We've have had a mild winter here this year so after I got my new undercarriage on I been doin some pushing with my D5h LPG, very muddy. Givin that I have a whole new undercarriage besides pads I'm wondering if this mud freezing in the tracks at night is going to be hard on seals and stuff. I clean off the track frame good and try to get as much as I can off the chain and idlers. Just wondering what peoples thoughts are who have worked in these conditions? Tia
I used to use a hand spray pump using either kerosene or diesel to just mist over the undercarriage to prevent the mud from freezing.
Don't get caught doing that now, they'll throw the book at you
Got that right.I wonder how our wonderful alphabet soups of gooberment feel about vegetable oil or the like sprayed on our underbellies???? At least there wouldnt be any tell tale signs of rainbows left behind.
The weather up here looks like its going to warm up next week. If your from wi. you probably already know that you should have someone watch and make sure your bottom rollers are all turning. the top of the track you can see getting tight if everything starts building up inside. I'm going to wimp out and go to florida for a week.
ok so some guys are spraying kerosene or diesel just so they can get the machine moving in the morning? would vegetable oil work too? any other advice guys? thanks for the tips so far!
Is there an echo in the room? Yes to veggy oil,probably not a good idea any longer on petro products.You can also get a couple of concrete blankets and wrap the tracks.
Depending on how cold it is out, I'll clean it off shut down the machine and go back after a few hours once things get stiff and run the machine around again, that way the mud has set up some in the pins and rollers and before its frozen hard, by running it, you get it to limber up some, then reclean the track and that should help out in the morning. I'll also run the machines up on tires at night to prevent it from freezing to the ground at night. Its not great on the undercarriage, but not the worst either, just make sure everything turns in the morning and nothings frozen too hard, let it limber up slowly before pouring the coals to it in the morning and you should be fine.
We also drive up on tires to keep from freezing to the ground. Also a good cleaning and a lite diesel coating will keep a track from freezing solid. If you have trouble even after cleaning the day before try putting some concrete blankets or tarps over the tracks before you leave. Even with the tarps on the tracks it will still freeze but makes life a lot more simple when you get there in the morning and set up the heaters. If you cann't use a heater we leave off the tarps and break out the cardboard and drie straw. Stuff some NOT ALL of the straw in the u/c and put some burning cardboard on it. Keep a small fire going, your trying to warm the steel not melt the frozen mud. Just be careful not to get anything with rubber seals to hot or melt the grease or oil sealed in any of the bearings. A propane weed burner will work in a pinch but takes a loooooooong time.