D8k undercarriage

[Heppner]

Hi. I'm replacing undercarriage on my d8k. I'm going to wider pads as I only do dirt work with it. I want as wide a pad as possible. I can fit 30" pads but will only have 1 inch of clearance between inside of pads and tractor frame. Does anyone have experience with this. Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[lantraxco]

Personally I wouldn't go with anything over 26" on an 8K, but as always YMMV.

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . .

I sure wouldn't like to run with such tight clearance, do you need the wider plates for flotation?

While the wider plates give a theoretically lighter foot print (from my experience in the real world) six inches extra on width makes little discernible difference to where the tractor will go but makes a helluva difference to what it costs in undercarriage . . . in "normal" clay/soil production dozing we found little difference and I believe the narrower plates will push more given equal height grousers.

Its a strange coincidence that I have recently been watching a D6r with wide plates pushing out a dam and it was bloody useless. I commented to the tractor owner that he needed a set of decent tracks and he got very defensive and reckoned the machine was doing fine . . . beats me.

Cheers.

 

[Nige]

Unless flotation is a problem, in other words the tractor's constantly sinking, then you should really be using the narrowest width of track shoe you get away with not the widest. Unless there is some reason I'm not aware of ("only doing dirt work" isn't a good enough reason BTW) then to be honest I wouldn't go any wider than 24" shoes if it was mine. Wide shoes cause all sorts of issues that believe me you don't want to get into unless you absolutely have to.

To give you an idea I'm currently working with a fleet of D10Ts equipped with abrasion blades and SS rippers on soft ground and if they don't sink on 24" shoes then your 8K is not likely to.

 

[Huntoon]

I agree with Nige... Track Shoes act as a lever to twist the chain on any uneven ground which cause walking and wear. Using wider shoes then necessary is like using a cheater bar accelerating the process.

 

[John C.]

I have had 30" pads on a D8H in a coal mine grading spoil piles and doing reclamation. The pushes were fairly light and the wider pad left a different kind of print on the ground that didn't erode so fast with the little bit of rain the Pacific Northwest is known for. The machine was used first on the spoil piles doing smooth out work so trees and grass could be planted. Later on it was used to push reclaim back in the pit.

The comments above are correct. The wider pads do cause all the troubles and cost more in the long run. However our machine was doing a job that could not be accomplished with a narrow track machine without parking a winch tractor on top of the hill.

 

[Heppner]

The reason for the wide pads is flotation. I am located in south west British Columbia where it rains 8 months a year.

 

[brianscathouse]

How bad is your old stuff and do you want to sell it? Located in Kootenays and have an old d8h.

 

[Nige]

The reason for the wide pads is flotation. I am located in south west British Columbia where it rains 8 months a year.

I'm in a place where it rains 12 months a year of tropical downpours (about 3000MM of rain per year) and we still get away with 24" shoes on machines that are probably double the weight of your 8K. What size of shoe do you have installed right now and in the conditions you work in have you ever had the machine bogged..?

 

[Scrub Puller]

Yair . . . .

As I mentioned up thread this wide plates for flotation notion (in my experience) is just a state of mind.

If you have plates wide enough to make a difference like those pyramid plates on the little Komatsus the bastards sure can traverse some marginal country but are not capable of doing much in the way of pushing when they get there anyway . . . one moments inattention and spin a track and they can go out of sight . . . literally.

I have spent too many freeking nights up to my neck in mangrove mud dragging inch and a quarter winch line out to useless so called "swampys" to have any faith in the wide plate concept.

If its marginal with standard plates three inches extra on either side of centre isn't going to save your azz.

I can see the wide plates being an advantage as pointed out on another thread by a poster who was pulling in tile.

In his application in soft cultivated fields with soft spots I can imagine they'd be useful but, I imagine grouser height in those conditions would be critical as well.

I see tractors with wide plates working in general contracting and I'm just amazed at the lack of knowledge and ignorance displayed.

Most of the high track Sixes I see are running plate widths we used to run on Eights and Nines
. . . just what are these blokes thinking.

Cheers.

 

[Hanco]

On my D8H somebody widened the pads from 22 to 32" also welded on grouser bars , its used for farm drainage , better floation and less compaction which is also important. Most of the work it does is on flat farm fields you dont back over windrows or piles alot but sometimes you have to . The wider the pads in this work the better imho. But the other guys right , the narrower your pads the better and longer your undercarriage will last

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Heppner]

I have 24" on my 8k and 26 on my 8h. He's I have had them both stuck. A guy up the road from me has a d9g with 30" pads. He floats I sink. Yes I will sell my old stuff. Send me a pm. Thanks

 

[fiat41b]

The 30" 583k pads they have the corners angled for better steer and penetration of 28"
I have a 8k pulling a scraper everyone ask why I want those wide pads floatation I say
If my twin engine scrapers would have held up better in the soft ground I would not be using a crawler and pan

 

[Faisal Afridi]

Hi,

I am a newbie at the Heavy Equipment Forums.
The forums have been very informative and helpful.

I am going to buy a D8K and going to overhaul it. the overhaul would depend on the machine's condition. I need help about engine, transmission, final drives and undercarriage.

I know that FP Diesel have the best replacement parts for engines, but are there any cheaper Chinese companies which i can go for that have the same durability? Also cheaper companies for transmission and final drives.

As Berco has best undercarriage, i have once used dry link assy and plates on one of my D8K and know they are very durable. But what about ITR and ITM?, or if any other is better then these two?

And last but not least, What to look for when buying a D8K?

If there any forums that have already discussed these topics, please guide me to them. The search on this website is quite tricky.

Thank you.

 

[DMiller]

Cheap does not really relate to durable and Chinese manufacture has its serious drawbacks as to what is delivered and how long lasts USA/North America.
As to Dry pins almost nothing here has dry pins any longer, SALT or Sealed And Lubricated Track has an excellent lifespan as well considerable benefits over dry the first and foremost is lack of pin to bushing wear followed by loss of noise. The only recommend I can make from here is to scout out the suppliers, look for references of locals as to dependable or lack there of, look at machines in service as to hours worked with replacement parts with any or all detracting aspects from the operators and owners.

 

[Faisal Afridi]

ok, which parts do you recommend?

 

[DMiller]

ITR has decent reputation, would stay with SALT rails. Berco is a bit expensive but does last. I would see what your suppliers have and their recommends.

 

[Faisal Afridi]

Berco, ITR and ITM are available in the market at the mo. do you know about ITM?

As Berco is expensive, i'll go for either ITR or ITM SALT, and for rollers I'll buy used cat rollers, by used I mean that almost new are available in the used market. or should I go for new rollers as well?

 

[DMiller]

Wear on rollers is primary concern, these are bushed so smooth rolling, limited play and should be OK.

 

[nicky 68a]

I run 24" pads on 10 D8 tractors.
I once had 22" on one D8,and it would not quite go as far into the bad ground as the 24" D8's.
A few operators in my country also use 26" pads on their 8K's.
My worry doesn't just stop at the extra wear on the running gear,it concerns me that it would put extra strain on tranny and finals.