Usage:
The 5P9718 (178 mm, 7" diameter) and 6V186 (127 mm, 5" diameter) Disc Pads used during gasket removal, are now made with an improved Velcro.
Velcro is the special cloth-type material that holds the 6V185 and 5P9709 Discs to the 6V186 and 5P9718 Disc Pads, respectively. Velcro permits fast disc changes because the user just pulls one disc off the disc pad, puts the new disc on and uses pressure to make the Velcro grip.
The improved Velcro holds better than the former Velcro. Use of the improved Velcro will prevent the discs from being thrown from the disc pads.
Follow these steps for gasket removal:
1. Put the parts to be cleaned in a hot tank, and use a putty knife to remove the large, loose pieces of gasket material. Before the remainder of the gasket material on the part gets dry, use the discs and disc pads to clean the surface. The solution in the gasket material keeps the gasket soft and keeps the amount of dust to a minimum.
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Most of the gaskets contain asbestos. When dry asbestos gasket material is ground, asbestos fibers are launched into the air, in excess of the acceptable exposure limits of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards as of July 1, 1976.
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However, if the gasket material is wet, actual tests in a dealer facility have shown the amount of asbestos fibers in the air to be within the OSHA standards of July 1, 1976.
If for any reason you are not sure of the compliance of your facility to federal (OSHA), state and local regulations, a qualified industrial hygienist should be consulted and air sampling performed.
2. With the improved Velcro, it is not necessary to use an air-power polisher instead of the larger air-power grinders, as in earlier Caterpillar recommendations. Air-power polishers are lighter and easier to use than the air-power grinders. Either tool can be used, but be sure it operates at 3500-4500 rpm.
3. Keep the discs flat against the surface to be cleaned. Use no force; the weight of the air-power tool is enough to do the work.
See the August 8, 1979 Engine News article, "New Tools Available For Gasket Removal And Surface Reconditioning".