Help needed for blown track adjustment seal

[Dig_Texas]

It was one of those days today, broke a tooth on the excavator and my dozer operator let a tree get away from him and now I have two broken windows in the dozer. Near the end of the day, I jumped off the excavator and the track seemed very loose. When I looked at it, it was very obvious that something was wrong as the top of the track was scraping the top of the track frame. I went ahead and pumped it up, hoping that it was just an anomaly, but sure enough after about ten minutes it was loose again. When I checked the adjustment sleeve, I could see that grease was all over the rod so my assumption is that the seal is blown. I've never replaced a track tensioner seal. Does any one have either a parts diagram or can offer any words of advice? I have access to all the necessary tools and flame wrench if necessary.

The excavator is a 311 Caterpillar grey market machine, SN 5PK01277. It is one of the REGA models.

If I need to split the tracks, what does the master look like? I looked all over the tracks and could not see anything that resembled a master link.

Any seal part number help would be greatly appreciated also as my local CAT dealer always seems to act disgusted when looking up parts for this machine.

 

[mw85]

The master pin will have a dimple on the end of it. There is no master link, like a dozer. You will have to take 2 track pads off and press the master pin out. Then pull the idler out , with the slack adjuster. put grease to it untill it comes apart. Hopefully it comes apart easy. put new seals on, clean all the old grease out of the barrel and reassemble

 

[Dig_Texas]

Thanks for the info mw. Do you have a recommended procedure to press the pin out? Does it take a special tool?

 

[uffex]

Track adjuster leakage

Good day Sir
I have attached a couple of PDF documents that may well help you fix your machine, if you need more assistance please come back to me on bucketsense@gmail.com.
Kind regards
Uffex

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.co...mages/misc/exclamation.pngTrackTensionCylinde [Converted].pdfTrack splitting 2.pdf

 

[uffex]

Track adjuster seal

Good day sir
I fear the PDF files did not succeed drop me an email address I will be happy to forward the information.
Kind regards
Uffex

 

[Cat_man320]

If the seal is the only thing thats gone , its not a big problem to fix and should be no more that a good mornings work . like said before , lop off the bolts on two pads ..... if you can't find a master link . use the gas axe and heat both the inside and outside of the link thats holding the pin . You need a Big mall and a good drift and start hitting and keep heating until it breaks loose . If you have a hydraulic pin press , well disregard the former way lol . With the track broke and like said before , pump the idler and piston clear of the housing . the seals are on the piston I believe. Make sure they are installed correctly and lips are facing into the grease housing or cylinder . Inspect the inside of the cylinder after cleaning to make sure there are no scores or a rusted surface . You can run a small cylinder hone in there to clean it up a little also . make sure the grease nipple is out , put some grease on the new seal and smear a little grease on the inside of the cylinder so as not the score the new seal . gentle roll the idler and piston back into place and carefully enter the piston into the cylinder and push all the way in . join the track , replace the pads and pump up with grease and your good to go .

AND BTW USE EYE PROTECTION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dig_Texas]

Thanks for the advice. As usual, after great wailing and knashing of teeth, the cat parts people could not find the grey market part number so I am gambling that a 311B seal will work. I found the master pin with the keeper and will have to use a flame wrench to get the pads off. I'll try and get some photos for other's future reference when I get it all broke down. At least the weather has cooperated and I won't be doing it in 100+ heat.

 

[Tommy]

You should be able remove the track adjuster assembly by sliding it back off the idler yoke without having to separate the track. On my D37 Komatsu, I just chained the front of the track to the blade by running the chain thru the idler and hooking it to the blade. i then lifted the track off the center roller with a come along attached to the top of the cage. Unbolt the track adjuster assembly, slide it back off the yoke and it's out.

 

[slwbid]

hi uffex
I have same problem with 311b. I have a blown track adjuster seal. If you could send me the pdf mentioned above - or any other disassembly instructions, I would certainly appreciate it
slwbid@gmail.com

 

[r74vette]

Hate those days, thinking we have all had our share, seems if it can go wrong, it does..

I have no idea if I can offer any help in this direction. What I will share is that I have recently pulled apart a cat 315bl track for final drive work. In my specific case the master pins were easy to distinguish. I am attaching some pics just in case the application could somehow be the same. I splashed them red so to be able to see them. Pulled two pads as has already been noted, made up a big ole drift pin 15" by
1 3/8" round stock. Heated up both sides of the link and pounded it out. These chains were new 18 months ago, and the pins did come out fairly hard. In my case, I split the track over the sprocket as that was the focus of the job when I started. Aligning it there gave me some stability when pounding out the pin.

Also keep in mind that you may want to put a come along in the area you are going to separate - to get just a little pressure of the track pulling with its weight, also for safety. It worked well for me in controlling the track from simply taking off and potentially dropping on a foot or the like once the pin and drift were removed.

I have not pulled my idler out yet, but will be doing so to repack the adjuster with being this far into things. I have a minor issue with alignment regarding my adjuster block and part of the reason I that I will pull it out when I get to that part. Allot of great folks on this site with a whole lot of experience. Some here had pointed me to a place called Offroad parts.. here is the link, http://www.offroadeq.com/

They were good to work with, just keep in mind shipping prices when you consider those folks, personally found the shipping to be a bit pricey as there inventory is all over the country it seems. But they were responsive and timely.

Best wishes with your project, Please put some pics up as I could learn some things from your end as you pull the idler and adjsuter out of the frame. Again not sure if anything is remotely the same with the 315 verse the 311.

 

[Hanco]

I've got a 312 and I can get the track adjuster out with out seperating the tracks . If you let the grease out then lift the track off the ground stick a couple blocks of wood in between the chain and the bottom of the track frame in the slack that hangs down , then let the machine down on the blocks . There is room to bring the adjuster down between the rollers out the bottom . There's two bolts that hold my adjuster in one is easy to get to from the bottom you can feel it by hand , the second one is above a steel plate welded in the track frame but can be seen and reached from the hole under the top roller . A couple of extensions that are about two feet long total will reach the top bolt ..... Works on my 312 doesn't talk long if there's not much dirt in there .....


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