Steering clutches very hard to move

Forum Forums Bulldozer & Excavator Troubleshooting Steering clutches very hard to move

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    • #30955
      Little_Grizzly
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        Hi again guys!  Long time no see. cool

        I'm back at it with the dozer after a long long break.  Life just seems to have higher priorities for me sometimes embarassed

        So my question is for anyone (including the vendors that might read these forums) that has worked on the steering clutches.  I got the tractor back from the mechanic who installed brand new clutches, brake drum and brakes. Without the brakes even attached it takes a herculean effort to push in the clutch pedals.  And when I say herculean I am a 6' tall 2xx lbs guy….and I'm struggling.  My wife can just barely push the pedal down if she uses both feet and holds onto the grab bar on the dash.  So the question… what could possibly cause these steering clutches to be so hard to open?  The mechanic told me “they're just new…they'll break in”.  

        I should say that they are working. I mean I've gotten them adjusted so that they break over after about 2 inches of pedal travel. I'm happy with that part. 

      • #37275
        DavidPrivett
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          I am not a wealth of info. on dozers but could he have placed heavier clutch pedal return springs in. On my old dozer I had one that broke at the hook. I took it and bent one of the coils out to make a hook  it worked but man what a difference in felt load on the pedal,changed it out as soon as could get proper spring.

        • #37276
          Little_Grizzly
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            It is a possibility.  I will check today.  Last time I looked though the springs looked pretty wimpy.

            Thanks for the tip.

          • #37279
            Little_Grizzly
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              Although it is a significant spring, when I removed it the pedal did not get measurably easier to push.  I'm afraid it's something else.  And since the problem is on both pedals it has to be something systematic with how the clutches were installed.

              Either that or these clutches are just built for bigger operators.

            • #37283
              Bob Rooks
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                I’ll add comments in a couple of days when I get home. Or you can email me.

                Account deleted.

              • #37286
                Bob Rooks
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                  The clutch discs and plates are held together by spring tension much like the clutch in a truck. Think multi plate clutch. The yoke presses against the release bearing and overcomes the force of twenty double springs to separate the plates and discs. I've never measured the application force of my clutches but I'm thinking around 20-25 lbs. at the pedal (just for the clutch). The brakes however, require exponentially more. You might fiddle with the geometry some more like I did, or consider fast acting linear actuators with sequential limit switches or small hydraulic controls and booster.

                  Account deleted.

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