Gas Engines

Application and
Installation Guide

G3500 - G3300

● Mounting

● Alignment

LEKQ7251 (Supersedes LEKQ2459) 7-97

G3500-G3300 Mounting
General Considerations
Vibration
Torsional Vibration
Out-of-Balance Driven Equipment
Alignment
Engine Construction
Bases
Purpose and Function
Caterpillar Bases
Other Bases
Bases for Engines with Close-Coupled Units
Foot Mounted Engines
Engines with Mounting Rails
Bases for Engines with Remote Mounted Driven Equipment
Equipment Mounting
Engines with Mounting Feet
Engine/Close-Coupled Two Bearing Generator
Engine/Driven Unit for Mechanical Drive
Engines with Mounting Rails
Thermal Growth
Shim Material
Metal Shims
Mounting Engines with Poured Resin Shims
Isolators
Stationary Equipment Isolators
Mobile Equipment Isolators
Caterpillar Isolation Installation and Adjustment Procedure
Bulk
Seismic Considerations
Foundations
Responsibility
Ground Loading
Concrete Base
Mounting
Correct mounting and coupling to driven
equipment are essential to the success of any
engine installation.
Gas engine installations may incorporate
many types of mounting methods.
Consequently, no single system will be
universally successful. It is just as possible to
encounter problems from a rigid constrained
mounting system if improperly applied as it is
with a flexible mounting if improperly applied.
General Considerations
Caterpillar Gas Engines are rigid, self-
contained structures which will operate and
maintain inherent alignment unless subjected
to extreme external stresses.
Due to the diversity of installation types, no
one mounting system or method is universally
acceptable. The engine must be mounted in a
manner suited to the specific application,
taking into account the characteristics of the
engine, the driven loads, and the operating
cycle of the machine. One or more of the
following results will occur if mounting
method is inadequate.
Torsional Vibration
Torsional vibration is not caused by mis-
alignment, an out-of-balance system, base
design or foundation design. This is a
phenomenon related to natural frequencies of
the rotating equipment and is explained in
detail in the section on Foundations.
Out-Of-Balance Driven Equipment
The engine itself is designed and built to run
very smoothly. Objectionable vibration
generally arises from either poor driveline
component match to the engine or unbalance
of the driven equipment. Reciprocating
equipment with large imbalances, for
example, can cause premature failure of the
mounting structure or undesirable vibration
even though the unit is properly mounted and
isolated from the engine.
Even though the engine and the driven load
are in balance, it is also possible to encounter
undesirable and damaging vibration as a
result of the driving or connecting equipment
having a misalignment or out-of-balance
condition. Long shafts, drives, gear
assemblies, clutches, or any type of coupling
where misalignment, out-of-balance, or mass
shifting may occur, are probable sources of
vibration.

Vibration
Transmission of undesirable vibration to
driven equipment or the support structure
may occur. In certain types of plunger
installations such as pumps, the engine
vibration is insignificant compared to the
driven equipment vibration. In this case, the
machine vibration could be detrimental to the
engine and its mounting, and could possibly
result in cracking or fatigue of a structural
member.

The same amplitude and frequency of

vibration generated by the engine could result
in structural damage if a fixed installation
were housed in a building, or close to
sensitive instruments or equipment, such as
computers.

Additional information is contained in the

Vibration section of the A & I Guide.

5
 Alignment
An unsatisfactory engine mounting nearly
always results in alignment problems between
the engine and the driven machinery.
Assuming that failure of the driven equipment
does not occur first, the forces or loads
transmitted to the engine in the form of
pounding, twisting, flexing, or thrust could
result in engine crankshaft and bearing
failure. Costly failures of this nature can be
avoided if, at the design and installation stage,
the importance of proper alignment between
the engine and driven load and adequate Figure 1.
mounting to maintain alignment is
considered.

If this is impossible, a suitable flexible

coupling must be incorporated into the drive
train to compensate for misalignment.

Additional information is available in the

Alignment section of the A & I Guide.

Engine Construction
As previously stated, the Caterpillar Engine is
built as a rigid, self-supporting structure. If
the engine is mounted on a true (flat)
foundation or on a pair of longitudinal beams,
the tops of which are in the same plane, the
Figure 2.
engine will hold its own alignment. If
subjected to external forces or restrained
from its thermal growth, bearing clearances
will be affected and bearing or crankshaft
failure can occur.

The main structural strength of an engine is

the cast-iron block. On the G3300 (Figure 1)
and G3400 (Figure 2) Family of Engines,
engine mounting is by mounts on both sides
of the flywheel housing and by a front mount
securely mounted to the engine block
through the front cover. The G3500 Family of
Engines are mounted by the plate steel oil
pan. This pan is a deep heavy weldment
Figure 3.
which has mounting brackets or lugs welded
to the sides which are used to mount the
engine, see Figure 3. G3500 Family of
Engines should be mounted with the brackets
to a set of rigid rails which, in turn, are flex
mounted to the foundation or machine frame.

6
Bases
Purpose and Function
The first design consideration for an engine
base is its physical dimensions. The base
must provide the proper mounting holes for
the gas engine and all other base-mounted
components. The holes must also make
allowance for servicing of the engine and
other components. They must provide
clearance and provisions for proper
alignment.
Design the base to maintain the original
alignment between engine and driven
equipment under all operational and
environmental conditions. Misalignment
between an engine and driven equipment can
cause vibration and shorten the life of
couplings and bearings. Bases designed and
fabricated by dealers, or others, must meet
design requirements of the Caterpillar
supplied base to assure strength and vibration
resistance.
The major cause of misalignment is flexing of
the base due to lack of torsional rigidity.
Other causes are poor installation methods
and incorrect alignment procedures.
Caterpillar Bases
Caterpillar bases are designed to
eliminate frequent, periodic realignment
of the engine and driven unit. A properly
installed Caterpillar base will meet the
following criteria:
• Engine torque does not cause excessive
misalignment.
• Flexing of the foundation or substructure
under the base during operation does not
cause bending of the base.
• When the engine and driven unit are
mounted on a Caterpillar base, the entire
package is able to withstand normal
handling during transportation without
permanently distorting the base or causing
misalignment of the driven unit.
• A Caterpillar base is free of torsional or
linear vibrations in the operating speed
range of the engine.

The base must offer rigidity adequate to

oppose the twist due to torque reaction on
drives where the driven equipment is
mounted on the base assembly, but not bolted
directly to the gas engine flywheel housing,
see Figure 4.

Figure 4.

