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TD-6 loader /dozer added to the collection

33K views 68 replies 11 participants last post by  Jim in NC 
#1 ·
Thanks for bringing this back. I had thought about this a few weeks ago, and couldn't find it so it must have gotten lost in the last crash.
 
#2 ·
Sorry these are out of order:

Last year: These are of its first moves in years and the ride to Kel's place.
Kevin Brooks in the operators station










roll back worked nice, used winch to make sure it did not run away.










TD-6 doing light duty work



Regards,
Chris
 
#4 ·
There were a lot of td6 crawlers came to NZ them and d2's were the crawlers of choice but as
missouri massey man said they were a money pit but they both had there pros and cons that was
until about 1957 and we got the td6b came from England they had battery start but they did not
like starting they would flatten the battery every morning,was very hard on the drivers system.:rocket:
 
#5 ·
Kiwi,
Thanks for the second vote on the MONEY PIT issue:) Maybe it would make a good planter in the front yard for the wife??
I am going to try to add some Blaster to the steering rod adjusters and brake adjusters.
Regards,
Chris
 
#7 · (Edited)
John,
Not sure either? You can put them back together if you want?
Looks like the thread got split and the more recent pictures which were in the beginning of the thread were moved or lost?
When I look under "Iinternational" portion it shows that you started the thread and there are not any posts and or views listed, just blank??
Regards,
Chris
 
#8 · (Edited)
Some adjustments, some fixes, some inspection, Some tree pushing, Some donuts in the dirt.

Dry clutches




Soldered ferrule on fuel line.

Me on the TD-6






Regards,
Chris
 
#10 ·
MMM,
Like a lot of other mechanical things I have, it can mean having the time the tools and the funds to keep the repairs done.
Post a picture of your crawler. Not to worry about any hijacking on here:)
Regards,
Chris
 
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#11 ·
Chris, I jost gotta believe you will find some use for it other than yard art. It looks you were having too much fun just to watch it sit in place for long periods of time.
 
#12 ·
Jim,
I don't like a lot of yard art!:) I like them to be able to move around on their own. Allows the grass to grow back in that spot!
Regards,
Chris
 
#14 ·
Folks,
Back to work on the crawler.
I did a brake adjustment on the left side last night. No pictures, as it was a little messy:) Seem to have some pedal now. Have to take a stab at the right brake today. Need a couple springs that are missing from the brake and clutch system. She did not want to start on gas for some reason? Starter was smoking and had to back off and give it a rest for a minute.

Regards,
Chris
 
#15 · (Edited)
Folks,
Well I know just a little more about brakes on a antique dozer. I am also on the RED POWER forum and have gotten some good advice from several folks much more knowledgeable than I. I have a operators manual and a parts book with pictures for the old dozer. Both books are grease stained and well worn, but they have the good info on taking care of one of these machines.
The brakes:
As a reminder this machine has a ATECO loader frame that sticks up right where you get in the cockpit. Most of the brake work is then done by standing on the track frame and or the tracks and leaning down into the area that needs attention.


Brake acess hole in floor board.


Just big enough to get one hand in.


View from leaning over into the cockpit.


First adjustment is to move this pin in till it has the shoe (surprising there was still a good portion there) within 1/64 inch from the drum. Right! How you would measure that I have no clue? So I removed this pin and nut. Got them freed up in the shop. applied never seize and then realized there was a small brake return spring missing just below this pin. I found a couple springs and proceeded to fight those into position for the next two hours.




Spring installed



Now the bottom under the belly of the beast. Access cover on left and right. These had much grease and junk accumulated on them.






Lower inspection cover clean enough to be able to handle and put back on.


The lower adjustment: Loosen lock nut above spring and then screw in bolt to tighten the bands against the drum. Again bring band to within 1/64 of drum! These bands had not been adjusted in several days. Like maybe 25 years??? So there was about a 1/4 inch of clearance between the drum and the band. Therefor saving the band! Yea it was not pretty in there! But you have to do what you have to do.


Also adjusted the brake pedals out for my stretched 6-2 frame.


We now had all kinds of brake action!
Fired her up and what a night and day difference. The brakes allow you to spin on a dime!
I took that tree root ball back to the woods and moved some boulders I dug out near the old tree. Evevn felt foxy and had the old girl in 3 gear. It has 5 forward speeds.

I think I am going to adjust the steering brake handles again and allow them to go forward more. I dont have room to pull them back past my legs! Just too close. Now that I see they actually work and the steering bands are not junk. I think I can live with them further ahead.
Still learning about this little machine.

Pulled the dip stick in the trans. Good news it had something in there that was oily but looked more like peanutbutter? Put that on the list.


I was also able to engage the starter from in the cockpit, so the clean up and lube of the likkages helped. And will be safer.

Powerwashed the mud off tracks and track frame. Should have parked it on some planks for the winter.

