Here's exactly what happened when loading the trailer. Lets begin with understanding that this is a hydraulic dump trailer and the deck will tilt back when loading. I have used a chain to lock the deck down to the frame and jack stands under the rear of the trailer to prevent this hinging situation. I usually use stacks of wood to achieve this but I wanted to try the jack stands out. As the trailer took the weight it rocked foreword and back causing the jack stands to collapse and the downward momentum of the even caused the trailer to lift up on the rear of the truck negating the parking brake and allowing excessive movement, potentially causing the machine to fall off of the trailer and or flipping over . When this occurred, there was only one option...SEND IT! I'm going back to using wood stacks.
The drain hole doesn't have to be at the top it just has to be above Center. You're only supposed to put one quart in it if it requires a court it doesn't have to be filled up till it runs out. Remember that when you opened up that Center only a tiny bit came out. You really don't need to overfill this
Ray, as others have eluded to you have doubled the gear lube capacity of the final drives. You fill only until fluid runs out of the center plug. Drain off the excess or you will regret it…
What... ???... no hours written on das replacent filters... ???... how else ya gonna know when to change them.. ???... especially... after the dog ate yer paperwork.... ???
Warning, warning, warning..... You have overfilled the final drives. The center plug is the oil level indicator and should be left undone when refilling. The fill plug hole is best rotated slightly off TDC when refilling. Otherwise the refilling oil flows straight down and comes out of the level plug before the final drive is at the correct fill level. It's a good idea to replace that final drive oil at every engine oil change.
You fill from the top plug and when oil reach the opening of the center it's the correct level. So il you open the center plug and let it drain it'll be correct.
Hey Ray, i look every video youre a top mechanic! I give you a tip as an mechanic of trucks for more than 25 years. Take a little plastic bag and put it over the filter before you loose it. The fuel who is leaking with removing the filter drops into the plastic bag (little one) so the fuel, diesel, will not leaking in the motorcompartiment. 😊 Greetings from the Netherlands Wim
As you may have heard that center plug is the fill level. Those drives are way over full 😬 You may want to tell the owner to pull the center plug and let it drain before it blows a seal.
Everyone has had at least one trailer loading adventure! Welcome to the club. A tip: if you load backwards the weight will be more balanced in the trailer. CAT makes the best skid-steer. Congrats!
You're absolutely right. Same with farm equipment that I transport between land plots. Also there is less air resistance when loaded backwards since the bucket/dozer blade are not catching air. Doesn't seem like much but we've tried it both ways just see. On long haul 2mpg less Ford 6.7 f-450;Case 885 With 7' bucket loaded on 32' gooseneck.
Ray, your content is highly educational, but what I want to compliment is your considerable self-filming, narration, and editing skills. That’s right, I just called you a high quality filmmaker. Deal with it. P.S. Love the thumbnail. It’s an eye grabber.
Watch the track not the extension arm for the track, can easily over tighten these tracks and you don't want to know the cost of these tracks. Get a lock-n-lube for your grease gun, they really do work and helps eliminate that "smoo". Operated these machines for 30 + yrs, did my own maintenance, Bobcats mostly and few New Hollands. Learned, just open them up, every panel, every cover, get inside clean, inspect. CTL tracked, skid steer on tires and the tires "skid" as they turn hence why they're called "skid steers". I see someone already called you out on overfilling the final drives... yea, center is level mark only. It's not weird when you've had to do this many many times. This is why whenever I did mine, the entire machine would be sitting on blocks, tracks off the ground so you can do several services at once. If you use a flex funnel pour in just 1 qt, no spill and filled properly. You want to change these with every engine oil change as well, just good sense and prolongs the life. Get that door fixed, helps keep all the dust out of the cab and electronics, dust and moisture don't mix well. Should have backed it on the trailer.
In the Army, those small wheels are called "road wheels", and the adjuster is a the idler wheel. That tension system is the same style as what is on the M113 series of armored personnel carriers. If I recall it is also the same as what is on the M2 Bradley IFV.
The central plug is the level plug. You have over filled the final drives. It could cause the seals on the final drives to leak when the oil gets warm the oil will expand and cause pressure to build up and blow the seals. Remove the central plug and let the oil drain out. When it stops the level will be correct
This video just goes to show we’re all learning something new all the time. We learn so much these days thanks to UA-cam and your channel in particular. It’s cool to see you learning the same way and walk through it together.
I don’t have this exact machine but on all of our machinery, like others have said, I believe you have over serviced the drives which now once it gets hot may blow your seals. I believe the centre plug is the oil level, basically half full. It’s oil bath so no need to be too full.