7
 Caterpillar offers different bases for close
coupled units (such as single bearing
generators) and for remote mounted units
(such as two bearing generators). The
base for a remote mounted two bearing
generator must be sturdy enough to
provide support and maintain alignment.
The base for a close coupled single
bearing generator can be lighter because
the base does not have to withstand
torque reaction. Fastening the driven unit
housing to the flywheel housing
eliminates the need for the base to absorb
the engine torque, see Figure 4. On
remote mounted units, the frame of the
driven equipment tries to rotate in the
same direction as the engine crankshaft.
If the base were not rigid enough, engine
torque would cause the base to flex
excessively. The result would be
misalignment proportional to the amount
of load. This misalignment would not be
evident during a static alignment check.
Other Bases
Bases not manufactured by Caterpillar
must meet several design criteria. These
bases must be rigid enough to limit
torsional and bending forces caused by
torque reaction and sub-base flexing.
They must prevent excessive bending
forces from passing to the engine block,
couplings, and driven unit during
shipment. To prevent resonance, they
must have a natural frequency out of the
operating speed range. They must allow
sufficient space for shimming so proper
alignment can be accomplished.
Bases For Engines With
Close-Coupled Units
Caterpillar does not recommend a specific
section modulus for the longitudinal
girders or cross members. Usually “I”
beams or channel section steel beams in a
ladder type arrangement are acceptable.

A Caterpillar base for remote mounted

equipment is a torsionally rigid structure
for mounting the engine and driven unit.
The three point suspension design
maintains proper relationship and
alignment of all equipment by isolating
external forces, see Figure 5.

The three point suspension system must

be used when there is a possibility the
foundation or substructure supporting the
base can deflect due to external forces or
settling. Suspending the power unit on
three points isolates the unit from
deflection of the substructure. More than
three mounting points can cause base
distortion. Figure 5.

8
 right front corner where a doweled bolt is
used.

Bases For Engines With Remote

Figure 6.
Foot Mounted Engines
• Bases for foot mounted engines should
have cross members as substantial as the
longitudinal beams. Place these cross
members beneath each engine and driven
unit support location.
• Do not mount the engine and driven unit
directly to a base that has a deck plate
surface. Use steel pads between the
mounting feet and the base beams. Cut out
deck plates at pad locations.
• Do not fasten the engine and driven unit
mounting feet to the base by welding.
Engines With Mounting Rails
• Standard Caterpillar mounting rails must
be used between engine and base.
• Cross members of the base provide the
greatest support when located at the
mounting locations between engine
mounting rails and base.
Mounted Driven Equipment
The design requirements for bases used on
engines with close-coupled units also apply to
bases used for engines with remote-mounted
units. Bases for use with remote-mounted
units must be more rigid. The full load torque
between the engine and driven unit must be
absorbed by the base without causing
excessive deflection in the coupling.
Equipment Mounting
Engines With Mounting Feet
Caterpillar Gas Engines and single bearing
generators with mounting feet similar to those
shown previously(G3300 and G3400), can
either be mounted on a base or mounted
directly on a pair of beams without a base, see
Figures 7 and 8. The mounting feet must be
bolted in place. Do not weld the feet to the
base or beams. If support beams are used, the
beams must be flat and lie in the same plane.
Use shims as necessary between feet and
base or support beams so all mounting feet
are in solid contact at all locations. If the
mounting feet are not in equal contact with
the base or beams before the anchor bolts are
installed, the engine and/or generator can be
stressed when the anchor bolts are tightened.

• Four threaded mounting blocks are used

between engine mounting rails and the
base to provide sufficient space for
shimming, see Figure 6. These blocks must
be welded to the base. Use shims as
necessary between the blocks and
mounting rails to put the parallel mounting
surfaces in the same plane.
Figure 7.
• No welding of the engine mounting rail to
the base is permitted.

• Mounting rails must be bolted to the

mounting blocks. There must be clearance
between these bolts and the holes in the
mounting rails except at the right rear or

9

Figure 8.
Engine/Close-Coupled Two Bearing
Generator
Caterpillar Engines with close-coupled two
bearing generators can be mounted on a base
or directly on a pair of beams without a base.
The mounting feet of the engine and
generator must be bolted in place. Do not
weld the feet to the base or beams. If support
beams are used, the beams must be flat and
lie in the same plane. Use shims as necessary
between the mounting feet and the base or
beams so all mounting feet are in solid
contact at all locations. If the mounting feet
are not in equal contact with the base or
beams before the anchor bolts are installed,
the engine and/or generator can be stressed
when the anchor bolts are tightened.
Figure 9.
10
Engine/Driven Unit For Mechanical
Drive
An engine and close-coupled driven unit
(for example, a transmission) used to
mechanically drive other equipment can be
mounted on a pair of longitudinal beams.
The tops of the beams must be flat and in the
same plane. If the tops of the beams are not
flat and in the same plane, use shims as
necessary to correct this condition. All
mounting feet of the engine and driven unit
must be in solid contact with the mounting
beams before the anchor bolts are installed. If
the engine and driven unit are fastened to an
uneven surface, this can cause distortion in
the engine and driven unit when the anchor
bolts are tightened.
If the mounting beams will be subjected to
external bending forces (such as frame
flexing of the chassis in mobile applications),
the engine and driven unit must be mounted
to the beams with a three point mounting
system. This type of mounting system
supports the engine at a single point at the
front and at two points (one on each side) at
the rear of the engine or driven unit. This
mounting system is capable of efficiently
allowing large amounts of frame deflection
without imparting stresses to the mounting or
engine and driven unit, see Figure 9.
Engines With Mounting Rails
Standard Caterpillar mounting rails must be
used. Two types of mounting rails are
available, depending on application.
Four-point mounting rails are used if the
rails are to be secured to a base or foundation
that will not be subjected to external forces
that could cause distortion of the mounting
rails, see Figure 10. These rails can be used
for either remote-mounted or close-coupled
driven units. For close-coupled driven units,
extended mounting rails are available so the
driven equipment can be fastened directly to
the rails.
Figure 10.
Three-point mounting rails are used if the
rails are to be secured to base or foundation
that may cause the mounting rails to be
subjected to distorting forces. The three point
mounting rails can only be used for close-
Figure 11.
coupled driven units where the rails are
extended for the mounting of these units, see
Figure 11.
Mounting of engine to mounting rails.
Lugs or brackets have been welded to the
sides of the oil pan at the factory and hold the
engine to the mounting rails. No shimming is
allowed between the engine oil pan and the
mounting rails.
Mounting of close-coupled driven units to
mounting rails. On engines whose mounting
rails are extended to mount close-coupled
driven units, these rails must not be notched
or the cross braces removed to provide
clearance for the driven unit. Shims are used
as necessary between the mounting feet of
the driven unit and the mounting rails to get
correct alignment with the engine. Bolts must
be used to fasten the driven unit to the engine
mounting rails.
• Shims only or four drilled and threaded
mounting blocks and shims can be used
between the engine rails and the base at
the four corner location, see Figure 10. If
mounting blocks are used, these blocks
must be welded to the base. The blocks are
first fastened to the bottom of the rails at
the four corners. Remove bolt clearance
with the rails by driving the blocks toward
the end of each rail. This will provide
clearance for thermal growth at operating
temperature. The engine is then put in
position on the base and the blocks tack
welded to the base. If necessary, remove
the engine to complete welding the blocks
to the base, see Figure 12.
11
 • Use shims as necessary to make sure the mounting block. Distortion of the mounting
mounting rails are in solid contact with the rails will result if these bolts are fastened
mounting blocks or base at all four from the rails into the base, see Figure 13.
mounting locations. Distortion of the
mounting rails will result when the anchor
bolts are tightened, if the mounting rails
are not in solid contact.

