420 tracks

General help and support for your Lindeman through 2010 John Deere crawler
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ggfossen
440 crawler
440 crawler
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Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 8:08 pm
Location: Jacksonville, Oregon

420 tracks

Post by ggfossen » Thu May 05, 2005 8:17 pm

I have an 420 that's set for a long time. I decided I need it up and running. One of the links on the track is cracked on one side. I pulled the track, and have it in front of the shop. Can they be successfully welded? Also, it has 14 inch pads, and I wonder if, when running around on steep rocky terrain, it might be better if they weren't so wide. Anyone ever torch an inch or so off the sides of the pads?

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Lavoy
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Post by Lavoy » Fri May 06, 2005 9:26 am

You can weld the links, I do it all the time. Best bet is to take a torch or plasma cutter and cut through the crack so you are leaving a 1/8" gap or so, then weld it back shut.
I have had a set of pads that someone cut off, it can be done, just slow.
Lavoy

ggfossen
440 crawler
440 crawler
Posts: 216
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 8:08 pm
Location: Jacksonville, Oregon

Post by ggfossen » Fri May 06, 2005 5:44 pm

Lavoy,

I'll give welding a try. What do use to do the welds? Stick, Wire, Gas? I have stick and wire, and I'm shopping for a torch.

Thanks,

Gary

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Post by Lavoy » Fri May 06, 2005 7:35 pm

I use wire, ER70S-6, nothing fancy. Stick would be no problem either, probably use 7018.
Lavoy

ggfossen
440 crawler
440 crawler
Posts: 216
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 8:08 pm
Location: Jacksonville, Oregon

Post by ggfossen » Fri May 06, 2005 10:32 pm

Lavoy,

I beginning to think you're kind of handy to have around. I have the ER70s-6 in my wire machine, so I'll give that a shot. If the weld works, I won't need the used side bar.

I just spent two hours tearing apart boxes of junk, but I finally came up with the original operators manual. A fair amount of good information in it.

I think I will get a torch, and narrow the pads a bit. I think the 14" ones are stressing the track rollers, idlers, and the track links, a bit more than necessary. In this country, I don't see the need for the wider pads. No snow, no soft sod, and lots of rocky steep ground.

In looking through the operator's manual, it appears that this machine came with most of the extras; rock guards, belly pan, radiator guard, and sprocket guards. I think it may make a pretty decent tinker tractor.

Again, Thanks,

Gary

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