I just bought this machine and the UC is really bad. 1973 977L ser.#11K05251. Pins turned, probably a link taken out. Roller flanges pushing metal down pin bosses. Bushings are not worn through. They put new sprocket segments on. I want to use it on my land to carve out a limestone hillside next to the house to put up an out building. I was looking for the big breakout force of the 977 to peel up the layers of stone. If I lose at track it should be on level ground or close to it. Possibly when I retire in say 5 years I would love to fix it up and hire out to do fence row or land clearing. I got hooked on track loaders 12 years ago when I bought a 1959 Int. TD 15 16 ton. I put the road in through the woods and built a pond. I have it yet. I also picked up a JD 450c 8 ton that I built a quick attach for. I cleared allot of trees off the hillside with something like a 4' wide 5' long forks that have a 1" thk. 4' wide cutting edge welded out front. Dive down about 6' 8' from tree cut roots. back up, pushover. Come in from side of root ball dive under cut roots, pickup arms root ball falls in center drag out. Move to center of tree pick up like fork lift carry away. What do you guys think? How much harm would be done running it till I'm done or the chain brakes. Should I grind down the pin bosses where the roller flange hits. Is there a way to move it back to my shop (300') after breaking a chain.
Your rails measured 4.96" (5.0") when new. 4.48" (4.50") is 100% worn out. If you're not working any side hills, don't run her like you're racing a slalom, and watch your track adjustment, you shouldn't throw a track. I don't forsee you breaking a track. The rails are deep in the rollers (from your description of the pin bosses) and your tracks don't look loose. I don't think you're going to throw a track cutting a pad. You had me going there for a minute looking at your segments until I read they were new. The only way to determine the wear on your undercarriage is to measure it up. I don't know how many links it's supposed to have; figure out first if its missing any links before you make that assumption. From there you can measure wear in the chains; stretch the chain and measure the distance across 5 pins and 4 links from center of pin to center of pin. Your chain should measure 34" when new. 34.92" (35") is 100% worn out. You can stretch the chain with a piece of round stock. Place it between the segment and chain at 10 o'clock and back up slowly. The round stock will lift the chain and stretch the track when you back up. That machine looks pretty nice from here. She doesn't look like a demolition machine. More pictures of you undercarriage would be a big help. Your problem may be rollers more than anything else. You can trim the roller flanges but that's a lot of work. If you're going to replace the undercarriage in 500 to 1000 hours your best bet is to run it and watch your track adjustment. If you post up more pictures of your undercarriage and swing frames you won't be short on advice here.
Thanks for the measurement numbers. It is supposed to be delivered this week maybe next. Then I can measure it and post some more pictures of the UC. My big worry was breaking the track. It maybe the original rail (chain). I'll look for some markings. Thanks again. I feel better about running as is. I really don't want to spend the money now to fix it right. It won't be leaving my place for now so if I had to I could let it sit.
From what I can see its not going to break. Even if its 100% worn out it will still do what you want. Its when you get to 200% that things get dicey.
you can trim off the roller flanges to stop them running hard on the pin bosses i would hazard a guess that they have had a link taken out looking at the front idler keep a good eye on adjustment and it should do your job
If they they are not too hard to take off I could chuck them in a lathe to cut them down. I was wondering if it would be a rough ride hitting all those pin bosses. Taking out the limestone will be like driving on cement. Thanks for the help!
Rollers have a way of leaving broken bolts in the swing frame. I don't think you will have much luck turning them down in a lathe. Torch or plasma wrench is a better choice. You may have a track guy who welds rollers in your area. Another option instead of cutting them down. Something to think about after you get it home and test drive it on the rock. Your teeth will probably be chattering so much you won't hear the tracks.
I do have a welding buddy who is coming out to fix a crack in the clam part of the bucket. He is an artist with a touch but trimming the rollers or welding in place seems a big challenge. He did welding for a big construction firm, and he could do it if it didn't take too long. The rock is pretty smooth but if it really is bouncing off the pin bosses it maybe worth some time. Thanks again for your thoughts!
