Using The 1U-6275 Or 1U-6276 Automatic Lubricator To Service The Undercarriage{0729, 4159, 4175, 4180, 0646} Caterpillar

Using The 1U-6275 Or 1U-6276 Automatic Lubricator To Service The Undercarriage{0729, 4159, 4175, 4180, 0646}

Usage:

Introduction Section

Introduction

Properly filling undercarriage components (track pins, rollers, and idlers) is a necessary procedure for all undercarriage service areas. A quality overhaul involves using correct assembly procedures as well as proper leak checking and oil filling methods. Some of the new track rollers and idlers must be filled by a lubricating machine of this new type.

The new 1U-6275 or 1U6276 Automatic Lubricators provide the ability to properly service the undercarriage components. It will first vacuum check the component for leaks. It then fills the component with the proper oil quantity using the previously generated vacuum. This method is preferred over past lubricating machines which filled the component completely full and generated a high pressure inside the component.

NOTE: Remember, the duo cone seals inside the rollers and idlers can fail if subjected to a pressure greater than 20 psi.

Gravity filling of track rollers and idlers can be time consuming and inaccurate. In addition, the operator must obtain separate means of checking for leaks. Therefore, Caterpillar recommends using the older style track lubricators only for lubricating track chains.

The new automatic lubricators contain three diagnostic lights, a digital counter, and a vacuum gauge. These features provide operational status of the lubricator at all times. When used correctly, the automatic lubricator will increase the quality of undercarriage overhauls.

Important Information

The 1U-6275 or 1U6276 Automatic Lubricators are designed to be used on roller/idler/track assemblies which have been properly serviced, according to the specifications given in the SEBF8500, "Undercarriage Reconditioning Guide".

Prior to disassembly, all stoppers and plugs must be drilled out or removed by other means. In addition, all pins and bushings must be thoroughly cleaned prior to re-assembly. This will make sure that the oil fill volumes will be accurate.

Specification charts in this Tool Operating Manual provide the correct volume of oil to maintain a small air space for thermal expansion of the oil. If old oil exists within the various components, the assembly will be overfilled. Overfilling could cause the plug and stopper to be forced out during thermal expansion of the oil. If the above recommendations are not followed, the warranty may be affected and/or customers will experience reduced component life.

Features And Benefits

* Vacuum checks roller, idlers, and track joints to identify leaks.

* Provides fast fill times for roller, idler, and track joint; evacuates, vacuum checks, and oil fills a D8K roller in approximately 50 seconds, compared to 10 minutes using metered cups. Fill rate is 1000 cc/min.

* Hand-held control pendent with extension cord allows control away from the unit.

* Easy-to-use thumb dial for setting fill volume (cc/ml); digital counter displays instantaneous fill quantity dynamically.

* Fill handle with probe attached to self-storing hose to eliminate hose twists and kinks.

* Diagnostic lights on control pendent indicate "Cycle Complete", "Cycle Failure", and "Flow Restriction" conditions.

* "Vacuum Only", "Fill Only", and "Vacuum-Fill" options allow a wide range of uses in other shop applications.

* Fills components directly through plug hole in rubber stopper; no adapters needed.

* Electrical surge/spike suppresser eliminates the effects of power fluctuations caused by surrounding shop equipment.

Technical Specifications

All the following specifications are subject to change. Please consult Caterpillar Service Technology when exact details are required.

Controls Section

Hand-Held Control Pendent

The hand-held control pendent is mounted to the end of a 4 m (12 ft) electrical cord. This pendent contains all the operator controls, except the purge function and fill volume setting. Refer to Illustration 1 for item identification of the pendent control buttons and diagnostic lights.

Illustration 1. Identification of the pendent control buttons and diagnostic lights.
(1) Vacuum ON/OFF switch. (2) Fill ON/OFF switch. (3) Start button. (4) Stop button. (5) Cycle failure (red). (6) Flow restriction (yellow). (7) Cycle complete (green).

Illustration 2. Using the automatic lubricator.

The handle on the top of the pendent can be used to hang the unit closer to the work location. By placing the pendent near the component being filled, the operator can hold the probe in the component with one hand, and start the fill cycle on the pendent with the other hand, as shown Illustration 2.

NOTE: For convenience during operation, an alternate start button is located on the end of the probe handle, as shown in Illustration 3.

Illustration 3. Alternate start button located on probe handle.

In cases where the track roller assembly area is very close to the idler assembly area, the automatic lubricator can be placed between the two areas and the control pendent can be used in either location without moving the machine.

Fill Volume Thumb Dials

The thumb dial (10) for setting the component fill volume is located on the front of the control box as shown in Illustration 4. The value set with the thumb dials is the nominal fill volume.

NOTE: The red reset button (8) located on the digital read-out panel ONLY resets the digital display (9). This button does not reset the complete unit or stop the fill process.

