grease points Nicky mentioned are for the equalizer bar, not the pivot shaft.
Is there any oil in the pivot shaft tank.? See the attachment for location and how to check the oil level.
IMO they didn't. They offered a machine for sale, it was up to the buyer to inspect it and find all this stuff before parting with the cash.

Mine doesn't have that on the left fender, just batteries. Mine is 7xm00754. Looking for pivot shaft oil.

 

[Nige]

Has someone removed it in the past I wonder.?
Try looking for the hoses. The tank is quite thin and should be located between the batteries and the front wall of the compartment

 

[Nige]

Here's an illustration from a different type of D8R (not your S/N) showing the tank apparently next to either the hydraulic or fuel tank. it's hard to make out which.

 

[John C.]

I don't ever recall looking at an 8R that didn't have that tank and it was always mounted as in the photos above. It is a must inspect when I was working at the Cat house.

 

[ahart]

Sounds like we’re gonna be adding another 30K to the price tag if he doesn’t get this 40% fuel dilution figured out. That’s way north of engine damage if it’s had much run time. I can’t imagine it would have any oil pressure if it had that much fuel in it.

 

[Nige]

Sounds like we’re gonna be adding another 30K to the price tag if he doesn’t get this 40% fuel dilution figured out.

My original estimate was North of $70k for the undercarriage alone. The final bill could easily be 6 figures - ouch...

 

[Robert0769]

Here's an illustration from a different type of D8R (not your S/N) showing the tank apparently next to either the hydraulic or fuel tank. it's hard to make out which.

View attachment 253678

Bone dry. You know I paid cat thousands of dollars 3 different times to come out and do a full maintenance on the machine.. changing and filling all oils.. and at each appointment I asked them to do a complete walk around and show me all my maintenance points and not once did they ever touch this box and in fact once told me they take grease and if there's no zerk fitting then it doesn't take anything. Very upset with cat. There are two reservoirs.. should both be full? Thank you

 

[nicky 68a]

Hi Robert.
The tank on the left is your pivot shaft oil resevoir.
The tank on the right is simply your window washer resevoir.It’s the least of your issues at the moment.
The dipstick is part of the cap that you see in the pic.
I think 50w final oil will be ok.
I suspect yours is empty.

 

[Robert0769]

Hi Robert.
The tank on the left is your pivot shaft oil resevoir.
The tank on the right is simply your window washer resevoir.It’s the least of your issues at the moment.
The dipstick is part of the cap that you see in the pic.
I think 50w final oil will be ok.
I suspect yours is empty.

I thought it was washer fluid but didn't want to guess. I just got 80w like a post before said. Is that correct?

 

[nicky 68a]

Should be fine.
Open those plugs under the sprockets to allow it to fill and purge the air out.
You may get lucky and it not run out the the pivot shaft seals

 

[Nige]

You may get lucky and it not run out the the pivot shaft seals

If it does run out of the seals then you just added around $10k to your undercarriage overhaul.

Forgive me for being frank but you’ve been your own worst enemy. You were advised to get hold of a maintenance manual and did, but then you apparently did nothing with it. Don’t put all the blame on the dealer.

 

[John C.]

I'll have to disagree with that. The dealer is supposed to be the experts on the machine operation, maintenance and repair. I would certainly be on the phone with the service department after you checked out if anything is in the tank and in the pivot shaft cavities wanting to know how they were going work with me on any repairs that were necessary. Perhaps you could pull up the daily, 250 and 500 hour service listings and see what is recommended. All the Cat dealers advertise how they can keep you running with their "world class service." I don't expect owners to be experts in all the facets of their machinery. I do expect dealer service personnel to at the least be able to read their own literature and perform to minimum standards.

 

[Nige]

We'll just have to disagree then.

Perhaps you could pull up the daily, 250 and 500 hour service listings and see what is recommended.

The OP has an O&M Manual that he admits he never read. He already ought to know what the PM schedule is.
Pivot shaft oil level check is every 10 hours or daily.

I don't expect owners to be experts in all the facets of their machinery.

Neither do I, but I at least expect them to take a bit more than a passing interest on a machine this size.

 

[Robert0769]

We'll just have to disagree then.
The OP has an O&M Manual that he admits he never read. He already ought to know what the PM schedule is.
Pivot shaft oil level check is every 10 hours or daily.
Neither do I, but I at least expect them to take a bit more than a passing interest on a machine this size.

Sometimes people who have 5 kids and run 7 jobs at a time personally to the point they get home and pass out resulting in them not even being able to see their own kids in their house don't have time to read a maintenance book and should be able to rely on the professionals who make the equipment to know what they're even doing. When you pay 2k+ for cat to do a full service several times and cat themself skips the pivot shaft oil every time, who's fault is that? If they tell a customer there is nothing else to maintain I'm supposed to argue and look for more?

I do appreciate the help though and do understand how once you know machinery like you do, it seems like a no brainer. I was following cats expert advice.

 

[Robert0769]

We'll just have to disagree then.
The OP has an O&M Manual that he admits he never read. He already ought to know what the PM schedule is.
Pivot shaft oil level check is every 10 hours or daily.
Neither do I, but I at least expect them to take a bit more than a passing interest on a machine this size.