Figure 13.

• For engines driving remote-mounted

Figure 12.
• If the driven equipment is close-coupled to
the engine, use clearance type bolts at all
locations to fasten the mounting rails to the
mounting blocks or base. These bolts must
have a diameter 1.5 mm (.06 in.) less than
the diameter of the holes in the mounting
rails.
equipment, the mounting rails must be
cradled between guide strips which keep
the expansion of the rails always parallel to
the output shaft centerline. The guide strips
are welded to the top of the mounting
blocks at the opposite end of the rails from
the ground body bolt or spot weld, see
Figure 14.

• If the driven equipment is remote-mounted,

use clearance type bolts at all mounting
locations in the left mounting rail. If a
ground body bolt is to be used to control
the direction of horizontal thermal growth,
install this bolt in the right rail at the end of
the rail next to the coupling, or at the rear
of the rail if remote mounted equipment is
driven from both ends of the engine. Install
clearance type bolts at all other locations in
the right rail. If a spot weld is to be used to
control the direction of thermal growth,
Figure 14.
spot weld the right rail to the mounting
block and/or shims on the side of the rail
next to the coupling. Install clearance type • Because horizontal thermal growth of the
bolts at all mounting locations in the right engine and mounting rails will always be
mounting rail. All clearance type bolts must away from the ground body bolt or spot
have a diameter 1.5 mm (.06 in.) less than weld, never weld stops or chocks against
the diameter of the mounting rails holes. the opposite end of the mounting rails from
the ground body bolt or spot weld. If
• Each anchor bolt between the mounting chocks or stops are to be used, there must
rail and the base must be bolted into a be a minimum of 0.13 mm (.005 in.)

12
 clearance between them and the ends of Shim Material
the rails, when the engine is at operating Shims can be used to get correct alignment
temperature. between the engine and the driven unit.
Depending on the application, shims are
required under the engine, under the driven
Thermal Growth
unit, or under the engine and driven unit. The
The change in distance between mounting
most commonly used shim materials are
holes due to thermal growth of the engine
metal and poured resin shims. Under no
must be considered when designing the base.
circumstances should lead be used as a shim
Cast iron has a coefficient of expansion of material. Lead is easily deformed under
0.0000055, and that of steel is 0.0000063. This weight and vibration and has poor support
means that the block of an engine 238.8 cm characteristics.
(94 in.) in length will grow 0.197 cm
Metal Shims
(0.0776 in.) if its temperature is increased
After the engine and driven equipment have
from 10°C (50°F) to 98.8°C (200°F). Using
been aligned, install brass or some other type
0.0000063 as the plate steel coefficient of
of non-rusting metal shims between the
expansion, a steel weldment of 238.8 cm
mounting feet or mounting pads of the engine
(94 in.) will grow 0.226 cm (0.089 in.) through
or driven unit and the base or other mounting
the same temperature range. The small
surface. The minimum thickness of each shim
difference in growth between the block and
pack under each mounting location should be
the lubricating oil pan is compensated for in
at least 5 mm (0.2 in.) This will prevent later
the design of the engine by making the holes
corrections requiring the removal of shims
in the flange of the attached component (rails)
when there are too few, or no shims
larger than the attaching bolts.
remaining. After installation of the shims,
Due to the growth resulting from thermal each mounting location must carry its portion
expansion, the engine must not be dowel of the load.
located in more than one location. Failure to
do this will cause unnecessary stresses in the
Important: When metal shims are used
between the mounting pads or feet and the base
engine and base as the engine tries to grow
or mounting surface, the mounting surfaces
due to temperature changes. It is
must be flat, free of burrs, and parallel to the
recommended that a dowel locator be used on
bottom surface of the mounting pads or feet.
one engine mounting rail located at the end
with the driven equipment. This will force all
thermal growth away from the engine
coupling. Clearance between the mounting
bolts and the mounting brackets on the base
will then allow slip to compensate for thermal
growth, see Figure 15.

Figure 15.

13
 Figure 16.
Mounting Engines With Poured Resin
Shims
After the engine and the driven equipment
have been aligned, poured resin shim material
can be used between the mounting pads of
the engine mounting rails and the engine bed.
When using poured resin shim material,
always follow the manufacturer's installation
recommendations.
Follow these guidelines:
• Use foam rubber strips of the appropriate
thickness to form the dams for pouring the
shim material.
• Do not pour shim material inboard of the
machined pad on the bottom of the
mounting rail.
Shim material can be poured the full length of
the mounting rail (a continuous pour) or it
can be poured only at the mounting pad
locations (an interrupted pour). If an
interrupted pour is used, the minimum area
of shim material must be 29,000 mm2 (45 in.2)
per mounting bolt. If the mounting rails have
mounting pads only at the bolt hole locations,
foam rubber strips must be installed on both
sides of each pad on all pads forward of the
flywheel housing to provide for expansion.
These expansion strips permit thermal
expansion of the mounting rails at operating
temperature. On engines whose mounting
rails have full length mounting pads, no
expansion strips are necessary.
14
Note: When realigning an existing
installation, full length foam rubber strips for a
continuous pour can often be difficult because
of limited access. It is recommended that a full
length continuous pour be used only for new
installations where the engine can be raised to
install the foam rubber strips.
Do not pour the shim material thicker or
thinner than the manufacturer's
recommendation. Use steel spacers if the
clearance between the bottom of the
mounting pad and the top of the engine bed is
more than the maximum allowable thickness
of the shim material. The spacers must be a
minimum of 29,000 mm2 (45 in.2) in area per
mounting bolt.
Before pouring the shim material, install all
anchor bolts finger tight. Put sealing material
around the bolt at the bottom of the mounting
pad to prevent the shim material from filling
the bolt holes in the mounting rails. If shim
material is allowed to enter the bolt holes in
the mounting rails, thermal expansion of the
rails will be prevented.
After the shim material has sufficiently
hardened according to the manufacturer's
specification, the anchor bolts can be
tightened to a torque of 490 N•m (360 lb-ft).
Use two nuts on each bolt.
Figure 17.

