Noticed an issue on my Case CX490D machine today. Seen one of the track pads was sitting kinda crooked, then realized it was because one of the track pins has been working its way out. What typically causes this? Just a sign that the undercarriage is worn? Any tips for getting it back in or the correct way to fix this?? Thanks!!
Loosen the track and run it about half way around on the sprocket and put in a new master pin. Bad Bob
Is it the master pin which is moving on mine? Is that the most common one to move im guessing?
It's the only one that you can pound out with a sledge hammer. The rest you need a big track press.
I can't see the rest of your tracks so don't know. But on well worn tracks that some times happens usually after the pin is improperly installed. What do the other end of the pin look like? Bad Bob
Good day Attached information also applies to installtion. Kind regards Uffex
Here is the pin viewed from the inside of tracks.
Looks like the rails are getting towards the end. You can always just weld around the ends after you get it back in place.
Good day That appears to have been subject to bad installation practice, best to replace with expander pin if you can find a supplier. Kind regards Uffex
Do we think this actually is the master pin?
Look at the rest of the pins and see if any are different. How about a picture of the idlers on both sides? Bad Bob
It probably doesn't help that the track is installed backwards on the machine. The burn marks on the rails also mean your chain is riding hard on some piece of the frame or maybe a frozen bottom roller.
Could you explain more about the track being backwards? How could you tell?
Looks like the other is too, if you don't travel a lot won't make a lot of difference at this point. How about pictures of both front idlers? Bad Bob
One of your photos show a sprocket which is at the back of the track frame. The big ends of the links are looking back at the sprocket and should be looking forward at the idler instead.
Only the master will clear the bushing ends, are two large washers taking up the spaces in the master link end.
Here's some additional pics...
Looks like you have pins working out on both sides. Judging from where the idlers are and the condition of the links, I'll guess that someone cut a link out of each side to make the chains run longer. The last photo shows the correct direction of the chains.
Machine is a 2016 with 7,000 hours if your wondering
If were OE rails at around 4000-5000 hours depending on materials aggressive qualities they were worn to limits.
You have taken good pictures, really helps to see condition of tracks. How about some of the bushings between rails looking toward the back of the pads? Kind of odd that pins are working out. Any more history on what machine has been doing? Bad Bob
We were able to get close to 7K hours on original UC on our 2011 321DL. Now it was shot when we replaced it.
I have 9500 hours on my 08 EC210C original UC and still going strong, only touched the idlers, neither were worn much at all just shot bushings. I was going to take a good look at it and see if I should do the UC this winter, but I don't think it needs it. I bet I get at least another 1000+ hours out of it, which is at least 2-3 years for me. Original owner idled it a fair bit as do I, working hours are under 7000 though.
Does it make a differance on an excavator? I can understand on a dozer, with the single grouser. But how about the smoother pad on an excavator. I am not being a smart ass, just curious about your thoughts on it
Depends on what the excavator is used for. Shovel loggers used to only go about 3,000 hours but most of the manufacturers built them with bigger components. Land clearing machines that do more traveling than digging usually go around 5K or more. Underground utilities machines go a lot longer. Generally most all the excavators will do two sets of chains and sprockets to on set of idlers and rollers. Dozers are generally in the 3 to 4K range.
I'm no expert but that undercarriage is shot. I'd tack weld all the pins and run it to destruction.
Welding pins won't make any difference at all. The type of steel doesn't lend itself to welding and will crack in no time at all. If they are moving, you have limited time to replace the chains.
X2 - I've seen us do it only to have it very quickly fail. Really only two ways to fix it, press in new master links and run it or replace rails and segments. On our 321 we pressed new master links on one side to get us through the busy summer season then we replaced both rails, links and pad bolts that winter. The only reason why it made $$ sense to press in new masters on one side was we needed the machine to be running and it was cheaper than rental + shop labor to install new rails. We replaced the rails ourselves.
I had a customer that had a big Link Belt that had one track on right and one on backwards, ran that way 5 years didn't seem to make much difference. Undercarriages are affected by a vast number of conditions that affect wear rates and life. What one machine gets the next one may be twice or half as much. The difference in the last 50 years is kind of mind boggling. Bad Bob
It appears to already be at destruction and tack welding loose pins is a exercise in futility. Bad Bob