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Frozen stuff in tracks

Jimothy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2022
Messages
88
Location
Ontario
Occupation
Digger
How do you guys get frozen material out from inside of tracks, we had some guys leave it too long and now there’s globs of clay sand rocks snow and branches frozen in solid balls inside the tracks. Can only get small tools inside the track frame they’ve already damaged undercarriage so don’t really wanna spin them out unless there gonna break up quick… maybe a small chipper ?
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,436
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Thaw is your only friend now. This stuff has to be dealt with as happens not until reaches max compaction.
 

Jimothy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2022
Messages
88
Location
Ontario
Occupation
Digger
Thaw is your only friend now. This stuff has to be dealt with as happens not until reaches max compaction.
Pressure washer and torch are my other thoughts haha it’s really wearing out the steel so if we gonna keep working in the winter gotta get a method that’s cost effective to get the stuff that’s hard to reach
 

mowingman

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2010
Messages
1,228
Location
SE Ohio
Occupation
Retired
Put diesel in a pump up sprayer, and spray the tracks about 3 times/day. Works like a charm. Be sure and dig out anything still stuck in there at quitting time, and give it a third and final spray then.
 

Jimothy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2022
Messages
88
Location
Ontario
Occupation
Digger
Put diesel in a pump up sprayer, and spray the tracks about 3 times/day. Works like a charm. Be sure and dig out anything still stuck in there at quitting time, and give it a third and final spray then.
Diesel really does fix everything
 

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,692
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
It shouldn't hurt anything, as long as your top rollers are turning. we always clean the tracks off at the end of the day in the cold weather, but if a bit of frozen mud is wearing out your running gear that fast, might be some cheap a@$ parts. Rocks get in there all the time, and just get crushed by the sprockets so, it's designed for abuse unless it a rubber track.
 

Ollie

Active Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2015
Messages
44
Location
Manitoba canada
We use a skid with the forks on push together or drop one off a loader with forks also works well can use in summer if pack with wet clay to beats shocking
 

Jimothy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2022
Messages
88
Location
Ontario
Occupation
Digger
It shouldn't hurt anything, as long as your top rollers are turning. we always clean the tracks off at the end of the day in the cold weather, but if a bit of frozen mud is wearing out your running gear that fast, might be some cheap a@$ parts. Rocks get in there all the time, and just get crushed by the sprockets so, it's designed for abuse unless it a rubber track.
Ya it was the sprocket that got damaged! looks like somehow they got enough goodness James up in the tracks and I’m sure a few other bad situations at same time to get the track off the machine… butttt… still attached at either end lol I didn’t see it but the damage is on every tooth of the sprocket so it wasn’t the stuff in the track that hurt it it was the track chain moving at a different angle then the tracks was lucky it didn’t rip the tracks apart but in the end that might have been cheaper good lord :(
 

Acoals

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2019
Messages
1,274
Location
Wisconsin
Occupation
Jack of all trades/Master of none
A torpedo heater can work good, if you set it up right. A couple concrete blankets to go along with the torpedo makes it real easy.
 

Jonas302

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
1,197
Location
mn
Berta torch or 5 and a air chipper are pretty standard winter gear if you have time plywood, tarps, and a torpedo heater
 

suladas

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
1,731
Location
Canada
I find as long as you clean them off at the end of day everyday you can get 95% at least with a shovel. Found getting a garden spade with serrated edge helps a lot. The bucket is the thing that gets bad, I find even diesel and used oil only helps for a short while, when it's really cold after a few days the bucket is 90% full and got to pull out the torch and get the massive chunk out.

Or the best option, not working when it's really cold out, that's the option I like best :p My hoe has been in the heated shop for the past 6 weeks.
 

dirty4fun

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
1,188
Location
N. IL
The fellow I started working for a long time ago, would get a tire burning and pick up the crawler loader and hold over the fire. It made a blackened mess but got the tracks thawed out. I clean out every night and park on tires usually. Much easier to prevent than to clean it up. Don't have time to do it right, but have time to spend latter trying to get it out after it has caused a lot of damage you might want to look for a different operator.
 

Jimothy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2022
Messages
88
Location
Ontario
Occupation
Digger
Slowly chipping away at it when I have free time, reach arm inside and smash it over and over until I can break it up small enough to move it to a spot where I can hit it with a bar… brute force and ignorance!
 

colson04

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Messages
2,057
Location
Delton, Michigan
Slowly chipping away at it when I have free time, reach arm inside and smash it over and over until I can break it up small enough to move it to a spot where I can hit it with a bar… brute force and ignorance!

That will get it done, just takes longer.
 

suladas

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
1,731
Location
Canada
The fellow I started working for a long time ago, would get a tire burning and pick up the crawler loader and hold over the fire. It made a blackened mess but got the tracks thawed out. I clean out every night and park on tires usually. Much easier to prevent than to clean it up. Don't have time to do it right, but have time to spend latter trying to get it out after it has caused a lot of damage you might want to look for a different operator.

You'd have firetrucks and cops called in a instant trying to do that here on any sites, probably even at most yards too. Never mind the chance of catching the machine on fire. Dirt frozen on the outside of pads doesn't really bother me, lose a bit of traction but if working in winter they are going to be frozen full of crap the next day anyway, not worth it. Not going to cause any damage and the first warm day it all comes off by itself.
 
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