Looking HARD at purchasing a 100T portable track pin press......anybody use one and have thoughts??

[Monkeywithawrench]

I've put together home made track pin presses out of threaded rod and made a C press out of 3/4" mild steel using a 60T Enerpac ram. Spent all day Monday (which lasted into Tuesday) fighting with a 336 track. The guy likes to cut corners and just beats the crap out of his machines. Showed up to service 1 336 for another company and then put some track pad bolts on his machine. He 2 broken pins and a master link that was backing out. Started on his machine at 10am. Didn't leave until midnight..............that's when I turned back into a pumpkin. I needed to take Tuesday off to recover. I got the **** beat out of me...............

So..............I'm looking at the TracBuster 2000 from Canada. For about $16,000 US I can get the pins, rams, and C frame. I already have all the other crap they want to sell me. I have an Enerpac pump, hoses, gauges, etc.

Anybody use one?? Have one?? How do you like it?? Any shortcomings??
https://tracbustertrackpinpress.com/tracbuster-2000-track-pin-press/

Was also looking at WTC Machinery FP100 system. Haven't received a quote from them yet.
https://www.wtcmachinery.com/produc...ame-100-ton-portable-pin-press#7764-downloads

So just doing some inquires and polling amongst my buddies in the industry. They are very gung ho and excited for me to get one. Any idea how much I should charge to rent this thing out?? I'm thinking $500/day.............guess it depends on who it is.
Also.............what or how do you go about charging for pin press service??? So hooking up your computer to a machine or truck gets a Dianostics charge of $125, welding I charge a welding machine rate plus consumables. What would be fair for Pin press service??
Thanks

 

[Willie B]

$500. daily rental seems fair, but seems unlikely you'd get it done in a day. I'd picture it when undercarriage needs to be replaced. Maybe cut the old rail. I apologize for my lack of experience, never done it. Do you use the press to install the master pin, or just remove?

I've seen the oxygen lance used to punch through the pin, then it comes out with punch & hammer.
Might dry ice help with installation?

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

Sometimes a link or one side of the link might get cracked at the track pad bolt and needs to be replaced. Sprocket and final drive replacement.......you'll need to split the tracks. The press would both install and remove pins from the tracks. Master pins are usually a hundredth or thousandsths smaller than a regular pin.
Dry ice is -109F/ 78.3C
Liquid nitrogen is -320F / -196C
I use liquid nitrogen. I have a 10L dewar (just a special insulated container for liquid nitrogen) and pour it into a playmate cooler that was getting thrown away. Most of the pins and bearings and bushings fit into the Playmate. I've found the plastic cooler with lid works much better than a cheap styrofoam cooler that I bought. The styrofoam cooler boiled the liquid nitrogen right out............never kept the cold in like the play mate.
Oxy lance is good if the pin is junk and needs to be replaced. Once you get it out, you still need to put a new one in. Most times you can just pop the pin out with the press and then put it back in when your done.
Just tired of fighting with this stuff. Getting too old to swing the big hammers. Seem to do it enough where its time to buy the proper tool. Have other people in the industry and who own equipment who want to rent it. And these people I have no problem renting/ loaning tools too.

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

You asked about getting it done in a day. Popping a pin on an excavator is usually pretty quick. Release grease in tensioner, squish it back a bit, take 2 track pads off, press pin out. Maybe an hour or 2........depends on distractions and phone calls.........then your off to the races.
There is NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE RIGHT TOOLS. That and knowing how to use them.
You don't know what your missing until you use the right tools.......seems to be my case anyway.

 

[digger doug]

$16k looks like a good price for what your getting.
Do you use a crane on the service truck to move it into position ?

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

$16k looks like a good price for what your getting.
Do you use a crane on the service truck to move it into position ?

Yes...........crane is a necessity for holding the track press in place, picking the up the track and lowering it to the ground. The track press and C frame weigh 500-600lbs.

Thinking about going with the WTC machinery FP100 press. They seem to have the best set up compared to the Trac Buster.

 

[1466IH]

I always just show up with new pins, nitrogen and pin lance off the bat. I can buy a lot of track pins for $16k. I have thought about it many times but can think of other things to spend that money on

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

I always just show up with new pins, nitrogen and pin lance off the bat. I can buy a lot of track pins for $16k. I have thought about it many times but can think of other things to spend that money on

