Hi. I wonder, just a novice question. But I have a slack in my right side belt. The idler wheel is less than 5" from the front edge of the belt boom. My idler wheel and sprocket are actually in really good condition but the links are somewhat worn although I have worked on machines with much more wear. So the question is. Will operators remove a link to shorten the belt? And how much difference in inches will I see by removing one link. There is nothing in the manual about this. They just say if the play is less than 5" install new chain links. This is just a farm machine that will se maybe 5-10hrs work a year. Mostly just for fun so I´m not installing new chain. So, do people do that, remove one link? The professionals I have asked just give me a blank look and say they would normally just install new chain links but like I said undercarriage is really not that bad. p.s. Does someone here know how many chain links there should be in the D4. 1968. Sn 58Jxxx.
Ice flyer, what I'm about to say is a last resort if your stuck out in the sticks without the right tooling but have a oxy and welder. Remove two plates, cut one link in halve between the bolt holes. Cut the other link the same and bring the chain together and bolt on the plate and weld the link up. This will only work if your chain is worn out and the adjusters are leaking. Another way to get a bit more out of it is to put two more spacers and longer bolts where the yolk bolts to the idler. Hope this helps, Bill.
Yair . . . That must be a Queensland thing 8k bill .!! (big grin) I see folks on here talk about taking a link out but I have never tried it or thought it possible . . . I have though seen your method used on an old station D6 just used for pushing drought feed. Both sides were shortened and it looked to be very competently done and the cut links were welded to the plate. Cheers.
How about another suggestion? Old tractor like that should have a master pin? If it does, could he just break the track, torch out the next pin, put track back together, or am I missing something? Couple of spot welds would hold the pin in?
In the U.K. link removing is good work for me with at least 2 chains a month getting the treat of looking like new again on the adjustment spot, forget the welding all you need is the cutting torch and a good hammer, locate the master pin then whip off the plate then get cutting, I often manage to do both chains in about 5 hours, perhapse I need to take a few snaps of this job being done . tctractors
As Tony says, it's not a difficult job so long as you have a gas axe. Removing a link has been done on tractors since time immemorial as a way of extending the life of the tracks, especially on a machine like this that's doing a maximum of 10 hours a year according to the OP. Tony, I think our Icelandic friend would benefit from some photos showing how the procedure works, it sounds to me like no-one up there has ever done it. Question for the OP. I understand what the manual says about 5" and at that point installing new tracks but can you actually tighten the track in its current state or is the hydraulic track adjuster completely at the end of its travel and will not move any more..?
I haven't done a dozer in many years but have done lots of excavator tracks. Before you do anything you need to figure out what kind of tracks you have. A D4C will likely have sealed tracks while a D4H will have SALT tracks. I have never had any luck taking out a link on SALT tracks and don't anyone else that has either. If they are sealed, I have photos of doing a 211 Cat excavator that might apply to your machine pretty well. SALT stands for sealed and lubricated track. Let us know and I have some interesting photos the describe the process I use.
John C, I cut out a wet master link the other day on a Komatsu D61 ? I think it was, I have posted up a snap or 2 of it, the link I poked back in the chain was just the standard master link with the pins being pressed back in, honestly its a common patch up when the clip bolts shear off, some of the track plates are set with differing bolt spacing on the bolted clip link, so it means you also need a new plate to get things running, last week I swapped the tracks over on 2 JS 220's 2008 and 2010 built excavators, the 1 had D5 track chain the other had Komatsu D61 chains with the larger pin dia' this also involved the chopping out of a link on 2 chains to make things look good on the older excavator, I dont hit any pins out to remove a link, I just cut the link away from the master pin then hack the bush, pin and links out of what is left of the section, finaly blow through the bits of pin left in the next link and re- couple the chain, I did see a Video on Facetube of some enthusiastic bod's making a total arse of the task, I can tell you they would not get far in the U.K. with antics they managed it was toe curling. tctractors p.s. you can do the same trick on wet link chains, as if they need a link stripping out the links will be dry and the track is realy scrap, its just a way of getting the last bit out of something that is knackered
Just remember to put the spare pad somewhere safe or else when you eventually get around to putting new chains on, you'll be scratching your head looking for the last pad.