Isolators
Engine power unit set isolation is required if:

• Engine vibration must be separated from

building structures.

• Vibrations from nearby equipment are

transmitted to inoperative engines.

Operating engines are rarely affected by

exterior vibrations. Methods of isolation are
the same for external or self-generated
vibrations.

As discussed in the Mounting section of this

guide, the most effective isolators are
Caterpillar's steel spring design, see
Figure 18. They isolate over 96% of all
vibrations, provide overall economy, and
permit relatively simple mounting of engines
or generator sets on a surface capable of
supporting static and dynamic loads.
Adding rubber plates beneath spring isolators
block high frequency vibrations transmitted
through the spring. These vibrations are not
harmful, but cause annoying noise.
Figure 18.
With Caterpillar approval, properly designed
rubber isolators between rigid engine
mounting bases and foundations are adequate
for applications where vibration control is not
severe. They isolate noise created by
transmission of vibratory forces. By careful
selection, isolation of 90% is possible. The
rigid Caterpillar fabricated engine base will
withstand torque reactions without total,
uniform, support from the isolators.

15
 Fiberglass, felt, composition, and flat
rubber do little to isolate major
vibration forces and should be avoided
as primary isolation methods. They
compress with age and become ineffective.
These also have low deflections and high
natural frequencies compared to engine
excitation frequencies.

If no isolation is required, the generator set

may rest directly on the mounting surface.
This surface must support 25% more than the
static weight of the unit to withstand torque
and vibratory loads. Unless the engine is
driving equipment which imposes side loads,
or there are seismic requirements, no anchor
bolting is required. This normally applies to
all nonparallel generator set mountings. Thin
rubber or composition pads minimize the
units tendency to creep or fret foundation Figure 20.
surfaces.

Piping connected to engines require isolation, Stationar y Equipment Isolators

particularly when engines mount on spring
isolators. Fuel and water lines, exhaust pipes,
and conduit can transmit vibrations long
distances. Isolator pipe hangers should have
springs to attenuate low frequencies, and
rubber or cork to minimize high frequency
transmissions. To prevent buildup of resonant
pipe vibrations, long piping runs must be
supported at unequal distances, see
Figure 19.
All piping should be designed and supported
to meet local seismic requirements.
Stationary equipment isolators are used when
the package will not be transported, (with
isolators attached), or will not experience
seismic shock. The isolators contain thrust
blocks to control lateral movement.
Mobile Equipment Isolators
Mobile equipment isolators have the same
features as the stationary equipment isolators.
They also have built in restraints capable of
withstanding a + 2 G vertical load and +
3 G horizontal load under low cyclic
conditions, see Figure 20. They are suitable
for use with mobile platforms, but are not
generally intended to handle seismic shock.

In addition to noise and vibration reduction,

isolation from movable platforms is required
to prevent torque loading from damaging the
engine. The engine must not be bolted to a
platform unless approved by Caterpillar.
Deflections of a less than adequate platform
(for engine support) can be transmitted to the
engine causing block bending and possible
Figure 19. crankshaft and bearing failures.

16
Caterpillar Isolator Installation and
Adjustment Procedure
The engine base mounting surface must have
shims or grout to provide a flat surface within
a maximum deviation of 6.35 mm (0.25 in.) for
all three isolator contact areas. Shims or grout
should cover the full contact area of the
isolator pads.

The installation and adjustment of the

Caterpillar supplied vibration isolators is
covered in the Special Instruction, Form No.
SEHS9162.

Note: Tightening snubber bolts on the isolators

greater than finger tight reduces isolator
efficiency. It is normal for the motion of the
engine to increase during startup and
shutdown. Should this motion be intolerable,
tighten snubber bolts slightly. However, the lack
of slight clearances reduces isolator life.
Bulk
Bulk isolating materials are sometimes used
between the engine foundation and the
foundation supporting surface but are not as
effective and predictable as spring or rubber
types.
Wet gravel or sand can reduce vibration from
one-third to one-half and isolate foundations
from the site floor. The isolating value of
gravel is somewhat greater than sand. To
minimize settling of the foundation, 200 to
250 mm (8 to 10 in.) sand should be used in
the bed of the foundation pit and be
thoroughly tamped before pouring the
concrete block. Make the foundation pit
slightly longer and wider than the foundation
block base to allow space for the isolating
material.
Figure 21.
Isolate the floor surrounding the foundation
block with expansive joint material. Rubber,
asphalt-impregnated felt, or fiberglass do not
provide low frequency isolation and should
not be used. Cork is not effective at
frequencies below 1800 cps and will rot if not
kept dry. It is seldom used under the floor on
modern generator sets. Because of resistance
to oils, acids, and temperature changes
between -19 and 93°C (0-200°F), cork is used
to separate the edges of engine foundations
from the surrounding floor.
Seismic Considerations
Seismic shocks are insufficient to harm
generator sets resting on the floor. However,
isolation devices, particularly spring isolators,
amplify small movement generated by
earthquakes to levels which would damage
equipment. Special isolators incorporating
seismic restraining or damping devices are
available, but exact requirements must be
reviewed by the isolator supplier. Isolators
anticipating seismic shock are bolted to the
equipment base and the floor. Positive stops
are added to limit motion in all directions.
Attached piping and auxiliary equipment
supports must also tolerate relative
movement.

17
 Foundations
Major functions of a foundation are to:
• Support total weight of generator set.
• Maintain alignment between engine,
generator, and accessory equipment.
• Isolate generator set vibration from
surrounding structures.
Responsibility
The equipment foundation is not the
responsibility of Caterpillar Inc., nor is the
driven equipment attachment to the
foundation.The customer or customer’s agent
familiar with local site conditions and
application requirements bears foundation
design responsibility. Foundation comments
published herein are intended only as general
guidelines for consideration. Further engine
foundation general guidelines can be found in
Engine Data Sheet 30.0, Form LEHQ1172.
Ground Loading
Initial considerations include generator set
weight and material supporting this weight.
The wet weight of the total package must be
calculated. This includes accessory
equipment and weight of all liquids (coolant,
oil, and fuel) supported by the foundation.
Engine and attachments dry weights can be
found in the price list. Liquid densities are
given in Figure 22.
Weights of Liquids
Liquid lb/U.S. gal Specific Gravity
Water Glycol 8.55 1.03
Water 8.3
Lube Oil 7.6 0.916
Diesel Fuel 7.1 0.855
Kerosene 6.7 0.80
Figure 22.
Material supporting the foundation must
carry the total weight. Figure 23 shows
bearing load capabilities of common
materials.
18
Bearing Load Capability
Safe Bearing Load
Material psi
Rock, Hardpan 70
Hard Clay, Gravel and Coarse Sand 56
Loose Medium Sand and Medium Clay 28
Loose Fine Sand 14
Soft Clay 0-14
Figure 23.
Firm level soil, gravel, or rock provides
satisfactory support for single-bearing
generator sets used in stationary or portable
service. This support can be used where the
weight-bearing capacity of the supporting
material exceeds pressure exerted by the
equipment package, and where alignment
with external machinery is unimportant.
Soil, such as fine clay, loose sand, or sand
near the ground water level, is particularly
unstable under dynamic loads and requires
substantially larger foundations. Information
concerning bearing capacity of soils at the site
may be available from local sources and must
comply with local building codes.
The area of load-bearing support is adjusted
to accommodate surface material. To
determine pressure (P) exerted by the
generator set, divide total weight (W) by total
surface area (A) of the rails, pads, or vibration
mounts.
Figure 24.
P(psi) = W (lb) If a concrete foundation is required, minimum
A(in.2) design guidelines include:

