I’m wondering if this sprocket is shot? Here is a pic of the other one for comparison. Is this something that I should be worried about or just keep an eye on?
It looks wore out, also looks loose on the housing. It doesn’t have any dirt packed into the seam between the sprocket and the case. I’d be looking for one if it were mine it’s got what looks like one bolt broke off.
sprocket is toast!
So if I keep running this, will it start slipping or will it ruin something else?
if you can replace it and get out+ replace the broken bolts .but if you cant do it at this time watch the track tension and operate with some care it will likely run a bit longer
Quite a bit of life in it if you swap them over. Some people laugh when I mention how operator dexterity can be seen in sprocket wear but there it is. ;-)
Swap over? Do you mean flip over or swap to the other track? Mine was a rental, so I assume all operators were novice. (I certainly am)
If this was a machine I made a living with I'd be budgeting to replace them sooner than later. If this is just an acreage machine that gets used a couple hours a month I would just run it until it starts slipping.
Swap from side to side. No point in throwing out part worn parts, run them to total destruction.
Heres how a set of steel tracks on a 303.5 Cat look when they are on the road to total destruction. I weld the odd crack up in the links and keep em going. The machine only works around home now .
Swap from side to side. No point in throwing out part worn parts, run them to total destruction.
I call those contour tracks since they follow the contours of the ground
So the Bobcat service manual has zero advice when to change the sprocket. I checked out the missing bolt. It was not broke off. There was another bolt loose, but the sprocket was tight. I put two new bolts in. I’m probubly going to order one (or two) to keep on hand. This is a personal machine, so I don’t need to worry about making a living if it goes down.
Got a new sprocket. It’s a very nice piece. I could put this on my coffee table. Can't say it looks like it has a lot wider teeth. Do you think I should be in a rush to get this on? Is it very hard to get the track off?
If you wait any longer those old teeth will start ripping out your cleats
I have seen on this board someone used a 2 x 4 to detension the tracks to make it easier to remove tracks, Wish I could point you to a thread but,,,
I don’t know if it was necessary right now, but I got it changed. It wasn’t too bad.
If that made a complete circle could be used for a swing assembly.
I guess i could make a full circle with the other track .