Right, so it looks like the new (to me) D4D 88A d.d. trans. is going to touch down in mid. December just after I get back home for the holiday. So it will be a nice little Christmas project and a steep learning curve for your truly; only another 3 weeks of work to go and I am already psyching myelf up for the event.

Anyway, I have a few initial questions to start the ball rolling.

1) Frst job will be to service it right through changing all the oils & filters & anti-freeze. I read somewhere that it is 30 grade oil throughout front to back, what grade of oil should go in the various places?
Engine
Hydraulic system
Transmission
Final drives

Will the cooling system tolerate the new types of anti-freeze?

2) Where do you normally get your filters for these machines - Cat or OEM?

3) How do I get grease in to the track rollers?

4) All the tin-work that covers the track tensioner is rusted through. What would be the best solution to sort this, make something from steel or is there someone who sells this kind of thing?

5) What colour paint code should this machine be? from the photos it looks more of a buttercup yellow than the later machines. Is it just weathered?
Who do you guys get your paint from?

6) If (and it's a BIG if) I decide to take the track frames off to change the rollers what would be the best (read safest) way to a remove them?
This is the what I was thinking.....
Jack the machine up, spin the tracks till the master pin is half way up the sprocket, then swing the hammer. Run the track off the top. - This is the bit I am unsure about - Support the machine at the front with blocks of timber, then climb in under machine and undo the brace cap bolts, then with a crane swing it out.
Now assuming I decide to take both sides off would I be better to take those brace caps off first as last? I don't really fancy crawling underneath a machine that's clicked up on blocks of wood.


What's your collective opinions and experiences on these points?

RjW

www.archive.org/search.php?query=caterpillar


hello Richard~J~W,i just checked serial number and the down load want work for the 88a ,sorry about that ,but the power train page should help with rollers ,

[today is your lucky day },i have found free down loads for the manuals for the d4d ,down load and save to your computer ,bruce oz


on the same page there is a copy of the caterpillar 45 and 75 crawlers ,free down load

d4d serial number for manuals
img69.imageshack.us/img69/2948/89341630.jpg

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"gauntjoh" wrote:

Hi Richard,
Congratulations on becoming the proud owner of a D4D.
Others on here will know better than I, but it may be possible to replace the track rollers by jacking up the machine after first slackening the track tensioner right off, thus allowing the chain to drop at the bottom sufficiently to relpace the rollers.

Hiya John. Yes, at long last

I see what you mean but I think it was Catsilver saying that the bolts that hold the rollers on are longer than the threaded portion they thread in to and there will be some threads sticking out the other side which will be corroded. Given this I was thinking about "just whipping off" (how's that for naive optimism??? ) them off and doing it in the workshop, plus while it's off I was contemplating getting someone to sand blast the frames so I can paint them up.

I was reading the manual from the link Bruce kindly posted and stopped at the roller section, from a first glance there appears to be more in this roller replacement than I thought, in terms of stripping out the guts of it and fitting the new/er) rollers......maybe it's not so daunting as it initally seems.......then I came to the bit about aligning the frames & sprockets!!!

Interesting times ahead!

first thing i would suggest is you get a lubrication and maintenance manual
for your tractor. they are a wealth of information and will answer questions
you never asked. not familiar with the 88A but have been around the 84J
D4D.

1 engine, you can run 15 40, i believe your manual will call for 30W.
hydraulic, again your manual, we ran chevron tractor hyd fluid.
transmission, we ran delo 30W, the manual will call for transmission 30W
finals, again we ran chevron delo 30W, your manual will call for transmission
30W. that would be cheaper than delo, we did not want to stock the
different oil.

2 get cat filters. if you want to put something other than cat, go buy an
international. (thats my opinion)

3 your lubrication manual will cover this, there is a special fitting you screw
on to your grease gun to pump 30W oil into your rollers.

4 i would try to find good used roller frame tins. they could be made, the back
cover would be difficult.

5 highway yellow. i believe cat can get it in gallons. spray cans are no longer
available.

6 you can replace your lower rollers as someone here suggested by removing
all the tension on the track and driving up onto a block in front, then place
a block in the rear and back up it. when i had the roller frames out of the
D's and the 5's i would place two stands under the drawbar and a stand
under each end of the equalizer spring after i slid the frames out. if you do
this, you will want to jam wood between the spring and the frame as to
keep your tractor from leaning over on the spring.

if the 88A has wet steer clutches, you will want to run 10W oil in the steering
compartment. also if you have a wet clutch you will want to run 10W oil there
also or you will never get it in gear below 50 degrees celsius. some people
have run ATF in the clutch for the cold weather and had good luck with that.
but ATF is not in the manual, 10 W is for colder temperatures.

Hi Richard, Hope you're well,
I would take the blade off complete with the c frame, separate the tracks then jack up the machine and block it so as the rollers are about six inches off the chain. Drag the tracks away in order to remove the frames. Slide a couple of blocks under the frame, disconnect the diagonal brace from the rear then remove the covers and bolts from the rear pivot, in front of sprocket, remove the equaliser bar lock. you then take the weight of the frame with a chain, usually just lifting around the top idler, with help from some one to steady it. You have to move the front out and away as you move it forward to clear the diagonal brace, a telehandler positioned right is ideal. You will be suprised how quick and easy this is to do. Turn the frame over and support it with blocks. Heating the frame from the roller and up about an inch will help you remove siezed bolts, however do try to remove them cold first and use a hexagon socket.
It is by far the easiest way to work on the frames. If you are going to work the machine on the farm i wouldn't bother sand blasting the lower areas just an angle grinder and cup brush will suffice before painting. Feel free to email me with any questions. As an added bonus i have a new plant manager starting on Monday.....ex finning he has a wealth of info available, not so sure about the older tractors. If i wasn't off to Norfolk for christmas i'd pop down to see you and give you a hand. Let me know when she lands and also when yr home maybe i''ll get time before. Cheers Gordon.

LUBES.
Engine.....good quality 15/40
Water 30% mix all year
Clutch..hand........30 W series 3 engine oil
Gearbox EP 90 GL 5
Final drives EP 90 GL 5
Back end is dry.
Hydraulics either 10w engine oil or iso 46 hydraulic oil.
Caterpillar may recommend engine oils for final drives and transmission but it is widely known that most users will use bespoke gear oils in certain applications such as in your D4. Cat filters would be the best route and not over expensive.
Regards Gordon.

Hi Richard, Gordon has just about summed it all up for you, those rollers are filled with 30W oil and sealed for life, take the plugs out and if there is oil in them, just put the plugs straight back. Keep the pads on when you knock the master pins out, otherwise the links will spread and they will never come out.
Enjoy!

U-Joint, Gordon, Catsilver,

Many thanks for all these gems of information.....I will study in a lot more depth over the weekend.

I should touch down back in U.k. on 11th Dec. have to repair the brakes on one of the County tractors starting Monday 14th as an absolute priority, by which time the D4 should have arrived - it's in transit right now.

RjW

Oh Richard, I'm so relieved!!!

Was thinking that the Cat have had dependency problem! Good to know the dependency is only linked to TLC-related actions, and that the Cat did not participate in consuming substances that may be suspect in the eye of the local 'copper'.