Cat 304E Track Noise

[Steve Frazier]

I've got a 2 year old Cat 304E at work that until recently has not been used in loose soil. The past couple weeks I've been working in sand and loose fill and when moving the machine and turning I hear a bang now and then coming from the track drive sprocket area that shakes the whole machine. I'm guessing the noise is dirt in between the sprocket and rubber track. The track has slots cut in it so dirt can be squeezed out when passing by the sprocket but I suspect the dirt is causing the sprocket to jump a cog from time to time.

I don't have a lot of experience on tracked equipment but I can't imagine what I'm hearing is a good thing. I've got the track tensioners pumped up with grease so they aren't loose. Is there a special way I should be turning in loose material to prevent this from happening?

 

[skadill]

Have had this on full size excavator before, it was broken track tension spring that would compress under load and snap back after, making a load noise, and felt like a bang in the machine. Just an idea. Maybe take bucket and press on the front idler on each track, see if one is noticeably weaker than the other and pushes back in with the bucket

 

[Clguest]

I have had pea gravel do something similar when turning sharply on a Bobcat E35. Solution was to only make gradual turns so as to not scoop up the pea gravel on to the track.

 

[uffex]

Good day
Checkout the lube level of the transmissions maybe an idea to drain a little to see if any witness parts come out, better catch it early than wait for disaster.
Kind regards
Uffex

 

[John C.]

I suppose your machine is steel track? That can happen when the tracks are too tight. Supposed to be some sag between the top roller and the front idler.