I learned about the track adjustment from “dirt, grain , and steel” u tube page. they do heavy equipment work and farming, it is nice to learn something new each day. yes wood would be a better default due to in this application there will be minimal compression over the “under rated” jack stands. the raising and decent of the trailer magnifies the forces involved. great training video! thank you for your time!
Great vid. Learning new things is fun with servicing equipment. as a previous service tech for a construction comapny i never tire of seeing different machines and the ins and outs. I know it sounds super odd but a portable grease gun is nice but they make electric ones by milwauke and dewalt so u can hold the tip on and one handed squeeze the trigger to pump, thus no more need for more hands than you have or employing the pump against yourself while holding the tip on and gooping up the fittings less mess and way easier to use. also when adjusting the track its good to run it back and forth to see if the grease spews out of the fitting or get the final adjustment locked in I only move the machine so the fill plug is at a 3 or 9 o clockwhen doing planetaries then fill till its half full as to not add to much fluid like filling a rear it only needs enough to come up a bit. the oil is so viscous so it caries a long way in the small planetary but it could be different for this machine, thats how i always did it. looks like you made the foley of over filling at 43:06. You are soooo lucky you cant smell that stuff its nasty. one of the mechanical smells you never forget kinda nasty. my Mema had original recipe covid and 3 years later still has trouble smelling and tasting :(. Not political it happened to you and millions of others including myself thrice, so there is no boundary or border or race or class or swath of the population to cause divisions unless your a "woke" idiot. I am however sorry that this happened to you and will continue to keep you and the guys and the wife unit and little units in my prayers. Thank god no one was hurt when thos crappy jackstands gave. You rode that like a bucking bronco lmao. Much love to all yall out there in the florida heat.Stay hydrated and cool
I do believe the final drive oil is only supposed to be filled to the center hole not the fill hole. keep the center plug out and fill till it runs out of that hole. I dont know what happens if you over fill it.
Quite an exciting end to an otherwise mundane PM service. Live (that's the important part) and learn. Thanks for always chronicling the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Just a wild ass guess... And based on the fact that a small amount dribbled out when you removed the center plug... I'm thinking the center plug on the final drive is your fill indicator... I.e. add gear oil until it starts spilling out the open center plug hole. So with that in mind... Did you overfill?
Ray, another awesome video! I dont understand all of the negative comments about how you performed the service, i thought you did fine! But i dont work on these types of machines, i just operate them from time to time. But i do agree with who ever said to always load the skid steer backwards. That is the way ive always done it. My theory is that in case of a event like this, if the skid steer starts to tip backward at least you have your forks or what ever attachment you have on there to catch and help stabilize the machine! I dont want this to sound like criticism, because its not! You did awsome recovering after the trailer started to tip! Just telling you what works good for me! Hope it helps! Have a good one man! Glad it ended the way it did!
The center plug 42:00 it’s to check the gear oil level! Don’t fill it to the top you’ll” blow the seals out! Planetaries never get filled to the top it’s no different than a rear differential.
Don’t worry about short start and stopping the engine. Safety first! As a mailman, I would often start and stop at every neighboring house to deliver a package at the doorstep. Be safe!
I appreciate when experienced mechanics make errors, then they freely admit it was a mistake. When the bull headed *******s make mistakes and continue to deny it, that’s when it costs money or worse. I’ve met too many bullish people in my life, who don’t think others have advice they can take on board, mostly managers who can’t do, but can give orders. Attitude is everything.
The main difference between the compact-tracked loader (CTL) and skid-steer loader (SSL) is the former has tracks and the latter has wheels. They can both feature radial or vertical lift configurations, and can carry out a wide range of jobs, whether it be digging, lifting pallets, landscaping and more.
Leaving floor jack handles down presents a major trip hazard as well as a crush hazard, the handles should always be stored in the up position so safety Sir " safety first as we don't want to die today"
Totally agree on the never ending parts rant.... I was sent the wrong valve cover gasket the other week from a supplier ive been using forever with no issues 😢
That loading was wild! Glad everyone and all the equipment made it okay. As for the video about servicing the skid steer, very interesting and informative. Not that I'll ever have the need to know how to service one, it's still fun to know. A wise mentor told me once that you will learn your whole life. He was so right.
A tip for plastic bottles: put a small hose on the bottle so the bottle can be totally inverted. The central plug is an air bleed to allow smooth exit flow. When loading a skid steer, back up the ramps as most of the weight is in the rear. The bucket or forks can be used to lift up the front after the rear boggies get on the trailer, slowly rolling the weight on the trailer.
