I got a complete undercarriage minus the track pads for 4000 for my 455c case loader. I never installed one before. If anybody could shed some light on the procedure or any tips... such as lifting and blocking the machine and getting bolts loose or any problems normally associated with this job I would appreciate it. It seems fairly simple... thanks, joe in pa.
Care needs to be the first word out of anyone's mouth here as these machines can crush without any sentiment or second chance. I had the rails off many machine using simple pieces to support them but always in a garage setting in the early days yet still dangerous, we swapped to road working as I gained time in the mechanic field and employers wanted to save customers downtime, this is when it gets really dangerous. You can lift the nose of the machine with the loader hydraulics for front end clearance but start at the opposite end by raising the loader for extra counter weight, using appropriate jacks raise the rear until you have enough clearance to get pressure off the rails at the drive sprocket and rear rollers. If you get by a heavy equipment shop to see their jack stands this will make more sense as they are not usually adjustable but fixed length of heavy steel either square pipe or fabricated triangular supports, set a single block at the center of the machine or if raised on a single jack two blocking stands just inside the rails under the finals, you will have to make some sort of special saddle to situate to solid areas or bolting bosses. The base of the blocks will need to have large surface area either 1/4" or 3/8" flat plate bases or be situated to a section of sheet plate to support them if on gravel or dirt, I always used a 3-1 rule, using a 10" square pipe segment I sat it on a 30" wide plate then tack welded it to keep from slipping, the upper support saddles are also tack welded to keep from sliding. When I had the rear set I would raise the front of the machine on the bucket in the dumped position, you can use square pipe again to shield the floor from the teeth edges until I had the machine leveled out. DO NOT TRUST HYDRAULICS to hold this, set another set of blocks either under the cross frame on a loader or the belly pans under a dozer. Try to move the machine, either by bumping or climbing on it, moving the loader mechanism, bumping the drive forward &/or reverse and verify it is situated before going on. At this point drive the tracks to where you can drive out the master pin on the rear sprocket with a piece of solid stock[leave it in place until the rails are ready for removal], you will have to do this for each rail so I would start with the right side, slack up the rail adjuster just prior to driving out the pins by using a piece of solid stock, an extra pin or a heavy wall piece of pipe in a sprocket tooth and roll the sprocket where this takes up space in the rail to sprocket as the grease ejects from the adjuster, you can try this by driving the machine but I recommend doing it by hand with bars to roll the rails. I use two custom built 3/8 chain link sets with hooks to attach to the two ends of the rail pads, mine are just wide enough to spread out to hook the pad edges, if you are reusing your old pads take off all but the two a few links from the master link split to any exposed and accessible, if you have new bolts gas axe the bolt heads for speed, if reusing the bolts a 3/4 or 1" impact or a hytorq will be needed to break these loose. Use a come a long to relax the rails and pull the drive pin, then use the come a long to release the rails. unhook and drag the rails out for access to the lower rollers. Replace the rollers as you get one down put one up, less mess if you don't have bolts and washers everywhere, going to be a lot of dirt, chunks and stuff flying as these come down. Clean as you go, any indication the machine has shifted STOP and reassess the stability, I have had to remove a friend from a situation as this more than once. Swap sprockets using another tractor and weld on lift lugs or with a engine puller, these are heavy and will fall on you without warning. Keep extra jacks available, keep someone apprised of where you are, what you are doing and when you give it up for the day EVERY DAY the machine is supported, if possible have someone there with you at all times. Lay out the new rail chains, use a regular chain to draw them up under the rollers, up over the front ider and then use the come a long to draw the ends together, set your master pin and reset the track pads using the machine to drive the chains for access. Reverse order to set the machine back on the ground.
When you say to roll the rails by hand with a bar etc.... exactly what is that technique? How and where do I pry or does it just come with common sense. A pipe will be in between the sprocket teeth, and that will tighten the chain and force the idler In, right
thanks, great info!! Thanks for takn the time to help prep me for this job. My service manual is on its way.
I have a flattened pinch bar, similar to those you can buy at a regular hardware store, I wedged it between track pads or into the rail chain links to roll them after I had a machine blocked in place to roll the rail where I needed it. Service manual is a necessity for this type operation, you will need torque specs for most of the bolting, there is a device out there that attaches to a track pad to one man drive master pins out, finally found the address for the company: WTC Machinery, HFPP or hands free pin pusher: http://www.wtcmachinery.com/wtcmachinery-HFPP-Hands_Free_Pin_Pusher.html Could probably build a similar tool as I have done in the past when two men were not going to be available, mine had to be tack welded in place where this one clamps.