Tips for getting track back onto front idler?

[ylekyote]

I've got a New Holland track loader with wide 18" tracks. Right track was easy enough to remove the front part using the long pry bars, 3 pipes, and the track's motion. Replaced idler.

Getting back on has proven to be a huge pain. I don't have a second machine or winch...just two guys and a headache now after screwing around for 2 hours on it. We can't get the track to pull forward enough and toward the machine, to crawl over the idler wheel. The track crawls in about 4" and then refuses to go totally up against the idler. Tensioner is completely back all the way.

Any tricks? I thought about using a small come-along on front but it's not rated for much. I've tried hooking a chain to the front, bottom and top locations and pulling up with the boom arms but this only goes so far and then stops cooperating. I've greased the track and the front idler wheel too...that helped a little, not much.

I keep rolling the rear off of the sprocket also when I try to hard.

Any tips?

 

[GaryHoff]

Generally I put the track back on the way that you took it off.

One thing that will help is to just have the machine barely off the ground. I use a floor jack at the rear, and the bucket on the front to lift. Get the track on the sprocket and the rear idler. Now lift the machine up just enough so the track lugs clear the bottom rollers. Have your helper drive the right track ahead while you pry the front of the track over. Stick a pry bar in the track lugs and pry it over the front idler (may need a few pry bars)
A used track is usually not to bad to install because its already stretched.

 

[JNB]

For me it works the easiest using pipes in between every other track lug, but I've been forced to re-track on the job using pieces of kindling. That does take some prying. When I have a helper we run the track slowly in reverse and keep replacing the pipes as they fall out until the track is back on. The track wants to align itself with the sprocket and usually crawls on the idler by itself with little or no prying at all.

 

[bartelbe]

I also use the 3 pipes to remove and install the tracks, when using the 3 pipes its helps if the pipes are just a little thicker in diameter then the height of the lugs so the lugs don't get hung up on the front idler as you slide the track over it also place the 1st pipe in a lug leave 2 spaces empty and place the 2nd then skip another 2 spaces and place 3rd if done correctly the track should just slide right on especially a used track. and one more thing is you have to start all this with the idler right up next to the lugs if not in this position you will probably fight the lugs hitting the front bottom corner of the track frame.

 

[slwbid]

I'm having a hard time envisioning the pipes positioned in the track to help get track back on. Do you use them at sprocket end?
It takes me a while, but I've found that using curl and bucket, even if I have to put a fence post in bucket to reach track, can be helpful in forcing track on.
As said, it takes a while, so I'm always interested in learning better ways.
Does anyone have a drawing or a video?

thanks
slwbid

 

[JNB]

Bad pic, but you can see the pipes sitting on the retracted front idler. If you use a bit larger diameter pipes, you can go every other track lug.

 

[pafarmer]

This is extremely hard to explain in words. I have put dozens of tracks on by myself using this method. Here goes nothing.

The trick is to take the slack from the bottom of the track out by using various size pieces of wood. You have to use the wooden shims under the track in such a way that all of the slack from the bottom is out and using one long pry bar you can pop the track over the idler with ease. One man, one pry bar, a lift big enough to lift one side of the machine in the air while you set shims under it and slowly let the track push on those shims until no slack is hanging downward. What you are attempting to do is push any slack up and then forward in an attempt to get as much track up and forward as possible. Wish I was closer by to show you what I am so desperately trying to describe here. It's so freakin simple once you see it done once. Very frustrating trying to put into words, for me anyway...:Banghead

I just spent more time typing this than it would take me to have your track on !

 

[bobcan]

This is extremely hard to explain in words. I have put dozens of tracks on by myself using this method. Here goes nothing.

The trick is to take the slack from the bottom of the track out by using various size pieces of wood. You have to use the wooden shims under the track in such a way .. It's so freakin simple once you see it done once. Very frustrating trying to put into words, for me anyway...:Banghead

For the record pafarmer, I am pretty sure that I 'get the picture you are painting' here ~ Basically, Do Not Let Gravity Be Your Enemy ~ by letting the track sag down and shorten itself/ tighten up, you are having to force that weight unnecessarily onto sprockets with tools.. so try to shim it along the length to keep it uniform _ I think _ and if so, makes sense to me!! :thumbsup

 

[crewchief888]

For the record pafarmer, I am pretty sure that I 'get the picture you are painting' here ~ Basically, Do Not Let Gravity Be Your Enemy ~ by letting the track sag down and shorten itself/ tighten up, you are having to force that weight unnecessarily onto sprockets with tools.. so try to shim it along the length to keep it uniform _ I think _ and if so, makes sense to me!! :thumbsup

^^^ this


:drinkup

 

[CM1995]

Bad pic, but you can see the pipes sitting on the retracted front idler. If you use a bit larger diameter pipes, you can go every other track lug.

View attachment 152878

I use the same technique but do it on the sprocket with one pipe - usually my cheater bar in the back of the truck.

With the machine raised, slide the track on the front idler first, rear idler second and then place the cheater bar in a cog on the sprocket and slowly rotate the sprocket forward. If the cheater bar is long enough you can also use it as a pry bar as it rolls around the sprocket. The track goes on easily as the front and rear idler are guiding it into place. This of course is a two man operation.

NOTE - If anyone is using jacks to lift the machine be sure to put wood cribbing under the machine before trying to put the track on as jacks can be unstable.

 

[Tones]

Always found a rachet strap is your best friend for putting rubber tracks on

 

[slwbid]

I've had some success with retracting tensioner all way, blocking up one side so that the offending track is on ground, but not much weight. Block other track front and rear.
run bolt through one of the inside holes near end of track you trying to get on. Bolt long chain to track pad with bolt. Attach other end of chain to bucket. Use buck to pull forward and to the inside while rolling the track very slowly in proper direction. I've sure the pipes pictured would also be a big help.
Also, 'talking to it' is quite often helpful

Respectfully
Stacy Whetzell

 

[ylekyote]

Yes we eventually got it on. The main issue we solved was that the dang idler bracket/yoke was in upside down, and made the idler stick out, even when the tensioner was fully released, by about 1" too much. Both my partner and I checked the bracket by comparison when putting in but it tricked us. We removed the idler and yoke again to see if anything was "in the way" perhaps and figured it out then. The dang yoke was in the way, upside down, lol! Once we reversed it the used track went on with the pry bar and the pipes method quite easily (buy slowly). We used 4 pipes and one man replaced them to the bottom as the other turned the track slowly in reverse. It took about 10 full revolutions of the track, so be patient...it creeps over and on slowly.

We agree getting all the slack possible from the underside of the raised track is very helpful. I am measuring the ideal height and cutting blocking for this job next time, lol. The 6 ton jacks we were using were a little to high, by about 3". They allowed the track to pull down excessively and make the pry bar necessary to help the inside track climb over the front idler to get started.

I'm not a fan of working under jacks alone, especially when things are moving and being banged or pulled on. I am cutting large 18" railroad ties or similar wood blocks for resting the 10,000 lbs on.

 

[HRPServicesTX]

I put 2 pieces of 10" I beam under the back of mine and just use 1⅞" pieces of pipe to slide track off and put it on the same way you take it off. Just replaced my tracks 2 weeks ago. Only took me an hour to get both done.