Using grease to tighten track. Learned that when the M113 APC I was driving threw a track in a remote training area. Unit mechanic was called while all the others left but me and him. First he opened the grease fitting to let grease out so we could ease the tension. After our gyrations to get the track in place, out comes the grease gun and we proceed to fill the fitting until he says we have the required tightness. Last, he says, “next time, it’s on you!”. Side note, the engine was a 440 Chrysler. They switched to diesels after that.
I can whole heartedly agree with your comment @davidturk6170 and @sandynewman5533 on the parts of a tracked based vehicle. Crewman on the M48 Chaparral that ran on a M113 carrier and also running the M577 APC. Always made sure with your BII that you had your grease gun handy to tighten up the track. Worst job was replacing the tracks on those especially when they came in single tracks instead of a roll you could pull up on the road wheels with a chain.
Glad you where on flat level ground, when loading up, and that dirty undie incident happened, it would have took off down the hill or rolled over backwards!! That would have been a REALLY exciting time for ya!! Hope you checked the trailer frame to make sure it didnt bend something, although a pretty tough looking dump trailer, Worked on backhoes for a guy since Dad had a backhoe co when I was a kid, after I got out of the dealership rat race, owner had loaded up a old 8 N Ford frontwards with a bush hog on the back, and, didnt lock the 2 brakes together, THAT part, being young I forgot to check, half way down the ramp I hit the brakes and only one worked which swung the tractor around sideways and landed in between the ramps with a loud bang!! YEAH shook hands with DANGER that day at 22 yrs old!! Didnt tear up anything but my shorts and made me think more safely about things after that!!
Now, that was a nice easy job. You might have overflow the oil for those gears. Better be careful and check the manual to be sure. The trailer obviously doesn't comply with the machine's weight. The loading process was more than obvious. Also, it should have been loaded backwards to avoid excessive air resistance when driving. Best thing is to use the tow truck as it can handle the weight better. You were very lucky the trailer didn't tilt and smash the customer's vehicle. Rule #1 should have been applied. Think safety first, Ray. We all care about you and your family.
Hi Ray. Per various Excavator instructions - I believe to correctly tighten the track - after Elevating said track - it needs (track) to be run backwards for a few seconds. This somehow moves all of the excess play to the bottom. Not running it backwards before adjustment - can end up with you still having excess play.
Jack stands need to be on level, hard ground to be effective. Of course they can still be overloaded but as with any weight bearing device anytime its out of plumb/level it will affect the capacity. Cranes are a great example of this. I'm glad you're ok and not much damage was done!
Drain plug at the bottom, remove centre plug and drain plug. Move skid until drain plug above centre. Fill with oil until it comes out of middle hole. Put both plugs back in.
Hey Ray. Old Army engineer here. Do be careful with wood blocks used as cribbage under heavy machines. I've seen sturdy timbers split and crush under heavy point loads.
When you opened the center plug and a weeeee leaked out. If it takes a quart, could the center be (like most diffs) the overflow? i.e. put the fill hole back at the top and open the middle. Fill by the top until it leaves from middle hole. Not a heavy mech, just my observation.
those blocks of wood can split in half like that. Also unstable like seen when you lifted the left side. Turn them 90 degrees next time and use one big block if possible.
Done the same many times on 45 and 35 ton excavator's that throw tracks and before electric grease guns were a thing. A few tubes of grease later and you had one muscle on your arm like Popeye. As a wee edit, once you throw a track you have to get the piston back all the way throwing all the grease out.
A trick I use when jacking up skid steers is I have oak blocks that fit tight under the back and use the bucket to lift the front then block under the front. That way I don't use any jacks. And when loading I usually load them backwards unless I'm using my tilt trailer.
I think you may have overfilled those final drives. I think it should be halfway like a rear-end. Hence 1 quart...shoukd be sideways to fill 90°. Ive experienced other models not Cat so i could be wrong. But sloshing effect
Love working on these machines when I was working at Ziegler Rental. Usually, Pre-deliver Inspection (PDI). Service them every 250 hrs. These things are beasts until you have to clean under the cockpit. 😂
I don't know for sure on the Cat track loader but on most hydraulic final drives that center plug is how you allow the final drives to free spin so you can tow the unit if it needs to be moved and won't start. Also a Skid Steer is the nomenclature for the units that have tires and Trac Loader is in reference to the units with, well tracks...but they are used interchangeably. Hope this helps if you See it Ray.
