Need help fast! Caterpillar d6 final drive repair

So I was working my 1954 d6 9u on a pretty steep grade turned an backed up the hill an I believe it snapped a couple teeth off the final drive gear. I've got it in my shop tore down but I can't get the hub to come of an I don't have a puller to pull the sprocket. Is it possible to get the whole assembly off as one rather than have to press the sprocket off? I need to get this fixed ASAP!
 
(quoted from post at 12:42:26 12/06/15) So I was working my 1954 d6 9u on a pretty steep grade turned an backed up the hill an I believe it snapped a couple teeth off the final drive gear. I've got it in my shop tore down but I can't get the hub to come of an I don't have a puller to pull the sprocket. Is it possible to get the whole assembly off as one rather than have to press the sprocket off? I need to get this fixed ASAP!
I placed a bottle jack 30 ton in center of axel , short chain on each side of sprocket and pumped with extra long jack handle , I have had sprocket jump 15 feet when it frees , don't stand in front , stand to side . It has been years since I did this . If you do this BE VERY CAREFUL .
 

Where are you located. I ask because I have the tooling to press the sprockets off. On my end I live outside Concord, NC.

Unfortunately, short of having the proper tools, dozerbill has given about the only solution due to the fact the sprockets are on a splined taper. If I remember correctly the D6 sprockets are pressed on with well over 35 tons. In other words there is no guarantee of anything given the amount of force involved, without the proper tooling.

The RIGHT way to do it involves a ram with a special head on it that allows you to pin two, or three, solid legs to the head of the ram. Those legs run through the sprocket and are held in place with a toggle pinned to it. The fixed legs causes the ram to pull straight without getting cockeyed like using chains tends to cause. These rams are usually in the 75 to 100 ton range because it usually takes more to pull one off than it does to put it on due to corrosion, etc, that forms over time, making it tighter.


If you decide to try it yourself, as dozerbill stated, DO NOT get in front of it when pulling on it. I just head the other day that another of the independents close to me just got seriously injured taking one off. He had stuck his head out from behind the machine to have a look. The sprocket broke free just about that time, and caught him on one cheek of his face. It pretty much turned that side of his face into jello, and caused several cracks in the other side.


As bad as I hate to say it, your best, and safest, bet is to bite the bullet and get the dealer to come take it off for you.....if they even have the tooling (some newer dealers won't as CAT no longer uses that design). It's either that, or be lucky enough to find an independent with the right tooling.

Going back the sprocket is also supposed to be pressed back on, with one of the same rams they were pressed off with, but that takes further special tooling. You can get away without having to do that by making yourself a wrench out of heavy plate. Tighten the nut as tight as you can get it. Rotate the sprocket until the wrench hits the ground and let the machine tighten it a bit more, while also striking it around the rim with a sledge hammer. The torque applied by the machine, and the vibration of the hammering, will tighten it enough that it shouldn't cause you any problems.

With all of that said, the final drive should come off as an assembly, without removing the sprocket. The problem is if you do that, you can be sure it will leak when you put it back because the seal assembly, that sits behind the sprocket, will be disturbed due to the axel/sprocket assembly will not be supported once off of the machine.

If you need anything else, post back here. Too my email is open if you need to find out anything that way.

Good luck. Wayne
 
I believe Wayne is right that the final assembly can come off without removing the sprocket--other guys have done this and then brought it to a shop for removal as to get inside the case to the gears and bearings it needs to be removed
 
I got it apart, just unbolted at the final drive housing an pulled the whole assembly. The main gear has a a couple teeth missing an the small gear (bull gear?) has a few missing as well. Next question, will I be able to pull the bull gear out or will I have to dissemble the steering clutches to get it out?
 
The small gear is attached to a short shaft that rides in bearings between the final drive and the steering clutch. The steering clutch is bolted to a hub on one end of the shaft, and the gear rides on the other. So, in answer to your question, yes, the steering clutch has to come out to get that shaft out.
 
Hey Wayne, the shop I used to work at had that Cat tooling for those final drives. Only had to use it twice in the 9 years I worked there. We had the porta power, cylinder, puller parts, and install parts in a big black case we called "the coffin". I remember very clearly written in very big letters on the cover of the coffin case that said: If you're in the red, you're pushing you're luck!!!" LOL, referring to the pressure gauge on the porta power.

Ross
 
Busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest. I sat down last night and made a list of my projects in the works, ongoing, and just upcoming when I get time. Last night I had 24 on the list. Today three more got added, and one of the existing ones got extended...... It's keeping the bills paid.....
 

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