Oooohhh dude............I'm with you there on spending the money. I've fought with 3 different CAT 336's and a 329 in the last year. I built a homemade C press out of 7"x 3/4" flat stock and a 60T double acting cylinder. Worked well until this past Mondays adventures. I'm 54 now...........not the young lion I used to be. Monday's nightmare crippled me for Tuesday. Tools breaking............push pins bending.........the back of the C press that holds the bottom of the jack, with doubled up 3/4" plate was bending up. It didn't go well. LOL.........my wife called me around 11pm because I didn't hear or respond to her text at 10pm asking I was OK. She was just making sure I wasn't crushed under a piece of equipment!!
A buddy of mine told me...........upon discussing my plan to make the pin press............he said "Sometimes you need all of that 100T to push those pins back in and get them out". That is what was going through my head that night.
And bantering the thoughts and discussing the idea of purchasing one, I've had a bunch of buddies in the industry (whom I talk to all the time.......batting around problems, have you run into this before, what do you think about doing that, etc) who have said if I buy one they'd be eager to rent it when they need it. Thus the kernel of the idea of just purchasing one. The need is there. I can have it paid off in 2 years..........well, have it pay for itself. Just tired of beating the crap out of myself. It would be like having to use a gin pole instead of having a proper crane on the truck. Gin pole would work.........but oh man, that crane is so much easier to use!!
I think I may go with the WTC Machinery FP100. It would be $14k US for the press and the medium and large pins and receivers. The TracBuster is $13k US for the C frame press and just 3 different size pins pins. The receivers for the push pins on the TracBuster are the same size.............so removing the push pins and putting a replacement track pin in to get it started could be pretty sloppy. I like the idea of having a tighter fit on the new track pin to reduce the chance of it going crooked. And getting the pin press, I'm sure my rotator cuff's would appreciate me not swinging the 20lber anymore.

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

 

[Vetech63]

I always just show up with new pins, nitrogen and pin lance off the bat. I can buy a lot of track pins for $16k. I have thought about it many times but can think of other things to spend that money on

I do the same here. I'll burn a pin, freeze a new one, then a bit of heat on the link boss and they usual pop right in with a few small hammer taps. 16K? I haven't done enough pin/ link replacement in 20 years to justify that cost.

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

I do the same here. I'll burn a pin, freeze a new one, then a bit of heat on the link boss and they usual pop right in with a few small hammer taps. 16K? I haven't done enough pin/ link replacement in 20 years to justify that cost.

That's fine........to each their own. Some people love sports cars and hot rods, others don't.
I'll assume that your using master pins to freeze and pop back in. There is going to be a $500 charge in the bill for popping pins out to split tracks and put them back together again. Just like there is a welder time charge, mileage charge, Oxy fuel charge, etc. Monday was the catalyst.........had lots of time to think about it Tuesday while recovering. And yes............have thought long and hard for many years about buying one.............and didn't. I spent $800 for 20 ft of 3/4" plate, plus the jack, plus the power pack, plus my time cutting, welding, and putting it together...........lets not forget lathe time turning the pn pushers. In the end, with time and materials; I was more than half way there to buying one.
You guys do you. I'll do me, my back, my rotator cuffs, etc.

 

[Vetech63]

It’s your money my friend.

 

[funwithfuel]

I'd look at the used market. Business liquidation, stuff like that. I can't justify twice the price just so I can put the first scratch on it. All my junk is used and works like new. Just a thought

 

[BigWrench55]

I don't always do track work, but when I do I prefer a track press.

 

[1466IH]

Dont get me wrong, I would love to have one but there are a lot of other things higher on my list. Bore welder and better boring machine are pretty high up there at the moment.

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

Dont get me wrong, I would love to have one but there are a lot of other things higher on my list. Bore welder and better boring machine are pretty high up there at the moment.

I hear ya...........I have a buddy that I either sub that work out to or borrow his machine. He is also one of the people who would be renting the press. Between trying to keep up with servicing machines and putting out fires there doesn't seem to be enough time for anything else...........just wondering what next year is going to bring.

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

I'd look at the used market. Business liquidation, stuff like that. I can't justify twice the price just so I can put the first scratch on it. All my junk is used and works like new. Just a thought

Have looked on and off for a few years. Need to be in the right place at the right time. Have had buddies looking, found them, texted or emailled me........and they've already been bought. They don't last long on the open market. Just at that point where either bite the bullet and stop wishing or live with the frustration and aggravation of dealing with what I've got. Put quite a bit of money and time into making something that isn't working for me. Just time to buy one that is properly designed and made and stop wasting my time trying to be cheap and make one. Maybe if things were slower.
Sitting in cab of truck ordering parts right now..........LOL. Taking a break and organizing my thoughts for the days ever changing priorities. A little distraction helps to clear the mind sometimes.

 

[DMiller]

With supply chain issues worsening and availability of a replacement pin questionable at times the press would be a better choice as could reuse a old pin for a short term if did need a replacement until it arrived. For older and Orphan Machines it is not a question of saving pins but a necessity.

 

[Bluox]

Here's a little food for thought.
Check with your insurance people and see if you are covered when renting out or loaning your tools.
I own a 100 and a 50 ton press and I don't loan either.
If you want to hear a horror story about a track press wreck PM me.
I have never heard of anyone charging separate for a press.
Was the track you had problems a PPR track?
If you deal with those you will need more tooling.
I have been doing this about 50 years and it don't get easier.
Good Luck
Bob