TD6 Grease Fittings

Darryl 2M's

New User
Hey guys, I have a new to me TD6 crawler/dozer. Finally getting around to checking fluid levels etc.from previous owner. The rollers and idlers have some strange to me lube fittings. The manual says "use the bulk loader "??? They still make something to fit on these? Or do you just unscrew them and use the pistol grip type gun with the small cartridges?And hope the grease makes its way in there? Or somehow fit them with modern fittings? Any thoughts gents? Thanks in advance... Darryl
 
you can get a special; fitting the slide on to the fitting to fill with track roller grease which is more like epo grease or what is called corn head grease i change the one on my ih 500 to regular grease fittings
 
a bulk loader is a low pressure-high volume type grease gun.They install the button head fittings so you can't use a zerk fitting with a conventional gun that is high pressure.These rollers and idlers have seals that will blow out under pressure.
they do make pressure regulators for conventional grease guns that will limit the pressure.
 
I just re-read the service manual. Seems like way back then (1945) they wanted you to use 140w gear lube. 1/2 pint - a pint depending wether it was a track roller or an idler. I unscrewed the fittigs earlier today... saw some blue chassis grease in there from the last guy. So the question is still the same. Anyone making fittings to inject the oil or do I just use a quart squeeze bottle? LOL You guys are the best! only been 10 minutes and I have some answers already!
 


Darryl,

Basically ,if a machine has button head

fittings ,it has bushings within and grease will

not flow. A for instance is cletrac and oliver,

they have a reservoir with a hole to drip the

lube thru the bushing and onto the shaft ,grease

will plug the hole and when the grease is used

the bushing gets no more lube. Use gear oil

as in 90 or 140.

george
 
Alemite, link below. I'm not sure if what you are dealing with is like or similar to old caterpillar track rollers, if not, disregard, but on those, they had button head fittings, the lube was a track roller grease, a stringy tacky lube that reminds me of chainsaw bar oil,(don't use that) The Alemite volume pump was a low pressure pump that will pump this lube into the track roller but won't blow out the lube seal. People have done it with a regular grease gun, but those create a lot of pressure, if you are not careful, can't feel when it builds up, you will rupture the seal, and have leaky track rollers, each to their own, the lube was like a 0 or 00 grade lube, cornhead grease like was mentioned. I believe track roller grease is still in manufacture, you would have to search to find it.

The Alemite volume pump was always shown in the manuals for the old cat's I was under the impression a crawler from those days came with one along with the tools shown that came standard, might be wrong. I found a really nice period correct Alemite volume pump on ebay for my old cat, nice clean, practically new one, hose and all.
Alemite
 
thanks for your info Billy. I'm in upstate New York too. You are right. According to the users manual it was suppossed to come with the bulk loader in the tool kit. But as usual , as things change hands, things get lost. Thats why the people that reprint manuals stay in business. Well, off to ebay to look for the right pump. thanks again
 
thank you to all who responded on this subject.The people on this site are the best. I may have to change my handle. Just got anothewr farmall M, nice tin good tires, factory fenders... so now I have 3. The addiction continues.....
 
This I think is the same as mine, though mine looks like its not seen a lot of use, that won't matter, I would you could get a hose for it, new ones are quite a bit more. Funny mine came from the northwest too.
Alemite 6521 Volume Pump
 
you're a wealth of info Billy! I pulled up the pic from the link you sent me. Never seen anything like that before. I've been messing with old cars and trucks for 40 years...so i never came across anything like that. Do the new ones that Alemite sells fit the old button head fittings? Looks like a small spring loaded hole in the center. I appreciate the help . Darryl
 
you can by different size button heads for these pumps. my old international had smaller button heads than my Cats do.
 
I believe they are standard sizes, should be listed on the Alemite web site. Might be something like this, I'd have to take a picture of the oem hose on my pump, and the end on it, believe its similar though, I do forget, could have it mixed up with a grease gun adapter too LOL !
a141921.jpg

a141922.jpg
 
thanks for the pics Billy.That first one looks like what I have.Manual says these take 1/2 a pint. And lube every 10 hours. Will it take all that every 10? Or just pump till you feel resistance? Guess I have to clean out all the old grease from the last guy!Again to all who answered.... thank you, thank you. Darryl
 
I'm not familiar with the rollers on this track frame, TD6 tractor etc. Seems odd the book calls for that quantity, makes you wonder where it goes, it should have some sort of seals that retain the lube, so you'll have to pardon me, I know very little about IH's.
With these kinds of rollers, I'd be more concerned about rupturing seals, easy does it when filling, that hose fitting is supposed to have the relief valve, so one would think if used with care no issue. I am under the assumption that with the relief valve, if you overfill, that should be the weak point, and let that stringy/tacky grease/oil out before seal would rupture, but being of that vintage anything would appear to be possible. Thing with leaky seals is that if the lube can get out, you run in silty, muddy water or deep muck or even dry, abrasives can get in as well, I may be wrong, but would be my concern. To clean the old lube out, it would seem these would have to be disassembled, if that were the case, you would likely want to put new seals in, if can be done, say if they are even still available, and the rollers have enough life left in them for it to be worth doing, no sense in it if they are worn out, can't be built up or rebuilt etc, just some rough thoughts, I'd ask someone who knows IH crawlers of that vintage, REDPOWER site comes to mind, I could be way off.
 
No Billy you are not way off! These rollers do have seals, and the manual warns against over filling ( rupturing the seals) I've been lucky so far with all my old stuff, if I can get a number off the seal I have been able to get a new one, either through NAPA, Shoup , or online.Haven't had the rollers apart yet, so i don't know about wear. Hour meter shows 3600 hours and it appears to be untampered with. Machine seems to have been maintained. Want to keep it that way. Luckily I only need it for farm use... so not too many hours per year. Thanks for your info... Regards...Darryl
 

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