Where: P = pressure in psi • Strength must support wet weight of units

W = weight in lb
A = area in in.2
Pressure imposed by the generator set weight
must be less than the load-carrying capacity
of supporting material.
Where support rails or mounting feet have
insufficient bearing area, flotation pads can
distribute the weight. The underside area and
stiffness of the pad must be sufficient to
support the equipment.
Seasonal and weather changes adversely
affect mounting surfaces. Soil changes
considerably while freezing and thawing. To
avoid movement from seasonal change,
extend foundations below the frost line.
Concrete Base
Several basic foundations are applicable for
generator sets. The foundation chosen will
depend on factors previously outlined as well
as limitations imposed by the specific location
and application.
plus dynamic loads.
• Depth sufficient to attain a minimum
weight equal to generator set wet weight
(only if large mass, i.e. inertia block, is
specified for vibration control).
• Outside dimensions exceed that of the
generator set, a minimum of 304.8 mm
(12 in.) on all sides.
Calculate foundation depth to equal generator
set weight by:
FD = W
_________
DxBxL
FD = Foundation depth in m (ft)
W = Total wet weight of generator set
in kg (lb)
D = Density of concrete in kg/m2 (lb/ft2)

Massive concrete foundations are

unnecessary for modern multicylinder
medium speed generator sets. Avoid
excessively thick, heavy bases to minimize
subfloor or soil loading. Bases should be only
thick enough to prevent deflection and torque
reaction, while retaining sufficient surface
area for support. Non-parallel units require no
foundation anchoring.

19
 Note: Use 150 for English units and 2402.8 for
metric units.

B = Foundation width in m (ft)

L = Foundation length in m (ft)

Suggested concrete mixture by volume is

1:2:3 of cement, sand, aggregate, with
maximum 101.6 mm (4 in.) slump and 28-day
compressive strength of 20.67 mPa (3000 psi).

Reinforce concrete with No. 8 gauge steel

wire mesh or equivalent, horizontally placed
on 152.4 mm (6 in.) centers. An alternative
method places No.6 reinforcing bars on
304.8 mm. (12 in.) centers horizontally. Bars
must clear foundation surfaces 76.2 mm
(3 in.) minimum.

When effective vibration isolation equipment

is used, figure depth of floor concrete needed
for structural support of the static load. If
isolators are not used, dynamic loads transmit
to the facility floor and require the floor to
support 125% of the generator set weight.

If generator sets are paralleled, possible out-

of-phase paralleling and resulting torque
reactions demand stronger foundations. The
foundation must withstand twice the wet
weight of the generator set. Bolting the set to
the foundation is recommended.

Figure 25.

20
G3500–G3300 Alignment
Defining Types of Misalignment
Inaccurate Flanges
Shimming
Procedure for Tightening Engine and Driven
Equipment Mounting Bolts
Bolt Torque
Mounting Bolt Location
Dial Indicators
Support Brackets
Accuracy of Dial Indicators Readings
Crankshaft Deflection Test
Alignment of Two-Bearing Generators
Factors Affecting Alignment
Bearing Clearances
Flywheel Sag
Thermal Growth
Positioning Engines
Cat Viscous Dampened Coupling
Alignment Procedures
Cat Viscous Damped Coupling
Other Couplings
Final Alignment
Realignment Limits
Alignment of Close-Coupled Driven Equipment
Crankshaft End Play
Alignment of Mechanical Drives
Alignment Procedures
Drive Shafts
Alignment
Improper alignment results in excessive
vibration, short life of generator/compound
bearing, coupling clutch parts, and frequent
re-alignment. Good alignment practices
include proper shimming, correct torque on
hold-down bolts, accurate dial indicator usage,
allowances for bearing clearances, thermal
growth, and accounting for other
characteristics of the engine.

Defining Types of Misalignment Figure 27.

Parallel or bore misalignment occurs when
centerlines of driven equipment and engine
are parallel but not in the same plane, see
Figure 26.

Figure 26.

Angular or face misalignment occurs when

centerlines of driven equipment and engines
are not parallel, see Figure 27.

Figure 28 illustrates that misalignment can

occur in more than one plane. For this reason,
alignment readings must be taken at 90
degree intervals as the units are rotated.

Figure 28.

