System one install

[8922659]

D 6T Never worked on system one undercarriage. When installing new rails it looks like the you press sides of links on to assemble rails ?
Can I use normal track pin press an make a adapter to hold link square as I press ?

 

[Nige]

It would appear that the answer is you can't iuse even similar tooling to press the pins on SystemOne.
TBH reading the attached procedure it looks like a right PITA. The list of special tooling & adapters is a mile long.

 

[DMiller]

I see NOTHING of Value in S1 UC, everything is specialized and specialized tooling to boot. Every user around here that had it switched back to SALT UC without batting a eye. Nothing interchanges except the machine setting atop those UC components.

 

[Vetech63]

Get out your checkbook. Make sure your bank account is fat. The best way is to have Cat service come out and press your link together. Its the most cost effective when dealing with Sys1

 

[big ben]

If you’re just installing rails use the clamp master S1 master links. About 5 min with a 3lb hammer and your done. Zero specialty tooling required

 

[Nige]

Every user around here that had it switched back to SALT UC without batting a eye.

There are certain (early) machine Serial Numbers that according to the factory cannot be converted, officially at least, to S1.
As always, a S/N is the first starting point.

 

[DMiller]

Can see them doing that to machines to lock them into that type rail. Really see little value in those S1 rails regardless.

 

[Vetech63]

If you’re just installing rails use the clamp master S1 master links. About 5 min with a 3lb hammer and your done. Zero specialty tooling required

Some of us cant swing a 3 lbs. hammer for 5 minutes. LOL

 

[JD955SC]

If you’re just installing rails use the clamp master S1 master links. About 5 min with a 3lb hammer and your done. Zero specialty tooling required

At the dealer we always put the clamp masters on. Yes we have the press tooling to install press on links but it’s such a tremendous pain in the butt we use the clamp masters. Clean the paint off the bushings, bring together with crane, slather on a little anti seize and torque per sis and Bob’s your uncle.

 

[John C.]

For awhile you could get an alligator master link for those. Is that not the case now?

 

[JD955SC]

For awhile you could get an alligator master link for those. Is that not the case now?

I have never seen one buuutttt I started working in this field several years after System 1 was first introduced. I’m guessing that the clamp masters have superseded such an option but somebody like Nige might be a better source of info on that.

 

[digger doug]

For the un-informed among us.....what is the sales pitch for this ?
Longer life ?
And what exactly is so different ?

 

[JD955SC]

For the un-informed among us.....what is the sales pitch for this ?
Longer life ?
And what exactly is so different ?

it’s a rotating bushing system vs fixed bushings in regular SALT track. Cat claims more life in general dirt work applications without having to do a midlife pin and bushing turn.

 

[digger doug]

it’s a rotating bushing system vs fixed bushings in regular SALT track. Cat claims more life in general dirt work applications without having to do a midlife pin and bushing turn.

So there is another set of seals, for the rotating bushing
over the pin ?

 

[Nige]

And what exactly is so different ?

Imagine a humongously large bicycle or motorcycle chain......

 

[John C.]

They also are supposed to enable longer life on the rail part of the track link. Standard rails ride on the idlers twice in every revolution which wears a dent or belly in each link. On System 1 the bushings ride on idlers and rotate with it as it goes around. The only thing the links ride on are the rollers. Biggest issue I've seen was debris trapped in between the links has nowhere to go when they start to ride on the idler. I've heard it mentioned multiple times that the issue puts extra stress on the components causing failures to the seals.

 

[big ben]

For the un-informed among us.....what is the sales pitch for this ?
Longer life ?
And what exactly is so different ?

To cause UC wear you need 3 things. Contact, pressure and relative motion. When the track goes around the sprocket you have only 2-3 bushings (max) taking all the force pushing the tractor. Any relative motion (sprocket to bushing) will cause wear and this happens every-time in the cycle from when the sprocket engages the bushing till it disengages.

S1 eliminates all this. The bushings turn independent of the rails so you have no relative motion between the sprocket and bushing. As well like John said we do the same on the idlers as they ride on the bushing. Essentially the only wear on the UC is rail to roller. This is actually very minor unless you are in sand or something. Yes you have contact and pressure with the roller to rail but very little relative motion. The sand grains or dirt squeezing out between the bottom roller and rail is really the only item causing wear (and yes the shoes to the ground).

“In theory” with S1 everything wears at a slow rate and “should” all last till the shoes, rollers or link height wear down not bushing or sprockets as you see first on most SALT tracks.

 

[John C.]

In practice, the seals fail and leak the oil out of the joints, many times in the three to five thousand hour range. The repair involves a box section to replace the damaged link and special tools to assemble it all. I was told it was about six hours of work and usually two people. One of my contacts told me that System 1 is no longer standard equipment on a D6T. You have to order it now.

 

[Vetech63]

They are a pain in the ass and the side links cracking is too common.

 

[Nige]

“In theory” with S1 everything wears at a slow rate and “should” all last till the shoes, rollers or link height wear down not bushing or sprockets as you see first on most SALT tracks.

Another theory (and there have been many such) that did not survive its first contact with the dirt..........
On paper it should work, for all the reasons Ben explainbed above. In practice it's different.