Ray I think you over filled those finnal drives. I believe you are supose to fill until the oil comes out of the center plug. the other plug if forndraining and filling but the center plug is how you determin fill level.
Everyone else has already said it. So im not going to. lessons learned lets turn this positive and applaud your honesty for showing everything. Good and not so. Be careful Ray 👍✌️❤️
Regarding that final drive. The outside plug is for draining the final. The center plug is your fill and oil level. Also verify the type of oil, my experience was 50 weight drivetrain oil not gear oil albeit a different machine. But as always, the operation manual which should be behind the seat would clarify any confusion. Seeing as how you are using Cat brand oil, I would assume that is based on dealer/manufacturers recommendations .
I am watching this rather later then it was posted.. But while watching I noticed when you was working on the Right side Track that one of the hoses has a spot worn into it.. like the rubber coating was rubbed off and exposing the metal mesh. Might want to consider checking that and possibly wrapping it with something to help extend the life of that hose so it does not burst when you need it most. Ive heard from other UA-camrs them hoses get expensive quick - when you have them replaced.
Leaving the excess grease on the fittings and or joints prevents damage and salt corrosion or grit from contaminating the fitting. Eric O explained that once upon a time.
I’m not even a mechanic yet I saw the excess as a requirement to protect the grease fitting from all sorts of contamination. Ray even called it in regards to ball joints. Ray said way back when he first got this machine that he was trading the service call with allowing him to use the machine at home but…. I think the owner needs to advise Ray on “proper” maintenance procedures and fluid replacement levels and quantities. Seems risky having a “novice” work on heavy equipment
You pull the Center plug to relieve the pressure that may be built up in side, otherwise you will wear the contents of the final drive when you pull the drain plug. I also think you overfilled the final drive when you filled passed the Center plug.
You could have used the teeth on the drive gear and underside of the track to determine where the track would be when the hole was at the top, then mark the top surface of the track for one-man positioning. Also, a piece of clear tubing would make squirting oil into vertical holes easier.
Here's exactly what happened when loading the trailer. Lets begin with understanding that this is a hydraulic dump trailer and the deck will tilt back when loading. I have used a chain to lock the deck down to the frame and jack stands under the rear of the trailer to prevent this hinging situation. I usually use stacks of wood to achieve this but I wanted to try the jack stands out. As the trailer took the weight it rocked foreword and back causing the jack stands to collapse and the downward momentum of the even caused the trailer to lift up on the rear of the truck negating the parking brake and allowing excessive movement, potentially causing the machine to fall off of the trailer and or flipping over . When this occurred, there was only one option...SEND IT! I'm going back to using wood stacks.
I emailed you the CAT 289D3 Skid Steer CAT Maintenance Manual in PDF Format about a month ago. Did you receive it?
that front wheel that moves is called an Idler wheel.
@@veteranga7529I have it, we talked about that later in the video 😉 Ty!!
I always had pieces of 4x4 ,6x6 , and 2x4 in the back of my F250 for such events .
Danger danger Ranger😂😂
The drain hole doesn't have to be at the top it just has to be above Center. You're only supposed to put one quart in it if it requires a court it doesn't have to be filled up till it runs out. Remember that when you opened up that Center only a tiny bit came out.
You really don't need to overfill this
Yep, it may blow the seal out
Every UA-cam video Ray watched, he probably stopped them all after plugs were initially removed lol
Ray, as others have eluded to you have doubled the gear lube capacity of the final drives. You fill only until fluid runs out of the center plug. Drain off the excess or you will regret it…
Centre plug is not for drain or refill, it’s the level plug.
What... ???... no hours written on das replacent filters... ???... how else ya gonna know when to change them.. ???... especially... after the dog ate yer paperwork.... ???
Center plug on the final drive is the full mark.
sure is
I agree the outside one is for draining and filling. The center plug is the level mark.
exactly
Yes that is corect
Warning, warning, warning..... You have overfilled the final drives. The center plug is the oil level indicator and should be left undone when refilling. The fill plug hole is best rotated slightly off TDC when refilling. Otherwise the refilling oil flows straight down and comes out of the level plug before the final drive is at the correct fill level.
It's a good idea to replace that final drive oil at every engine oil change.
I'm having a psychic moment.... I foresee new seals coming.
this.
Ok so if I go back and pull the center plug it will level the fluid to spec??
I was about to type this exact same comment. 👍
You fill from the top plug and when oil reach the opening of the center it's the correct level. So il you open the center plug and let it drain it'll be correct.
