Had a chat with the John Deere sales droid. When (not if) it derails, it's the big old metal bar, reinstall the track, then pump it back up full of grease method. BTDT too many times. In deep mud, derailing happens. Are there any new excavators that offer power retraction of the tensioners, or something similar, to make it easier to fix a derail? Just hoping...
If you mean throwing a track then all the small to mid size excavators use nearly the same set up. A while back the big Komatsu excavators used an accumulator instead of a recoil spring. You opened the right valves in the car body and the idler would go back in the track frame. When you wanted the track back out you opened one valve and closed another then ran an implement over relief which would pressurize the oil side of the accumulator and the idler would be back out again. Close the valve and it would hopefully stay there.
RHD, make sure your machine has a thumb (manual or hydraulic). It will help when you go to grab a log to help guide the track onto the idler. I've thrown a track twice. Second time was easy to get back on and it involved a chainsaw and some logs..There's a youtube video showing the procedure..I will look for it to post later..
Sprocket's in the rear & idlers in the front on travel when in rough conditions . Track rail stays tight on the bottom rollers that way . " Rock guards " sure help keeping everything in place .
Wow, years of using compact excavators and I never thought about that. I completely disregarded which way the tracks were oriented, and thew a track in deep mud that had rocks in it. It makes perfect sense. Keeping the track tight on the bottom rail, like you say, keeps the track on there. Neat idea, thank you.
Rhd..key words in your last comment..deep mud and rock..gets taken up over the idler usually and will throw a well adjusted track..When tracking in conditions like that you got to stop occasionally, position boom and lift the track completely off ground. Then operate that track in the air and enough will clear out..Things I didnt do the I last time I derailed lol..
I see you don't cross chain on track pads either. I absolutely will not do that after nearly jacking the track off the idler on my old 9030 Case. Weld eyes all the way for me now.
What kind of excavator is in that last photo? I can't remember ever seeing one with an open top idler pocket that looks like a dozer track frame.
HYHOE .
How old is that machine and are they made anymore?
Disregard the red circle around the idler stiffener. Track guides aka bear paws do wonders, usually just a chunk of heavy 6" channel welded to the top of the track frames on either side of the idlers.
My rig is a 1978 model . Ex Military machine , has a tier # something engine in it . HeavyEquipmentForums I want to say they quit building them in the mid to late 1980's .
I'm the same way RZ . Like a solid hook point to chain to . That way I can mash the throttle & not be looking back in the mirror on the trip .