Tracks on my 330clc Deere a few pins on each track are heaved up and frozen, been that way for a year, not getting any better, run in water, on frozen ground, nothing helps,am I hurting anything by running them, do I need to bite the bullet and buy new tracks or just run them
Pretty common issue. Run them till they bleed.
Good day The attached may be helpful Kind regards Uffex
If your in an isolated area, pour waste oil on em while free tracking one side at a time. In high speed travel. That might help work it loose. Wink,wink, nudge nudge. If that doesn't help, it'll probably just break a link sooner or later.
So if it’s just a few, is it possible to replace just those pins and bushings?
If it's just a few, I'd go to the trouble of breaking them loose by jacking on that point, heating a little, whatever it takes. Then figure if they're stiff from dry grease, or rust. If it's dry grease, then use heat and oil. IF it's rust, then soak in water, overnight or for a week, then track it to loosen.
Had a D21 Komatsu do that to a farmer friend of mine as the tractor sat a lot more than used. I cribbed up one side, tightened the track till just no slack, and welded up a little stand for my torch head. With a small rosebud tip aimed at the center of the track bushings at the track rear just before the sprocket engaged the chain, I let the track run in free space with the rosebud playing on the bushings. About three minutes into this senario the first audible "Pop" was heard and the chain was noticeably looser than prior. While the track was still moving under power, I tightened the track further taking up the slack now present. Another two "Pops", and all was good. Every single link pivoted as it should. I then repeated the procedure on the other side but there was only a single tight spot so it went quick. Those pyramid pads hold water and mud really well too. Don't know if you could do this on a rubber tracked machine or not as I really didn't monitor for heating of the metal, but I didn't get anything red, or warmer at all. It was warm enough you weren't going to grab anything and hold with a bare hand however.
I had a similar problem with ITR tracks. About 6 pins on each side were still. I tried to move, lubricate, etc., but nothing helped. As the tracks have served for about 50%, I decided I had nothing to lose and heated the frozen pins thoroughly with a acetylene cutting torch until the grease / seal burned out and then, after driving about 1km on a hard surface, all the pins started to move again. I have been driving without problems for two years now. I don't think it would be wise to push your pins out, as long as you have your own press.