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CAT 955 Steering clutches

showrguy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
101
Location
Marysville, Pa.
Howdy folks, I have a few questions..
A friend of mine has a 955L, that supposedly needs steering clutches, the left side is good until it warms up, right side seems fine..
I found a guy that parted out a 955L, and he said the steering clutch packs and final drives were like new, so he kept them, and has them for sale (cheap, he said)..
My question is could the clutch packs just be swapped out, or is there a whole lot more involved than that ??
Also, he cannot find the serial # on what's left of the machine..
Any insight would be well appreciated.
Thanks, Chuck
 

workshoprat92

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
817
Location
Bois D Arc Missouri
Are you absolutely certain its the clutch packs and not a hydraulic issue? Have you changed the filter and done a pressure test?

As far as taking the packs apart its quite a job. the whole thing needs be put in a press to compress the springs and all the keepers removed much like a valve spring keeper on a cylinder head. not saying it cant be done. as far as swapping the whole thing are you talking the ring gear also? If so I dont know about using a different ring gear than what the pinion is worn together with. Kind of like car rear end. If you change ring gear you change pinion to match.

I guess the question is are you talking whole assembly including hubs, drums, ring gear and so on or are you talking just the clutch friction disks and steels?

Also one other thing. this thread might do better in the track loader section and not tractor/ loader/backhoe section.
 

showrguy

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Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
101
Location
Marysville, Pa.
Thanks workshop,
No, I am not absolutely sure it's the clutch packs, he was told that by a CAT mechanic, but I dunno what all has been checked for sure..
Could it be a hydraulic issue, only effecting one side ??
Thanks for explaining how the steering clutch assy. is configured....That means what I was hoping for is not feasible...
Sorry if I put this in the wrong section, can I request a moderator to move it somehow ??
 

Nige

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
28,979
Location
G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
I think the best thing would be for one or more of our track loader experts who specialize in these models to chime in and let's do some testing to get to the root cause of the problem rather than assuming which as we all know usually leads to the mother of all fcukups ......
 

showrguy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
101
Location
Marysville, Pa.
I was'nt real clear in my 1st. post..(Ijust re-read it)
I'm thinking of buying the machine from him, so it's not here right now..
I'm trying to decide if I want to do this, knowing it has some steering issues..
The good thing, from the countless hours of reading/searching "955 steering clutches" I've not found that this is a common problem/issue......clutches, that is..
 

Bob/Ont

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
1,605
Location
Ontario
Need more info here. What do you mean, works fine until hot. Stops steering/turning under power or stops moving completely. One would be slipping clutch the other clutch not releasing. There is a probability the clutches complete on bevel gear shaft could be dropped right in if bearings and throw out cages are okay. Not for sure but is a chance.
Later Bob
 

showrguy

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Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
101
Location
Marysville, Pa.
Need more info here. What do you mean, works fine until hot. Stops steering/turning under power or stops moving completely. One would be slipping clutch the other clutch not releasing. There is a probability the clutches complete on bevel gear shaft could be dropped right in if bearings and throw out cages are okay. Not for sure but is a chance.
Later Bob

Hi Bob,
He said, when it's cold, it works fine, but after it warms up it'll start pulling/pushing to the left..........like the clutches are'nt engaged any longer..
If that makes sense..
 

workshoprat92

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
817
Location
Bois D Arc Missouri
Hi Bob,
He said, when it's cold, it works fine, but after it warms up it'll start pulling/pushing to the left..........like the clutches are'nt engaged any longer..
If that makes sense..

Ok heres the deal. When your tracking around it pulls one direction like the clutches are slipping. Of course at this point that diagnosis is just speculation and I agree one would think of the clutches first. Heres the thing. To get the clutches out you must remove the seat frame, fuel tank, battery box and a whole bunch of sheet metal so you can remove the top cover on the steering clutch housing to access the steering clutch shaft assembly. Hate to say it but you cannot do anything without removing the entire shaft along with the clutch, brake and drum assemblies. Point being it is a crap load of work that requires lifting devices to lift more than the mere human can. Its a bunch of work. So that being said it would be great to know for certain that the clutches are slipping.

