Section for komatsu d20,21 and similar grey market dozers

[wdnewman]

Guys,

Need some help with the idler adjustment. I have a D21P-7 and have noticed some excess play at the front of the track. Looked in my manual for information on adjustment, and they say to remove shims from the guide plate to tighten the clearance between the guide plate and the track frame. They say to loosen bolt (1) and pull out the shim. The only problem is that they do not show where bolt (1) is.
No diagram, no picture no nothin'. Is there any help out there?

 

[kc5gxc]

It has 4 bolts holding the plates on each side. (4 bolts each plate) The shims are behind the plates on each side.
I tightened mine up by removing shims. I got to thinking about it and realized that the rail was worn some and I had tightened up the plates to a worn area of the rails. I had 'em pretty tight with about .020" each side, I think.
If the thing ever needed to move back it wouldda jammed. Say, a piece of wood in the sprocket and the idler needed to come back and compress the big spring that tensions the track....to keep something from breaking until the sprocket could rotate and hopefully, the wood or whatever would fall out.
I think it needs enuf room to be able to slide back in case of a mishap like this....just be aware of this feature and that it must be able to move backwards if this occurs......or.....something is gonna break !!!!!
I was told that is what the spring feature is there for and it makes sense.
Good Luck
Pete/MS

 

[wdnewman]

Idler Adjustment

Thanks, Pete.

I am a little concerned about the very thing you wrote about. I am using the P track (swamp track) and if I walk to the front of the track and place my feet on each side and shift my weight left and right, I get a lot of lateral wobble. Sometimes. At other times it seems tight. If it wobbled all the time, I would have no problem pulling shims out until it tightened up, but now I am afraid that by getting it tight in one position that it might be put in a bind while working. But the thing is pretty loose now, enough to concern me. I guess that I will pull one shim on the outside and one on the inside tomorrow and see if it works O.K.
By the way. There is a recessed bolt in the middle of those four bolts that are loosened to take out the shims, and there is another nut on top of the assembly. Any idea what those are for?
Keep a-clackin'

Newman

 

[kc5gxc]

Hi WD
Am sure that is the oil fill. One on inside on one side and one on outside on other side. (Idlers are same ...no left and right. Those are the plugs I drilled and tapped for grease zerks. Was told not to do it, but this old thing was mighty dry. I give it a few shots of grease every other time I use it. $1 a tube Wal Mart grease....doing it a long time and she just slides along !!!! I got 6 new track rollers that I leave alone, but the other 4 originals ? Get the grease. No problems so far. I figure the 6 old ones died from no lube.
The book says call Komatsu service for lube to the track rollers.....that ain't gonna happen.
Good luck with it.
Pete (D21P-6 on tag but according to work equipment...blade, U frame...it's a D21E-6) I went to Komatsu in Hattiesburg and they told me this.

 

[wdnewman]

Idler adjustment

Hi Pete!

Well, today I got under the dude and checked out the gap on the inside guide plate, and it looked like it was running about 1/4" rather than the .020 required. Took a couple of shims out, and now it checks out at about .030 on each side, and the wobble is much, much better. I don't THINK there is going to be any bind on them, and I let my better half drive it around while I watched and it look good to me! I didn't take off those bolts on the top of the guide plate, as my maintenance manual didn't mention anything about that at all, so I just let it be.
While I was at it, I looked into turning the blade edge to get at the sharper side, but those bolts are really in there! Have you turned yours, and if so what did you use to break those bolts loose?

 

[kc5gxc]

Hi WD
I reckon you are talking about the plug in the middle of the guide plate (one per idler roller). I can't recall any bolts on top of the guide plates.
Nope....never messed with the cutting edge...it's sharp. Me and the welder brother did cut a hunk out of the rod in the top center of blade suspension to make it shorter and give the blade some angle...further out at the bottom. This machine has been used hard. I know that undercarriage work has been done in the past, and maybe they redid the edge of the blade then.The main pivot for the blade is worn out...we put a piece of 3/4" plate in the joint to shim up the blade where the socket is.
Heck, it works good !
Got lots of slop in the main joints that hold the blade assembly on the base of the machine. One day I hope to pull the pins out and get the bro to make some kind of bushings to take the slop out. With a lot of good ole walmart grease in there, then it should outlast me ....ha ha ha.

 

[Danny B]

Greetings. Just got signed in. Have been reading this thread for a couple of weeks. Came up with some questions, so figured I needed to register and ask since there seems to be a lot of info here.
I traded a tractor and baler for my first dozer a couple of months ago. I now have a D21A. Have enjoyed digging up a few trees so far.

So here is a couple questions for now.
1. I am pretty sure I have one weak battery. Has anyone replaced the rather thin battery with a standard size one? Both of mine appear to have come straight out of Japan.
2. I know it has been "refurbished". Seat and armrests recovered. Repainted and lettered. What I was hoping to find out was why under the yellow paint it appears the original color was green. The decal under the access door that shows where the grease zerks are, is in Japanese. However the gear shift and other items are in English.
3. I have learned a little about the tracks by reading here. I think the treads are called grousers? I have seen the knife shape and the triangle shape. My machine has a different one. It has a raised flat tread, I guess about an inch wide. Does any one know anything about this type of "grouser"?
Thanks for any info you can provide for this novice dozer dude.