23
 Inaccurate Flanges
Inaccurate flanges cause apparent
misalignment and make accurate alignment
impossible.
Face runout refers to the distance the hub
face is out of perpendicular to the shaft
centerline, see Figure 29.
Figure 29.
Bore runout refers to the distance the driving
bore of a hub is out of parallel with the shaft
centerline, see Figure 30.
Figure 30.
The face and bore runouts of flywheel, clutch
or coupling, driven members, and hubs must
be checked when inconsistent alignment
results occur. Face or bore errors must be
corrected. Bore-to-pilot diameter runout error
should not be more than 0.05 mm (0.002 in.)
on the flywheel and 0.13 mm(0.005 in.) on
adapters bolted to the flywheel. Flange face
runout should not be more than 0.05 mm
(0.002 in.).
24
Shimming
Shim packs under all equipment should be
0.76 mm (.030 in.) minimum and 1.5 mm
(.060 in.)maximum thickness to prevent later
corrections requiring removing shims when
there are too few or no shims remaining.
Excessive thickness of shims may compress
with use.
Shims should be of nonrusting material.
Handle shims carefully. Use only complete
width and length shims, Do not use partial
shims trimmed to fit.
After alignment, each mounting surface must
carry its portion of the load. To confirm,
follow procedure below.
Engines and generators are recommended to
use four mounting feet. Before they can be
aligned, each foot must be carrying its
portion of the load. Failure to do this can
result not only in misalignment, but also in
springing of the substructure, high stress in
welds or base metal, and high twisting forces
in the engine or generator, see Figure 31.
Figure 31.
Procedure for Tightening Engine and
Driven Equipment Mounting Bolts
Figure 32 shows the procedure used to verify
proper shimming of driven equipment or
engine has been accomplished. This
information is on a decal that is available to be
added to packages. When the proper number
of shims has been established, add or remove
shims evenly when making alignment
corrections.
Figure 32.
Bolt Torque
A bolt is properly torqued when it is stretched
a calculated amount. Proper stretch clamps
the driven device to the base securely. The
clamp is then maintained during movement
caused by vibration. An under-torqued bolt
cannot maintain clamping force while
vibrations are present. It will gradually work
loose and allow misalignment to occur, see
Figure 33.
Figure 33.
Bolts of the size used on Caterpillar oil field
bases require very high torque values. As an
example, a 25.4 mm (1 in.) bolt has a torque
of 868 ± 108 N•m (640 ± 80 ft lb). A torque
wrench, extension and torque multiplier are
required to obtain this high value. Do not use
special bolt lubricant; the effective bolt
clamping force can be excessive.
Caterpillar bolts are made of Grade 8 steel,
one of the strongest available. They are
identified by six raised or depressed lines on
the nut or bolt head.
Figure 32 shows the recommended torque for
various Caterpillar bolts; however, these
values may be too high for standard
commercially available hardware.
25
 Mounting Bolt Location
Each engine or driven equipment mounting
bolt must bolt through solid material. If a
mounting bolt is in an overhung condition, it
will cause distortion, see Figure 34.

Figure 35.

Figure 34.
Dial Indicators
A dial indicator measures very small changes
in distance. Alignment of shafting requires
measurement of small changes in distance
dimensions. The indicator must be rigidly
located so the specified alignment values can
be measured.
Support Brackets
An indicator support bracket must rigidly
support the indicator when fixed to one of the
shafts and rotated. The support bracket
allows location of the dial indicator at the
measurement point. Proper brackets can be
adjusted to work with varying driveline
configurations, see Figure 35.
Dial indicator brackets must not bend due to
weight of the indicator. Commercially
available dial indicator brackets may not give
adequate support when the indicator is
rotated, causing false readings. Magnetic base
dial indicator supports are not recommended.
To check support bracket rigidity, rotate the
same configurations of bracket and indicator
through a circle while indicating on the
bracket side of the coupling. A maximum
reading of less than .025 mm (.001 in.) is
allowed. It may be necessary to temporarily
bolt a rigid reference arm on the bracket side
of the indicator coupling to read against when
taking an alignment reading.

26
Figure 36.

Caterpillar recommends using the bracket,

A
see Figure 36, when preforming alignment
check. Use two 12.7 mm (0.50 in.) diameter
0
threaded rods or bolts to assemble the
adapter. It may be necessary to fabricate
different brackets when checking clutch
alignments.
D +10 -3 B

Accuracy of Dial Indicator Readings

There is a quick way to check the validity of
dial indicator face alignment readings. As
Figure 37 shows, readings are taken at four
locations designated as A, B, C, and D. When
taking readings, the dial indicator should be
returned to location A to be sure the indicator
reading returns to zero. Values shown in
Figure 37 are for a unit not in alignment.
The quick check is to remember that reading
of B + D should equal C. This is valid where
driving and driven shafts are rotated together
while checking alignment.
The quick check is useful for indicating
improper procedures such as: sagging
indicator brackets, dial indicator finger riding
on flywheel chamfer, or indicator not properly
positioned causing indicator to run out of
travel.
+7
"B + D = C"
C
-3 + 10 = +7
Figure 37.
Crankshaft Deflection Test
Caterpillar G3500 and G3600 Spark Ignited
Gas Engines mounted on bases not supplied
by Caterpillar required a crankshaft deflection
test.
This test can be performed on all Caterpillar
Engines equipped with crankcase inspection
doors to assure the engine block is not unduly
stressed. Perform the test under cold engine
conditions before startup.
Remove an inspection door from the block to
expose the center crankshaft throw. Rotate the

27
 crankshaft in the normal rotation direction.
When the cheeks of the center throw past the
connecting rods, install a Starrett No. 696
distortion dial indicator, or similar tool, see
Figure 37. As a precaution, tie a string to the
gauge and secure it outside the engine to
facilitate retrieval should the assembly fall
into the oil pan. Zero the dial indicator’s
rotating bezel. Properly seat the indicator
rotating it on its own axis until it will hold a
zero reading. Then rotate the crankshaft in
the normal direction until the indicator
reading at bottom (plus or minus 45 degrees)
is within a range of plus 0.03 mm (0.001 in.) to
minus 0.015 mm (0.0005 in.) for the G3500.

Rotate the crankshaft back to its original

position. The indicator must return to it’s
original reading of zero to make a valid test. If
not, the indicator shaft points were not Figure 38.
properly seated and the test procedure must
be repeated. If the gauge reads more than
stated above, cylinder block distortion has Bearing Clearances
occurred due to improper mounting. Loosen The generator rotor shaft and engine
hold-down bolts between engine rails and crankshaft rotate in the center of their
mounting blocks. Remeasure all shims and respective bearings, so their centerlines
adjust as necessary. Repeat distortion check should coincide. Alignment is made under
procedure. static conditions while the crankshaft is in the
bottom of its bearings. This is not its position
during operation. Firing pressures, centrifugal
forces, and engine oil pressure all tend to lift
Alignment of Two-Bearing the crankshaft and cause the flywheel to orbit
Generators around its true center, Figure 39.
Factors Affecting Alignment
The input shaft of remote-mounted equipment
is always positioned higher than the engine
crankshaft. This compensates for vertical
thermal growth, flywheel sag, and main
bearing oil film lift on the crankshaft. These
factors cause the relative positions of the
crankshaft and load input shaft to shift
between static and running conditions.

Figure 39.

Generally, driven equipment will have ball or

roller bearings which do not change their
rotational axis between static and running
conditions.

28
Flywheel Sag
With the engine not running, the flywheel
causes the crankshaft to bend. The weight of
the coupling increases the bending. This
results in the checking surface (pilot bore or
outside flywheel diameter) rotating below
centerline of the crankshaft bearings. For this
reason, Caterpillar recommends alignment
checks be performed with the coupling in
place, see Figure 40.

Thermal Growth
As engine and generator reach operating
temperatures, expansion or thermal growth
will occur. This growth occurs in all
directions.

Vertical growth occurs between component

mounting feet and their respective centerlines
of rotation. This thermal growth depends on
the type of metals used, the temperature rise
that occurs, and vertical distance from the
center of rotation to the mounting feet, see
Figure 41.

