Track Installation for Dummies

[Countryboy]

Welcome to HEF soiled undies! :drinkup

 

[gussy197]

I have not thrown mine yet but this thread will help in the future. I am wondering why my track keeps loosening up. I have a Komatsu PC45-1. I have greased the fitting and it tightens up but when you wait five minutes it sags again. The thing I don't understand is that there is no grease showing up anywhere indicating a leak of any sort. Any ideas?

 

[Twisted]

Hose change

Hey Soiled, get the new hose and a coupler. Fasten the new one to the old one & pull on the old one. That will bring the new hose on the same route. The only hang-up will be any hangers or narrow passages to go threw. Hope this helps.

 

[freedom digger]

If your track loosens up you definately have a grease leak.It may not show up at the fitting.It is leaking out of the seal at end of the adjuster ram.
An older Cat I ran had the same problem.Couldn't see the grease until we pulled it out.:usa

 

[bobcat ron]

I've put at least 3 tacks on with my Dad on the PC-60's by using a chain hooked on the pad and pulling with the bucket as you walk the excavator along, get the track on the rollers first and inch it along keeping tight tension on the chain would eventually ease the rail up and over the sprocket or idler.
We never had to release the grease tensioner, only if the track was tight too begin with, usually took us 30 minutes to re-rail the track.

And FYI, it's highly recommended to travel with the idlers in the rear as you travel, if the sprockets are behind you and you turn with loose tracks, if one tooth crosses over, you're screwed, this is assuming you have some type of track guide in front of the idlers.

 

[RobVG]

I would have thought this thread would be a little longer than it is.

As a mechanic, I hate to get a call to put on tracks because it's the opperator that is supposed to keep them adjusted. That said, I have a lot of respect for some of the ways the guy's come up with for putting them on. And I'ts usually a group effort with everyone seeing a different part of the problem.

Like everyone has mentioned before, relieve the preasure and push the idler back in. Start with the sprocket. Once on the sprocket, put a chain on the outside of the track behind the idler and chain to your bucket. Track forward slowly and pull forward and in (crowd out and swing in) with your bucket as you track slowly forward. Having two guys with digging bars to pry it over the idler helps a lot.

Our rock crews get to cheat a little bit. Instead of using a chain, grab the track in your grapple and pull it on....

 

[rockmuncher]

Couple of hints

Just a couple of tips from my experience,

-Get the bottom of the track in place first(inside the guides, etc) and then on the sprocket(if its off the sprocket)

-Slowly work in onto the idler, don't rush it because it will most probably just fall back off

-If you can suck some mates/colleagues into helping

-If its a bigger machine, another machine will always make life a lot easier

Shane

 

[cosmo]

sometimes you can put sticks of wood in between the sprocket and the track and roll it back on.

 

[watglen]

This is a great thread, i have a question. When operating my excavator, i find the track on the high side drops out of mesh with the rollers/guides when i cast way over the side. I know this because when i swing back to start the next pass, there is a tremendous clunk as the machine drops back into the track.

How worried should i be about this, and will is cause problems in the future. I have checked the track tension, and it is exactly as it should be in the manual.

Thoughts?

 

[maple flats]

It's a much smaller class but I removed a track to do idler and roller repair on my Mitsubishi MXR35 (4 ton) and had no problems. I picked the machine up, blade one end and dipper on the other and blocked it. Then I removed the entire zirk vent assembly and with the blocking holding the machine up I pushed the idler back. Grease shot out about 2 ft. Now I removed the track (rubber) which took about 30 minutes. Going back on took a little longer because the track kept hanging up in the weeds and I couldn't get it slid under easily. Once under and after pulling it over the idler I re installed the vent fitting and pumped grease in. The repairs needed to the idler and rollers was another story for a different thread.

 

[RobVG]

Thoughts?

The only thing I can think of is, when a track is worn out, you can lay them out flat and you can pull a pretty big curve in them to the side. You can see this on the machine too. I wonder if even under tension, the tracks are bowing beneath you?

 

[Drifter]

This is a great thread, i have a question. When operating my excavator, i find the track on the high side drops out of mesh with the rollers/guides when i cast way over the side. I know this because when i swing back to start the next pass, there is a tremendous clunk as the machine drops back into the track.

How worried should i be about this, and will is cause problems in the future. I have checked the track tension, and it is exactly as it should be in the manual.

Thoughts?

Sounds like your tracks are worn out or on there way.

 

[watglen]

I cant imagine the tracks are shot, the machine is 2200 hr 2007. Tracks show no signs of wear yet. Adjusters are still completely retracted.

Maybe they need to be tighter?

 

[RobVG]

Can you have someone else run the machine so you can get a closer look?

 

[watglen]

Can do....

 

[dirtdigger123]

Hey if your in the woods Beware of small stumps 2-4-6in some people cut these off near the top of the ground these will get a track every time. I always loosen the grease fitting nut and let grease out usually take bucket and push idler in easy till grease stops coming out this gives enough slack to put track on then tighten nut and regrease track tension

 

[Digger145]

I cant imagine the tracks are shot, the machine is 2200 hr 2007. Tracks show no signs of wear yet. Adjusters are still completely retracted.

Maybe they need to be tighter?

Maybe they do.
Not quite a thousand words, but here's a pic anyway.

 

[dirtdigger123]

What kind of terrain u got where ur at

 

[watglen]

Thanks, i'm going to check that out on my machine. I checked my manual again, it says i need 13" between the bottom of the track frame and the top of the grouser pad. This is with the track suspended of course. That is exactly where machine is set.

My soil type is nice mellow loam soil, no rocks. Worst thing i get into is mud.

Today, i got around to welding some rub rails on the side of the body. The trees are smashing the crap out of my beautiful volvo, plus an inexperienced operator (me!) doesn't help. By the time i'm done, It'll look like hell.

Anyway, i made some rub rails out of 6x3x1/4 wall tube, chamfered the ends, polished them, and painted them with colour matched paint. Welded them on each side, and touched it up. Looks great.

Then i straightened a few dents in the bodyside doors. Hope to keep that to a minimum from now on.

 

[Digger145]

Today, i got around to welding some rub rails on the side of the body. The trees are smashing the crap out of my beautiful volvo, plus an inexperienced operator (me!) doesn't help. By the time i'm done, It'll look like hell.

Anyway, i made some rub rails out of 6x3x1/4 wall tube, chamfered the ends, polished them, and painted them with colour matched paint. Welded them on each side, and touched it up. Looks great.

Then i straightened a few dents in the bodyside doors. Hope to keep that to a minimum from now on.

<insert> Mandatory "pics or it didn't happen" line