I'm going to have to weld picks on the G to push that overcut back closed. Anybody have an opinion on the height? My pads are just about worn out, I'm thinking 1.25" for the picks? Planning on doing the 2-1-2 pattern. Going to be hard on the trailer, but I'm going to use mild steel so there might not be much left when I'm done. No rocks, so I shouldn't have to worry about breaking them off.
I might entertain the idea of just welding the full length grouser bar back on depending on the cost of new shoes for the D7G . Tractor running pretty good shimmy ?
Yes, I put around 60 hours on it. Had a few more jobs I could have done, but ran out of good weather. Engine runs like a watch, only thing I didn't care for was while trimming some slopes I lost movement a couple times. Put in neutral, waited a minute, then it was fine. Decided to stay off the slopes after that. As far as the ice pick situation, I don't think full grousers would get it done. Ground is froze hard, and the spoil is going to be pretty damn tight by Wednesday as well.
I often weld inner budd nuts on for ice picks. Always seem to have a bucket of them around. Take a hammer and knock off the ones left before hauling to the next job.
The 7G's were noted for that. I worked on a project where we were on a 2:1 slope or a bit steeper & the machine kept doing that & it was a new machine at the time. Nothing was wrong with the machine however, once off of the slopes it was fine. One remedy that was mentioned back in the day was to overfill them a gallon or two when doing slope work, then drain it down after.
Back when I was hauling side booms the vast majority used short chunks of rebar for their spikes or corks, welded lengthwise on the grouser. Some used a store bought chunk of a weld on grouser. Some I saw buy full length weld on grousers and cut chunks to make corks. I’ve seen every pattern imaginable and I haven’t a clue as to which works best. I’d say use whatcha got, worst case you’re out some labor. I step over enough rebar on any given job I could cork a fleet of them!
I would recommend using something harder. I ran a D6MLGP a few years ago that somebody attempted to try and 'regrouser' using mild steel and most of one side was broke or worn off. It made it hard to push in the direction you wanted to go as the one side would dig in and the other would slip. What would new track pads cost you?
I have a complete set of rails found I just have to go pick up, pads are supposedly 70%. This little (lol) project is just to get this overcut pushed back shut so we can farm it next spring. I have about 7000 yds of spoil to push in, as long as the picks last a day or so I'll be satisfied. I'm not sure I could push it in with brand new pads, either. We are froze up tight, the spoil is already froze a foot in, and I'd rather weld picks on these worn out pads than on good ones.
I've heard similar … They would loose prime on a slope . Same solution , overfill it .
What kind of dirt or mud do you have I see your in North Dakota I'm in Manitoba about an hour from the U.S. border we've got lots of gumbo closer to the Red River and other places its glacial till and hard pan and that can be a mixture of boulders, gravel, sand, silt, and clay in a 6 foot area. lol The oilfield guys on our side of the line usually call them 'corks' for some reason all their tracked equipment has them.
I think I remember reading in a Cat operators manual to overfill on steep slopes. 2-3 gallons was not out of the question.
The old girl is ready for action. Five hours of cutting and prepping the iron, 10 hours of crawling around fitting, tacking, and welding. Hopefully the crew gets plowing tomorrow and I'll get to try them out.
That should get some grab. I rode an excavator 150" down a frozen slope once, Tiger teeth to the rescue. I was frantically working to get the tracks going uphill and stabbing with the bucket. Not much fun in that ride.
Looks good to me! Don’t have any use for them down here
Looks mighty good to me!
That'll certainly bite down. I sure wish I had a shop like that. Looks like a great place to work out of when it's cold