Caterpillar Ten Track Roller Repair

This is how I repaired the worn and loose track rollers on my 1929 Cat Ten.

[@douglasbranham6099]

I am an old mechanical engineer, not a machinist, but I learn so much from you.

[@marcushaynes843]

Very good job! You made those bearings out of scratch. It's hard to find parts for an old tractor like that. Keep it up.

[@gregoryschmitz2131]

As much as it will run its a forever repair. Loved seeing all the ingenuity, an amazing integration of mechanic/machinist. It does remind me of house plumbing repairs, you start at the faucet and you wind up out at the main with the area shutdown to stop the last leak in the shutoff valve!

[@robertwinton2649]

I found another delicious carrot cat 10 I'm really enjoying these videos I will probably find some more like this if I keep looking you take care now

[@TheFunkman]

Just found your channel. I'm definitely a fan! Keep it up! You remind me of my dad the way you take time and patience to repair your machines. Good audio and no lame background music. Thank you for sharing your talent.

[@xx1590]

Very good detail for anyone needing to make similar repairs, you certainly deserve the master mechanic award.

[@brucesaunders728]

Love the detail you put into these reconditioning jobs. It should give years more life to the machine. Excellent job, well done

[@davewilliams6172]

That's what I like to see, someone that ain't afraid to make his own parts when necessary ....great job!

[@rogerthieling8457]

Great job. Not only on the repair but on the video as well. You have a real talent and the patience to pull it off.

[@dennisbest4979]

Just got a tractor late 1943 TD6. needed to find maintenance /lube information on under carriage. Watched your lower idler rebuild, Need to remove that special nut on upper idler, you named it and i forgot it already. needs 2 wrenches to remove, cresent is to thick for the other wrench to fit correctly. Oh You the man. great job explaining to us new bees.

[@michaeldunagan8268]

AWESOME! I love the way you can manufacture your own parts!

[@echoandy51]

Found a new channel!!!! I must say "thank you" for taking the time to do the job correctly! Most people would have half assed what you did, but I think your rebuilding of the rollers was great! Keep up the quality rebuilds!

[@formflier]

I'll add thanks for a very straightforward video without lame background music. It was very easy for my son and I to follow your thought process. Glad I found your channel and looking forward to watching more.

[@shauna260]

Amazing attention to detail, I like to watch a true craftsman at work. Thank you

[@larrymeyers6913]

I love.old iron and i am looking for a d2 or d4 . The ones in finding are pretty much in need of alot of work . Your are a great source of knowledge and good machinist and your videos are very helpful and informative . Thanks and keep them comming

[@johnwythe1409]

Great repair job manufacturing new pieces.

[@ronnieboucherthecrystalcraftsm]

i watch your videos and then go and work on my car ! it really helped me with my rear disc brake up-grade = they just would not fit - had a cup of tea and watched another video of yours and went out and saw the interference ! a small file and a couple of hammer blows on the pressed metal and = done - thank you for your help master mechanic !

[@thinkingimpaired5663]

great education. I can imagine your cat will be much quieter after your repairs.

[@73DiamondReo]

I really love your videos! You're motivating me to finish my case track loader!

[@rogermarshall8991]

The lessons learned over the past 100 years, it amazes me that equipment even worked back then. But it stood the test of time plus some.

[@jimbrent8151]

Wow ... Amazing skill and precision... thank you for sharing and as a result I subscribed... Keep 'em coming - love it...

[@cableup1]

Well, that about does it for the retirement community in Floridia strategy. Guess I'll stay up on the mountain and fiddle with bringing lawn ornaments back from the dead. All those years restoring Harleys wasn't wasted time after all. Plus there's a slew of tools I get to add to the menagerie. This is definitely one of those decisions I'm going to keep to myself. By the time she figures it out I'll be living in the shed already.

[@paulmanson253]

That is one of the funniest responses I have seen in a while. You should let us know the community,so that if we read of a sudden murder by a wife,we can let the heirs know the real reason. Best of luck when she finds out. Living in the dog house is hopefully the only thing that happens to you. Do not let her anywhere near a large skillet on that day.

