1845c chain drive issues

[stoneagemason]

2000 model with 2900 hrs. It started making knocking noise so I proceeded to tighten chains. The noise went away for a short time period. It came back a week ago so I brought the machine back to my shop and tighter the chains again. I put the tires back on and the knocking continued and then it started to act as if the brake was grabbing. I had a employee driving the tractor, he somehow broke the shock from throwing the safety bar up and down as got in and out. Once I saw his behavior I immediately removed him from his job but the damage was done. It's either wear and tear from 2900 hrs of use or somehow this big dumb ox screwed up the ebrake system. I'm gonna check the brake linkage before I tear into the chain gear box....any thoughts from you pros...I got nothing to loose and a nice new shop to loosed it in...nobody around hear works on these machines .... I'm a brick mason and I need the machine back on the job yesterday

 

[stoneagemason]

A careless individual can sure cause unnecessary damage to a nice machine, if not for nc labor laws he wouldn't have got his last check

 

[sheepfoot]

You will need to check both your adjustments for the rt and lt hand parking pins that go into the chain housings. They are kind of a pain but they could be bumping against a burr on the sprocket where they engage. you may also find the small cluster gear with a tooth or two broken off, did you look at the three chains good to see if any of the roller are cracked or split also. We would put them on RR ties and pull the wheels, check for string and wire around the axles, check and grease the housings, drain the lube, inspect and adjust the six chains, re adjust the parking brake, refill the housings with lube, install new cover gaskets on a service, also with the early units with the planetary on the drive motor do a lube change. It's not a big deal to do. Are you the first owner or did you buy the machine used, do you have a operator manual and service manual, are the tires foam filled. With the parking pins engaged sometimes they have a lot of pressure on them and will not release until the machine is rocked a little F/R to release, I have seen some damage several times before with people trying to drive through them or not locking the bars and having the brake pins engage while moving. The third chain is adjusted from the inside frames around the area of the brake pin locks.

 

[stoneagemason]

I bought it used from hertz in 2004, with 700 hrs, it has been a great machine. Air filled tires, plans to replace with foam filled tires next go round. I looked into the parking brakes and the left side was not tight enough to disengage upon lowering the safety bar, so that part is solved but I still have a knocking tapping noise...I inspected the chains through the covers, but I think I may have a better look at them tomorrow. I tightened the outer chains on both sides, maybe to tight. I notice that the inner chain on the left side was very slack. I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning dirt and crud from the bottom of the machine...tomorrow I will attempt to tighten the inner chain....the left side oil looked normal but the right side was a little milky....they will both be flushed and refilled with fresh oil....all I had was the operator manual , no service manual...the guy that was driving it probably drove through the brake as you say......I imagine the sprocket will show some damage from this, hopefully not enough to need replacing.

 

[sheepfoot]

Should have also said to mark your axle at 12/3/6/9 and check each chain deflection at four different spots, and adjust to the average. You will have high and low spots around the sprocket. It can be just right in one spot and real tight 1/2 turn on the axle. The 1845c are a great machine, not a lot of bells and high tech, simple compared to what is todays standards.

 

[stoneagemason]

How much deflection should I allow, I got them tight?

 

[stoneagemason]

I know what mean about f/ r movement to free up brake... There's always that one guy that will pointing uphill and still not bump it back to free the brake up

 

[sheepfoot]

The axle chains, loosen the nuts around the housing, tighten the adjuster bolt until chain is tight, tighten the nuts back to 60 inch pounds, back off the jack screw until it has 1/2" clearance, start and run at idle, slowly move the control lever F for ten seconds and do R for ten seconds, shut engine off, tighten the nuts to around 90-100 ft. lbs., snug up the jack screw and tighten lock nuts. Your deflection should be around 1 1/2 inch or less, (38 mm).

 

[stoneagemason]

Thank you sheepfoot, fortunately it was the brake making the noise. My chains are now properly adjusted, I discovered a few things about my machine including a few maintenance neglect issues.i got to drain the oil from the chain compartment and replace it......next thing I'm going to learn is how to adjust valve lash, I'm about 1700 hrs late on this issue. Thank you for sharing

 

[phil314]

Yeah, I'm also looking to do a valve adjust on my 1845c too. Any advice on doing it would be great. How often and adjust specs?

I've done it on cars and bikes before, both screw and shim type, but never done it on my skid. It probably needs it I'm guessing.

 

[stoneagemason]

They suggest checking valve lash at 1000 hrs

 

[Cajun1986]

 

[phil314]

Thanks Cajun, that is awesome. Do I really need an engine rotating tool? or is there another way to turn the engine? No idea where the lock pin is?

The rest of it make sense and looks easy. At least I don't have to do math like with the shim under bucket valves.

 

[Cajun1986]

I did not have the rotating tool. I used a socket and ratchet on flywheel bolts. Had engine out at the time. See pic for location of lock pin.