Looking for a guestamate on the time to replace a complete bottom. Only thing being re used is the pads. New rails,sprockets,idlers, top and bottom rollers and slack adjuster seals. Also new pad nuts and bolts. I know there too many variables but just saying everything came apart and went together as it should without any real issues. 2 people with proper equipment. Just ball park time wise. Thanks
2 - 3 days if nothing goes wrong. You know that there's wear strips on the idler guides that will need replacing, right? If the old ones have broken off then the idler guides will probably need repair which will add to the job.
A 41 isn't too big, but I'm going to agree with Cmark. Two or three days might seem unlikely, but you are looking at some pretty likely candidates for battle. Make sure you have a 1" impact for the pad bolts, and a good quality socket. Have full tanks on the oxy, you're going to need it. Have fun.
Yep. If you were replacing the full track groups you could probably turn it around in a day. Removing the pads, cleaning them up, grinding the paint off the links and torque turning each bolt is what eats into your time.
I paid a couple hundred bucks extra to have new track pads bolted on and torqued properly in the track press. I think unbolt or torch the old bolts, clean the back of the pads and have the track supplier put the pads on as they will be the proper torque and they can do it fast in the track press. Proper tightening method is the torque turn and not just using an impact wrench on the bolts. Easiest to take track frames off for replacing bottom rollers. Some of those bolts could break too. Don't know how hard the sprockets are to remove.
I did my 41 a few months back. It's the things you can't see or don't expect that get you. Close to half of my bottom roller bolts broke off. Front idler assembly should be inspected and probably rebuilt. It took a pretty high quality socket on a 3/4" impact to do all of the pad bolts.
If your air gun and compressor is a bit small to crack all the track bolts a torque multiplier is a cheap unit compared to upgrading your air gear .
Wasn't aware of the wear strips. S/n B40029
I know there's no telling how hard the bolts will be to get out of the rollers and such but the bottom seems to be free of corrosion and rust. It actually looks really good but it's worn. Most of the wear is the sprockets. I may just change the sprockets for now until I can get it back to the shop and do the complete bottom. I really don't like doing it in stages or don't really want to start wearing on the sprockets. I just don't want to run into issues in the field trying to to that job out there.
Not sure you want to have your new sprockets grinding around in worn out links, but sometimes we have to live with things we don't like.
That's correct. To me the rest of the bottom doesn't match the level of wear the sprockets have. I'm going to try and hold off till I can do it all at once. I think I can finish what I have going now.
Sometimes you can see where the roller bolts come thru the roller frame. Take PB Blaster and start soaking them now. Soak all the bolts around the head that have to come off. 5 or 6 cans will be better than working on broken bolts. I did this on my track loader and all the bolts came out. I started 2 weeks prior to taking the u/c off. I guess either I was lucky or it worked.
Instead of PB Blaster (which I do like), try 50/50 acetone and ATF (but not synthetic DexIII)--it's cheaper when you're using volume!
Ah, good old Hagen's Brew.
Thanks for the tips. I'd like to get it done soon. It's dry here right now and should be able to blow any dirt off and not have to deal with mud and clay all over it.