Thanks for taking a look.
Regards,
Chris
 
#16 ·
Crawlers are just a bit more cumbersome to work on then their rubber tire bretheran ain't they Chris. Of course, they'll never get a flat tire though....but just wait until you throw a track half a mile back in the woods.

You sure aren't wasting any time getting that little critter in shape! The brake bands look very similar to the Allis B, C and CA's setup. I would guess your sump of peanut butter is probably the result of water entering. Very good and crisp photos....Keep up the good work sir.

...and on my little crawler, I don't have a single digital pic that can be found and it is covered with a bunch of other stuff in one lean-to so it will be a little while before a decent shot can be taken.
 
#17 ·
Wendell,
Today I was looking over the lubrication guidelines for the crawler. The operators book that I have is great. There are at least 28 different locations for lube of different type. I got the pressure canister that goes with the dozer too. Not sure why I had the forsight to bring that home? Yes I am sure water got into the transmission. I need to get that drained! Well the whole machine needs gone over from stem to stern with lube. That should keep me busy for a week at some point.
Then I have to decide about the mechanicals. I can see that the idlers are very worn and have some flat spots. The track adjusters need rebuilt. and who knows what else? Grousers need new bolts. Track rail on right looks to have been broken/repaired. All the lift cylinders leak. Probably the bearings for all the track rollers are trashed? The electrical is toast. Gen and starter need attention. Seat is non existent.
How can I gently say (money pit!!) and run away?
But I must say it was fun doing a little work with the little TD-6 and Uncle Jack is probably smiling! The more I monkey with it I am not sure that I want to take off the loader. I think being able to move some dirt is half the fun.
Regards,
Chris
 
#18 ·
There are at least 28 different locations for lube of different type.

How can I gently say (money pit!!) and run away?
Regards,
Chris
Those two lines made my day...There certainly are some wear points on one. Easily 1 1/2 tubes of grease per go round. (It takes one just for the 580 Case.)

The big money is always in the undercarriage. On my crawlers 3 cylinder Perkins, new sleeves, pistons, wristpins and rings were just at $450 total. But you are lucky as your motor is in pretty fair condition to start with. Maybe you'll luck out and not need too much undercarriage work with it being semi-retired now..... lol....yeah right, that seldom happens with a 60 year old crawler.

Knowing you by the work you've performed on the Allis's, there won't be a half-hearted attempt at repairs on this little guy either !! You'll make ol' Uncle Jack proud.
 
#19 ·
Wendell,
The old TD-6 is tarped, covered with 4 inches of fresh snow and won't come out till spring. That will give me time to think about the next moves. If this just would not have started and ran well!:)
Off to work in the sugarhouse today.
Regards,
Chris
 
#20 ·
Folks,
Update on the crawler.
Drained the transmission of the peanutbutter looking fluid. Rinsed with kerosene, and refilled with 16 quarts of UGL (Universal Gear Lube) 80-90 weight. Drained the crankcase and refilled with 9 quarts of NAPA 15W40 oil. Changed the oil filter with NAPA #1155. Picked up the fuel filters and hope to change them in the next few days too. Drained the final drives and filled with a quart of UGL in each. I guess that the good news is that all these compartments had some fluid in them. None were dry!
Also replaced a small carb vent line running down from the rear of the carb.
Friend came over and we were looking at the tracks. Found that the pin in the master link on the right side was partially out of the track. Lucky find, that could have been bad for the track to come apart!
Regards,
Chris
 
#21 ·
That's good Chris. Over the course of the winter enough of the water could separate from the oil to freeze in the bottom of the crankcase. It would probably just separate just enough to crystalize the oil/water mix, but in an extended cooooold snap it would freeze hard enough that it wouldn't move out of its tracks !!! Especially as cold as it gets in your part of Pensylvania. Of course I know you said it'd sit until spring......

I had a MH 44 froze like that 20 some odd years ago and wouldn't move in first gear. I used a rosebud to get it going, then drained, flushed and refilled.
 
#22 ·
MMM,
I agree, I feel better getting that oily water out of the transmission too. I have been getting some information on the lubrication of the big button head grease fittings too. Three that I removed I found light weight grease in the cavity.
I did get the engine oil and filter changed.
We have 10 inches of new snow this morning so, the drive gets plowed and that's about it. Get to catch up on forum things.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the ATF folks and their families.
Regards,
Chris
 
#23 · (Edited)
Folks,
Fuel filter updates happened yesterday. The Aux filter had been installed out of position and the new one I got was not quite the same. Put it together with the primary filter and installed them.
The shop was very airy and chilly.


Aux old and new


Used top of old filter on the new one. seemed like the thing to do.


New cork gasket should seal on the base.


Filter base


Auxiliary filter canister back in position


Primary new filter and canister cleaned up.


