differental problems???

[jkoepke]

I have a 1947 cletrac that has been running perfect started it up this spring to plow a little snow. When i let out on the clutch is does not move. When i pull either one of the steering brakes it puts power to the left track. Wondering if any body had any ideas. thank you 

[Blake Malkamaki]

It sounds like there is no connection between the differential and the right track. Was there any unusual sound or anything when this started?

Blake

PS - welcome to the forum!

[jkoepke]

Thank you for the reply. I never heard anything. I took the cover off the differential drained the oil everything looks good as far as i can see no shavings or broken parts. I started it up with cover off to see if i could see any thing  when it is in gear one steering brake drum is turning one direction the other turns the opposite is that normal. is there a way to check if the (axle shaft )on the right side is turning Any help is greatly appreciated 

[Blake Malkamaki]

They shouldn't turn opposite directions. It sounds to me like your axle is probably broken on the outboard end. Or you've got a stripped pinion gear.

I'm not an HG expert, but I'm sure some of the guys will jump in here.

Blake

[chrisvdv]

First of all, let's find out what machine you have. We are assuming an HG but we don't know that. If you can get a pic or a serial number that will help us to help you.
If the diff looks OK, as Blake says sounds like you have an axle or final drive problem on one side. A bearing may have fallen apart and stripped out some pinion gear teeth or worse.
But if you have an OC4 with clutch steering, then those bets are off, I suspect.

[jkoepke]

im not exactly sure of model cant get pictures for a week or two. by looking at pictures on internet it looks like hg. the steering works off band brakes on drums if that helps i replaced the lining on the bands 2 years ago. if that helps at all if you need a better description to help out let me know.

[jkoepke]

 ???Thanks for trying to help me out, here is a little more information on it . After looking more on the internet I'm sure mine is a hg. Out side of tracks is about 52 inches i believe. It has a four cylinder gas engine three speed tranny, starter and battery sets between your feet it was green at one time.

[chrisvdv]

OK, it's an HG then 
Well, you will definitely need to get into those final drives, if all seems well in the diff. and brake bands are free. Unless a track chain link is hung up somewhere - like a sprocket tooth has jumped out of alignment on the right hand side. I have experienced that. It can feel like a drive-train problem??

[jkoepke]

Thanks for the help, When i noticed i had a problem i moved the tractor a couple of feet forwards and backwards with left track.The right hand track moved right along just with no power to it. nothing looks out of place or bound up. I'm pretty new on working on tractors if you couldn't tell already, When you mention final drive are you talking the outside ends of the rear end where the sprockets are bolted on?

Thank you guys for all the input and answers
Jack Koepke

[chrisvdv]

No power to right track? You mean the machine turned right? If there is no power to it, the track really should not move much at all.
Look for track-binding up somewhere with sprocket not meshing properly with track chains. Are your sprockets worn?
Same thing in reverse?

Try lifting the machine onto a big block on the right hand side so that track is in the air, and try again. If nothing moves then I am thinking you must have a pinion or drive gear or axle problem....

Final drives: yes, the housings behind each rear sprockets on the end of the axle tubes. Where the axle from the transmission meshes with small pinion gear and that in turn moves large drive gear bolted to sprocket.

There are guys on here who will know more than me, I am sure...I am still a newbie

[LoggerLee]

Just about has to be the right side final is the problem,only thing that makes me scratch my head is that you say when you pull EITHER brake it will put power to the left track,that makes no sense to me,should only make the left go if you pull the right steering brake.
So I don't know either...

[Blake Malkamaki]

If the right axle was broken off and the machine was in gear, that right axle would just spin freely. But if you pulled the right lever, it would send power to the left track. And if you pulled the left lever, it would send power to the left track as well, but at a slower speed.

Blake

[B Shaver]

Did you find what the problem was?

OC-3's and Hg's have three ground wheels.

OC-4's have four ground wheels. 

I have a 46 HG that a previous owner had worked until all bearings in the lower final drive were gone.   This let the pinion gear wear down to sharp points and eventual failure.   The HG/OC-3 should have power to both axles all the time,  the brake slows one track to make a turn.   You might see the axles rotate at the fill hole on top of the final drive housing.   Only way to access the pinion on the early HG is to break the track and remove the drive wheel and cover.   

[jkoepke]

i just got started working on it today . started tearing apart right side of final today, got it braced up the track off. took the out side trunnion support off and took off trunnion nut. on the inside support took of the four nuts that hold support to track frame and the 3 bolts that hold on the round cover where i thought would be a trunnion nut but does not appear to be one . looks like a concave dish shape can not figure out how to get the support off of it to lower the track frame down. the 4 bolts that hold it to the track frame go from inside track frame threw the support and nuts on the out side so i need to figure out how to get that support off the trunnion

[oliverchris]

There's no nut on the inside of the track frame [= rear/inside of final drive], the track support bracket hangs off a round casting - part of the axle tube ('spacer' in manual). Getting it off can be a challenge, but now you know it is just pressed on that should make figuring it out a bit easier.
On the track hanging bracket, whichever side the bolt heads are on, you should be able to 'drift' it off with a hammer and block of wood and a good spray of releasing oil. But if you need a 'twist' to get her moving then just saw off the bolts as close as you can and you may be able to pry out the bracket enough to clear the remains of the bolts. But if the bolts are nutted, the threads in the track frames are probably gone, in which case you can knock out the remains of the bolts towards the sprocket. Good luck...