Cmark, on most of the sites I go to they can put the pad/s where the Sun never shines as its so not going to happen. tctractors
Thanks for the great replies. Yes I will definetely keep the spare pad safe for later use when I eventually will install new chains Actually the pads are in really good condition so no need to get those new. It´s not a SALT track no. Regarding the 5" the hydraulic adjuster still has some tightening left but the idler wheel does not move further forward! Is there a mechanical stop that limits how far the wheel can move forward? I have not been able to get clear answers on if anyone here has done this or is willing to do it for me. Most of the machines here are in full work and when the belts wear they just put on new. Again thank very much for the wealth of knowledge given by you guys on this site. edit. Thought you guy´s would like these pics just added to an Icelandic Caterpillar site. This Cat D6N (Perkins) was working in remote higlands and broke down, had to be left behind and it took several weeks for the parts to come to Iceland as they were not on stock in the warehouse in Belgium. In the meantime high winter settled in and it was decided they would need to pull the broken D6 to civilisation about 25-30 miles to pull it to the road where the they could be trucked back. When they went off to get it they had trouble finding since the operator didn´t expect that it would take so long time to get parts then he didn´t take a GPS position on its location and this is now in the highlands mid-winter with nothing around for miles. Well after 2 days searching they found it by sheer luck, only the very top was peeking out of the snow. Another D6 was used to pull it to the road. I believe they pulled the drive axles. And they also used the other dozer to pull it on the machine trailer which probably put it way over any weight limits, but hell, what are you gonna do. All in all, good job and lucky they found it
What I've seen when the adjuster cylinders get to the ends is that they leak. Usually by that time there is enough slack to get the track made back up when you pull it all back in. Here are some photos of breaking the track. I always just burn a circle in the ends of the master pin to break the track.
The last photo shows the standard bushing has been burned off flush with the side of the link and now the big end of the other link will fit over the small link. The next photo shows the link parts I've taken out. The next two photos shows the parts I've removed and the regular bushing end that sticks out past the small end of the link.
The worst part of the job for me on dozers is getting the front idler all the way back in. Before you start clean the area behind the front idler out as best you can and then release the grease. I like to use the machine to pull the track back by locking up the opposite track and putting the machine in reverse like you are going to steer that way. I also like to work over the front idler but many also like working behind the sprocket. Hope this helps.
A good tip to pull the idler back is to find a good piece of round bar about 20-30cm long and more or less the same diameter as the track bushings. Open the grease valve in the tensioner mechanism, put the bar in top of the sprocket and have someone ease the tractor back gently, at least at first until you are sure that the bar is not going to get spat out of the sprocket. That usually pulls the tensioner all the way back without too much fuss.
Here are some pics. Maybe after I install the new spring the belts will tighten better, I sure hope so but the idler wheel seems to be very stuck in position. Maybe after I start working the machine it will loosen up.
Well there you go John C has put up a few snaps to help things along, the 2 links on the floor in the last pick I cut straight through them as they are not of any value, then I cut the link away to save the master pin to re-fit this pin on join up, then I hack through the bush and pin at the other end of the chopped link trimming the pin as close to the inner part of the next link as reasonable, then burn the centre out of the 2 stumps of pin left in this link without any damage to the links, it is easy to do and no hard work involved finaly joining the track up useing the cut out old master pin, no parts needed just a bit of oxy-propane and a tube of grease for the adjuster. tctractors
Tony, do you think that where the idler is situated right now there is actually any forward movement left at all..? I know it looks fairly well forward, but it also looks rusted solid to me which could potentially be why it doesn't want to move. Even though the tensioner and recoil mechanism is not in place right now does the machine run..? If yes then try my idea of a steel slug in the sprocket and see if that will get the idler to move backwards by moving the machine in reverse. Once you can get it moving in one direction (even if that's the "wrong" direction) it should not be too hard to get it to move in the "right" direction. Try spraying penetrating fluid around the sliding parts of the idler to break the rust free.
I'm looking at the two bosses either side of the idler shaft retaining bolt and thinking that there should be bolt heads there??? These bolts compress two springs which take up any up/down movement in the slides. If these springs aren't released, the idler will be difficult to move. Have the bolts been sheared off, or missing, or am I on completely the wrong track altogether on a D4? I know I've worked on old D6's with this system.
Cmark, those 2 bolts press on a steel disc that then press onto the rubber spring sections that then press down on the button bar that slides on the top of the frame, they look to be missing?? I have had a few idlers jamb up on the smaller kit D4/5 ish, its not ended well as it involved a cutting torch and new button bars, diesel might help ease thing over a few days the limit on the adjuster is usualy something snagging up the travel on the cylinder. tctractors
I suppose it would help to at least know the S/N prefix of the tractor in question ........
It´s a 58J
Sure you don't mean 59J..? And if so there are Serial Number breaks at 1280 & 1866, which range does you machine fall into..?
Ha - a French-built one ......... 1968 vintage.
Lol. I was wondering if I should change it from blue to red and make it a bigger font
Could you attach a strobe light?
Couple of pics.....as stated looks like some idler bearing block parts may be missing. Ancient procedure for link repair only you can burn the pins/bushings as your not going to replace. Dealing with sealed track seals.
I have an older JD 690B. The track adjuster is all the way out and the seal was damaged to. Can I use the same method on a JD? Is the track the same style? Where do you get the washers a dealer?