undercarriage problems on D6r

pics

Here are the pix of the sprockets
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h68/BassGambler13/D6R/100_0202.jpg


outside right sprocket

inside right

outside left

The first three pics looks like the sprocket is not centered, maybe someone installed it on wrong. There is way too much wear on the sides, almost like you were side sloping for 200 hours.

d6peg, I do not really see much in your pictures to worry about. I've seen dozens of rails and sprockets on all size tractors with much worse wear patterns than what you have so far shown. They worked just fine and so far as I can remember, the rails, pins, bushings, and sprocket faces wore out before anything like what you have shown so far caused a machine down situation.

However, if you really think you have a problem, get your Cat PSR (Parts and Service Representative) out to take a look and make some recommendations. He would be the final authority in any case.

I agree with what you said surfer joe. I am not as worried about the sprocket wear as I am the with the inside of the rail wearing because it is riding on the outside edge of the sprocket.

Deas Plant said:

Personally, I'm still not convinced that the high-sprocket drive in its current form is the best possible configuration for a crawler tractor.

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They work nice but they sure have ALOT of expensive parts to wear out, particularly 8's and bigger.

Wearing parts.

Hi, Bolt Thrower.
No argument there.

(Hey! I think that's my shortest post ever. LOL.)

Here is an update.
I was told the other day that probably nothing will be done about the undercarriage problems. I called the customer service rep about a month ago about the dry links issue and he said he would call back the next week and I have still not heard back from him.:Banghead

Ah well, you have to keep after them ya know. He might have a customer or two that actually owns two tractors, so may consider them more important and deserving of his time.

Call his boss and explain the PSR guy's lack of performence compared to his promise.

It sure sounds like your dealer is dragging there feet on helping you or be it Cat.

Before i got a set of new rails and put back on your machine i would add the carrier roller to your machine.It will pay for them selves.

I know where you live being in Texas that sandy soils is a problem as far as wear on the pins and bushing,but i would think with all the troubles you have had already with the dry pins that the rails wasn't up to snuff to start with.

The pictures of the wear on the sprocket is still more from dry pins and not running straight ,which the carrier roller would help a lot to at least help keep them in line.

It also takes out a lot of the flip in the tracks when your turning.I work more in muddy conditions,but even with that it didn't take me long to have the carrier roller assembly added on my D6H which didn't come with them and it is an 1988 model.

The last time i changed to new rails i didn't change my sprockets and put another 2500 hours on them before i changed the sprockets.I usually get around 6000 hour out of my Cat rails,and that was just standard rails not the heavy duty rails.

Which i couldn't put on my old H machine until i had the track guards widen so i could get the heavy duty rails ,because Cat changed the standard rails to take a different bolt pattern pad and i still wanted to use my old pads ,so i opted to widen the guards and got the heavy duty rails now,but still only have the 40 link rail,not the 41 links like on the new H'S and R's.

Give your rep another call and tell him it's been a long week and was wondering what was going on????

It can sure be a big aggervation at times to get them to do anything that is for sure.But when you buying they always tell you how great the warranty is.Good luck:usa

Constructo, I agree with the carrier rollers, that they need to be added and I do plan on it when we can enough money ahead to do it. It seems like all the profit we used to make goes back into fuel now days. Like surfer joe said, we might be the low man on the totum pole with since we have only bought one dozer from them.

I have contacted a mechanic that is a good friend and he said when he is in the area he will bring his infared gun and see how many links that are dry.

The Caterpillar Undercarriage Assurance Program should take care of the dry joints. NO questions asked. That program is for 3 years or 4000 hrs. or the link assembly is 100% worn.
It is good for breakage and leaks of rollers, idlers, and track joints.
If it is turn time,the labor will be yours.
Tell the PSSR to use the program that's what it's there for. You have not received the value of the link assembly.

I have been following this thread for some time and now have an opinion. I think it is time to pull out the stops! I would go to the CAT website and get the names of the CEO, COO, GM and evey high ranking officer. I would then craft a well thought out letter detailing this fiasco keeping it professional but pulling no punches. I would mention the name of the CAT rep and dealer that is giving you the run around. I would also praise the overall quality and reliability of CAT products and reinforce if this situation is not handled in an acceptable manner you will have to consider other brands on your next purchase. I would also mention notifying other operators and equipment owners of your treadment. You could also buy a couple shares of CAT stock and go to a share holders meeting and expose this.
I would send certified copies to the Suits and the dealer.
Based on your experience I do not think I would consider a CAT product if this is how they treat their "small customers"

Legdoc, I agree and have considered doing as you have said, but since the machine is still under warranty and since this is a pre-existing condition I still feel like the dealer will treat me right. I did talk to the customer rep today and he assured me that he would come take a look.

I hate to ruffle too many feathers at this point since the dealer is only 20 miles from home and the next nearest is several hundred miles away. Also, some of the guys are pretty good friends.

We'll see what happens in the next week or two and I will continue to keep everybody posted.

Field repair of SALT links

Budd said:

The Caterpillar Undercarriage Assurance Program should take care of the dry joints. NO questions asked

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d6peg said:

Cat has warrantied the broke links. The links that have been replaced have not broken yet, but because of the dealer doing this in the field have some dry bushings now in the new links.

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Wulf said:

I'm really surprised that the dealer repaired so many links under warranty and you ended up with dry SALT joints. This is a very clumsy repair,its unacceptable and it makes me wonder whether its being claimed to CAT as it could be the dealers responsibility if they didn't handle the situation and fix it properly

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Budd... how about if the dry bushings are related to the dealers field repair? wouldn't that becomes the dealers responsibility?

Wulf said:

Budd... how about if the dry bushings are related to the dealers field repair? wouldn't that becomes the dealers responsibility?

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Wulf, Yes.
I am almost sure the dry pins are pins that were once replaced.

Yes, The Cat Undercarriage Assurance Program covers repairs by the dealer as well as factory assembly.
The program also cover leaks of dealer reshelled rollers and reconditioned idlers.
Who is the Cat Dealer, Where is he located, Who is the Rep. And what is his phone number?
Something this simple has gone on way too long.....

Budd said:

Yes, The Cat Undercarriage Assurance Program covers repairs by the dealer as well as factory assembly

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I'm sure they do cover dealer repairs but would question whether CAT would recommend the field replacement of 30 links? Surely this should have been done at the track shop on a track press and if repaired and relubed properly then they wouldn't have leaked?

abnormal wear

what is the s/n of your 6 have you got 1730945 segments what are the link part#s

steve loving said:

what is the s/n of your 6 have you got 1730945 segments what are the link part#s

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The serial # is an AEM 0134, the segments are 1730946 (I couldnt tell from the parts manual if there is a seperate part # for left side and right side, it generaly list it as being seperate but not this time) & the link part# is 8e7406.

Wulf, I might have been unclear in previous post but the initial repair was done in a track shop ( approx. 24 links), but the previous 2 times (4 links one time and 2 the next were done in the field). It looks like the links that were done in the field are the ones that are dry. I dont know just how dry the links are though, they squeak at times and are warm to the touch when the other links are cool to the touch.

Sorry it took me so long to get back (went fishing today ).

The cat man came out today and used his infared gun on the pins and all but one checked out ok. All the pins ran between 44 and 47 degrees but the only one that was a concern was about 67 degrees and he said just keep an eye on it. He thought everything else looked as it should.

He did measure the UC and will get back to me after he enters the measurements in the computer and I will let everybody know.

He said that it is still wearing on the outside of the segments, but it shouldnt cause any loss of life on the UC.