[@highiron1950]

I noticed you didn't talk about wear to the rollers themselves. in the late 60s and early 70s when I was just out of high school, I was working for an outfit that rebuilt and flew antique aircraft all 1929 or older. One of my jobs was to media blast airplane parts. We were working in the old caterpillar dealership shop buildings in Boise Idaho, Western equipment Company if I remember right. The blasting cabinet was right next to the automatic welder that would take track rollers and build them up back to factory specs. It was an early wire welder that used granulated flux that poured out of a tube over the hot weld. The rollers were on a lathe and the wire welder moved back-and-forth to build up the wear. In the late 60s the old shop buildings that were abandoned and I think 1952 or something had shelf after shelf after shelf after shelf of old new stock cat parts. The good news is that at some point in the late 70s or early 80s all of those parts were collected and sold to someone who put them up for resale so they didn't just go to the metal recycler.

[@RommelADC]

Love your clarity of thought and explanation.

[@wemedeeres4105]

That is some pretty impressive machine work as well as finding a solution to the unavailable bushings!....I'm sure you know as well as I do how abrasive snow is on track components.

[@_P0tat07_]

I can’t believe there are people so ignorant to own such a piece of machinery and just neglect it. It’s very sad. Actually no, I can totally believe it. Good to see you giving these old beasts some TLC.

[@motorv8N]

Another great video of the little Cat getting some well-earned love. Thanks for posting!

[@Jan-mu6vs]

Great craftsmanship 👌

[@johnraynor5095]

Great video. Have seen a johndeere 1010 , that is particularly torn down. . Would like it for a project some day.

[@paslode235]

Cool Video! You should do a video showing off all of your tractors. I think most people would like to see your collection!

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Job security forever!

[@jaysauer7324]

Love the precision and technical skill devoted to repair, restore and re-use Cat tractors, the absolute best tractor ever manufactured. My grandfather was part owner in a Cat dealership still operating in Wichita, KS. Foley Caterpillar. Keep videos coming and long live Cat, thanks to you sir!

[@RVJimD]

Nice video, enjoy the close up detail view of the individual parts and assembly order. Thanks! Jim

[@wilkinsoncoutts1459]

Great job, a true mechanical engineer. Thanks for sowing.

[@Peterbilt359]

Just bumped into your site. I have a cat ten and a thirty orchard model. My ten has a top roller added. I read where guys did that to hold tracks on better. It's not bad shape still turns over. I have a friend has one also. We live in southern UT. I keep it parked next to driveway about once a year someone comes by wants to buy it. Great video your attention to detail is 2nd to none.

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Other side??? Fantastic work.. Love to see the oldsters brought back to life.

[@paulmanson253]

Squatch253 A wise old bird I used to work with said to me,"Oil is the cheapest mechanic in the world". John Rudd,born on Denman Island,survived even the V1 doodlebugs,and the battle of the Scheldt. Wish he was around to watch your stuff. I miss him. Cheers.

[@tiredoldmechanic1791]

I subscribed to your channel. I like the design that went into the old CATs. They were made to be easy to work on. Up until about 1990 you could get parts for anything CAT ever made. If they didn't have it in stock, they would make it. Apparently some bean counters decided that needed to be changed. They sold or scrapped out all of the older parts. We had some 8T graders that we plowed snow with that the city had purchased in the 1940s. The local dealer offered us all of the parts they had in stock that they were supposed to scrap. I suppose case harden shafting could be used and steel or brass bushings made to work with the shaft.

[@tbirdracefan]

That looks like very satisfying work. Wish I had that talent.

[@jaywon555]

Having found your channel about a month ago, I'm slowing sifting through your content, I think most of the issues you find, most people would of just given up if they couldn't do parts throwing. My old has a Folwer crawler, a calf Dozer, used to have a HD7 or 8 that was worn out, just gives me nightmares looking back at the folwer undercarriage and the work he put into it.

[@danmart1879]

Amazing skills and knowledge! Wow!

[@darrenblattner2508]

You do nice work, i'm impressed.

[@seastacker8582]

Wow. What a can of worms! You almost could have made a video of just the lathe and machine work you did. Beautiful parts you turned out!

[@fireballdigger7298]

Love ur videos u r like me a jack of all trades love the cats to had one in my truck c15 cat love it keep on restoring

[@garthrichert5256]

You make such a clear and interesting video. Really very good.Thank you.

[@burtlade1705]

Good job and very educational as well. Thanks!

[@tenaxxband]

a trick you can use for grease passages is to use a boring bar with a flat (factory grind) and facing forward and manually run it back and forth into the bore advancing toward the OD about .010" at a time, thereby creating a groove. you can then index the part around 180 degrees and do the other side. i used this technique to repair a rare fan hub for a friends' '37 Studebaker President. it works really well and you have a consistent depth.