Illustration 4. Digital Read-out Panel
(8) Reset button. (9) Digital display. (10) Thumb dials.

Purge Button

The purge button (11) is located on the front of the aluminum manifold just below the oil sight glass as shown in Illustration 5.

Illustration 5. Purge Button (11).

Operation Section

Safety Information

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For operator safety, do not operate the automatic lubricator until you read and understand the safety, controls, and operation information contained in this manual.
Make sure all protective covers and lids are secured and in place before operating the automatic lubricator.
Check all lines, tubes, and hoses carefully. Tighten all connections to the recommended torque. Do not use your bare hands to check for potential leaks. Always use a board or cardboard when checking for a leak. Escaping fluid under pressure, even a pin-hole size leak, can penetrate body tissue causing serious injury. If fluid is injected into your skin, it must be treated by a doctor familiar with this type of injury, immediately.

When the oil container level is low, the automatic lubricator is top heavy. Handle the unit carefully at these times to prevent damage to the unit or personal injury.

Vacuum Generation

Oil filling undercarriage components (roller, idlers, and track joints), without first evacuating the air from the oil cavity, can be difficult.

Some units, pump oil into an air-filled, closed cavity which can cause high pressure build-up within the oil cavity. As the oil enters, the existing air within the cavity is compressed. This compressed air and internal pressure act as a restriction to the oil entering the component.

Another method of filling the oil cavity uses metered cups. Manually pouring the oil into the oil cavity is a slow process. It takes considerable time for the oil to fill the cavity, pass through the shaft cross-hole, drain between the shaft and bushing and reach the seals. While filling, the trapped air is bubbling past the entering oil, making the process slow and messy. In addition, factors such as high fluid surface tension and high viscosity make the filling process even more difficult.

The 1U-6275 and 1U6276 Automatic Lubricators evacuates the air from the oil cavity prior to filling. By using a vacuum-assisted filling process, the oil is quickly drawn into all the small cavities of the component. Thus, the correct oil volume can be quickly and accurately delivered to the appropriate undercarriage assemblies. It is important to maintain the generated vacuum throughout the oil filling step. The presence of air in the system will act as an oil flow restriction.

NOTE: The shop air line connected to the automatic lubricator is only used to generate a vacuum and purge the oil sight glass.

Filling The Oil Tank

A float switch in the bottom of the oil container monitors the current oil level and sends a signal to the diagnostic lights, if the level is low. A low oil level condition is present when all three control pendent diagnostic lights (green, yellow, and red) are ON.

Illustration 6. Fill the oil container through the plug in top of the oil drum.

The oil container can be easily and quickly filled by pumping oil into the container through the fill cap in the lid (refer to Illustration 6).

The proper lubricant for Sealed and Lubricated Track is 80W-90 EP Gear Oil (75W-140 EP Gear Oil should be used in arctic environments). The correct lubricant for filling rollers and idlers is SAE 30W oil.

To reduce spillage when moving the automatic lubricator, only fill the oil container approximately 2/3 full (container capacity is 30 gallons). When the oil drum is refilled or changes are made to different oils (e.g. 30W to 80W-90), pump approximately 1000 mL (cc) of the new oil through the lines to flush the oil and existing air from the system.

Evacuating And Filling

NOTE: Before filling the first component of the day, run approximately 2000 cc of oil through the line and back into the tank. This will remove any trapped air that has accumulated overnight.

Prior to filling the oil cavity, the stopper should be installed. Allow sufficient time for the stopper to swell and seal the cavity. Stoppers should be lightly lubricated with oil or WD-40 and inserted, using the correct installer.

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NOTICE

If proper time is not allowed for the stopper to swell, it may be pushed far into the shaft when the probe tip is inserted.

1. Set the fill switch to FILL and the vacuum switch to VACUUM on the control pendent.

2. Set the fill volume to the proper numerical value using the thumb dials located on the control panel. Refer to the fill volume charts located in this section for the proper fill volumes.

Illustration 7. Filling the oil cavity in a track link pin.

3. Insert the probe tip completely into the stopper (Illustration 7).

Illustration 8. Filling oil cavities sealed with pipe plugs.

NOTE: Some components are filled through a small threaded pipe plug. For these cases, place a 131-5312 Tapered Stopper completely onto the probe tip and hold this stopper against the pipe plug hole to seal the cavity during evacuation and filling as shown in Illustration 7. Hold the probe in place until the green "Cycle Complete" light comes ON.

4. Press the START button on the control pendent to begin evacuating the air from the oil cavity. The sound of evacuated air from the pressure generator indicates that the vacuum cycle has started.

Illustration 9. Gauge showing vacuum reading.

5. Check the vacuum pressure gauge to verify that a vacuum is being generated. Illustration 8 shows the needle of the vacuum gauge showing 5 in.Hg of vacuum.

