Hitachi EX75UR-5

[Locofitter]

Found a dipstick behind the boom, checked OEM manual and found it to be the swing device oil dipstick/filler cap. Dry as a bone! Had a struggle getting the filler cap off.
Refilled and swings much smoother, might drain the fluid out and refill it if I can find the drain screw just to be sure as it's been empty for some years, it seems.

The stick ram is back on now, machinists did a fantastic job of it.

The saga continues...

[Locofitter]

Indeed, I shall crack on with it next week when it's repaired. In the mean time I want to try and find a grease nipple for the track adjuster.
Do you happen to know if these are standard parts across most machines, or are they all different?

[Muz]

Yes indeed, I saw item 7 this morning (think its item 7). Still might take it out to have a look at it, must be a reason for it wobbling left to right.
Thinking about it, one of the old blokes there said when he adjusted the track a while ago it went slack again the next day? Would it be possible that grease is passing through item 8?

Thats what I was originally asking as it would suggest piston seal failure. It wobbles because of carriage wear at full extension, the forks on the undercarriage have possibly splayed a little, and the end cap is item 10, looking at it again its possible the piston might still be able to come out, it depends on what 7/8 is made like .. anyways enough analysis time to haul... and break sweat

[Locofitter]

Yes indeed, I saw item 7 this morning (think its item 7). Still might take it out to have a look at it, must be a reason for it wobbling left to right.
Thinking about it, one of the old blokes there said when he adjusted the track a while ago it went slack again the next day? Would it be possible that grease is passing through item 8?

[Muz]

Stop the bus ! .. that looks like the piston has a cap on it that prevents it over extending .. thats why it wont go out any further

[Locofitter]

Max digging reach of 6430mm, 1100mm offset left and right side. Loads of reach and offset, one reason why I dont really want to get rid of this thing.

It appears that the track adjuster comes out as one unit with the spring inside it so nothing will ping out at Mach 1 speed?

[Muz]

Sounds easy enough, was thinking of using the back or curled edge of the bucket to push the idler in?

The redneck method depends on the reach of your machine.... offset helps here

Also please see the attached photo of the position of the idler wheel on the problem track before adjustment. Is this too far out? The other side is the same and doesn't wiggle which isnt filling me with confidence.

Seen worse

[Locofitter]

Sounds easy enough, was thinking of using the back or curled edge of the bucket to push the idler in? Only in small increments though as its never good to bottom shafting out.
I had a flick through the manual and found the part about taking the cylinder apart, that wont be happening as I need a jig for it. We don't have any sheet steel thick enough for me to make one either.

Also please see the attached photo of the position of the idler wheel on the problem track before adjustment. Is this too far out? The other side is the same and doesn't wiggle which isnt filling me with confidence.

[Muz]

I'd be putting summat a bit more substantial under the frame boyo ..... like some good solid timber cribbing

I usually work with the machine jacked on the arm , you wont be going under it, so no problem there .. the reason is, because when it comes to getting the track off, after you've gained some slack in it, its helpful to lower the machine down a bit, so the track is now touching the ground, this allows you to work with the 'slack' , and not have it under tension by its own weight, and makes it easier to lever off the idler as you have more loose track to play with

[v8druid]

Great, thank you for the help so far lads. It is massively appreciated.

I will do that when the dipper ram is back on, should be on next week sometime as I think its easier to move the track around with the digger than bar it over. Probably be a good idea to put a big bottle jack under the frame of it too, just to be safe.

I assume the idler assy will want to spring out? Or will it just pull out without trying to fire its self through my gut?

I'd be putting summat a bit more substantial under the frame boyo ..... like some good solid timber cribbing

[Muz]

I assume the idler assy will want to spring out? Or will it just pull out without trying to fire its self through my gut?

There shouldn't be any tension in it , because you will have taken the grease tension nipple out to release any tension but you cant be sure, in case something has trapped the spring. The coils in that will be about 1/2 inch diameter and the whole spring about 8 inches long, so if its under force, its not to be rekoned with. It is attached to the idler wheel assembly usually, so once the track is off, stand aside, and lever out the idler wheel with a pinch bar, and the whole lot should come out in one go, with the grease tensioner a separate unit.

To start with ... gain some extra slack in the chain, I'll usually remove the tensioner bolt, then jam a large wooden block against the sprocket and rotate the track, this crushes the block and pulls the idler back into the carriage, be careful, as grease will shoot out from the tensioner hole as this happens, (be sure youve taken out the whole bolt and not just the nipple screwed into the end of it ) you only need to do this a little bit to gain enough slack to get the track off. If you do it too much, you will be pushing a rusty old piston back into cylinder which will wreck your cylinder seals and potentially jam the piston in there. Usually the rust is more prevalent at the outer end of the piston, when its older like that, so pushing in a little usually isnt a problem, ofcourse, if its a really high quality bit of chrome work, it might have no rust on it at all !! but I doubt that ..

[v8druid]

Mebbes this one ?

http://www.plantandconstruction.co.u...hlight=tension

After post #10

that's the one Boyo

[Locofitter]

Great, thank you for the help so far lads. It is massively appreciated.

I will do that when the dipper ram is back on, should be on next week sometime as I think its easier to move the track around with the digger than bar it over. Probably be a good idea to put a big bottle jack under the frame of it too, just to be safe.

I assume the idler assy will want to spring out? Or will it just pull out without trying to fire its self through my gut?

[Muz]

IIRC not long after I joined Muz ... if you can search chronologically

Mebbes this one ?

http://www.plantandconstruction.co.u...hlight=tension

After post #10

[Muz]

Just FYI (as you are probably aware) .. nipples can be awkward f*cks sometimes if the profile isnt right the gun wont deliver a shot through it sometimes and similarly, if the gun end is worn it wont connect properly with the nipple and there is no grease input possible. On an 8 tonner to fill a tensioner chamber will require a full cartridge of grease or there abouts , especially when its extended as yours is