D6D Steering clutch engage

With worn sloppy tracks that are very loose, you would notice a lot of snatch when you disengage the track that has been carrying the load and the other one suddenly pulls all the slack out. This would only occur when you had just made a turn and had a lot of slack still in the track on the inside of the turn and then you suddenly disengage the track that was on the outside of the turn. I am talking VERY LOOSE tracks here. Had one of my adjusters collapse on the 9U a while back and it certainly feels different. Was able to limp it back to the shop before tearing it down and it definitely feels "loosey".

However, I would echo what OM says about the bevel gear shaft bearings possibly being loose so much that when you pull a steering clutch, the shaft moves toward the opposite side and would possibly allow the clutch on that side to engage fully. Unless you have something mounted on the back, you can remove the rear cover and take a bar to pry on the bevel gear to see if there is any slack in the bearings.

I also wonder if there might just be some interferance between the steering clutch linkages at the firewall and back under the floorboard to the control valve. (thinking this would be a hydraulic system like the D7E I have a book for) If one of the levers or cranks was seizing on a common pivot shaft, it might hang until the other lever next to it was moved. As I remember the feel of the D7E controls, there is not a lot of spring return pressure to pull the levers back to the engaged position. I believe I would spend some time lubricating everything and checking for slop and jerky operation.

Could also be a spool hanging up in the control valve due to a broken spring etc there, but I don't really see how the opposite clutch control could affect the spool that was stuck. A check of pressures in the steerig cutch system should show if the hydraulic control system is operating properly.

Delta KJ

My guess is that the left steering clutch did not fully return to the engaged position after you released it. When you pulled the right clutch lever the left lever finally traveled all the way forward and the clutch engaged. This is the result of some stiffness some where in the linkage or the spool valve. You can lubricate all the obvious pivot points and try to get things to smooth out. Otherwise you have to consciously push the friction forward each time you release it.

If the track is loose, pump it up with your grease gun and try it out. If it will not stay adjusted, you will need to reseal the piston on the hydraulic track adjuster.

Good luck and keep us posted.

It was common on the D5B SA and the D6D SA to have issues with the clutch levers hanging up. Hopefully that's just it otherwise you are getting into a bigger set of issues as posted above.

Part of our annual maintenance program when that series of tractors were the primary power units was to remove and go through those pivot bearings on the steering clutch levers.

I checked the steering clutch linkage and didn't find any binding or reasons the linkage was not fully engaging. My guess is that the sensation of the left steering clutch not engaging is due to the loose tracks. I don't see any grease leaking from the hydraulic adjuster. If the adjuster has failed wouldn't it be leaking grease?

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Hi Team,
the void behind the adjuster cylinder where the recoil bolt comes out of its outer housing, inside the spring, needs to fill with grease--lots of-- before it would show there.
Cheers,
Eddie B.