Roller Bearing and Track Adjuster Won't Take Grease - CAT 259B3

[Acoals]

I got the bearing installed. Cleaned out the housing with a wire brush on the end of a drill. I took @Nige 's advice and left the bearing in the freezer overnight. It went in without a ton of effort. I just greased the housing lightly and then tapped the bearing into place with a hammer and a piece of square tubing. I did notice what appears to be a hairline crack in the outer part of the bearing. Not sure if I tapped it too hard or what, but I'm leaving it like that for now.

Thanks everyone for your help. This site has become quite a valuable resource for me as I work on this machine.

Most of the ones I have put in wind up with that hairline crack in the outer bearing race. It wont affect the bearing once it is in. Those bearings on the rear of those machines are a terrible design if you ask me, and it seems Cat agreed, as the newer models have the straight through design that the front bearing has. You have to grease those chassis bearings every few hours in order to keep them alive, and even then, those rear bearings quit taking grease after awhile. Every one I have ever seen is loose.

 

[Howey Matt]

I’ve moved on to the other side of the machine. The rear axle is rusted to the track frame and it won’t budge. PB Blaster, blowtorch, pry bars, chain binder, etc. I even tried putting a small jack between the machine and the track frame. Nothing. Any tricks I should try?

 

[Acoals]

I’ve moved on to the other side of the machine. The rear axle is rusted to the track frame and it won’t budge. PB Blaster, blowtorch, pry bars, chain binder, etc. I even tried putting a small jack between the machine and the track frame. Nothing. Any tricks I should try?

Heat up the bearing. if it doesn't move get it hotter. I don't know what you are using for a torch, but it a propane torch won't do. Anything will move if you get it hot enough . . .
You will destroy the bearing, but it should probably be replaced anyway.

 

[Howey Matt]

Heat up the bearing. if it doesn't move get it hotter. I don't know what you are using for a torch, but it a propane torch won't do. Anything will move if you get it hot enough . . .
You will destroy the bearing, but it should probably be replaced anyway.

Got it, thanks! I’m using a propane/butane torch like a plumber would use to solder copper fittings, but I’ll try to get it hotter. I’ve been hitting it with PB Blaster every time I walk by as well.

 

[Acoals]

Got it, thanks! I’m using a propane/butane torch like a plumber would use to solder copper fittings, but I’ll try to get it hotter. I’ve been hitting it with PB Blaster every time I walk by as well.

An Oxy-Acetelyne torch is the only way to get such parts hot enough. A propane torch simply doesn't burn hot enough. The inner race of the bearing needs to be at least a dull red all the way around, and may have to be hotter than even that if things are real bad.
This is just me, but all the PB blaster is doing is adding fuel to burn and nasty smoke to sear your eyes when you heat it ...

 

[Howey Matt]

An Oxy-Acetelyne torch is the only way to get such parts hot enough. A propane torch simply doesn't burn hot enough. The inner race of the bearing needs to be at least a dull red all the way around, and may have to be hotter than even that if things are real bad.
This is just me, but all the PB blaster is doing is adding fuel to burn and nasty smoke to sear your eyes when you heat it ...

I went out and got an oxy-acetylene torch. I'll let you know it goes.

 

[Howey Matt]

Well, the oxy-acetylene torch didn't do it. Got the inner part of the bearing pretty hot but it wouldn't release. I couldn't get it any more than a dull red -- it would cool as soon as I moved to a different spot. I tried heating it three separate times and still nothing. Went through a whole tank of acetylene.

The inner part of the bearing has a lot of wiggle room around it, between it and the outer part of the bearing. I'm wondering if I can drill a hole through the length of it and then split it with an air chisel. I could then do the same to the outer part of the bearing. They seem really brittle and prone to cracking as it is. Might as well exploit it?

 

[Nige]

Well, the oxy-acetylene torch didn't do it.

You didn't buy a Harbor Freight mini-torch did you.? It will need a full-size torch to heat that bearing.

I'm wondering if I can drill a hole through the length of it and then split it with an air chisel.

If you succeed then let everyone know how you did it. Oh, and BTW you'll be rich. Those bearings are harder than a hard thing and AFAIK no drill bit ever made will even so much as scratch them.

 

[Acoals]

Well, sounds like you need more torch. Those little tiny ones you get at Home Depot don't really cut it. Also, you will run through those little tanks in pretty short order, as you seem to have found out.
Do you have the track off? Is the front axle housing off the track frame? There are like 8 big bolts holding it to the frame, you need to make sure that the front is free so it doesn't bind up and cause problems moving the back.
This may sound stupid, but the round retaining plate that bolts to the end of the axle holding the track frame on is removed? Sorry, I don't mean to be insulting, but stranger things have happened.
From what it sounds like, all other factors being removed, the bearing needs to get hotter. Really hot. Then put your bottle jack between the track frame and the machine as close to the bearing as possible and push.
Worst case scenario I would just smoke the bearing out with the torch, but I am not sure I would recommend trying that if you just picked up a torch for the first time yesterday. You can make a real mess out of things in a hurry with a torch if you don't know what you are doing.