 

[kc5gxc]

Hi Danny
My older D21-P (or E) has the 24 volt system......2 standard automotive batteries connected in series. They fit just rite in the battery tray behind and below the seat. Don't know what the original battery looks like.
I guess the original paint on mine was yellow.......no green anywhere.
I got the LGP triangle shaped pads for my tracks. Know nothing about other kinds of tracks. (Not much about these....ha)
I got the hydroshift one. 2 forward and 2 reverse speeds.
It has been battered around but is running really good.
Good Luck
Pete/MS

 

[Digger145]

So here is a couple questions for now.
1. I am pretty sure I have one weak battery. Has anyone replaced the rather thin battery with a standard size one? Both of mine appear to have come straight out of Japan.

I've got a Mitsubishi BD2G and it has twin car sized 12v batteries in series to make 24v like "kc5gxc" dozer also.

3. I have learned a little about the tracks by reading here. I think the treads are called grousers? I have seen the knife shape and the triangle shape. My machine has a different one. It has a raised flat tread, I guess about an inch wide. Does any one know anything about this type of "grouser"?
Thanks for any info you can provide for this novice dozer dude.

An inch wide or an inch high?
How about posting a pic of what you've got.

and last but not least.... :drinkupWELCOME:drinkup

 

[Digger145]

Those rubber tracks on your BD2G are useless.....they are more expensive to replace than steel,& only have VERY limited usage.
Rhine equip in Tacoma have steels,or try John at tractorparts.com....he was wrecking a few,I think.
I think there are a few being wrecked in the USA.

In Australia,I can get parts for them

Jim

Jim, any suggestions for the repair / replacement of a rusted track tensioner shaft?
It will most likely need the seal kit too, as I took a link out to get the idler sitting back and now the tensioner won't hold.
It was half expected as the chrome shaft was pitted from rust.
We are in Hobart, Tasmania.

 

[JimInOz]

D21

Danny,
In our temperate climate,2 medium duty car batteries seem to go OK in the Mitsubishi dozers,so the Komatsu should fare OK.I'm not sure about the cold areas of the USA.
The single grouser track plates are for general dozing work,the pyramid apex plates are for swamp/soft areas work,& the triple grousers are for excavators & crawler loaders like the D21S.Sometimes you'll find triple grousers on small imported dozers...often they are small excavator tracks replacing original worn out swamp tracks.
The green colour will likely mean your unit was in a rental fleet in Japan.
I once owned a green Mitsubishi BD2F dozer.
A lot of these small dozers suffered undercarriage corrosion in Japan,& some get a refurb before being shipped to auctions.

Digger,let me know if you need Mitsy parts.I can also get some D21 Undercarriage.

Jim

 

[Digger145]

Digger,let me know if you need Mitsy parts.I can also get some D21 Undercarriage.

Jim

Mate, I'm letting you know!!!
How / where do I get the chrome shaft I was asking about?

 

[Danny B]

Not sure how to post photos yet. I guess the best discription I could provide re: the track is the grouser part is shaped like a small letter "T". Havn't measured, but approx an inch tall and an inch wide.

Thanks for the info on the batteries. I won't spend time looking for original shape. If I can learn how to post photos, I'll include those also.

 

[Digger145]

Not sure how to post photos yet.

A quick search should get you this https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2284&highlight=post+photos

A "T" shape is weird...

 

[JimInOz]

BD2 Shaft for Digger

Sorry Mate...I missed that post.
Just got 4 shafts in....maybe contact me at: dozerman@optusnet.com.au
Those rods are a problem in many Mitsy dozers...the salt ,mud & gravel must be nasty in Japan.
I fixed a BS3F last year & it's still tensioned OK.
I can get Engine parts,Starters,Alternators,Steering discs & Drums,Undercarriage ....& working on more stuff now.

Jim

 

[MUDSLINGERS]

Not sure how to post photos yet. I guess the best discription I could provide re: the track is the grouser part is shaped like a small letter "T". Havn't measured, but approx an inch tall and an inch wide.

Thanks for the info on the batteries. I won't spend time looking for original shape. If I can learn how to post photos, I'll include those also.

Hey I'm from your area to get ahold of me! Nice to see someone from this area too!! Let's get together and talk!

 

[Danny B]

Hello Digger145. My posting rules tell me I can not post attachments. I think I have to be a member for a certain amount of time or so many replies first.

Hello to Mudslingers. Good to see another Okie here. What part of the state do you call home?

 

[Steve Frazier]

You've made your third post, in another hour you'll be promoted to full status and be able to post pictures.

 

[MUDSLINGERS]

Hello Digger145. My posting rules tell me I can not post attachments. I think I have to be a member for a certain amount of time or so many replies first.

Hello to Mudslingers. Good to see another Okie here. What part of the state do you call home?

Miami, just up the road

 

[Danny B]

Ok - this is my third try to post a photo. Hope it works. Had to do the resizing thing.
When I took a close look at the track to take the picture, I saw the flat edges had been welded on. Is that for a specific purpose?
Had to park the new toy in the shead. Been doing much needed maintance on the tractor we use to bale hay. Haying will keep my oldest son and I busy for a while. Local bank sign said we broke 100 degrees today. I believe it was accurate.