Tight Bolts

General help and support for your Lindeman through 2010 John Deere crawler
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ggfossen
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Tight Bolts

Post by ggfossen » Wed May 11, 2005 7:34 am

Yesterday, I removed the hydraulic controls, and one fender. I also pulled the second track. Now, I'm trying to remove the track carrying assemblies from the cross bars. The cap screws holding the track assemblies to the cross bars are extremely tight. Is this where I need a stong application of heat? I'm doubting that a little mapp torch will do the job. Is a bigger O/A torch necessary? Suggestions?

And to you, Lavoy, since you probably will weigh in on this (I hope), it appears that the finals are OK. I think they went gunny bags years ago, and were repaired. The sprockets are tight, and not a lot of apparent fluid leakage.

As to the tracks, mine, too, is missing at least one link from each side. What kind of trouble might that present?

Gary

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Post by 440 CRAWLER » Wed May 11, 2005 6:51 pm

I just removed my upper supports last week , 1/2 inch drive socket with 8 foot pieceof heavy wall pipe did it after soaking bolts with penetrating oil

I was sure the bolts would break , but they broke loose and came out no problem, the 1 bolt i heated on the front idler support broke

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fryguy
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Post by fryguy » Wed May 11, 2005 7:55 pm

I broke off the heads off of several extremely pitted bolts on both sides of my crawler. If you are careful, heat can perform miracles. I blew the remaining bolt heads off with a torch, basically leaving studs sticking out of the track frame. After heating the studs, I just turned both out with a Vise Grip. All bolts came out easily. Those particular bolts only engage the trackframe for about 1/2 - 9/16 inch. Always help your self for later by using antisieze.
FG

ggfossen
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Post by ggfossen » Wed May 11, 2005 9:26 pm

Fryguy and 440crawler,

Thanks for the input. I'm going to do my best to not break them. I really don't want to dig out the left overs. I bought a can of spendy penetrating stuff today. Kroil, I think it is. I also bought a fairly big Radnor torch set up, but I have to do a bit more checking on the rosebud before I use it. I don't know much about them, so I have to proceed slowly. They may have given me a tip that flows too much for my ace tank. I did have the cutter part working just a few minutes ago. I had to cut off a piece of mild plate to build up the safety block that has been worn completely through. Looks like it will work. Problem is, I have a fair amount of retaining wall that has to go in, and it probably should be done first. Too much like real work, and not much like play.

Thanks,

Gary

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Lavoy
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Post by Lavoy » Wed May 11, 2005 9:37 pm

Gary,
Heat the casting that surrounds the bolt with the rosebud until good and hot, then hit it with the impact wrench, and most likely it will come out. Second idea is to just blow the bolts between the clamp and the trackframe being careful to leave some bolt still sticking out. Pull the trackframes out from under the crawler, and put the next bigger size nut down over the top of the cut off bolts, and weld it to the bolt. Let it cool, then go back to heating on the trackframe while hitting it with the impact wrench.
I think you will find that any penetrating oil is pretty much useless on something like that. 40 years or dirt accumulation has pretty well rusted them in. There are only two penetrants I have used that actually work, water or an acetylene torch. Unfortunately trackframes are too big to submerge, so you are left with the torch.
Lavoy

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