Hey Ray, i look every video youre a top mechanic! I give you a tip as an mechanic of trucks for more than 25 years. Take a little plastic bag and put it over the filter before you loose it. The fuel who is leaking with removing the filter drops into the plastic bag (little one) so the fuel, diesel, will not leaking in the motorcompartiment. 😊
Greetings from the Netherlands Wim
i think the middle port is for setting the level of fluid, overfilling will blow the seals.
and when u take the middle one firs any oil kame out, so i think you realy over fill it.
As you may have heard that center plug is the fill level. Those drives are way over full 😬 You may want to tell the owner to pull the center plug and let it drain before it blows a seal.
Everyone has had at least one trailer loading adventure! Welcome to the club.
A tip: if you load backwards the weight will be more balanced in the trailer.
CAT makes the best skid-steer. Congrats!
ALWAYS load the loader backwards.. I move equipment daily for my job. Safe loading is back it onto the trailer.!!!!
I was gonna say that😂
This! 👆🏼👍🏼
Keeps the heavy end near the tongue of the trailer.
You're absolutely right. Same with farm equipment that I transport between land plots. Also there is less air resistance when loaded backwards since the bucket/dozer blade are not catching air. Doesn't seem like much but we've tried it both ways just see. On long haul 2mpg less Ford 6.7 f-450;Case 885
With 7' bucket loaded on 32' gooseneck.
Yeh, that's it! 👍
Ray, your content is highly educational, but what I want to compliment is your considerable self-filming, narration, and editing skills. That’s right, I just called you a high quality filmmaker. Deal with it. P.S. Love the thumbnail. It’s an eye grabber.
Probably why most of us are here
I know that's why i watch
Watch the track not the extension arm for the track, can easily over tighten these tracks and you don't want to know the cost of these tracks. Get a lock-n-lube for your grease gun, they really do work and helps eliminate that "smoo". Operated these machines for 30 + yrs, did my own maintenance, Bobcats mostly and few New Hollands. Learned, just open them up, every panel, every cover, get inside clean, inspect. CTL tracked, skid steer on tires and the tires "skid" as they turn hence why they're called "skid steers".
I see someone already called you out on overfilling the final drives... yea, center is level mark only. It's not weird when you've had to do this many many times. This is why whenever I did mine, the entire machine would be sitting on blocks, tracks off the ground so you can do several services at once. If you use a flex funnel pour in just 1 qt, no spill and filled properly. You want to change these with every engine oil change as well, just good sense and prolongs the life. Get that door fixed, helps keep all the dust out of the cab and electronics, dust and moisture don't mix well. Should have backed it on the trailer.
That was a scary opening clip, glad no one was hurt.
This movie shows how important it is with service oils and filters. Great job!
In the Army, those small wheels are called "road wheels", and the adjuster is a the idler wheel. That tension system is the same style as what is on the M113 series of armored personnel carriers. If I recall it is also the same as what is on the M2 Bradley IFV.
It's the most common system out there going back decades.
He should be thankful that it doesn’t have torsion bars to replace!
Yeah the boggy is what the road wheels are attached to. Think rear landing gear and some early tanks
You always make me smile with the sound effects of the brake cleaner
remember dont die at work. safety is key
If you die then it would be a safety infringment, so don't die.
The central plug is the level plug. You have over filled the final drives. It could cause the seals on the final drives to leak when the oil gets warm the oil will expand and cause pressure to build up and blow the seals. Remove the central plug and let the oil drain out. When it stops the level will be correct
This video just goes to show we’re all learning something new all the time. We learn so much these days thanks to UA-cam and your channel in particular. It’s cool to see you learning the same way and walk through it together.
32:30 KIA owner, "Why does my key fob smell like diesel?"
Thatd be weird .... who just sniffs there key fob? Lol
Always nice when I watch a video noticing possibly safety issues and the creator's already on top of them and has them covered.
Being cut in half, the ultimate definition of being beside one's self! 😆
I love watching ray work on vehicles. I really enjoy watching him work on the cat too.
LOL! learned my lesson about loading equipment in my trailer the same way! I now ALWAYS place jack stands under the rear of my trailer!
I don’t have this exact machine but on all of our machinery, like others have said, I believe you have over serviced the drives which now once it gets hot may blow your seals. I believe the centre plug is the oil level, basically half full. It’s oil bath so no need to be too full.
I learned about the track adjustment from “dirt, grain , and steel” u tube page. they do heavy equipment
work and farming, it is nice to learn something new each day. yes wood would be a better default due
to in this application there will be minimal compression over the “under rated” jack stands. the raising
and decent of the trailer magnifies the forces involved. great training video! thank you for your time!