6. When the gauge needle reads approximately 22 in.Hg, the sound of evacuating air will stop. This indicates that the 20 second vacuum check period has started.

7. If no appreciable loss of vacuum occurs during the 20 second period, the fill cycle will automatically start. If the red "Cycle Failure" light comes ON, refer to the "Troubleshooting" instructions located in the Maintenance section.

8. When the vacuum check cycle is complete, the fill cycle will automatically begin. If the oil flow is significantly obstructed at any time during the fill cycle, the pumping will cease and the yellow "Flow Restriction" light on the control pendent will turn ON.

Illustration 10. The oil cavity is full when the digital display and the thumb-dial setting are the same.

9. Observe that the digital display shows the volume of oil delivered (refer to Illustration 10).

NOTE: The final fill volume displayed on the digital display may vary slightly from the desired, thumb-dial volume. Variations of approximately 5 mL are within Caterpillar specifications.

10. After completion of the fill process, verify that the green "Cycle Complete" light located on the control pendent comes ON. If the red "Cycle Failure" light is ON, refer to the "Troubleshooting" instructions located in the Maintenance section.

11. Remove the probe tip and insert the stopper plug using the proper plug installer.

Purging The Oil Sight Glass

Illustration 11. Purging oil from the oil sight glass.
(12) Oil sight glass. (13) Purge button. (14) Purge relief valve.

During the vacuum generation, a slight amount of oil may be pulled from the probe handle, drawn through the vacuum line, and deposited in the oil sight glass (12, Illustration 11). By pressing purge button (13), air forces the accumulated oil to return back to the tank.

If oil fills the sight glass during periods when the machine is not in operation, disconnect the air line to the lubricator, and unplug the electrical cord. Remove purge relief valve (14) and clean it thoroughly. Verify that the internal poppet or plunger is properly aligned with the outer valve body and that the poppet actuates smoothly. Make sure the O-ring is at the tip of the poppet. A cut or damaged O-ring will result in slow oil leaks through the valve.

Diagnostic Lights

The purpose of the diagnostic lights is to inform the operator of various operational conditions. These lights, located on the hand-held control pendent, are reset when a new vacuum and/or fill cycle is started (refer to Illustration 12). The diagnostic lights indicate the following conditions:

Cycle Complete (Green)

The green light indicates that the cycle was successfully completed. (for example: the correct vacuum was generated, checked, and then the component was successfully filled with the displayed amount of oil.)

Flow Restriction (Yellow)

The yellow light informs the operator that an obstruction somewhere in the filling process has generated substantial back pressure. The obstruction may exist within the component or within the automatic lubricator. Refer to the "Troubleshooting" instructions located in the Maintenance section for additional information.

Cycle Failure (Red)

The red light indicates that the operation was not completed. (for example: the red light is seen when the vacuum check fails.) Refer to the "Troubleshooting" instructions in the Maintenance section for additional information.

All Three Lights (Green/Yellow/Red)

When all three diagnostic lights are on, the oil level in the oil drum is low. Refer to the "Filling the Oil Tank" instructions in this section.

Illustration 12. Diagnostic lights.

Fill Volume Charts

Track Joints

The following chart provides the correct fill quantities for track joints. The oil fill quantities shown are for track chains that have been completely disassembled, properly cleaned to remove all old oil and debris, and reassembled.

Track Rollers And Idlers

The following chart provides the correct fill quantities for track roller and idlers. The oil fill quantities shown are for track rollers and idlers that have been completely disassembled, properly cleaned to remove all old oil and debris, and reassembled.

Maintenance

Filter Change

The recommended service replacement oil filter for the automatic lubricator is a 3I-1245 Filter. The equivalent Donaldson part number is P551553. An alternate service replacement filter is a 12AT25C Parker Filter with a 925023 element. The spin-on filter is located inside the rear cover of the automatic lubricator (refer to Illustration 13).

Illustration 13. Filter for automatic lubricator.

Troubleshooting

Installation

Installation of the automatic lubricator is as simple and straight forward as attaching the unit to the power and air supply. Clean shop air is a necessity.

In shops where the track roller assembly area is very close to the idler assembly area, the automatic lubricator can be placed between the two areas and the control pendent can be used in either location without moving the unit. However, for shops frequently servicing track chain, rollers, and idlers at the same time, it is not recommended that the machine be shared between the two areas. Since the track area uses 30W oil and the roller/idler area uses 80W-90 EP oil, frequent oil changes would be required throughout the day.

NOTE: The automatic lubricator contains an electrical surge/spike suppressor to eliminate the effects of power fluctuations resulting from surrounding shop equipment usage.