[@davebrittain9216]

I subscribed and hit the like. I watched a few of your other videos and really enjoy the detail you put into your work and videos. Thanks for showing us.

[@shaneharrison4775]

Another job well done

[@monk43012]

Great video and Top Shelf repair job.

[@MultiRichardW]

I did this to a Oliver 0C-15 many years ago but it had lip seals, I like you repair going to over size shaft.

[@rodgermills1496]

Very nice machine work..

[@Digginok]

Very nice work!

[@lukestrasser]

Beautiful machine work. It always makes me smile to see all the fantastic fabrication that can be accomplished with a lathe. What did you use to mill the flats on the new axles? End mill in a bridgeport?

[@lewiemcneely9143]

WOW, you did good all the way around! Can't improve too much! I'd say the real reason about the grease would be to have enough to keep the dirt and mud out. I know with shovels they were greased every day and they didn't walk much. Looks like all the others were burned up with grease, especially the one that was notched out so bad. I was working on a dam job running a Wabco 222 pan that was always looking for a place to flop over. It had already done it once and I didn't trust it and started having nightmares about it. Would NOT dig level and we had no places to load the other way so I was ready to quit. Had an 8-H torn down that was being worked on so I ran a grader on the haul roads till it went back up and I started working the cuts and making level spots to load in. The 8 had a top roller shell gone with a fresh shaft supporting the rails. The shaft was close to 3 inches through and you can guess when a new roller went on it. Yep, when the shaft wore in two. And as far as finding stuff wrong, the boulder hole had a very used Northwest Model-6 Shovel that the car body was cracked on. They used over #400 of 1/4 inch rods on it over the course of a hard winter. Had it buried and pre-heated it with a rosebud every morning. Always job security for a wrench man if he wants it. Thanks, Buddy!

[@lewiemcneely9143]

They had it buried in crusher run gravel with tarps over that I think. I know the guy that did all the welding and he is a very amazing man. He said they had a tunnel in and out. The car body was not hooked to the upper and off by itself. Yes, there'd be a mess all right but I was never the oiler for it. I remember the old crater compound all over the stick and cables. The welder was, I believe at the time, smoking, dipping and chewing and wound tight as an 8-day clock. He spent his time before he came here with a 16# rock hammer in an olivine mine and had arms the size of my leg. He's about 70 now but still much of a man.

[@robertdurham8399]

Just pulled the pony motor on my 1948 cat 12 grader switching to 24 V

[@kimculver1038]

Very good explanation on repairs .l have an lH 340 d with a poor under carriage now l know what to look for and how to repair. Thanks

[@willembeton]

very great video ! love you r repaer ! love cat ,thanks for sharing

[@shaneharrison4775]

On the parts you replicated did you allow for a groove or grease tube to allow the grease into the bearing and shaft inside I might have missed it but I did t see one

[@mikeschoeffter7420]

Another awesome video, excellent job !

[@alistairpowers8129]

Superb work as always

[@deathvalleyalex9485]

I'm impressed . Way cool !

[@georgeo9329]

What a clever man

[@LostCaper]

Man I wish I had your mechanical skills. I live in a remote area, I have a tractor and getting a mechanic is hard to find. I guess that's what I get for doing a useless computer job for 30 years.

[@LostCaper]

I am afraid if we ever have to go back to surviving most people would not know how to plant a patatoe or fix anything. Scary

[@jimfarmall2898]

You know what your doing, keep up the good work!!

[@billrey8221]

Are those bronze bushings going to be subjected to more and faster wear because of the softness of that material?...and intrusion of dirt?

[@northernyeti8280]

Dang dude, that’s like new or better!

[@norherman]

Super job!

[@johnraynor5095]

78yr old miner mechanic. What was the stock you used for your shaft?

[@shaynelowther8893]

Very nice job well done

[@LindaChebet-w8y]

I need to learn more about service track roller

[@merlinmonson2133]

Very well done.

[@seniorelectrician6831]

Excellent!!

[@Trollemharder]

not an episode goes by that i dont learn something important, thank you

[@WatchWesWork]

What material did you use for the shafts? I would think those should be hard as a coffin nail to prevent galling on the bushings.

[@waynep343]

i was thinking that if he had one of the hand held crank polishers that had the skinny belt he could get the wear areas up to close to a mirror polish to extend the life against the brass bushings or cast iron insert bores.

[@WatchWesWork]

That's true. It's not like this is the main plow horse in the stable. I have been told that the reason modern Cat machines have the best undercarriage in the business is due to their heat treating process and metallurgy (proprietary blend of 11 herbs and spices). I wonder what it was like back when this machine was new.

