Komatsu D21a-6 Steering Clutch Removal: CAN’T PULL CLUTCH OUT OF HOUSING

[patriksartz]

I’m trying to remove the steering clutch out of a Komatsu D21a-6 but can’t get it to budge.

I have unbolted the 16 bolts (eight on each side) holding the clutch drum in place, full can of PB blaster to break any corrosion between drum and flanges, rigged a comealong straight above and tried pulling it out using a strap wrapped around the drum.

Any ideas? Did I miss unbolting something? Thanks in advance?

Thanks in advance!

 

[DDoug]

I worked on an old D-6 that the owner could not pull the same up & out.
I looked it over and explained there was a rabbet fit he needed to slide the whole pack
sideways to get out from under/away before lifting.
IIRC he needed to compress some springs to do it, and he could not muster enough
force to slide it.
Or....it was so old and rusty, it could have been rusted stuck on a dowel pin, or the rabbet fit
itself.

 

[John C.]

You have the lift it out by the brake band. Put the band in the center of the drum, rig a small cable through the ends of the band so they are pulled towards each other and take up some weight. Then jiggle the drum side to side till it comes off the ledges.

 

[patriksartz]

You have the lift it out by the brake band. Put the band in the center of the drum, rig a small cable through the ends of the band so they are pulled towards each other and take up some weight. Then jiggle the drum side to side till it comes off the ledges.

Thank you! I tried lifting by the rake band but cable kept slipping/coming apart. I’ll try again.

Do I need to push on the yoke (#15 in parts diagram) to engage the collar (#15) + retainer (#4) so the clutch can slip out of the flange (#11)?

It looks like the retainer (#4) fits inside the flange (#11) and would prohibit the clutch from coming out if it’s not pushed in.

 

[patriksartz]

You have the lift it out by the brake band. Put the band in the center of the drum, rig a small cable through the ends of the band so they are pulled towards each other and take up some weight. Then jiggle the drum side to side till it comes off the ledges.

Thank you! I tried lifting by the rake band but cable kept slipping/coming apart. I’ll try again.

Do I need to push on the yoke (#15 in parts diagram) to engage the collar (#15) + retainer (#4) so the clutch can slip out of the flange (#11)?

It looks like the retainer (#4) fits inside the flange (#11) and would prohibit the clutch from coming out if it’s not pushed in.

 

[chidog]

You have the lift it out by the brake band. Put the band in the center of the drum, rig a small cable through the ends of the band so they are pulled towards each other and take up some weight. Then jiggle the drum side to side till it comes off the ledges.

Yes, that is how I always removed the ones in D6's - D8's, like John says the small cable needs to make the brake band lock around the drum. I never had any issues with that not working. I don't remember the size of cable I'm thinking it was about 1/8 inch diameter or 3/16 with eyes on both ends.

 

[John C.]

The lever is not attached to the clutch housing. It only pushes against the throw out to release. The disks are inside the drum and can slide side to side inside the drum. Sometimes they get rusted together and you have a mess getting the clutch and drum to get clearance with the flanges.

 

[Krackerjack9]

try spreading the flange on the inner side of the brake drum all you need is to move it like 1/8th of inch then have some thing pullin on the brake band I put 1 heavy duty zip tie so it pull the brake band in then a rope or cable of sorts then lift it out and its heavy and a pain but it can be done