I've asked all 3 dealers within 60 miles for an undercarriage inspection, all said they're too busy and don't have anyone to send. I even told them I'm buying the track from them they said great give us your money but we can't come out and see what else you need.

 

[Robert0769]

Wanted to give an update. I ordered 4 links, 2 pins 2 bushings for the patch job while I order new track groups. Cat sent 2 links to me and accidentally lost the other two. They said they haven't been able to find where they sent them since last Monday. Also, this isn't my first repair on the tracks so I told them to please order me what I ordered before for pins and bushings. They located my order and got me the parts. They sent the wrong pins that don't have the clamps on the end to hold the pin in place and it's missing the rubber boot to hold oil in. Since it was my second time paying for a tech to come out I said just do what you can. So thanks to cat professionals, I am running again with 2 dry pins that don't have clamps to hold them in and are going to get dirt inside them. Cat said they do not know when they will get the new track groups I'm ordering in. They said they won't have an update on arrival until a week or two after I pay.

I'm about to go purge the oil for the pivot shaft. I put oil in so far no leaks but probably because I didn't purge.

For the equalizer bar, I'm confused if it's supposed to move or not when you raise the front end of the machine.

Other than that the machine is running strong. Today I'm also taking the valve cover off to look for the fuel leak in the lines. Cat said take the cover off and run the engine looking for fuel. IS THIS APPROPRIATE? Seems I can't trust Cat.

I'm also replacing the exhaust gasket as it has a slight leak that developed a couple weeks ago.

I'm thinking about measuring the valves if that's possible. Anyone have any other opinions on something else I can inspect while I have the exhaust manifold and valve cover off?

The turbo is good, has a little tiny wobble but not bad, no oil or anything. Very clean.

Soon I'll be doing a full replacement of all wear parts on the trans and torque.

 

[nicky 68a]

It’s certainly worth measuring the valve lash.
I had a D8R with a slight flutter that was hardly noticeable.I’d spotted a little black soot mark behind the manifold and assumed the manifold gasket was causing the slight fart.I was wrong…….valve lash was well out and camshaft worn out.The machine was working fine apart from that flutter and I was fair shocked to be told cam was worn out allowing the cam followers to act up.

 

[nicky 68a]

I feel sorry for your predicament as it’s one I understand well.However,I’ve also reluctantly come to the conclusion that many of our Cat dealer chaps are pretty inexperienced and hopeless at their jobs,and I share many others opinion in not trusting them.I receantly had one
of their Undercarriage specialists ask me if my D9 was system one?.The same chap then quoted 60/90 days for a complete undercarriage (minus any bottom rollers whatsoever!!).Two weeks later,another dealer rep found a complete D9 undercarriage that was available in 2 weeks and £20,000 less than originally quoted by them.All this leaves me with zero confidence in Caterpillar and it’s dealerships.
I should say,that this problem is totally pandemic across all machinery manufacturers and there are still many great individuals that do know what they’re talking about.
Yes,I would expect your dealer to have pointed out where the maintenance points are on your D8 20 years ago,but not these days.I’d expect them to neither know or care where your pivot shaft oil resevoir is and it’s a fact that you and the rest of us will come to expect.
I’ve owned my own equipment for over 30 years including over 10x D8’s.During that time,I’ve relied on the support from the Cat dealers and their staff.They were second to nobody with their knowledge and attitude to help me.I never owned one service manual or operators manual in 25 years of those 30 as I only needed to ask for help,and they’d give it to me.The writing was on the wall though and I bought my first operators manual for a D8 around 2016.They are basic,yet offer you a wealth of information and really opened up my eyes on how to run my equipment,and I realised I’d been doing certain things wrong over the years.
These days,I swear by them and try to follow them best I can.
I don’t trust the dealer staff to look after my interests anymore,I guess after this issue with your D8R,neither will you.

 

[James Sorochan]

Robert. Is this you with 5 kids and 7 jobs? Maybe Hyperbole, I get it. You need to slow down. This may or may not relate to your situation but I think it might be part of the problem. You mentioned that you forget to eat sometimes. You need to eat to think clearly. Your starving your brain. For many years I was always in a rush to get to the next job, thing, whatever I felt needed to get done without first completing what was right in front of me. Things tended to pile up internally always bugging me without realizing there was anything wrong. Some good friends constantly pointed this out to me but I couldn't grasp it for several years. I'm just starting to get it now. Again.....slow down. Take care to eat properly. If you are not already, start eating organic. Drink clean filtered water. There is lots can be said but I'll stop here for now on the personal stuff.

On the dozer..... You say the salesman who sold you the machine claimed it needed nothing major in regards to repairs? Was anything put down in writing or just verbal. Was the machine a consignment or trade-in. Did it go through the dealer shop at all. Any records of any sort? I have to agree with both Nige and John. They are both right from what I see here. I would take this entire thread and sit down with the Cat salesman and the manager and respectfully ask many of the pertinent questions that have been brought up here at HEF. Humble yourself. At the end of the day you have to take responsibility for this. " Your the man". I would hope the dealer will work with you and help cover some of the cost. It's really up to the Lord either way.

 

[ahart]

Robert, they are correct on checking the fuel lines for leakage under the valve cover as this is a 3406C engine. I would be looking for leaks in this area:
If you can’t find anything leaking there, could always be the transfer pump on the injection pump.