Track Rollers, Lifetime Lubed?

[Kobe130]

Kobelco (and probably the other guys too) advertise that track rollers are now "lifetime lubed". I have an sk130LC with about 5500 hours (recent purchase) and none of the rollers are showing any lube leakage at all. I'm going to, as time permits, carefully checkout each one but I'm wondering what to expect. If they are not wet with leaking lube oil and with that number of hours perhaps they are all ok? I find it hard to believe that the severe conditions rollers operate under can last for 5500 hours and still be ok. The proof is in the pudding of course. I would also be interested in learning what roller lube works the best - I know there are many out there.

 

[QuickTrax]

Rollers were once greaseable with fittings. The rollers that are made now are considered lifetime lubricated. You should never have to check the oil. I have seen plenty of excavators with well above 5500 hours still running the original rollers. All of the newer rollers have oil plugs used only for assembly purposes.

 

[yanmarman]

cheak oil level yearly,save yourself alot of money i dont know were it goes, but it does

 

[John C.]

The rollers get oil introduced with a special tool through the plug hole. It allows air to come out while oil is pumped in. Removing the plug to check oil will only let oil out that you can't refill.

They are designed for the seals to last approximately the same amount of time as the outer shells are worn out. These are items that you leave alone unless you are lucky enough to see them leaking. Supposedly if they leak before the shell is worn out the manufacturers used to credit you the percentage of life left in the shells. I haven't seen that happen for some time.

Good Luck!

 

[MR. KOBELCO]

hi,
yes once a year.
John C. - if you know where to purchase this special tool i'd be interested, thanks.

if you look at the end of the rollers you will see this allen plug.
the shop manual calls for the roller to be topped with 80W-90 gear oil.
in order to fill the upper carrier & lower rollers they suggest removing off the machine and work on a bench.
they only hold a small amount of oil " # cc "
if they leak out likely during colder months when the floating seals shrink.
for the price of the replacements hardly worth the aggrevation.
however, the front idlers are the exception.
there is a plug on each side on the idler arm link.
remove both plugs, fill the one slowly until the gear oil comes out the opposite side.
this can save you money.
cheers!

 

[QuickTrax]

Like I posted above, rollers are lifetime lubricated and shouldn't require checking or filling.

For those of you who insist on checking or refilling rollers this is how you do it.
Remove the oil plug which should be on the outside if the roller was installed properly onto the machine.
Next, get your oiling tool. My track shop calls this tool "the roller oiler tool". We connect it to the track oiler which is pnuematic (can use a hand pump).
The tool is about 10" long and looks like a long rod. It has a rubber plug about half way on the rod which is used to make a seal inside the shaft.
The roller shafts have two holes inside for oil to pass through into the roller cavity.
You stick the "roller oiler tool" inside the shaft until the rubber plug is pass the first hole in the shaft. You install oil into the shaft until oil goes through the second hole and fills the roller cavity then comes back inside the shaft through the first hole. The oil will eventually come out the end of the shaft. At this point you pull your "roller oiler tool" out of the shaft and screw your plug back into the shaft.

Good Luck
Quick Trax

 

[QuickTrax]

JohnC, Can you add any info to that or did I cover it all?

 

[John C.]

Here is the photo of the tool used for old Cat rollers and it worked on International rollers from years back also. I am curious about where in the operations manual it says you should check and fill these. The only thing I've seen people get who tried checking and filling them was grief.

 

[John C.]

I don't know where to buy one of these anymore. I suppose any Cat dealer might have one in a catalog somewhere. This one was given to me in 1982 by an old mechanic who had just retired. I suppose in a couple of years I'll have to pass it on to another young fella getting started on big iron. I've used it to re-shell a whole lot of rollers.

Good Luck!

 

[yanmarman]

Like I said once a year,its easy to do no problem .5 years 3000 hours and no problems oil & grease are cheap . most people think they are sealed or lifetime lube thats just crazy

 

[Cat-bruce]

So the part is cat 5m2080. Does anyone know the pump and tube that the piece fits?