[@WatchWesWork]

My dad worked in engineering at John Deere in the mid 1980s and he has always said that they could never figure out how to make an undercarriage as good as a Cat.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Bet some old Cat man could!

[@wagon9082]

Good video

[@seniorelectrician6831]

will that effect the longevity of the roller with those bearings that you made as they do not have any cavity for grease?

[@laneburgess1643]

Great detail.

[@drubradley8821]

Well done!!! Anybody can answer my elementary question..... I realize that the tracks have a direction that they are to be installed. But, if the tracks were install backwards, sure, the machine doesn't know or care, but what are some of the side effects... I imagine, the pulling action from the driven or drive sprocket, on each link, and the placement of the big of grouser bars that is ment to dig into the ground for traction, being located at the trailing edge of each link of the direction being pulled, kinda would add to a stability factory, kinda like a fish hook or grapple hook is designed, in respects to the leading pivot point connected to the trailing edge of the next link, and preventing the links getting racked, as if the grouser bars were close to the leading edge of each link... Or to say, if the tracks were mounted backwards, the unit may actually start to lose traction, from the links jack-knifing due from the lever action of taller grouser bars... this may, may sound like nonsense, of a question... I suppose I could have just asked, if the coast has better traction in forward direction, vs being in reverse direction due from his the tracks links pivot points are in relationship to the grouser bars??? I know this is an older video, but I am still playing catch-up on this channels videos and info... Thank you in advanced, Dru

[@chriswood4676]

By chance do you know if the D4 5T rollers are re-build able the same way? I appreciate your videos BTW. Hotrodwelder

[@akfarmboy49]

you can buy Durabar it is cast iron bar stock if you want to make cast iron track roller bearings.

[@billwaid1834]

Great video!!

[@chuckshea1527]

Your doing a great job im restoring a cat 10 ser PT3929 high clearance looking for parts was wondering if you could help me out Thanks chuck

[@hfdzl]

Thanks for the video. Just did the rolls on my R2. What did you use for material in building the roller shafts? I used 4140 Prehard which is not quite as hard as the original. should last for a few years ! See you at ACMOC.

[@DOCTORDROTT]

I did a similar job on my D2, I got lucky and found a very good set of bushes and refurbished the rollers. I am currently working on a I H TD6 Do you know where I can get a cylinder head gasket ?

[@tedwpx123]

Your the man!

[@gregmcginnis2907]

Thanks for doing the videos! Just bought a fully functioning 1948 7U D4, but it needs a lot of attention. I have never had anything larger than a lawn tractor so I have a lot of learning to do. Thankfully I have been a machinist for 40 years and have some mechanical abilities. Looks like it will come in handy. What lube do recommend for the track rollers? Thanks again for the vids!

[@gregmcginnis2907]

Thanks for the information! Used it for the first time yesterday to remove 3 stumps in my woods. Tight quarters, quite the challenge, but a ton of fun! Tough to not use left foot as clutch and to not use dirt bike clutch modulation practices with left hand! Just watched you latest video of clearing a trail in the woods. Thanks again for info!

[@dieseltruck5074]

How did you cut the 'flat' on the shaft ends? Broach? Really enjoy your vids. The best part is the fine detail you put into each item being refurbed.

[@paulmanson253]

@@squatch253 Wow! Straight out of the 1920s.

[@charlesward8196]

What kind of steel did you use for the track roller shafts?

[@thaddeustroyer]

I was thinking the same since he didn't mention it but if I remember right from other videos on different machines the steel is just mild steel. And the thought process behind that is you want the wear...(well really you don't but greasing sometimes doesn't get done properly or timely and in that case wear of a replaceable part is optimal) so if shafts, bushings or end caps are harder than the rest of the roller then the roller tends to wear out. You don't want that. The bushings, shaft and washers are easily replaced (or sometimes made) in the field where as rollers are probably harder to come by or remanufacture. I'm not an expert (by any means) and think this is correct so if I'm not, will someone with a better understanding a d knowledge please chime in.

[@waynep343]

i was thinking it might be interesting to look and see if there was a way to position a silicone oring around the outside of the outer thrust washer but with yours it won't be working anywhere near as deep in mud and water as it did originally.. do the track pins have grease fittings also.

