Replacing Track In the Field

[elkhunter01]

I have a Cat 322 C Excavator. I use it on my farm. While working, the right hand track slipped off the sprocket. I caught the issue early and did not run the track completely off the undercarriage. The track is still engaged on the front idler wheel and is just off the side of the sprocket. I have access to a dozer. There is a tension bolt that decreases hydraulic pressure to a regulator valve. Once I have as much tension released as I can get, I need ideas on how to get the track back over the sprocket. I have never tried to do this.

I need advice?

 

[QuickTrax]

If your track is heavily worn you will be able to install it back onto the machine without opening the track. We usually put the track on the sprocket and roll it back over the front idler. You can usually use a chain and the bucket to help with this. If your chain is still in decent condition, you will need to open the track by removing the master pin then install it on the machine and hit your master pin back in. When a track comes off of a machine usually the cause is a blown track adjuster seal, wore out pins and bushings, or the tension wasn't adjusted correctly. Be sure to find out the reason why your track came off and correct the problem to prevent this from happening again.
Good Luck,
Quick Trax

 

[ddigger]

Quick Trax is correct, To increase the slack in the track loosen the valve on the track adjuster, which is reached thu the hole in the side of machine frame. It will look like a hex head bolt with a grease zert in the center. Use the bucket to push the front idler inward.

 

[RobVG]

Haven't worked on that size machine-don't know if it will work for yours.

Swing the bucket at 90 and lift up slightly so the weight of the machine is not on the bottom of the track

If the track has fallen to the outside (usually) position the dozer behind the machine slightly towards the cab and with the rear angled a little towards the cab.

Hopefully you can place the hook on the outside of the of the pad just forward of the sprocket. It helps alot to have two people.

Lift up with the blade so there's a little upward pull. Have the helper put a digging bar in and pry up and get the link over the first few teeth in the front. Keep slight tension on the chain and run the sprocket backwards while the helper keeps baring.
Works for a 160.
Hope that helps.

PS- there are a couple of really good threads on putting tracks back on if you do a search.

 

[John C.]

Those tracks use a slip fit master pin and if you are off the sprocket you got nothing to drive the track around. I've done lots of these in the woods and it is easier to just slack the track, pop out the pin, stretch the track out straight with the bucket of the excavator and then pickup the undercarriage and swing/walk the machine back on the track.

Grab the track with the big link and drag it back over the track frame till it meets again on the small side link over the front idler. Reinstall the master pin, adjust the track and go back to work.

To bad this process hasn't made it to youtube yet. It sounds complicated but once you have seen it done it becomes one of those duh moments. You don't need another machine and I've done it most of the time by myself.

Good Luck!

 

[cutting edge]

1- get 1/2 dozen pieces of roundstock 3"x12" long (sched. 80 pipe will work too)

2-Remove tension from the track.Have a helper slowly track forward while the offending track is raised off the ground with the boom/stick.

3-Insert the pieces of pipe/stock every 2nd or 3rd tooth,between the sprocket and chain(at the bottom of the sprocket) until the first piece is at 12 oclock.

4push the track into where it needs to be with the crawler and slowly track forward and remove the piecrs of pipe/stock.

5-retension track and buy me beer.

 

[RobVG]

I gotta try that next time.

 

[mitch504]

Me too!

 

[CBS]

i hope just to not de track a machine lol never seen it done yet on a hoe one of our guys took a track off a t300 bobcat wasnt bad to replace

 

[RobVG]

The more i think about it, the more I'm having a hard time picturing how the pipe method would work. Wasn't there a video of doing it in a shop?

 

[cutting edge]

The more i think about it, the more I'm having a hard time picturing how the pipe method would work. Wasn't there a video of doing it in a shop?

You're taking up the space in the sprocket where the track chain would normally sit,which allows the track to be pushed over the sprocket....Ive done it a million (ok,maybe 50) times for customers....usually only once per customer once they see how I do it.