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I have a 1989 D4H
- Thread starter James2019
- Start date
rondig
Senior Member
My d5 service manual has pretty much a big section for all that....but it will be different from your d4....wonder if the d4 manual has it
watglen
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2009
- Messages
- 1,324
- Location
- Dunnville, Ontario, Canada
- Occupation
- Farmer, drainage and excavating contractor, Farm d
Hi James,
Unfortunately, pulling a link out is a poor plan. Once the chains have guillotined as much as yours, pulling a link accelerates the destruction. You would be amazed at how soon you will be pulling the tracks off again. Pulling a link is just a waste of time imo.
PM me with your email, I have a PDF of the CAT Undercarriage handbook. It is 800 pages of pure undercarriage porn. Everything there is to know about the boots on that machine of yours.
Unfortunately, pulling a link out is a poor plan. Once the chains have guillotined as much as yours, pulling a link accelerates the destruction. You would be amazed at how soon you will be pulling the tracks off again. Pulling a link is just a waste of time imo.
PM me with your email, I have a PDF of the CAT Undercarriage handbook. It is 800 pages of pure undercarriage porn. Everything there is to know about the boots on that machine of yours.
DMiller
Senior Member
In years gone by with Dry pin rails we would 'Trim' lower roller flanges and weld up idler faces while extending track tensioners too tight to get the last little bits of life from UC, the newer machines do not have the extra meat to get away with that these days.
I see in my CTS Report that my frame extension is out 3.9 inches I'm guessing this is the Track Adjuster? He has the Maximum set at 3.4 However, the manuals I have looked at have the Maximum at 3.9. Can I run my machine at 3.9 without causing damage to it?
watglen
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2009
- Messages
- 1,324
- Location
- Dunnville, Ontario, Canada
- Occupation
- Farmer, drainage and excavating contractor, Farm d
You sure can, and you can measure it yourself to check their measurements. Its as simple using a tape measure to measure the gap between the heavy yellow weldments, in front of the chrome adjuster. Very straightforward to check for yourself.
Personally, I wouldn't go beyond the 3.9". I think its safe to run up to it though.
Personally, I wouldn't go beyond the 3.9". I think its safe to run up to it though.
John C.
Senior Member
The side pins in the track frame with prevent you from going beyond the maximum extension. What will happen is the idler will bounce back and forth just a little and make imprints on the slot on the inside of the rod. That can give you all kinds of problems when you do go to rebuild the undercarriage. That brings up another issue on your cost to replace. You will need to rebuild the track adjusters so make sure that cost is in mind as well.
John C.
Senior Member
I have a track manual and went back to compare what is in your report against what is written and the report makes no sense at all. The small grayed out numbers below what should have been a measurement don't correspond to anything in the book. The only measurement given is for the top roller and the percentage worn is wrong. You might check for someone else that does aftermarket undercarriage in your area.
As to running your machine for a couple of days I would say that should be no problem depending on what you are doing. If you are working flat or up and down a slope you shouldn't have any problems. If you are working a side hill I'd suggest you better have a real good operator. You need to shake the machine down for other issues as well as the undercarriage.
I have measured hundreds of machine undercarriages and track systems and only a few things in your photos raise alarm bells. I've seen a lot worse still making money.
As to running your machine for a couple of days I would say that should be no problem depending on what you are doing. If you are working flat or up and down a slope you shouldn't have any problems. If you are working a side hill I'd suggest you better have a real good operator. You need to shake the machine down for other issues as well as the undercarriage.
I have measured hundreds of machine undercarriages and track systems and only a few things in your photos raise alarm bells. I've seen a lot worse still making money.
John C.
Senior Member
The side wear on the flanges of the front and rear idlers indicates a possible broken bearing on the equalizer bar and excessive play in the pivot shaft bushings in the track frames. All that means that the track frames might be moving side to side or tipping sideways when going forward or in reverse.
catman13
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2011
- Messages
- 435
- Location
- oregon usa
- Occupation
- refrigeration engineer/excavation contractor
is there anyone near him that can inspect and do oil samples on his cat, it sounds like it might be time to cut loses and send it packing,
just my 2 cents
just my 2 cents
Mother Deuce
Senior Member
I am a little curious about post number 16. You posted an image that shows the entire machine from the right side. The machine is sitting cross slope on a sidehill. How pronounced is that sidehill and do you wind up working cross slope a lot? I agree everything that has been said. If you are going to "run it to destruction" try to avoid cross slope. Sometimes you have to do it. It should however start a warning bell in your mind that sounds a lot like a cash register totaling groceries.
Nige
Senior Member
The service is free, at least AFAIK. If you contact your dealer and ask to speak to the PSSR (Parts & Service Sales Rep) who deals with undercarriage. Give him the impression that you're in the marlket for a complete undercarriage replacement and ask for the whole system to be measured.
DMiller
Senior Member
I believe last time the local checked with Fabick STL they were starting to charge a fee for this.
i would be curious what you end up doing and the costs involved if and when you make your decisions
It appears I have about a 3 inch crack half moon shaped on my front idler? Any ideals what would cause this? Are if it could be welded without take it off?
Also the Idler has JS 3700 on it and I don't see that number matching Part numbers?
Could they swap Idlers from another model?
Also the Idler has JS 3700 on it and I don't see that number matching Part numbers?
Could they swap Idlers from another model?
