2008 Cat 236B2 Drive Motor(s)

[pbd05]

I've found a shop that deals in Rexroth and they got me a parts diagram for the motor. Looks like the spring and seals required are available from them. Next step will be disassembling the 2nd motor to see if that brake is damaged at all.

 

[pbd05]

Got everything cleaned up with the big Landa pressure washer, that took about two hours. Also got the second motor apart, no surprise the brake mechanism has been mostly removed by the previous owner and things reasealed. I got an ORFS cap and plug kit and removed the lines from the motors to stop the bleeding. Still talking with the Rexroth shop trying to figure out exactly what I should order, but it's looking like this might be a cheap fix (fingers crossed).

 

[pbd05]

This thread deserves an update. I ended up ordering the parts for the motors from a Rexroth dealer shortly after my last post. I was expecting the parts early December, but didn't get them until January 5th. I also purchased a new parking brake solenoid from Cat along with a new hose and hydraulic filter, those were ready next day lol.

Since it's the dead of winter here I ended up building a shelter around the machine with insulated tarps and setting up a construction heater to make things barrable. I already had everything cleaned up so with the parts in hand I put the machine back together in less than 8 hours. The machine fired right up without any issue, and no leaks to be seen! I tore down the shelter and took it for a spin around the yard and it ran well.

Fast forward to this weekend, I fueled and greased the machine before cleaning up snow from the last storm. I put about an hour and a half on the machine and just had to top up the hydraulic fluid one more time. The machine runs great and seems very strong. I got it to operating temps and no leaks to be found. I bolted the cab back down, fixed a broken bolt on the fan cover and called it a day.

There are still a few small things to fix on the machine, it'll be a work in progress. There are a handful of hoses that could be replaced along with the pins and bushings that connect the arm to the quick connect plate.

Thanks everyone for the help and insight. The repair wasn't per the book per say, but I think it'll work out just fine.

 

[Welder Dave]

That's awesome you could repair it yourself. You must have saved a bundle. Be curious to know what the previous owner was doing inside the motors and removing parts for? It's a nice looking machine.

 

[pbd05]

It's a good looking machine considering the hours that are on it, that's what attracted me to it in the first place. The parts to repair the parking brake side of the motors was around $400, but that's only part of it. All in all I'll be into the repair for about $1500, which is pretty cheap vs. new motors at nearly $5k each. I believe the previous owner took things apart to the diagnose initially, and then abandoned the repairs after they saw the carnage. I'm planning on getting the service history from the Cat Dealer, and maybe even the suspected rental house that was the former owner.

 

[pbd05]

I've put about 10 hours on the machine since the repair clearing snow around the yard. It looks like the repair was successful, the machine runs really good and I'm happy with it. I'm having issues with the auxiliary rocker switch on the RH controller, but I think I might have it figured out (bad switch). I'll be doing a few more repairs here and there, mostly cosmetic. I'm starting to look at a tracked machine now which means selling this one in the near future.

 

[Nige]

I'm planning on getting the service history from the Cat Dealer, and maybe even the suspected rental house that was the former owner.

Good luck with that. Unless the dealer did all the servicing the only thing they will have on file is any warranty work or product upgrade programs that were performend on it, and even then they aren't obliged to hand over that information.

I'm having issues with the auxiliary rocker switch on the RH controller, but I think I might have it figured out (bad switch).

Do you mean the thumbwheel roller.?

 

[pbd05]

Good luck with that. Unless the dealer did all the servicing the only thing they will have on file is any warranty work or product upgrade programs that were performend on it, and even then they aren't obliged to hand over that information.
Do you mean the thumbwheel roller.?

Turns out it was owned by a construction company that shares the same name as a rental house. I talked to the dealer/ rental house (Cat Rental) and they gave me some information on its life services preformed and dates. It's a bit of work to get a complete service history out of the system so I didn't bother.

Yes the thumbwheel roller. Cat really doesn't want you to just replace the switch. I cleaned up the switch, but it looks like it's partially melted inside which caused some damage.

 

[Nige]

This thread may be of some assistance to you, especially the last couple of pages -

Cat 226b thumb wheel switch replacement

257B2 My thumb switch is a little stiff, is there a lubricant that can smooth out the action? If there are any updates on an available replacement switch I’d like to keep updated. i would just leave it, as long as it works. if you spray any lube in there, you risk dislodging whats left of...

www.heavyequipmentforums.com

 

[pbd05]

That's the thread I've been on the lookout for, I knew I wasn't the only one with this issue! Thanks!

 

[pbd05]

Turns out the issue with the thumbwheel was broken wires at the base of the joystick. Once those were repaired it worked perfectly.

I put about 25 hours on the machine doing snow clearing and some work around the yard and it performed flawlessly. I put a hydraulic breaker up for sale and long story short, the guy bought the machine with the hammer. Here are some pictures right before it left. It was a great machine but the hours were a bit high for my liking and I was after a tracked machine. Thanks for the help all!