Steering effort 2010

[robvds]

I finally unloaded my new to me 2010 after a couple of months sagging my trailer. The machine hasn't run for a few years but was supposed to have had new steering clutches. The transmission and LHNR seem to work well but I get very little steering by pulling the levers. I have parts and service manuals but not operators book. My only experience with levers is swathers where you have forward-neutral-brake-reverse progressively.Do these have forward neutral brake or just brake? I need to know if I should drive around like this to loosen things up by exercising the 2 levers or should I make some adjustments or inspect something first? I am looking forward to pushing some manure with it but it is still nice and clean now!
Thanks for your help, Rob

[Lavoy]

The crawler is a conventional multi-plate clutch with a standard pressure plate, whereas the swather is either a hydro, or cone-style variable speed clutches.
As you pull the levers back, they start to engage the pressure plate, just like slipping the clutch on any gear drive type machine. As you pull them progressively further back, you begin to engage the brake.
If the engine is bogging down on your crawler, you need a little more clutch, or a little less brake, whichever. If you mean that the effort required to get the crawler to come around is high, then that is "normal" whithin reason.
Lavoy

[robvds]

The left lever had some effect when pulled back with 2 hands, The right one didn't seem to work at all but i didn't play much before parking it. will the clutches loosen with exercise or not, I don't think the engine bogged down. How much steering results if you slip one side without braking?
Rob

[Lavoy]

Sounds like your clutches are out of adjustment at the least.
If you are digging or under load, they will steer without brakes, that is about it.
Lavoy

[Jack-the-Ripper]

Also, if you're driving up hill, even a little, it should steer quite well by merely releasing a steering clutch. Conversely when going down hill, merely releasing the clutch usually has little effect, and hard breaking on one lever is often necessary. I agree that is seems like some adjustment is the first order of business. I hope that fixes it.

[Pammark]

I have a 2010 manual that explains the correct working clutches.

Find a steep hill (for me that is the nearest interstate overpass) and run the dozer up it. Pull back both steering handles the same and the dozer should stop moving and maybe even coast backward some. Pull more and the brakes will stop the rolling back.

This is an easy way to check that the clutches are fully released before the brake pads take effect.

[robvds]

I did a bit of work with it yesterday for the first time. On dry soil it lacks horse power and in the wet it lacks traction but other than that it was fun.
When pulling back both levers the machine stops nicely so I suppose the clutches are working and I found I could even turn to the right if I stop by using 2 levers then pull back on one and release the other. I seem to be missing the third hand to shift the LHR smoothly. I guess the brakes will need adjusting. If I brake with both levers should I be able to feel anything while depressing the pedal? I doesn't help that I am sitting on a plank across the seat arms making it harder to pull on the levers at lap height. Thanks for any insights, Rob