Great vid. Learning new things is fun with servicing equipment. as a previous service tech for a construction comapny i never tire of seeing different machines and the ins and outs. I know it sounds super odd but a portable grease gun is nice but they make electric ones by milwauke and dewalt so u can hold the tip on and one handed squeeze the trigger to pump, thus no more need for more hands than you have or employing the pump against yourself while holding the tip on and gooping up the fittings less mess and way easier to use. also when adjusting the track its good to run it back and forth to see if the grease spews out of the fitting or get the final adjustment locked in I only move the machine so the fill plug is at a 3 or 9 o clockwhen doing planetaries then fill till its half full as to not add to much fluid like filling a rear it only needs enough to come up a bit. the oil is so viscous so it caries a long way in the small planetary but it could be different for this machine, thats how i always did it. looks like you made the foley of over filling at 43:06. You are soooo lucky you cant smell that stuff its nasty. one of the mechanical smells you never forget kinda nasty. my Mema had original recipe covid and 3 years later still has trouble smelling and tasting :(. Not political it happened to you and millions of others including myself thrice, so there is no boundary or border or race or class or swath of the population to cause divisions unless your a "woke" idiot. I am however sorry that this happened to you and will continue to keep you and the guys and the wife unit and little units in my prayers. Thank god no one was hurt when thos crappy jackstands gave. You rode that like a bucking bronco lmao. Much love to all yall out there in the florida heat.Stay hydrated and cool
I do believe the final drive oil is only supposed to be filled to the center hole not the fill hole. keep the center plug out and fill till it runs out of that hole. I dont know what happens if you over fill it.
Seals typically stop sealing if over filled
Ray always read your comments. Your viewer will save you money and keep you safe. Have a good day Ray
You've qualified! First round of the Texas Mechanical Bull Riding Championship 🏆
Quite an exciting end to an otherwise mundane PM service. Live (that's the important part) and learn. Thanks for always chronicling the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Just a wild ass guess... And based on the fact that a small amount dribbled out when you removed the center plug... I'm thinking the center plug on the final drive is your fill indicator... I.e. add gear oil until it starts spilling out the open center plug hole. So with that in mind... Did you overfill?
Ray I believe the center plug is for the over fill . So the one quart was correct. No harm just over filled it a bit.
Rule number one followed well today Ray.
Ray, another awesome video! I dont understand all of the negative comments about how you performed the service, i thought you did fine! But i dont work on these types of machines, i just operate them from time to time. But i do agree with who ever said to always load the skid steer backwards. That is the way ive always done it. My theory is that in case of a event like this, if the skid steer starts to tip backward at least you have your forks or what ever attachment you have on there to catch and help stabilize the machine!
I dont want this to sound like criticism, because its not! You did awsome recovering after the trailer started to tip!
Just telling you what works good for me! Hope it helps!
Have a good one man! Glad it ended the way it did!
Hint: Use a paint marker and write the engine hours and the date on the filters when re-installing.
Your house is coming along way looking great. I love to see the🐐
Best automotive channel out here!
The center plug 42:00 it’s to check the gear oil level! Don’t fill it to the top you’ll” blow the seals out! Planetaries never get filled to the top it’s no different than a rear differential.
Don’t worry about short start and stopping the engine. Safety first! As a mailman, I would often start and stop at every neighboring house to deliver a package at the doorstep. Be safe!
Hey Ray, the white plug is left out during refill, until fluid comes out of the hole. You overfilled the drive.
I appreciate when experienced mechanics make errors, then they freely admit it was a mistake. When the bull headed *******s make mistakes and continue to deny it, that’s when it costs money or worse. I’ve met too many bullish people in my life, who don’t think others have advice they can take on board, mostly managers who can’t do, but can give orders. Attitude is everything.
The main difference between the compact-tracked loader (CTL) and skid-steer loader (SSL) is the former has tracks and the latter has wheels. They can both feature radial or vertical lift configurations, and can carry out a wide range of jobs, whether it be digging, lifting pallets, landscaping and more.
Good morning Ray and wife. As I know nothing about heavy equipment small and large. Have a great day.
Leaving floor jack handles down presents a major trip hazard as well as a crush hazard, the handles should always be stored in the up position so safety Sir " safety first as we don't want to die today"
Totally agree on the never ending parts rant.... I was sent the wrong valve cover gasket the other week from a supplier ive been using forever with no issues 😢
Ray, you actually are the Jack if all trades 😅
That loading was wild! Glad everyone and all the equipment made it okay. As for the video about servicing the skid steer, very interesting and informative. Not that I'll ever have the need to know how to service one, it's still fun to know. A wise mentor told me once that you will learn your whole life. He was so right.
