299D3 Track Tensioner, how to unstick?

[ChidJ]

Hopped in the machine and was goofing around moving some dirt and slipped the track. I went to go unscrew the grease fitting but unlike usually, not much grease came out. I figured maybe because it was cold it would need some coaxing. I tried a ratchet strap, chains and a hand winch, and prying against the front pulley with a big pry bar. Tensioner won’t budge. I backed the grease plug out most of the way and put the grease gun on it just to make sure it wasn’t clogged. Grease comes out. Pictures of my problem are attached.

What am I missing? Any help is much appreciated.

For easy copy paste if necessary, last 8 are BX901558

 

[Cmark]

A couple of possibilities.
Dirt or something is jamming the slide assembly.
Recoil spring through bolt is broken.
Adjuster piston is seized.

Either way, you need to pull out the adjuster slide and see what's going on.

 

[Tree Mulcher]

All of the above. To temporarily get the track back on. Place cribbing block in front of front idler and use bucket to push back in

 

[ChidJ]

Thank you for the responses. I’ll report back when I get some time later today to mess with it

 

[Tree Mulcher]

Inspect the frames for cracks and check that the front idler is still in alignment. I had one with low hours have issues with the frames cracking in this area. Ended up with new track and idler frames under warranty.

 

[ChidJ]

I tried the trick to use the bucket, pressed against the log pictured. Didn’t work. Some more grease came out but I measured and it didn’t even move an eighth of an inch

 

[ahart]

Can you pull the front telescope frame out of the track frame? That might give you an idea of what’s going on in there.

 

[Tree Mulcher]

I agree with the above.

I would try to pull out the idler and frame. I would also use a bore scope to try and inspect the area and look for issues. You may be able to attach a chain to the bucket to pull it out. Check your books first though I can't remember the procedure to remove.

No movement with the bucket pushing to retrack leads me to believe that your problem is not just dirt preventing it from retracting.

What are the hours on the machine? A

Any previous undercarriage work?

 

[ChidJ]

1300 hours. I’ve owned it for 50. No undercarriage work that I’m aware of. Unfortunately, the track is jammed against the machine body and I can’t get it to budge. It is blocking it from just sliding out. Can the front part come out of the frame in a way other than sliding straight out the front?

 

[ahart]

From the looks of it, you’ll have to start at the back, get the track off the sprocket, and work it off of there. Probably going to take some force considering the bind it’s in. Put the front of the frame is the only way out for that telescope.

 

[ChidJ]

Oof. Well, time for some backwoods ingenuity and elbow grease

 

[Vetech63]

Ill bet the tensioner rod has come out of the yoke and has the idler jammed. When all is like its supposed to be, the track will go on easily.

 

[ahart]

Ill bet the tensioner rod has come out of the yoke and has the idler jammed.

I’ve seen a few of these that the plate the rod pushes on inside the telescope frame breaks off which would allow the rod to come out of the cylinder.

 

[ChidJ]

thank you for all the responses. I’ve got an update. I put another 2 jacks under it and picked the whole machine up off of the ground. I got in and just ever so slightly went “forward” then “back” ( didn’t actually go anywhere because it was up in the air). Some sort of binding had to have been occurring because it immediately slid back in! I’ve got to go to my day job now but should be simple getting the track back on and tensioned properly. Pictures of the slide retracted. We’ve got grease!

 

[Nige]

Some sort of binding had to have been occurring because it immediately slid back in!

It might pay you to get in there at some point sooner rather than later and find out exactly what was causing the binding. Right now whatever the issue is might be repairable, leave it festering for a while it might end up being broken completely, costing you $$$$.

 

[TorontoGuy]

I am seeing Aimsoil Synthetic Polymeric grease double the price of Mobil XHP222.. Is it worth the upgrade?

 

[Nige]

I am seeing Aimsoil Synthetic Polymeric grease double the price of Mobil XHP222.. Is it worth the upgrade?

For a track tensioner.?

 

[TorontoGuy]

For a track tensioner.?

For joints

 

[Nige]

Sorry I thought we were talking about track tensioner issues.
See the attachment in Post #1 of this THREAD.

 

[Mobilewrench]

I’ve seen a few of these that the plate the rod pushes on inside the telescope frame breaks off which would allow the rod to come out of the cylinder.

View attachment 303917

Yep, maybe not his problem but I am working on a 289c today that did this.