Dont use carb cleaner on the decals!


Decided that the sediment bowl should be removed and cleaned. How hard could that be? Well it has a cover plate below. Had to remove that cover and work upside down with limited visibility.

top view of sediment bowl assembly from top. Tucked inside the frame.


cover below on skid pan.


TD-6 sediment bowl and bale before


after (and did not break anything yet)


Well three or four attempts to get this back on, and it leaked each time. Tried to order new gasket and spare this morning. May look at it again today, and attempt to make a new gasket from some cork? Cheryl is trying to get the diesel smell out of the coveralls now:)

Hope things are good out there in tractor land!
Regards,
Chris
 
#24 ·
Chris, I buy sheet cork (in small rolls actually) and am fortunate enough to have a very good selection of round gasket cutters. Not all sediment bowls are the same diameter, so after measuring them, I'll cut the inside diameter first then cut the o.d. On occasion, after cutting the o.d. first, the cork spread enough while cutting the i.d. which resulted in splitting the material. Much better luck is entertained by cutting the i.d. first.

I have too on occasion cut the i.d. with the punch then carefully trimmed the o.d. to size with new red or green tin snips. Sometimes it takes a few times tightening, filling with gas, loosening, twisting, tightening again etc to get the new cork to seat and take the proper form. Then a week later, retighten as it wants to leak yet again......then repeat...

However one day a couple years ago upon entering the local farm store I found that they had about two dozen various sizes of cork/screened sediment bowl gaskets on clearance for .50 each !!! Guess what I did.....
 
#25 · (Edited)
Wendell,
Great suggestions for gasket builds! Will let you know the results. After getting the old brittle one out, this new gasket cant be any worse. About a hour on my back with dirt and diesel fuel in my face. Built several custom scrapers. one that worked best was the pointed end of a 14 inch long 3/8 square file. Bent it over a little and ground it sharp. about 1/8 sq end. About like the dentist cleaning your teeth as I picked away at the old gasket that was 'grown' on to the housing.
I did cut out the I.D. and then the O.D. Seemed to work good on 1/8 thick cork. I used some gray gasket maker to stick the gasket up to the housing. It fit tight and allowed me to install the bowl and the bail. Looks good will turn on the fuel tomorrow.
We are supposed to get up to 8 inches of snow in next day or so.
Wood fire feels real good as the temps drop.
Regards,
Chris
 
#26 ·
Man, I hate snow Chris. I couldn't live up there where ya all are.

On normal gasket removal, I use spray gasket remover from NAPA or O'Reilly's. You'd be surprised how little effort it takes after spraying/soaking with it. I've not used it on cork gaskets though. But on tractor engine heads and blocks it is wonderful... I've used cases of it over the years in my field of HVAC for pulling heads/valve plates/unloaders etc on semi-hermetic compressors for commercial a/c and refrigeration. Just a FYI to register in the ol' memory bank for the next tear down in case you've not had the pleasure of using it before.....
 
#27 ·
Wendell,
Hummmmmm? did did not even know there was such a animal! Thanks I will keep that in mind.
This was in about the most god awful area one could work in.
Friend always called this type of work " brute strength and awkwardness"

Update:This new homemade cork gasket seemed to work. I did not have a leak that I could see. Hope to start the dozer if the weather warms a tad by end of week. Will be about 10 degrees F here tonight. Was chilly crawling around under the old girl today! No mud though! May have to throw another log on the fire.
Regards,
Chris
 
#28 ·
Chris you are a tough guy lying on your back under a tractor,but you are doing a great job on the
old girl,I had a smile when you said you could have lost a track,I was harrowing a steep face with
my D2 going down hill when the track went past my ear man had to stop quick she was turning
around and spat the track out the back was a few days before we got it going!!!!!!!
 
#31 ·
Yikes! Big heavy tracks whizzing by your ear is not a good thing! I have not run one of these enough to have a track issue yet! Kevin (Daughters boyfriend) ran the right side track off but he was trying to do some work with the old TD-6.
Track adjusters are next big work on the list. But that means splitting the tracks and some days of repairs and machining work too.
Will be April or May before getting into those issues.
Regards,
Chris
 
#29 ·
If yall haven't realized it, it takes lots of persistance, ingenuity, and talent to use the old, rebuilt, and modified equipment we love. Most anyone backed with a dealer full of mechanics could use the modern equipment with comfortable cabs being produced these days.
 
#33 ·
Jim,
You got that right. Sometimes I wonder about working on this stuff? Kevin is a good operator and rents new equipment to do his work. this old TD-6 is a dinosaur when it comes to moving dirt! But the more I look the more this old iron keeps popping up.
Guy down state has two of these, a T-6 and a TD-6. I have been trying to resist calling him:)
Think I will go hunt for a hour with the smoke pole.
Regards,
Chris
 
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