Just curious..... Looks like they basically split a track chain and bolted half to the outer side of the pads and the other half to the inner. What is the purpose of doing this?
It's a Custom Shop undercarriage configuration designed to give more support to super-wide track pads. Judging by the lack of bowing in the pads I would say it worked pretty well.
Leetle Short pins.....
I bet thats not cheap
That makes sense. It looks like it could potentially cause issues with track adjustment or maybe everything would wear equally over time??
No idea. I only ever saw the promo stuff for the arrangement. I never had cause to be around one.
Looks like a person could stack them full of mud if the conditions were just 'right'..... Combine that with some freezing temps. Ugh!!!
Its extra chain. There is no roller or sprocket engagement with them. The good thing is you have nice unused rails, kind of like taking your spares with you on the job.
The Cat Tri and quad track chain. Most popular on the 527 track skidder https://caterpillar.scene7.com/is/content/Caterpillar/C10507954
This probably explains how the holes were put in the plates , rather than being retrofitted are supplied that way . It would be one thing to enlarge D4 bolt holes as in one thread here and another to drill from scratch 4 new ones per plate
I've heard that some used modified worn chains to make the tri or quad chains. Saw quite a few at Ritchie Bros. over the years.