First things first. Thanks to everyone who gave me tips and pointers on how to do this. Thanks especially to Nige for the schematic. That helped tremendously when replacing the seals as mine were so shot I count not tell which seal went first, etc.
I've removed, rebuilt and replaced both track tensioners on my cat 311b in the past 10 days. All work was done by myself... no assistance whatsoever.
First time took me about 5 hours.
Second time took me 1 hour 36 minutes (18 minutes after I started carrying wrenches and blocking to excavator, the tensioner was out)
Third time (if there is one), I think I can easily do it in less than an hour
Steps:
- Do NOT remove the track I learned this from a tip from Hanco. Thanks again Hanco!!).
- Put a 2x4 on similar between back of big front idler (roller) and the frame to prevent roller from retracting all the way.
- Back off the bolt on track tensioner, that lets grease out
- Use Bucket to push back on idler to compress track tensioner
- Use Bucket to pick that side of tracks well off ground.
- Place appropriate safety cribbing between frame and ground as insurance in case hydraulics fail.
- There are only 2 bolts holding the track tensioner in place
- .... They are vertically aligned, 1 above a reinforcing metal 'rib' and one below
- Reach upward through the gap between bottom track and bottom rollers, etc to remove the bottom bolt (you may even reach it through the hole where you apply grease to tighten tracks).
- Reach down through hole in housing to remove the top bolt.
- Tensioner is now held in place only by whatever compression is remaining on it
- Bump indirectly with big hammer. It should fall out the bottom (If your tensioner is too large to fit between bottom rollers, remove one of them)
- ... Alternatively, you may be able to reach through the same hole where grease zert is and twist and turn it to bring it out that hole in side (yes it will fit, at least on my 311b)
- Replace seals, and re-tract tensioner all the way
- Reverse the above steps, retighten the tracks and you are done (oh, don't forget to remove the 2x4)
By far the most difficult part of the above for me, was repumping the tensioner full of grease with a manual grease gun.
Also, if you allow your idler to come too far back (even a quarter inch), it can be a bit difficult (working alone) to get the idler to move forward enough and stay there, so that the tensioner will squeeze bak in between bulkhead and backside of spring box (the part it pushes against to tighten tracks)
Respectfully
Stacy Whetzell
I've removed, rebuilt and replaced both track tensioners on my cat 311b in the past 10 days. All work was done by myself... no assistance whatsoever.
First time took me about 5 hours.
Second time took me 1 hour 36 minutes (18 minutes after I started carrying wrenches and blocking to excavator, the tensioner was out)
Third time (if there is one), I think I can easily do it in less than an hour
Steps:
- Do NOT remove the track I learned this from a tip from Hanco. Thanks again Hanco!!).
- Put a 2x4 on similar between back of big front idler (roller) and the frame to prevent roller from retracting all the way.
- Back off the bolt on track tensioner, that lets grease out
- Use Bucket to push back on idler to compress track tensioner
- Use Bucket to pick that side of tracks well off ground.
- Place appropriate safety cribbing between frame and ground as insurance in case hydraulics fail.
- There are only 2 bolts holding the track tensioner in place
- .... They are vertically aligned, 1 above a reinforcing metal 'rib' and one below
- Reach upward through the gap between bottom track and bottom rollers, etc to remove the bottom bolt (you may even reach it through the hole where you apply grease to tighten tracks).
- Reach down through hole in housing to remove the top bolt.
- Tensioner is now held in place only by whatever compression is remaining on it
- Bump indirectly with big hammer. It should fall out the bottom (If your tensioner is too large to fit between bottom rollers, remove one of them)
- ... Alternatively, you may be able to reach through the same hole where grease zert is and twist and turn it to bring it out that hole in side (yes it will fit, at least on my 311b)
- Replace seals, and re-tract tensioner all the way
- Reverse the above steps, retighten the tracks and you are done (oh, don't forget to remove the 2x4)
By far the most difficult part of the above for me, was repumping the tensioner full of grease with a manual grease gun.
Also, if you allow your idler to come too far back (even a quarter inch), it can be a bit difficult (working alone) to get the idler to move forward enough and stay there, so that the tensioner will squeeze bak in between bulkhead and backside of spring box (the part it pushes against to tighten tracks)
Respectfully
Stacy Whetzell
Simple way to remove Track Tensioner Cat 311B
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