IHI 16 BROKEN

[IHI mini]

Hi all,

New to this game, but I need some help please.
I just bought a IHI 16N mini digger, need a new track. Following Youtube to how to do it, It take me a while, but got it done. But when I pump up the track tensioner, the grease won't go in. I got a new nipple, cleaned the check valve and checked that they work, but no joy. Now got the track off again, got the wheel and tensioner out, can't work out how to get the piston out . This big spring in there, it must be in compression, so how does it work? Somehow it must bring the piston in, but looks like it pushing out. Any tips, ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

[Muz]

Hi & welcome to the forum

The usual order is as follows : as you look at the side of the machine,with the sprocket on the left hand side and the front idler to the right .... the grease tensioner is first (its just a hydraulic ram) with its base on the left side. The ram pushes onto a face plate after which is the spring which then pushes onto the idler assembly. Sometimes the spring is bolted to the idler assembly. If you pushed the piston back into the ram, to enable putting the track back on it may have got stuck in there, because rust bubbles form on the chrome surface of the rod, and make it tight if forced back into the cylinder.

However, all of those parts should come out of the frame. but you may have to lever them a bit to free them up, as a build up of muck and debris will have fixed them in there, but its the only way you can pull out the ram to inspect it.

Did you have to push the idler in to get the track back on ?

[IHI mini]

crawler shoe adjuster

Hi,

I pushed the ram in hard to get the track off. The ram stayed put, then the new track was easy to fit. I have the track off again, and idler wheel and ram come out off the frame fairly easy. Does the ram come all the way out? or can you twist it to loosen it?

The diagram of a simpler digger call this bit a 'crawler shoe adjuster' Google comes with nothing for this. What's a better name for it?

To your question "Did you have to push the idler in to get the track back on ?" No, is the simple answer

Cheers

Steve

[Muz]

Well when I asked

Did you have to push the idler in to get the track back on ?

you lastly said in your post

To your question "Did you have to push the idler in to get the track back on ?" No, is the simple answer

But at the start of your post you said

I pushed the ram in hard to get the track off.

So you've lost me a bit ? ... what I was getting at was, that if you did indeed shove the idler back 'all the way', to push the ram in, then the scenario I described in my first reply to you will be correct, rust and blistered chrome will have seized the piston in the ram case, so its sometimes enough, that even a grease gun wont pump it back out, you'll need to put the tip of the rod in a vice and knock the casing back the way to free it off.

In that event, it may be that the ram seals may be damaged also, and then fail to hold pressure once you've got it working again. (not always, but often thats the way of it)

And yes, the rod should come all the way out of the casing. The seals are usually just in the case neck. and not on the rod its self

[Muz]

Heres one from a similar size of machine to yours, you can see inside of the ram case the seals are damaged, and thats why this one failed, note the pitting of the chrome on the rod too

IMG_3298[1].jpg

[IHI mini]

Hi Muz,

Sorry about the confusion, I had a stroke, so I get syntax all wrong. i'll try again.

Forced the ram in hard, pull the track off. Ram stayed in, put new track, ram won't take the grease. Clean the check valve, put a new nipple on, check that grease goes through the valve, it does. Screw in the valve, grease won't go in.

Now I've the the wheel and ram in the vice, I can't move it. I manage to get a 1.5t jack in the gap, it wont move. I am frighten to break something.

The bit of the ram you can see is like new, no rust, or cracks in the chrome

Cheers

Steve

[IHI mini]

Hi,

The chrome is perfect on the ram, the paint on the spring and holder is 70% good too. The machine a 2004 I think, so it look like a fairly new part to me. But I have tried ever thing, it wont budge. Help!

Steve

[Muz]

Ok we'll need a picture to advise further .. if you use the 'about' section above, it tells you the procedure for this I could fill a post with text but it would be guessing until I can see your assembly ?

[IHI mini]

pic

Here is a drawing from a 1.5 IHI, looks the same to me. Hope it helps. I will take a pic. later

[Mick-the-fitter]

Ok we'll need a picture to advise further .. if you use the 'about' section above, it tells you the procedure for this I could fill a post with text but it would be guessing until I can see your assembly ?

Hi Guys,

It sounds to me that the piston won't move because there is no surface area, the rod has bottomed out so the only space on the piston is directly under the greasing adaptor, the piston only needs to be moved away from the end of the cylinder by 4 or 5 mm, I have managed in the past to remove the greasing valve place the ram on punch, using a well fitting old socket on the other end, and a club or small sledge, once it moves, the grease will do the rest!

In practice it may be easier to rest the cylinder on the socket and drive the punch in with the hammer!

Mick

[IHI mini]

The bit 13 is jammed in 9. 37mm of the piston is 'on show', I mean the chrome shiny part. I can't even turn it with a big wrench and a long tube (1m long)

[Muz]

Good thats helpful .. so what you've got is the spring sleeved over the ram case, so you should be able to remove the spring from the ram case and just be left with the ram. As I said earlier, you are going to have to free the rod from the case, as it sounds from your posts as that's where its stuck as I thought.

Time to get it into the vice and get some hammer action going .. remember to take out the greaser first to let air in the other side of the ram as you drift it out You are going to have to go at it gingerly though so you dont mark the piston rod with your hammer, use some hardwood as a buffer so you dont damage the shoulders of the ram case either , as you knock it back

[Muz]

The bit 13 is jammed in 9. 37mm of the piston is 'on show', I mean the chrome shiny part. I can't even turn it with a big wrench and a long tube (1m long)

Aye she done up good how did you push it in, did you use the bucket of the digger ?

[Mick-the-fitter]

Aye she done up good how did you push it in, did you use the bucket of the digger ?

Sorry guys miss quoted, before I had seen the picture, I thought it was 50 G type, as Muz shows, I'm guessing one end in the vice, and try turning back and forth, maybe when it does turn try regressing a bit at a time.

Mick

[IHI mini]

Hi ,
I used a trick from youtube, lump of wood in the track, drive the track over the idler, the wood forces the ram back. Worked a treat, you are telling youtube lied to me?

A bit frightened to undo the spring bolts, I hear the compression of these springs are enormous, the bolts heads appear to be welded on too.

About some heat on the ram tube?

'use the 'about' section above' must be me, but I don't follow this.

Steve