So now while you are tracking around and its pulling left what happens when you push the right pedal? does the machine stop? does it keep moving forward or turn right? If it does stop id say yes there is a chance that the left steering clutches are not engaged. Notice i said not engaged and not slipping cause we dont know that for sure right now. So where to go from here. Well again a pressure test would be good. normally one would think of doing this test to see if you are getting pressure when the pedal is depressed to release and disengage the clutch pack. but in this instance we would be looking for pressure when we do not want pressure releasing and disengaging the clutch or allowing it to slip. so what could cause this? a bad valve body? binding pedal linkages not allowing full release? a sticking bearing on the pedal shaft not allowing the pedal to fully retract and keeping pressure on the clutch? I had this happen to me on my 955L by the way. I think this is something you really need to look at before diving into the clutches. If the machine still will turn right then I dont know your clutches are slipping cause if they were you couldn't get enough bite to drive left track and turn right.

Ok so after doing some diagnostics and trouble shooting ruling out the hydraulic controls and hydraulic steering system then the next step is to resign yourself to your fate and take a look at the steering clutches. at this point your into a full dis assembly even to just swap out the steering clutch pack. and if your steering clutches are that worn out there is a real good chance the hub and drum that the steel and friction discs ride in have real bad grooves worn in them where they engage one another. If this is the case then those must be replaced also. the deep groves can cause the steels and discs to hang up and not fully engage when they wear. At this point your gona start to spend some serious $$$$$$$.

Rule out the simple easy to fix stuff first. Hope that it is one of these and not bad clutches.

one of the simplest thing you can do right now with no tools is tell us what happens when it is pulling left and you step on right pedal. even just a little to disengage the clutch and not the brake.
 

workshoprat92

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
817
Location
Bois D Arc Missouri
Need more info here. What do you mean, works fine until hot. Stops steering/turning under power or stops moving completely. One would be slipping clutch the other clutch not releasing. There is a probability the clutches complete on bevel gear shaft could be dropped right in if bearings and throw out cages are okay. Not for sure but is a chance.
Later Bob

wouldnt you need to change pinion gear that matches the worn ring gear. I am not sure about changing one and not the other. I always thought they were a matched set just like any ring and pinion.
 

showrguy

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Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
101
Location
Marysville, Pa.
Thanks for the help so far fellas..
I can buy this machine for dam near scrap price, so I think I'll get it, so I have it here to diagnose..
 

kshansen

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Mar 11, 2012
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11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Thanks for the help so far fellas..
I can buy this machine for dam near scrap price, so I think I'll get it, so I have it here to diagnose..

Good Idea! I'm sure there will be many here who once you have some more detailed information on what does work and what does not work.

Also they will be more than happy to help you spend your money to fix it!:wink2

Actually I'm sure they will save you enough money to pay your subscription to this site many times over! What they didn't charge you to join!:eek:
 

tctractors

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
Messages
2,383
Location
Worc U.K.
The 955 is a lot easier than a 951 to work on, when the fuel tank comes off you can soon make headway if you are stripping out the steer case, the clutch springs can be removed with All Thread and a few bits of fettled junk, the cross shaft stripping is a but of work but doable without any fancy tooling other than a shop press.
tctractors
 

showrguy

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Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
101
Location
Marysville, Pa.
Thank you all for your encouragement so far..
I'll get the machine, and we'll go from there..
I've never wrenched on anything this big before, good thing is I have a John Deere 410 backhoe if i need to do some heavy lifting..(I hope I don't)
 

workshoprat92

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
817
Location
Bois D Arc Missouri
Thank you all for your encouragement so far..
I'll get the machine, and we'll go from there..
I've never wrenched on anything this big before, good thing is I have a John Deere 410 backhoe if i need to do some heavy lifting..(I hope I don't)

Very cool and sounds like a good deal even with the problems. I would definitely pick it up for that price! Post some pictures of it. Curious if it has the d5 or d6 undercarriage.
 
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