Take the screw cap off the squeeze bag and refill the squeeze bag with the fluid from the hard bottle. Make it easy on yourself.
Put a one foot piece of tubing on bottle nozzle turn the bottle vertical & fill,no waste
It's good to know that Dave does not suffer from a lack of smell!
A tip for plastic bottles: put a small hose on the bottle so the bottle can be totally inverted.
The central plug is an air bleed to allow smooth exit flow.
When loading a skid steer, back up the ramps as most of the weight is in the rear. The bucket or forks can be used to lift up the front after the rear boggies get on the trailer, slowly rolling the weight on the trailer.
Using grease to tighten track. Learned that when the M113 APC I was driving threw a track in a remote training area. Unit mechanic was called while all the others left but me and him. First he opened the grease fitting to let grease out so we could ease the tension. After our gyrations to get the track in place, out comes the grease gun and we proceed to fill the fitting until he says we have the required tightness. Last, he says, “next time, it’s on you!”. Side note, the engine was a 440 Chrysler. They switched to diesels after that.
I have many hours of M113 (family) PMCS under my belt.
Good times.
I can whole heartedly agree with your comment @davidturk6170 and @sandynewman5533 on the parts of a tracked based vehicle. Crewman on the M48 Chaparral that ran on a M113 carrier and also running the M577 APC. Always made sure with your BII that you had your grease gun handy to tighten up the track. Worst job was replacing the tracks on those especially when they came in single tracks instead of a roll you could pull up on the road wheels with a chain.
Glad you where on flat level ground, when loading up, and that dirty undie incident happened, it would have took off down the hill or rolled over backwards!! That would have been a REALLY exciting time for ya!! Hope you checked the trailer frame to make sure it didnt bend something, although a pretty tough looking dump trailer, Worked on backhoes for a guy since Dad had a backhoe co when I was a kid, after I got out of the dealership rat race, owner had loaded up a old 8 N Ford frontwards with a bush hog on the back, and, didnt lock the 2 brakes together, THAT part, being young I forgot to check, half way down the ramp I hit the brakes and only one worked which swung the tractor around sideways and landed in between the ramps with a loud bang!! YEAH shook hands with DANGER that day at 22 yrs old!! Didnt tear up anything but my shorts and made me think more safely about things after that!!
Now, that was a nice easy job. You might have overflow the oil for those gears. Better be careful and check the manual to be sure. The trailer obviously doesn't comply with the machine's weight. The loading process was more than obvious. Also, it should have been loaded backwards to avoid excessive air resistance when driving. Best thing is to use the tow truck as it can handle the weight better. You were very lucky the trailer didn't tilt and smash the customer's vehicle. Rule #1 should have been applied. Think safety first, Ray. We all care about you and your family.
Definitely back that thing in
Hi Ray. Per various Excavator instructions - I believe to correctly tighten the track - after Elevating said track - it needs (track) to be run backwards for a few seconds. This somehow moves all of the excess play to the bottom. Not running it backwards before adjustment - can end up with you still having excess play.
The front wheel is called the front idler
Some kickstands on the trailer will help.
Jack stands need to be on level, hard ground to be effective. Of course they can still be overloaded but as with any weight bearing device anytime its out of plumb/level it will affect the capacity. Cranes are a great example of this. I'm glad you're ok and not much damage was done!
Health and safety Ray , that loading looked a tad scratchy. 😂😂😂😂😂
Drain plug at the bottom, remove centre plug and drain plug. Move skid until drain plug above centre. Fill with oil until it comes out of middle hole. Put both plugs back in.
Hey Ray. Old Army engineer here. Do be careful with wood blocks used as cribbage under heavy machines. I've seen sturdy timbers split and crush under heavy point loads.
Reee.... More Tonka play time! Pretty neat, learning a bunch.
When you opened the center plug and a weeeee leaked out. If it takes a quart, could the center be (like most diffs) the overflow? i.e. put the fill hole back at the top and open the middle. Fill by the top until it leaves from middle hole. Not a heavy mech, just my observation.
