track tightener cylinder leaking grease by on D6D

[oldirt]

looks like my tightener is not holding position. So does the spring stay or come off to rebuild the grease cylinder? thanks for any help.

 

[D6c10K]

It can stay in place. Not sure if there is quite enough room to pull the cylinder out without blocking the spring back a little. Might want to put a couple of 1/2" blocks between the spring and the stops to make sure....that's what I did on my D6c. Just pump the adjuster up enough to compress the spring and slip in the blocks (if it will hold pressure long enough). Let the pressure off making sure the blocks are sitting straight. I'd spin the nut up on the back end of the spring too just as a safety.
Break the track, unbolt the rod from the cylinder and roll the front idler forward. From there you should be able to pull the cylinder out.

 

[oldirt]

thanks for your help!

 

[GregD1]

I`m missing something here. It`s been a while since I`ve resealed a track adjuster. Since when does the spring have to be removed to reseal the adjuster?????? I would sugget not trying to remove the spring !!!!!!

 

[Nige]

I`m missing something here. It`s been a while since I`ve resealed a track adjuster. Since when does the spring have to be removed to reseal the adjuster?????? I would sugget not trying to remove the spring !!!!!!

The way I read it no-ones telling the OP to remove the recoil spring, just to make sure there is enough room to get the tensioner out. I agree 100% about recoil springs by the way. They should be treated with extreme care, they can kill you .......!!

If the OP would like to send me a PM with his machine Serial Number and an e-mail address I'll send him a copy of the Service Manual procedure covering resealing the track adjuster.

 

[dozr]

if all it needs is seal can be done and not even break track. if track is not to tight another machine pull idealer foward and hold will give room to work on cy between idealer an cy

 

[D6 Merv]

yes; can be done in place if your lucky !! unbolt 4 bolts on adjuster cyl. prise it right back to spring. Pull idler out forward as much as possible. there should be enough room to remove the piston lip seal circlip and install a new seal.
But if the cylinder is pitted and needed to be replaced you will need to break the track and possibly remove the carrier roller pedestal to get enough clearance to get the cylinder out of the spring. Spring does not have to be touched, even though the book tells you differently. Is easier to take pedestal off, and one hell of a lot safer.
If anything goes wrong with that spring; like a centrebolt breaking etc etc; it will suddenly expand itself by 5 inchs in a microsecond with the force of a cannonball. And men can die

 

[oldirt]

well, thanks for all the replies, but it turned out to be more of a disaster than I first thought. the bolt through the spring was broken off, there were only one of two bolts holding each cast spring backing stop, the one with two dowels indexing them, and it all looked pretty dangerous to me at that point so I cut the spring to get it all apart, dug out a broken mounting bolt for one of the backing plates, the other just didn't have one of the bolts in it at all. I guess I will have cat press the whole mess together since I don't have a way to do that.. and repair the cylinder too. that spring weighed 145 pounds.

 

[D6c10K]

Probably a good call. No sense in risking you life for the price of a spring.
The stops on my 6c are all welded in place....probably didn't have good bold/dowel holes any more.

 

[oldirt]

I dug the broken bolt out, cleaned up the threads on all four, and it all looks like it will go back correctly. I have to get some new gr 8 bolts however. kind of on the fence as to whether to use lube on these threads? I was going to leave the dowels dry, they are a very tight fit, but not really rusty at all. probably because they fit tight enough to keep air out. sure want it to stay tight.

 

[Nige]

For a replacement spring try Off Road Equipment .......... http://www.offroadeq.com/

 

[oldirt]

thank you, Nige. I found several places that have it.