D6 - Clutch Replacement

The Serial Number and post it!
There are at least three families of D6's, then there are variations in each family. I went back and searched your previous posts to find you are probably referring to a 9U series? These came with a dry clutch initially, then later a wet clutch. In the last 18 months there is at least one Thread on here of doing the Clutch, sad part is I don't remember exactly who initiated it???? I just did a quick SEARCH and come up with this!http://www.acmoc.org/bb/showthread.php?11498-D6-9U-Wet-Clutch-Cover-Removal
As far as time to do it, depends on if you are inside a building with overhead hoisting capabilities or outside working under a skidsteer bucket, condition of said Hardware that needs to be removed, tool availability and your age. Laying over a Battery box/Fender, trying to reach down into the belly is not my favorite position!

I expect the new linings for the dry clutch can be purchased for a couple hundred bucks at the most. Getting them installed will likely cost several times what the parts cost unless you do it yourself.

One thing to note is some earlier dry clutch tractors were retrofitted to oil clutches, so even though your serial number indicates a dry clutch it could be an oil type with a dipstick on the right side of the clutch housing next to a breather/fill plug.

Do you have a serviceman's reference book for your tractor? The dry clutch in old Caterpillar tractors is a bit different than what you might be expecting from any other machine as it has flexible drive links that connect the flywheel to the clutch driving plate. These can fail and the tractor appear that the clutch is "out". Usually the last ones let go suddenly and the tractor stops as black smoke comes out of the clutch adjustment and inspection cover. If you open the cover on the clutch housing and put the transmission in neutral, you should be able to roll the clutch over to inspect the links. The links are not cheap, but I think they are still available from CAT and possibly from aftermarket suppliers.

If you do need new clutch disks/linings, the top clutch cover comes off and the clutch links are removed to allow the clutch to be disconnected from the transmission input shaft and lifted out with a come- a - long or other small hoist. The pony flywheel, pinion engagement linkage, floor plates, and the support that runs across the tractor over the clutch are removed to get down to the upper clutch housing. All in all, not a huge job, not like you have to pull the engine or anything.

I have a dry clutch 9u apart.Drive link failure,my mechanic say center bearing was out.Well he was wrong and says you must have been greasing as it is not dry.Well bearing has some play so I ordered new.The links are sold several ways which I don't understand unless Cat is trying to bleed us extra. The links that failed were after market,the rubber was hard and dry but did last more than 5 years of farming.


The number in the parts book gets you only a 1/4 of a link or less as they are multiple pieces of rubber laminated together held with a clip and rivet. I got a parts man that new Cat sold the "whole link " which was north of $100 and you need 5.But they also had it in Cat Classic Parts @$55, which is what I ordered .My mechanic says the washer are important and wanted Cat hardware.Hopefully they will be of uniform thickness whatever you us. The service manual explains how to make sure your engine should be in line with your transmission and this is very important to the life of drive links.All the parts are still available from Cat but some where not on the west coast.I we start crying next week when the parts arrive with the bill.I am thinking the Cat Classic price is in line with after market price of drive link last time.I wish you good luck on getting yours back to work as well.

Thanks for the help, It is a dry clutch. I have the clutch top off and ready to disassemble the clutch. Does anyone have parts breakdown. Thanks .

Part break down 1608-up