Crankshaft horizontal growth occurs at the

opposite end of the engine from the thrust
bearing. This growth has to be planned for
when driven equipment is connected to that
end of the engine. The growth is slight if the Figure 40.
driven equipment is bolted to the engine
block, since the block and crankshaft grow at
approximately the same rate, see Figure 42.

Figure 41.

29
 Figure 42.
Horizontal compensation consists of using a
coupling allowing sufficient relative
movement between driving and driven
members. The equipment must be positioned
so the horizontal growth moves into the
coupling operating zone, not away from it.
Failure to do so results in excessive
crankshaft thrust bearing loading and/or
coupling failure. Sufficient clearance has been
allowed if it is determined during a hot
alignment check that the crankshaft still has
end clearance. Location of thrust bearings on
G3400 and G3500 Family of Engines is at the
center of the crankshaft. It is at the rear of the
crankshaft on other engines.
30
Positioning Engines
With front crankshaft drives, indicator
readings may appear to show the driven shaft
is lower than the engine. This occurs because
the dial indicator is mounted on the driven
shaft instead of the engine, reversing the
indicator reference point due to the coupling
configurations, see Figure 43.
The alignment centerline offset valves are
shown in Figure 43. Further information can
be found in Special Instructions SEHS 7073.
 Indicator Reading Flywheel End Indicator Reading Front End
G3300 0.38 ± 0.05 mm (+0.015 ± 0.002 in.) 0.46 ± 0.05 mm (-0.018 ± 0.002 in.)
G3400 0.38 ± 0.05 mm (+0.015 ± 0.002 in.) 0.46 ± 0.05 mm (-0.018 ± 0.002 in.)
G3500 0.38 ± 0.05 mm (+0.015 + 0.002 in.) 0.46 ± 0.05 mm (-0.018 ± 0.002 in.)

Figure 43.

Cat Viscous Dampened Coupling

Caterpillar couplings use an internal gear
design with a rubber element between the
gears. Silicone grease aids in the dampening
characteristics.

Clearances involved in internal gear design

allow accurate alignment measurement to be
made without removing the rubber element,
see Figure 44.

The coupling for front-driven equipment is

similar to the rear-drive coupling illustrated
here. On front drives, the driven element,
Figure 44 is supported on the engine
crankshaft as it does not weigh as much as
the driving element.
Figure 44.

31
 Alignment Procedures
Perform final alignment after all major
equipment has been installed on the base.
Engines should be filled with oil and water
and ready to operate. The temperature of the
engine and driven equipment must be
equalized.
Complete step-by-step alignment procedures
are described in Caterpillar Service Special
Instruction, Form No. SEHS7073, Alignment
of Two Bearing Generators or SEHS7654,
Alignment-General Instructions.
Place driven equipment in its final position as
closely as possible without taking indicator
readings. There should be a minimum of
0.76 mm (.030 in.) and a maximum of 1.5 mm
(.060 in.) of shims under each mounting
surface of the driven equipment.
Position driven equipment, using the leveling
and alignment screws, see Figure 45.
Figure 45.
For cold alignment, the generator is mounted
higher than the engine to compensate for
thermal growth, bearing clearances, and
flywheel droop, see Figure 43.
32
Cat Viscous Damped Coupling
When using the Caterpillar viscous damped
coupling, the rubber elements should be
installed at this time. Install the coupling
grease retainer plate. Do not install the
silicone grease at this time.
Shift generator fore and aft as necessary to
assure the inner member of the coupling is
properly positioned between the rear
retaining plate of the coupling and engine
flywheel to allow for horizontal growth.
Failure to do so can result in excessive
crankshaft thrust bearing loading and/or
coupling failure.
Using a flexible steel scale or depth gauge,
measure coupling end clearance to check that
horizontal thermal growth will not cause
metal-to-metal contact within the coupling,
Figure 46. Measure distance (axial clearance
dimension) from the outer face of inner
coupling member to the outer face of grease
retainer plate. The distance should be
8.64 ± 0.76 mm (0.34 ± 0.03 in.) for front
drives 10.41 ± 0.76 mm (0.41 ± 0.03 in.) for
rear drive (fly-wheel mounted couplings).
Other Couplings
Flexible element of other couplings may need
to be removed during alignment checks.
Element stiffness can prevent accurate
alignment readings.
With coupling element removed, driving and
driven members of the coupling should be
rotated together during alignment checks.
This prevents face or bore runout of piece
parts from affecting dial indicator readings.
When both members are rotated together,
only equipment misalignment will register on
dial indicator readings.
Figure 46.

Figure 47.

33
 Two Bearing Alignment – “Base-within-a-Base” Type

Figure 48.

Two Bearing Alignment – 534 mm (21 in.) Base Type

Figure 49.

Final Alignment readings every 90 degrees (1.5 radius). Rotate

Use indicator support brackets to mount two
dial indicators to simultaneously measure
bore and face misalignment. See Figure 47 for
proper format to record alignment readings.
Be sure crankshaft end thrust is always in the
same direction before taking a face reading.
Zero both dial indicators at the top and take
the complete assembly by barring engine
over.
Figures 48 and 49 illustrates the method to be
used, provides instructions to be followed,
and lists alignment limits for various
generator drive arrangements.

34
When the generator is moved to correct face
alignment, it will be necessary to recheck
bore alignment and vice versa.

When the engine drives more than one

generator, recheck alignment of each
generator after all generators have been
aligned.

For instructions on installation of shims and

mounting bolts on the engine, refer to the
Engine Mounting Section.

After completion of the final shimming and

bolting operation, recheck coupling
alignment.

Check crankshaft end play after unit is up to Figure 50.

operating temperature. It should be at least
0.13 mm (0.005 in.).
Realignment Limits
Realignment is not required until field check
limits are reached. When these limits are
reached, realign units to limits shown in
previous paragraphs.
Alignment of Close-Coupled
Driven Equipment
Close coupled components, such as single-
bearing generators, transmissions,
compounds, etc., rely on bolting together of
two piloted housings to determine alignment.
When two piloted housings are joined
together in a parallel manner, they are in
alignment. However, outside stresses can be
introduced by poor mounting practices and
allow the flywheel housing to flex. This can
contribute to high vibration.
To check for outside stresses, loosen the
mounting bolts between the driven equipment
and engine flywheel housing. There should be
no contact between flywheel housing and
driven equipment housing at this time to
assure neither housing is being stressed.
Clearance between the two separated faces
should be parallel within 0.13 mm (0.005 in.).
See Figure 50. Oil field generators are extra
heavy and may distort the flywheel housing
when it is not parallel to engine.
To avoid this, make sure there is a minimum
0.13 mm (0.005 in.) gap for the full 360°
(6 radius) when making this parallelism
check.
A dial indicator mounted between flywheel
and generator rotor is sometimes used to
check alignment. However, after the
generator housing is piloted into and bolted to
the flywheel housing, alignment is not
checked by the dial indicator method.
When the dial indicator method produces
results in conflict with the parallelism check
of the two housings, see Figure 50, such
conflict indicates the rear bearing of the
driven equipment is not centered in relation
to the engine, and is subject to generator
manufacturer's accepted tolerances, flywheel
housing nominal runout, and flywheel droop.
Do not shim generator mounting feet after the
generator housing is bolted to the flywheel
housing. Such practices stress both the
generator housing and flywheel housing and
can cause vibrations.