Front is called the Track Adjuster wheel. Rear one is called the Idler wheel.
those blocks of wood can split in half like that. Also unstable like seen when you lifted the left side. Turn them 90 degrees next time and use one big block if possible.
brings to mind from my "Van and Camping days" if it's rockin don't come knockin"
Done the same many times on 45 and 35 ton excavator's that throw tracks and before electric grease guns were a thing. A few tubes of grease later and you had one muscle on your arm like Popeye. As a wee edit, once you throw a track you have to get the piston back all the way throwing all the grease out.
I once had to change the tracks on a mini-excavator.
Same basic mechanisms, lots of expended grease, very Popeye.
Love your channel and your enthusiasm...keep it up Ray!!!
You take the whole filter off with the separator then you screw the separator back onto the new filter and then reinstall
That must have been a bit of a shock! Need better jack stands. Great video.
A trick I use when jacking up skid steers is I have oak blocks that fit tight under the back and use the bucket to lift the front then block under the front. That way I don't use any jacks. And when loading I usually load them backwards unless I'm using my tilt trailer.
I think you may have overfilled those final drives. I think it should be halfway like a rear-end. Hence 1 quart...shoukd be sideways to fill 90°. Ive experienced other models not Cat so i could be wrong. But sloshing effect
Indeed
The big wheel at the the front of the track is the front idler.
Love working on these machines when I was working at Ziegler Rental. Usually, Pre-deliver Inspection (PDI). Service them every 250 hrs. These things are beasts until you have to clean under the cockpit. 😂
That opening loading the trailer was epic. LOL
The center plug is the fluid check plug.
Glad everyone is ok.
Monster retaining rings on those main drives.
I don't know for sure on the Cat track loader but on most hydraulic final drives that center plug is how you allow the final drives to free spin so you can tow the unit if it needs to be moved and won't start. Also a Skid Steer is the nomenclature for the units that have tires and Trac Loader is in reference to the units with, well tracks...but they are used interchangeably. Hope this helps if you See it Ray.
Hey you got it from us, greetings from Kelly WPB. Make sure you grease those axles and quick coupler pins!
The update we've all been waiting for.
I like the mix up of stuff Ray. Thanks for the great content.
Ray I think you over filled those finnal drives. I believe you are supose to fill until the oil comes out of the center plug. the other plug if forndraining and filling but the center plug is how you determin fill level.
Sounds like that Cat needs some beano. When you was filling that gear oil up, it sure was letting it rip.😂😂😂
The centre plug is for the fluid level.
Bottom of the filter is a water separator.
Everyone else has already said it. So im not going to.
lessons learned lets turn this positive and applaud your honesty for showing everything. Good and not so.
Be careful Ray 👍✌️❤️
Centre bolt out to fill. You lucked it up!!!
Don't overfill the final drive ,
The center plug is the level .
Regarding that final drive. The outside plug is for draining the final. The center plug is your fill and oil level.
Also verify the type of oil, my experience was 50 weight drivetrain oil not gear oil albeit a different machine. But as always, the operation manual which should be behind the seat would clarify any confusion. Seeing as how you are using Cat brand oil, I would assume that is based on dealer/manufacturers recommendations .
Lessons were learned about usage of jack-stands and weight allowances.
I am watching this rather later then it was posted.. But while watching I noticed when you was working on the Right side Track that one of the hoses has a spot worn into it.. like the rubber coating was rubbed off and exposing the metal mesh. Might want to consider checking that and possibly wrapping it with something to help extend the life of that hose so it does not burst when you need it most. Ive heard from other UA-camrs them hoses get expensive quick - when you have them replaced.
Excellent video, as always!
Leaving the excess grease on the fittings and or joints prevents damage and salt corrosion or grit from contaminating the fitting. Eric O explained that once upon a time.
It also leaves a place for dirt to accumulate, and absorb water.
I’m not even a mechanic yet I saw the excess as a requirement to protect the grease fitting from all sorts of contamination.
Ray even called it in regards to ball joints.
Ray said way back when he first got this machine that he was trading the service call with allowing him to use the machine at home but…. I think the owner needs to advise Ray on “proper” maintenance procedures and fluid replacement levels and quantities.
Seems risky having a “novice” work on heavy equipment
The center plug for checking the level
Hopefully it goes well
Definitely get yourself a Milwalkie grease gun ray 😊
Cool stuff Ray
You pull the Center plug to relieve the pressure that may be built up in side, otherwise you will wear the contents of the final drive when you pull the drain plug.
I also think you overfilled the final drive when you filled passed the Center plug.
You could have used the teeth on the drive gear and underside of the track to determine where the track would be when the hole was at the top, then mark the top surface of the track for one-man positioning. Also, a piece of clear tubing would make squirting oil into vertical holes easier.