RayF
Senior Member
They have ballsed up a simple job. They won't want to admit it.
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Is anyone having any problems with the new Cat 285/275 CTLs?
Not sure about Cat, but that is what I have seen for "clean" bushings.
pumkinhead
Well-Known Member
There is no seal with the composite bearing from my understanding just a spacer washer. The purpose of the composite bearing is to minimize grease at the point of entry on the machine. I would personally rather have a steel bearing and a zerk but I wouldn't worry unless you start getting play in the bore and at 400 hours I would imagine it would be from side loading the cylinder due to the twist or linebore job done to the frame. And the grease your seeing is probably form assembly working it's way out
AMBMike
Senior Member
This makes sense. Thanks.
I looked in SIS to see if I could find a parts breakdown but I was unable to. Either I didn't know where to look it I didn't have the right credentials.
I still regret the switch from the old SIS...
hvy 1ton
Senior Member
Solar Turbines does.
blacktopper
Active Member
new 275 with 10 hours and the loader arms have enough slop side to side that they hit the front step when you have a little side load pressure. Cat sent tech to shim the arms and its better but still concerning. bucket seems to be level though.
Simon C
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2015
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- 3,044
- Location
- Rocky Mountain House , AB., Canada
- Occupation
- Heavy Equipment Mechanic
I built steel shims with grease grooves for a Cat 236B skid steer years ago and they are still on and doing the job. I did them at the back end top pins and it worked very good. The dealer said there was nothing available so I went to a machine shop and $75 dollars later I left with some shims. Probably cost $150 today but made it totally tight side to side but with a hair of free play.
Simon C
AMBMike
Senior Member
Where did they install the shims? At the upper back pins?
Welder Dave
Senior Member
Seems like Cat quality control or even engineering for their skid steers isn't up to what you'd expect from Cat. I'm sure if a competive brand had the same issues Cat would be all over it. Very odd for a major equipment manufacturer and it's not isolated to one machine or model. It's something you might expect from a Chinese manufacturer.
masterwelder
Senior Member
Just a question, not implying anything-
I believe Cat makes the skid steers in the US? North Carolina or near by?
Not to beat the Con Expo drum but if you can get to the Expo, you will have the opportunity to tell your story to some of the most senior people at a particular company. I had an issue with my new 057 excavators coupler/ thumb in ‘23. I was at the Expo opening day first thing in the morning at the Kubota booth talking with execs from Texas (Kubotas HQ). They were aware of who I was as soon as I mentioned my issue. My Dealer and Kubota made it right 110%. It was a process but not unbearable looking back on it and they reaffirmed my confidence in Kubota and will always be my first choice.
Back to the issue at hand, the Dealer isn’t Cat and until I heard it from Cat directly I would not be able to come to a final conclusion about the brand.
I believe Cat makes the skid steers in the US? North Carolina or near by?
Not to beat the Con Expo drum but if you can get to the Expo, you will have the opportunity to tell your story to some of the most senior people at a particular company. I had an issue with my new 057 excavators coupler/ thumb in ‘23. I was at the Expo opening day first thing in the morning at the Kubota booth talking with execs from Texas (Kubotas HQ). They were aware of who I was as soon as I mentioned my issue. My Dealer and Kubota made it right 110%. It was a process but not unbearable looking back on it and they reaffirmed my confidence in Kubota and will always be my first choice.
Back to the issue at hand, the Dealer isn’t Cat and until I heard it from Cat directly I would not be able to come to a final conclusion about the brand.
blacktopper
Active Member
upper back pins and the (not sure what their called) black "stabilizer bars" under the arms.
blacktopper
Active Member
I like that idea but I'll let Cat make the decisions for now, so if it doesnt work out they cant blame it on something we have done.
AMBMike
Senior Member
Unfortunately plans changed and we're unable to go to Conexpo this year.
I was hoping to talk to the Cat reps at the show..
If anyone is there and wants to mention this issue to them I'd appreciate it. Reach out to me via PM and I'll give you my contact info to share with them or if you get their contact and share it I'll reach out.
Thanks.
blacktopper
Active Member
UPDATE: Shims didnt last one day pushing stone. Called the tech he came back out used some different shims. Loader arms still hitting step. He calls his boss they send out a "TC" technical communicator. I dont blame either of these guys, in fact I feel bad for them having to represent Cat and make excuses to pissed off customers for poorly designed equipment. This is where it gets good. The TC says that it only hits under a side loading event and Cat advises that it should never be put under a side load. Thats where I lost it. Cat has obviously lost touch with the real world of construction. Cat obviously has built a piece of junk and they are trying to hide it behind unrealistic operating advice. In what world does a CTL on a real jobsite only push or pull material in a straight line never turning with the bucket engaged. This is their advice. This will not be the end, I am not accepting this as an answer.
AMBMike
Senior Member
Ours does the same thing...
blacktopper
Active Member
Im guessing they all do it. I dont think I will accept this. I will push for a refund under Indiana Uniform Commercial Code IC 26-1-2-314 if they cant figure something out. Did they tell you that you cant turn if the bucket is engaged with the ground or material?
Simon C
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2015
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- 3,044
- Location
- Rocky Mountain House , AB., Canada
- Occupation
- Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Post #87 above is how I fixed one that did the same thing. After installing my shims with grease grooves done in a circular radius for the grease it never moved the boom again.
Maybe sit back and think about for a minute as Caterpillar said there was no solution for the 236B doing the same thing. That was in 2008 and it still works flawlessly with over 4000 hours.
You an sue a big company if you are ready for a 15 year fight, and too many sleepless nights.
I would just fix their junk and move on. Every company is making some junk these days.
Simon C
blacktopper
Active Member
Its already shimmed to spec. I dont think they can make it any tighter. I dont see a solution that would actually work. The geometry of the loader arms just seems flawed. The last time I had a problem they couldnt resolve with a machine, they gave me a new machine that didnt have the issue. I am not sure they can do that this time.
AMBMike
Senior Member
I didn't mention it to them. I didn't see the point after the twisted loader arm fix...
Ours is pushing a grader blade over 50 percent of the time so some turning under load is inevitable.
I think part of the problem may be that there isn't really a positive stop on the frame to hold them in place when lowered completely like most other machines have. I'm guessing that'll be a quiet upgrade at some point
BTW, if you want to try another set of loader arms the replacement set they ordered for ours is still sitting at the dealer. They measured it before removing it from the pallet and realized it was no better than the set on our machine so it's still on the pallet.
blacktopper
Active Member
ours will be on a grader blade as well sometimes. the stop or saddle when the arms are down is exactly my thoughts as well. At the moment I'm going to keep pushing for a solution. I used to let things go, but now I'm old and grumpy. I'll keep this post updated, the TC is supposed to be in touch again today after contacting Cat yesterday.