D2-5U Struck Steering Clutch

[hicrop10]

Mine steering clutches seem to be struck,I have heard that filling up the compartment with diesel fuel may do the trick. Anyone done this in the past? Thanks Mike Durkin

[ol Grump]

There has been discussion about the use of citric acid to remove rust. .I might give that a try first. I don't know if anyone has ever tried it for this application yet. Stuck clutches are common to 2's and 4's both. .sometimes the diesel soak works, sometimes it doesn't. It didn't with my 4 so I tore it apart to remedy the problem and found the plates glued together with rust.

The problem with the 2 is that the finals have to be pulled, after removing the track and frames. A pain of a job, plus there's a chance that the brake drum will pull apart when you try to pry the finals off.

Maybe someone else will have another idea or two. .good luck hicrop

[TractorDon]

Always very hard to tell from reading the BB as to how stuck your clutches really are. Take all the free play out of the friction adjuster bolts {if possibl and then take them another 3/4 turns beyond. This is to give maximum travel, I have broke some this way.
If the adjuster bolts are moved away from the collar/swelled the above method can't be done.
Soaking may be worth a try, but in my experience it very seldom works, it just depends on condition.
If you have the lifting equipment, pulling the finals isn't really that bad unless they are frozen as ol'grump mentioned. Good luck, Don

[pancon]

My old D8-2U and D4-7U have clutches at least partially stuck nearly every spring. I take off with both steering clutches pulled, and do some heavy braking to get them loose. Forward a few times, and in reverse a few. They have always come loose after a few tries.
Good luck
Gary

[7upuller]

On New Years Day I bought a 5-u with stuck steering clutches, pony didn't run and main wouldn't turn over. Brought it home to the Cat Night Gang , and in a 1/2 hour the pony was running. 1 hour later the injectors where out, and we blew out the water causing a hydraulic lock up. Injectors back in and by the end of the first night the main was running(no smoke ). The next Cat Night we backed the clutches all the way off as TractorDon suggests. Pulled the drain plugs( why keep 'em in, they only cause trouble like this), drained all the crap out. Put the plugs back in so we could fill 'em with diesel. Soaked 1 week, and drained again. Threw the dam plugs away this time and let sit for a week. Ran it, and broke 'em free. Don't be afraid to bury the dozer blade or chain the draw bar solid to a dead man and work and jerk it good. They will let go .-glen