Prior to usage, complete the following start-up procedure to make sure that the unit is operating properly:

Initial Setup

1. Fill the oil container approximately three-fourths full with SAE 30W oil (track roller and idlers) or 80W-90 Extreme Pressure gear oil (track chain).

2. Connect the unit to electrical and air supply. The unit is equipped with a quick disconnect fitting for the air supply on the back of the unit.

Vacuum Cycle Check

1. Set the fill switch to OFF and the vacuum switch to VACUUM.

2. Prevent air flow through the probe tip by plugging the end of the probe with a finger.

NOTE: Closing off the probe tip during the entire vacuum cycle simulates the probe tip inserted into a properly assembled roller or idler.

3. While keeping the probe tip plugged, press the START button on the control pendent as shown in Illustration 14. The sound of evacuated air from the vacuum generator indicates that the vacuum cycle has started.

Illustration 14. Check the vacuum by closing off the end of the probe tip.

4. Check the vacuum pressure gauge to verify a vacuum is being generated. When the gauge needle reads approximately 22 in.Hg, the sound of evacuating air will stop. This indicates that the 20 second vacuum check period has started.

NOTE: Remember to keep a finger tightly over the probe tip until the entire vacuum cycle and check is completed.

5. If no appreciable loss of vacuum occurs during this 20 second period, the green "Cycle Complete" light located on the pendent will turn ON. This diagnostic light tells the operator that a proper vacuum has been generated and no leaks are present.

6. If the red "Cycle Failure" light is ON, refer to the "Troubleshooting" instructions located in this manual.

Fill Cycle Check

1. Set the fill switch to FILL and the vacuum switch to OFF.

2. Obtain a clean, metered, container large enough to hold 1000 cc (mL) of oil.

3. Set the fill volume to 1000 cc using the thumb dials located on the control panel.

4. Place the probe tip inside the container and press the START button located on the control pendent to begin pumping oil. If the oil flow is significantly obstructed at any time during the fill cycle, the pumping will cease and the yellow "Flow Restriction" light on the control pendent will turn ON.

Illustration 15. Fill a container with a measured amount of oil.

5. Initially, it may take several seconds for the lines to fill with oil and begin delivering oil through the probe.

6. After the first 1000 cc fill cycle is complete, pour the oil back into the oil drum.

NOTE: There may not be 1000 cc of oil in the container due to the initial air in the lines.

7. Repeat Step 4. There should not be any air in the lines at this time. Observe the oil flowing from the probe tip to verify that no air is being pumped with the oil. Step 4 may need to be repeated more than once to completely remove all the trapped air from the system.

8. Observe the volume pumped into the metered container and verify that 1000 cc of oil was delivered.

Illustration 16. Verify that the amount of oil delivered is equal to the volume setting of the thumb dials.

9. If the volume is incorrect, adjust the timing calibration screw.

a. If the delivered volume is less than 1000 cc, turn the timing calibration screw clockwise to increase the quantity of oil pumped (refer to Illustration 17). One turn of the calibration screw results in approximately 5% more oil.

b. If more than 1000 cc of oil was delivered, turn the timing calibration screw counterclockwise to decrease the quantity of oil pumped.

Illustration 17. Adjust the timing calibration screw to obtain the correct amount of delivered oil.

10. After completion of the fill process, the green "Cycle Complete" light located on the control pendent will turn ON.

Vacuum And Fill Cycle Check

1. Set the fill switch to FILL and the vacuum switch to VACUUM.

2. Obtain a clean, metered, container large enough to hold 1000 cc (mL) of oil.

3. Set the fill volume to 1000 cc using the thumb dials located on the control panel.

4. Prevent air flow through the probe tip by plugging the end of the probe.

5. While keeping the probe tip plugged, press the START button on the control pendent. The sound of evacuated air from the vacuum generator indicates that the vacuum cycle has started.

6. Check the vacuum pressure gauge to verify a vacuum is being generated. Refer to the "Vacuum Cycle Check" in this section.

7. During the vacuum check period, keep the probe tip covered and place it near the container inlet.

8. When the vacuum check cycle is complete and the fill cycle begins, quickly unblock the probe tip and allow the oil to fill the container. If the oil flow is significantly obstructed at any time during the fill cycle, the pumping will stop and the yellow "Flow Restriction" light on the control pendent will turn ON.

9. Observe the volume pumped into the metered container and verify that 1000 cc of oil was delivered.

10. If the volume is incorrect, adjust the timing calibration screw.

b. If more than 1000 cc of oil was delivered, turn the timing calibration screw counterclockwise to decrease the quantity of oil pumped.

11. After completion of the fill process, the green "Cycle Complete" light will turn ON. If the red "Cycle Failure" light is ON, refer to the "Troubleshooting" section.

Schematics

The following section contains a nomenclature drawing, an electrical schematic, a fill and vacuum cycle flow chart, and a programmable logic controller code ladder diagram.