Case 310G Dozer

[rtimgray]

If anybody with crawler experience is still following this thread - I have a yet another question. I was trying to get grease everywhere it's supposed to be (an according to manual and my observations, it's a lot of places). Anyway, I was going to grease the track rollers and couldn't find any fittings. I looked and it seemed like all of the fittings had been broken off. I thought that this could happend easily since the fittings are only about 6 inches off the ground and protrude from the track carriage.

Anyway, I started cleaning one out and discovered it was indeed an allen head plug. I was able to get it out and installed a grease zerk (1/8 NPT) and proceeded to grease it up. However, I couldn't tell how much grease I needed to put in. I put in about 12 shots, pulled the zerk out and re-installed the plug. I did this for the 4 other rollers and put in various amounts - 15 shots, the grease came out as I put in the plug, 20 shots and it really came out fast as I put the plug back in, etc. The main questions is: is is possible to OVER-grease the rollers. My personal guess is probably no, but I thought that I'd pass it by guys with crawler experience.

Thanks for the help again.

 

[GuglioLS]

Track rollers are lubed with oil, not grease. On my Komatsu the rollers are similar to what you describe in that there is an allen head plug where they are filled and to keep the oil in. I don't think all the grease fittings have broken off. As you have stated, grease fittings on track rollers would break off in a heat beat. I suggest filling them about 1/2 way with your favorite oil ~ (30 wt) and use the original allen head plug. If the rollers are dry it's because the seals are leaking so it lost all the oil over the years. I suggest somehow getting the grease out of the one(s) you tried to fill and replace it with oil.

Larry

 

[machmeter62]

I did get the screens and push bar added this weekend (my pushbar looks a lot like MtnViewRanch - but it's not painted yet). I've got the pictures, but left the camera in my other truck. I'll get it posted tomorrow.

I also added som screens to the side of the operator area, and a jump seat for my co-pilot (My 7 year old boy). It has a seat belt and we're going to add padding all around it (we get a bit bumpy when we're dozing). I'm also installing a seat belt for myself.

We dozed for about an hour yesterday, plowing through a thicket of thorn bushes and cedars. I'll try to get some pictures of what we've accomplished so far with this little machine.

I've still got a lot of work to do to it to get it how I want it. I've yet to install the hourmeter or water temp gauge, and I want to change out the fluids/filters so that I know what I've got. Overall, I couldn't be more pleased with my little dozer at this point.

I'll get some pictures posted tomorrow. Thanks for the encouragement, fellas.

I am envious of you gentlemen with crawlers! I would give that youngster some hearing protection too. Those tender young years are valuable!! What is the horspower and weight?

 

[rtimgray]

Hi Larry-

The manual that I got for the tractor specifically says to use "a good quality lithium grease". It also notes the parts of the tractor where I am supposed to use a "light oil". The parts diagrams also show zerk fittings in the holes, not plugs (which is why I was surprised to find the plugs). Now, that's not to say that at some point in its 40+ year life that the rollers have not been replaced with different rollers that use oil instead of grease. Given the condition of the sprokets, pins, and bushings, it sure seems as if the U/C had been rebuilt at some point and has not had a lot of hours put on it since then.

So that's not to say that I should or shouldn't use oil, I'm just unsure now. I know that in gearboxs/final drives that leak 90W, it's common practice to just pack it full of grease and it they seem to run happily enough. I can tell you that the rollers that I opened up appear to be dry (no oil came out). I'm assuming that the grease might be too thick to properly lubricate the rollers as they should be lubed. Do your rollers fill up from the side? If so, do you more or less shoot the oil in and quickly plug it so it doesn't run out?

I might just try putting some oil in a few of them and see if it leaves leaky spots, then try some grease.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate your time and advice

 

[rtimgray]

Maybe I've got an a-ha moment: I've attached the parts diagrams of a standard roller and what is called a face seal roller. It looks like they look the same (outwardly) but the face seal roller has a plug in it's groove(?). I can feel/look around on my rollers and see if they have this plug. If so, maybe it's the kind I fill with oil, and if not, maybe it's the kind I fill with grease (the standard roller shows the grease zerk).

 

[GuglioLS]

Do your rollers fill up from the side? If so, do you more or less shoot the oil in and quickly plug it so it doesn't run out?

Yes that's Exactly it. - Although I have not had to do that yet. I replaced all the track rollers in June of this year. Due to the OD being worn out of limits.

I see yours has roller bearings so grease makes sense. It might be a good idea to remove the Zerk's after greasing and replace them with the plugs.
I guess you need to figure out which type you have, oil or grease. BTW your dozer is looking good, you did a great job on the blade guard & rear ROPS protection.

Larry

 

[rtimgray]

I am envious of you gentlemen with crawlers! I would give that youngster some hearing protection too. Those tender young years are valuable!! What is the horspower and weight?

I love my crawler so far (only put a couple of hours on it, but its already done tons of stuff I can't do with my tractor).

I believe the crawler and blade weigh about 8,500 to 9,000 lbs., give or take. The manual says the engine has 36 gross hp/32 drawbar hp. I tell you what though, it's really about weight/traction/gearing, because I can push soooo much more with the little crawler than I can with my DK 45 (45 hp Kioti tractor). I'm pretty sure that the 310G will out push the Ford 7710 that we had that had a dozer blade on it, just from what I remember using the big Ford.

Honestly, the dozer is not that loud. I don't hear any ringing in my ears after use, and it just idles like new. It's probably a little louder than my Kioti, but not enough to worry about (I always wore earplugs on my old air-cooled Belarus - it was LOUD).

Thanks for the commnets. Take care.

 

[rtimgray]

Thanks Larry - and yes, as soon as I put the grease in I took the zerk back out and re-installed the plug. Like you said, there's no doubt that the zerk would be broken off in a heart beat - and there's no need to have to use a screw extractor to take out a broken zerk when I can just put the plug back in.

I plan on checking tonight to make sure which type of roller I have.

Thanks for the kind words on the guards.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

My 310 takes grease. In the 1000+ hours that I have used it I have never broken off any zerks. Mine are all recessed about 3/4". Usually take 15-20 pumps of grease. I can feel resistance on the grease gun pump and usually stop there. Front idler sprockets take more stress and require more grease. My tractor is relatively quite also.

Good luck with yours

 

[rtimgray]

I checked my rollers this weekend and could not find any plugs on the groove of the rollers, so I will conclude that my rollers do indeed take grease. If the zerks were recessed in mine, I don't think that my grease gun nozzle would fit. The zerks that I have will not go into the threaded hole because of the hex shape on them (for screwing in/unscrewing). I was able to get 5 out of 10 plugs out, but the others didn't want to come off. I'm gonna have to work on them for a bit and try to get them out of there, because I believe that all the rollers probably need to be topped off with grease. I plan to be changing all the fluids/filters within the next week or two, before I do a whole lot of work with it (I've got to finish up some kitchen cabinets before I'm set to do much dozing).