[@waynep343]

i wonder if the chevron uniplex EP grease might be the choice for the rollers. if its available here. i have been wanting to try it since i saw it over on the AvE or Bolter channel a while back.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

10/4 on the dry pins. Lubed pins haven't been around for too awfully long and I think back then about the only thing as fas as seals went was rope packing and felt, right? That's what I remember but that's just me.

[@thunderbirdone8126]

What type of steel were the old ones made from?

[@Riqrob]

Cat operators manual calls for "Roller Lubricant" tru the buton fittings. Can grease be used instead?

[@Riqrob]

@@squatch253 Thank you. I have the original pump that takes 3 gal or so, so I'm off to find a 5'er of 00 grease. I'm having a blast working on my 4U, and appreciate your guidence.

[@carlstout4546]

thanks for sharing !

[@seangleason8059]

Hi, I've been watching your videos for awhile now. I have a older Caterpillar D4. 7U 35838. I'm working on the year. I was told 1953. It has a pony motor. I am looking for a rebuild kit for the diesel engine's generator. ( right front gear driven) can anyone please help me out with a part source? Also if you know how I might find the year I would appreciate it.

[@1crazynordlander]

Great video on how to repair parts that there are no parts for. Okay now for my rant. Yes you can teach this at a trade school but my fear is that all the push our educational system is making to four year plus degrees (nothing wrong with that) but we need skilled machinists in the world to do what you are doing. I went to a trade school when our state did not require a four year degree to be an instructor at a trade school. Since then our local trade school has become nothing compared to one that is just 50 miles across the border where there are trade professionals that are instructors that went to trade schools themselves. How is our state going to find four year college educated instructors to take over when the current ones are set to retire soon. Something is horribly wrong. So the next best thing is to teach ourselves and the young ones in this country. Get those kids involved when you repair something.

[@paulmanson253]

There is/ was a similar policy in our neck of the woods. That is,all nurses who were RN should obtain a Bachelor's degree in nursing. RN training is 2 years,is a form of apprenticeship training, and costs little or nothing. Getting sufficient grades to get into UBC is much more difficult than it was in my era,the 70s. And is now very expensive. The RNABC,the Registered Nurse's Association of British Columbia,is run by women who have Masters and Ph.D degrees. Note that it says Registered Nurse's Association. Not BSN Association. And those women only worked in a hospital the minimum amount of time and have no idea what the shift nurses actually deal with. They are what the Vietnam War types would call REMF, Rear Echelon ,you can guess the rest. My knowledge of this ended when I parted with the lady in question. But I would not be surprised if it continued. Why school boards in the farming communities followed the city boards in exterminating the manual arts programs is beyond me. Lots of men got their start as engineers,not just farmers who can now work on their own equipment. And having a farmer/ rancher who can save thousands of dollars a year in good maintenance and substantial repairs is as good as giving that family thousands of dollars. Maybe better,people like to be self reliant and proud. It mystifies me that so many people in administration positions thought it was a good idea for THEIR community. But there it is.

[@imdeplorable2241]

@@squatch253 First, thank you for preserving these machines. Second, thank you for preserving and for sharing, electronically, the knowledge you have gained in your hobby. For me, it is an absolute pleasure to listen to you as I watch your videos. I'd be right there with you, teaching me about my own TEN, if I lived near you. But, I'll have to settle for KZbin. You'd make a great teacher. Thank you for making these videos.

[@thaddeustroyer]

@@imdeplorable2241 very well said. Hear hear! And @squatch253, your knowledge is being passed in through these videos so not ALL of your knowledge will pass with you since you are passing it on now through technology! Thank you.

[@therealspixycat]

Nice lathe work. How is the grease getting into those Dremel made indents within the bronze bushings?

[@paulmanson253]

He crossdrilled the shaft,having machined the centre for that big grease fitting.

[@therealspixycat]

@@paulmanson253 I meant the complete newly made bearing itself. It gets grease from the side by ground in by Drempel groves which is way less than the 3 large bores that are in the original design

[@mtabernig]

did you consider installing mothern rollers that fit? say from a D4?

[@silentdeath9237]

Couldn't you find a bearing to fit and just use four bearings per roller with a center spacer?

[@KPearce57]

@@squatch253 For the retirement work that the 10 will do it should last another 100 yrs.

[@halsnyder296]

Ok… still haven’t seen anything totally out of reach for me. Those bushings were a bit hairy though.

[@charlesward8196]

What steel do you use for the new shafts?

[@56PapaBear56]

Well, no time like the present

[@zigz0911]

Could have made the grooves in the bronze bushings in the lathe......