The rollers need to come off for pruning or welding. It would be a nightmare to weld them in place; a bit less to cut them. A track shop would weld them around the circumference. CAT has a procedure to weld them perpendicular to the flange but it takes a lot of time. I hope all this useless info I'm giving you is a help and not a hindrance. I'm betting you won't need to do anything to the rollers after delivery and your time will be better spent laying out your pad.
Pruning thats fitting. I'll check to see how it feels. If there is a track shop around here, they would probably have a machine that does the welding. It sure would be allot of work taking them off.
Well she made it home this afternoon, well almost, 2 more fences to cross. The really no rust thing is something. Looks 5 years old not forty. I backed it up the hill from my neighbors. Quick start then when the hill got to a steep hill all of a sudden black smoke. Stopped and throttled back smoke gone, went back and paid the driver for the haul, and left it at idle, went the rest of the way 3/4 throttle no problem. Oil pressure gauge does not work, or I am really into it because there is none. But the exhaust is really clear. When the smoke happened it was like somebody dumped oil on a fire. Weird.
Talking to a couple guys today stuck injector sounds right to explain Black smoke. The thing is a brutt I had to shove a pile of rocks over to get to the driveway couldn't even feel like she was doing anything. Only smoke is ramping the throttle up hard. Pretty busy this week I'll take some measurements and pictures for next time.
I agree with everybody else that you probably not going to break a chain. I have seen them run worse than that and the only thing I ever saw break a track was an almost new fire dozer. To answer your question about moving with a broken track, I chained that one back together w/ some regular 3/8 chain and drove it 1/4 mile and back onto the truck.
Pretty slick chaining the track back together to get home. What would a guy do, torch holes in the tack pads to bind them together?
I can't remember exactly how I did it now. I probably just wrapped the chain through the track chain and let it ride over the sprocket. I know I didn't have a torch or any big tools to remove pad bolts. This thing was 1/4 mile into swamp so wet you could hardly walk to it. You have to realize this was in the early '90s, and you are talking to a guy who has no idea what he did last week. :beatsme
Well you must be good in a pinch. Being able to make do with what you have is a great skill to have.
That's me. If you give me the right stuff to do the job it gives me to many choices and I'm helpless.
Thanks everyone for the help. Track height is 4 1/8 chain stretch is 35.25 long. I also found some bushings worn through to pins. Its a berco rail. The track pads are like new. I wounder if I could get a decent used rail from a salvage yard. I want to block it up to check out the rollers to see if they wobble, or are worn badly.
Each roller should have a threaded plug in the shaft. Pull the plug; either there is oil inside or its dry. If dry, add 90wt oil. If it holds oil your roller is still operational. If it seeps, replace the oil with track lube; 00 grease. If it still leaks but is not wollered out, lube it daily and keep moving rock. Your pins and bushings are 125% worn out. They will work for a while but the danger now is its easier to throw a track. If a link has been removed, you can still adjust your chains and you won't be throwing a track. Don't worry, you have enough chain to complete your job. If your rollers are pristine and segments new, then you should consider replacing the chains; I don't think that's going to be an option. Your chains are 180% worn out but they still won't break. You have life enough for the job ahead. If none of the rollers are wollered out, service it and start moving rock.
Thanks Check! I still have allot of things to do before I get started. This track lube grease, where do I buy it.
It has all sorts of names depending upon the region you live in. Track Roll; Corn Head. Try to locate it by the 00wt designation. That is the weight of the grease. Hopefully the rollers are still sealed and 90wt is all you need, if anything. Don't waste your time looking for grease until you pull the plugs and fill the rollers as needed. I don't think the previous owner would have installed new segments if the rollers were shot; makes sense to me but then you have to consider the source.
I have heard someone say Corn Head grease. I believe he said the name comes from its use in equipment for corn harvest or planting. I like your thoughts on putting oil in the rollers. If they are wobbly the seal would be shot and the oil would leak. If you put the grease in, it would mix with the oil and be too thick to leak out. I really would like to just do what I need to get the job done and fix the tracks latter.