howdy, i am a jd410 backhoe , and a 1951 tucker snowcat owner , but a relative newbie to dozers i have an early 60's td 340 with a 6 way blade that i thought i was getting pretty good at grading a new driveway untill i got stuck in some mud sideways on the shoulder and threw a track. it is still on the bottom idlers, but off of the sprocket and front idler. i limped it back on the road so it is relatively flat and washed the mud off but i cant figure out how to loosen the track tensioner. there is a big 1 7/8 square nut in front of the "spring cylinder" that dosn't want to move and a hole in the back of the same cylinder that it looks like somthing goes in? i tried a 3/4 square drive and a socket but nothing fits and i cant see in the hole. mabey it is easier to break the track and come along it back together on the sprocket? the track is way heavier than my snowcat tracks! any help really appriciated. thanks! btw track may have been a little loose i have read an inch of slack on top is good for these machines and the track /pins/bushings are in great shape
There is a rod that should run out of the backside front idler yoke into a housing at mid track. There should be a locknut on that rod at the housing end, you will have to loosen the locknut and then take out the 2 bolts at the front of the rod flange that connect it to the yoke. Now you can try and retract the rod back into the housing by turning it. Good luck, many of those haven't been adjusted in years and getting them to break free is 3/4's the battle. Clean the area up and use your best antisieze potion liberally......some use heat and pure beeswax (candle) and try and draw it in like solder........you will have to try whatever works for you.