It's a D4D SA.
The track adjusters are fully retracted, and VERY STUCK.
I'm assuming a tear down will be necessary, unless someone knows how to abuse them into working again.
This tractor was allowed to sit over winter, several years ago, in a location where it was drifted tight with snow, as well as being buried by county snow plows.
As far as I know, the left adjuster never moved again. I think I have been informed that both are stuck now, but I do believe the right hand became stuck later. Many years ago, when I occasionally used this tractor, it is my recollection that I had to pay attention to somewhat frequently pumping the adjusters forward. I think that the owner, and other users of the tractor neglected and just let the tracks run loose.
An non-standard tricks?
Otherwise I may be looking for overhaul procedures if I can get to it this winter.
Thanks for any suggestions!

You could try pulling on the front idler the same time you try to pump grease---by another machine or using a tree to anchor a come-along

Get yourself a service manual for your s/n.

"Old wrote:

Get yourself a service manual for your s/n.

Sounds like his hydraulic adjusters need to be kitted.

Do they pump up tight or do you pump grease all day and nothing happens?


If the latter, then as Juiceman says, the adjusters need kitted. Check the barrels good once you get it apart, don't be surprised if they're nasty and pitted. New Cat classic barrels have been fine for me.

BP

They just pump tight and refuse to move. My assumption has been that they are rusted in place, and need to be (somehow) dislodged,
probably disassembled and rebuilt. I need to get the service manual, or copies of that tear-down and rebuild process.
I went out to the remote area where it is parked a few nights ago to look at it, and I couldn't find the serial number plate where I expected to.
It was nearly dark and the tractor is backed up into a big sagebrush plant.
Should the original engine number be the same as the tractor number as on older Cats, and similarly located?
The engine number is 78P19403. On the side of the tractor it says D4D SPECIAL APPLICATION.
When you say "Cat classic", is that an aftermarket brand, or just Caterpillar parts?
I used to get parts for 3T 7s, a 2U D8, and #25 cable control units at Norcan Parts, north of Spokane. I think they now offer aftermarket and Cat parts as well.
We also have Western States Equipment in Spokane.

"Bruce wrote:

Do they pump up tight or do you pump grease all day and nothing happens?


If the latter, then as Juiceman says, the adjusters need kitted. Check the barrels good once you get it apart, don't be surprised if they're nasty and pitted. New Cat classic barrels have been fine for me.

BP

Sounds like an 84J series D4D. I have one as well, and tried to take up the slack in the track chains without any success. Mine is a low hour machine that spent most of its life under cover. As far as adjuster tubes go, I have cleaned and lightly honed some on some D4Cs without issue. CAT seal parts were not terribly expensive. Good luck on your repair(s). JM

mine were the same way--so figured i should break them loose before i dismantled them and put in new seals--it was not too bad a job--by pulling the idler forward i had enough room to pull the piston out
and i released the grease fill to retract the pistons first, the seemed to be bound in a little crooked and releasing them helped to straighten them out

A D4D SA tractor with 78P 3304 engine would be a Model 84J1525-up

I've got the same issue on my 84J at the moment on both sides. Pumps up hard so seals are not leaking but I can't hardly get them to budge (I heard one side move a tiny bit when I pumped it up). I can open the bleeders and pump grease through the system no problem. I sprayed everything down with PB blaster and I also opened the bleeders and tried bumping it into a solid tree stump, did this on both sides just to see if I could get any movement but that didn't seem to help either.

It's not so bad I can't operate it but I have to be careful as it was jumping over the bottom rollers when I was backing up and turning sometimes.

This last Sunday I managed the break the entire Holt blade off the machine when I was trying to push over a stump....so I've got a couple problems I'm dealing with, lol.







Jordan