I'v got a case 450 crawler loader I purchased from a man a little ways back. Nice machine, completely ran through. Had new sprockets and "newer tracks" but the thing is he put dozer tracks on it. Pads, outer bushings are in "excellent shape" but she is stretched as far as she'll go. Could the dozer tracks he put on be longer to begin with ? Rails, bushing's, pad's look almost brand new but iv got her pumped out as far as she'll go and still loose, jumped twice on me this week grading on a small hillside.. any opinions, experience with cost labor of new pins and bushings or whole new idea is appreciated in advance, not sure what move to make... If pins an bushings would like to do myself, on a tight budget, thoughts ?!?
From what I see it should be 36 link chain for a 450 dozer can't find 450 loader in my book, was it 450 dozer ? That being said if the pins and bushings look good it's possible the track is to long. Try grasping each side of a pad and pull up and down to see if there is internal wear or use a pry bar between pads. Also I'm not sure on a case (I don't think they have this option ) but on a caterpillar you can move the position the track idler is at to shorten stroke of adjuster. If you could post some pics of rails up close it would help, but need to count links. As far as replacing pins and bushings it just is not cost effective vs New rails, and it's not something anybody can do takes special tools, just don't think you want to go down that road. Understand tight on the money, another thought, I've had customers in the same boat and just take a link out to buy time kinda depends how much you use machine, cause you don't want worn rails tearing up the good remaining undercarriage parts. Mike
I'm determined do do whatever I can.. I'm using her to clear off some property we just bought this week, trees, bushes, a couple of old building and do a little grade word and I used her everyday logging, loading logs an skidding some I cant get with my farmtrac 795 4x4... Whats the best procedure to to remove a link ? is a press needed to get out one of the standerd pins ? Always used a sledge and steel bar stock to get the masters out but never tried on a standered track pin.. I'm grabing some lights an my cam and im headed that way now, have some pics up in fifteen minutes, thanks for your help.
If you need to remove a link it sucks without a press but if tracks are worn it can be done without. I had before I had press, going back together I would get the holes lined up ready and place the pin in some dry ice for couple hrs and go for and don't stop till she's in. I'm not on your machine but it should have a master pin that's where you should remove your link, when removing link the hot wrench works good. Also before you do this loosen track and I always put a pin or something in sprocket between rail and back up machine this will force adjuster all the way back for project you'll need all slack you can get, I'll look for pics, Mike
just a picture to try show what I'm talking about where to place pin after track adjuster is loosened, then with a pin or something you use machine to force track adjuster back. Mike
Posted two pictures by accident.
I was able to snap 5 pics, in the dark lol. But it is a 36 pin....
Pictures a little hard to tell with mud and all but it does look like bushings are like new and not really any wear on top of rails, I wonder what brand those rails are cause there are some out there that I've seen that just don't last internally pins and bushings, do the pry bar test and link count I'll try to find link count for case 450 loader, Mike
35 links and 36 pins... I'm no undercarriage wear expert by any means but I assumed the link height was decent and all the bushings dont seem to have much wear at all, almost none but minimal (even) surface wear. Would I benefit from taking a link out? would I be able to get more hours out of her with her link height and bushings been somewhat decent ? And i Believe the sprockets are berco, but the tracks had come off of a dozer so I'm not sure what manufacture..
Ok, here's what I've found I can't find 450 track loader but found a 455c loader probably darn close it has a 36 link chain 6 inch pitch, link height 101.6mm and a case 450a dozer takes a 36 link chain 6 inch pitch, link height of 88.9 mm now I'm not very good on mm but that's going add up when multiplying x 36 . I can find out for sure from my supplier Thursday but I think this is your problem, but the link removal is what you're gonna want to do vs spending, Mike
88.9 is exactly 3.5 inch's which would seem about the height im lookin at, will measure in the mourning along with pitch and do prybar test... I may have misscounted a by a link, i was to say there is saposed to be 36 links on the 72 450 models. but if i remember right i did some reading that the link pitch went from 5.** something to 6 inch somewhere in the 1970's area, I'm starting to think he put 450 dozer tracks and sprockets off a later model machine on my 72, which would explain an over all longer chain and tracks.. add minimal internal wear and my adjusters are at they're max when my tracks are at 50% or so, i dunno.. just thinks of possibility's... thanks again for your help and I'll get back with you with the info (measurements) and test result Kyle
Ten four, have a happy New Year
k, well.. I"v done a little research and called around and did some pricing as well. Turns out I can get a set of BERCO chains, bolts and nuts delivered to my shop for $1634.89. I believe I'd just be better off buying the new chains. For some reason, I could not find any info or pricing for replacing pins and bushings ?!? No one I called could even tell me who does. So I have decided to take a link out of my current chains, run them untill they're shot or as long as i can without damaging any other undercarriage parts and replace with new BERCO. Nelsonequip, you said drive the pins out with a sledge and a punch made of drill steel and handle, but can this be done on a standered pin?!? everyone is tellin me to do so on the master , but it will never happen with a standered pin. Is this true ?
Regular pin should work, be careful with hard pins they can chip and shoot bullets. Yes you need to find master pin first then take a link out and at that point the regular pin will be harder to remove but you don't necessarily need to be careful with that pin or link just don't damage the link your using the one with the (bushing) a little heat won't hurt around the link where pin is, give me a call 913 731 1180 Mike Also helps to freeze pin when going back
I read your post again...sorry I've been busy and speed read, yes that is true the regular pin will be harder to remove like I said before you can cut, heat what ever you need to do because your removing pin to shorten it doesn't have to be pretty, if you understand what I'm saying ? Mike