35
 It is not necessary to make this check on
smaller Caterpillar Generator Sets where the
engine does not have rear mounting feet but
relies on the generator set support. However,
this check is necessary on smaller Caterpillar
Engines where the driven equipment is also
rigidly connected to another piece of
equipment. A common example of this would
be a mechanical drive where the clutch
mechanism is bolted to the compound. Poor
mounting practices with this arrangement can
cause excessive stresses in the flywheel
housing.
Single bearing generators are recommended
to have a pilot shaft extension and loose fitting
flex plates, or no pilot shaft extension with
piloted plates. This aids in maintaining proper
alignment.
If vibration is noted at assembly of a
generator having coupling plates piloted into
the flywheel, correction can often be made by
repositioning coupling plates 1/4 turn with
respect to the original location. Start the unit
and observe the change in vibration. A
second or third relocation may be necessary
to find the position of lowest vibration. Locate
plates at point of lowest vibration. This
procedure allows manufacturing tolerances to
attempt to cancel each other.
Before bolting coupling plates onto the
flywheel, always rotate engine to the same
position (i.e., No. 1 TDC). Tighten half the
bolts while the flywheel is in this position.
Then rotate as necessary to tighten other
bolts. This procedure assures that any sag in
the crankshaft is always at the same position
when the plates are fastened to the flywheel.
36
Crankshaft End Play
Before taking indicator readings during the
alignment procedure, always move the engine
crankshaft to the end of its end play toward
the front of the engine, and the generator
shaft to the end of its end play toward the
engine. Do not use force against the
crankshaft or generator shaft while taking the
indicator readings. After installation and
alignment of the generator, the crankshaft
end play must not be less then before the
installation of the generator.
Alignment of Mechanical Drives
Improper alignment will result in excessive
vibration, short life of compound bearings and
clutch parts, and a need for frequent
realignment. Good alignment practices
include proper shimming, correct torque on
hold-down bolts, and accurate dial indicator
usage. See the section on General Alignment
Information for additional information.
Alignment Procedures
Perform final alignment after all major
equipment has been installed on the base.
Engines should be filled with oil and water
and ready to operate.
Remote mounted gear drive units must be
supported by the same base or rails as the
engine. (See Figure 51.) These units are not
fastened to the engine except through a
driveshaft and flexible coupling. To install
these units, the gear drive must first be
aligned with the equipment that is driving;
and then the engine must be aligned with the
gear drive unit.
Alignment between the gear drive unit and it’s
driven equipment is usually line-to-line
alignment. The centerline of the gear drive
output shaft is in line with the centerline of
the input shaft of the driven equipment.
Depending upon the application, it may be
necessary to use a flexible coupling between
the gear drive unit and the driven equipment.
Alignment between the gear drive unit and
the engine is always an “offset” alignment.
The centerline of the engine crankshaft is
positioned below the centerline of the gear
drive input shaft. This compensates for the
Figure 51.

thermal growth of the engine, flywheel sag After the gear drive unit is aligned mounted,
and main bearing clearance during cold align the engine with the gear drive unit. Use
dial indicators fastened to the input shaft of
alignment. With this vertical “offset” in the the gear drive unit to check for correct bore
cold condition, the crankshaft and gear drive and face alignment with the engine.
input shaft will be incorrect alignment at
operating temperature. Because of this
“offset” alignment, the coupling between the
engine and gear drive unit must be a flexible
coupling.

Use shims as necessary between the

mounting pads of the gear drive unit and the
base to put the gear drive unit in alignment
with the driven equipment. There must be
solid contact between the mounting pads and
the base at all locations without the anchor
bolts installed. If all mounting pads are not
solidly supported, distortion of the gear drive
unit may result when the anchor bolts are
tightened.

Install a ground body bolt (fitted bolt) at the

rear of the engine right rail to direct
horizontal thermal growth of the engine away
from the coupling. Use clearance type bolts at
all other mounting locations.

The allowable misalignment between the

output shaft of the gear drive unit and the
input shaft of the driven equipment must be
within the coupling manufacturer’s tolerances.

37
 When aligning the engine to the gear drive
unit, the coupling misalignment limits must
not exceed the limits established for a
Caterpillar viscous damped coupling. See
Special Instruction Form SEHS7073,
“ALIGNMENT OF TWO BEARING
GENERATORS” for specifications on the
Caterpillar viscous damped coupling.

Check crankshaft end play before and after

alignment with the gear drive unit, and again
with the units at operating temperature.
There must be no reduction in end play after
alignment of the engine or at operating
temperature.

After the engine is in correct alignment with

the gear drive unit, install shims as necessary
between the engine rails and base to maintain
this alignment. There must be solid contact
between the rails and base at all mounting
locations before installation of the anchor
bolts. If there is not solid contact, the engine
cylinder block can be stressed when the
Figure 52.
anchor bolts are tightened. Use a fitted bolt at
the right rear corner between the rail and the
base. Use clearance bolts at all other The dial indicator reading will include an
locations. error due to runout of clutch or flywheel
parts. Where excessive runout is suspected,
When clutches are used that contain air check and correct as required.
bladders, pay careful attention to air pressure;
the allowable amount of misalignment goes Drive Shafts
down as air pressure increases. Alignment Some drives, such as U-joint couplings, have
limits must not exceed limits established for a different operating angle limits for different
Caterpillar viscous dampened coupling or for speeds.
the clutch, whichever is smaller, Reference
SEHS7654. As a general rule, the angle should be the
same on each end of the shaft, see Figure 53.
Clutches are to be disengaged when Yokes must be properly aligned and sliding
alignment is checked, see Figure 52. Rotate spline connections should move freely. If
clutch slowly through 360° (6 radius) and there is no angle at all, bearings will brinell
check total indicator reading at 90° due to lack of movement.
(1.5 radius) intervals. Shim engine, as
required, to achieve correct alignment, see
Figure 28.

Figure 53.

38
 Materials and specifications are
subject to change without notice.

© 1997 Caterpillar Inc.

Printed in U.S.A.