 

[Acoals]

Also, air hammering on bearing races is a real good way to take a piece of shrapnel to the face. I know guys who have lost eyes to that.

 

[Howey Matt]

Those bearings are harder than a hard thing and AFAIK no drill bit ever made will even so much as scratch them.

Surprisingly, I was able to drill about 1/8” before it ruined the bit. Didn’t work though.

Well, sounds like you need more torch. Those little tiny ones you get at Home Depot don't really cut it. Also, you will run through those little tanks in pretty short order, as you seem to have found out.
Do you have the track off? Is the front axle housing off the track frame? There are like 8 big bolts holding it to the frame, you need to make sure that the front is free so it doesn't bind up and cause problems moving the back.
This may sound stupid, but the round retaining plate that bolts to the end of the axle holding the track frame on is removed? Sorry, I don't mean to be insulting, but stranger things have happened.
From what it sounds like, all other factors being removed, the bearing needs to get hotter. Really hot. Then put your bottle jack between the track frame and the machine as close to the bearing as possible and push.

I’ve got the retaining plate and bolts off both axles. The tracks are still on. The front will slide in and out 2-3”. I can take the tracks off and remove those 8 bolts if you think it would help. Maybe it would let me twist the track frame a bit more to break it loose.

The torch I have is just a small portable kit. Sounds like I need more firepower.

 

[Acoals]

I would take the track off. That is an extra 500 pounds or whatever that is just working against you, especially if you don't have another machine. It is also a lot easier to access everything with the track off.
Once the track is off, take the front axle bracket thing off, and then with the machine on jack stands (remember you have over 9,000lbs there = no little car jack stands) put a wheeled floor jack under the track frame. This will give you good control over the track frame. You want the track frame about parallel to the machine frame, and lifted so that it is kind of floating in the freeplay of the bearing. Basically no tension any direction if possible. You have to eliminate binding from the rather large and heavy track frame from interfering with you trying to separate the bearing from the axle.

 

[Howey Matt]

I would take the track off. That is an extra 500 pounds or whatever that is just working against you, especially if you don't have another machine. It is also a lot easier to access everything with the track off.
Once the track is off, take the front axle bracket thing off, and then with the machine on jack stands (remember you have over 9,000lbs there = no little car jack stands) put a wheeled floor jack under the track frame. This will give you good control over the track frame. You want the track frame about parallel to the machine frame, and lifted so that it is kind of floating in the freeplay of the bearing. Basically no tension any direction if possible. You have to eliminate binding from the rather large and heavy track frame from interfering with you trying to separate the bearing from the axle.

I'll take the tracks off as soon as I get the alternator back from the shop (can't start the machine currently). I'm also going to see if the local welding shop can set me up with a larger tip and some larger tanks. I don't think the tip I was using puts out enough heat. I was using a welding tip and I think I need a heating/rosebud tip and the larger tanks to match.

I can take a house apart and put it back together with my eyes closed, but this mechanical stuff is somewhat new to me. This machine is forcing me to learn a lot!

 

[Acoals]

You need a cutting tip. A welding tip is never really used for heating things up like you are trying to do. You can get a rosebud tip, but I doubt you need it for what you are doing, and they can be tricky or dangerous if you are using small tanks.

 

[Howey Matt]

You need a cutting tip. A welding tip is never really used for heating things up like you are trying to do. You can get a rosebud tip, but I doubt you need it for what you are doing, and they can be tricky or dangerous if you are using small tanks.

Good to know. I have a cutting tip but I wasn't cutting so I didn't think to use it. The videos I could find all used the welding tip, but they were heating small bolts, not large bearings. I'll give it a shot once I get the tracks off and tanks refilled. Thanks!

 

[Acoals]

Good to know. I have a cutting tip but I wasn't cutting so I didn't think to use it. The videos I could find all used the welding tip, but they were heating small bolts, not large bearings. I'll give it a shot once I get the tracks off and tanks refilled. Thanks!

I don't know about the YouTube mechanics, but in 20 years I can probably count on my hands the times I or anybody else around me has used a welding tip ...
Use the cutting tip, just don't touch the oxygen ....

 

[Howey Matt]

I ended up taking the machine to the dealer.

I was trying to remove the track to get better access to the bushing, and I discovered that the track adjuster would take grease and tighten the track, but it wouldn’t release and loosen the track. Tried just about everything, even a 20 ton bottle jack with the machine wedged between two trees. Nothing. It wouldn’t budge despite the tracks being changed only 6 months ago.

I called the dealer and they walked me through the service manual. We got to the step where you cut the coil spring with a torch while using a mirror so you don’t get hit with the shrapnel. At that point, I just loaded the machine up and took it to the dealer.

We’ll see what happens. They’re way behind so it will probably be a while. After this I don’t know what else could go wrong with the machine. Just about every component has been repaired or replaced. I might finally get to use it for some actual work!

 

[Acoals]

When you loosened the grease fitting with a 17mm socket did any grease come out from behind the fitting at all?

 

[Howey Matt]

When you loosened the grease fitting with a 17mm socket did any grease come out from behind the fitting at all?

No, nothing ever came out.