Rollers

[barnie]

just woundering if anyone out there has ever tried to fix the flange on the bottom rollers of a 440? I'm not sure if they are just steel or hardened steel or a combo of steel and cast? Just curious if you can weld to them and it will hold or not. I have five rollers that have one flange gone on them so i thought i would cut out some steel and make new ones to weld on them. It might not work but thought i would try and just thought i would check here first to see if anyone had done it before. any info would be appreciated

[JimAnderson]

barnie,
You can weld the bottom rollers and repair the missing flange.I know
this because I've done it.The bottom rollers are weldable .The top rollers
are cast iron.As new the bottom rollers may have some heat treatment
to them but I have not done a hardness test on one yet.I am going to
build up another set of rollers with a Lincoln hardsurface rod that will
give me a surface in the 30 Rockwell range .These will be chucked in a
lathe and machined to original dimensions. If you don't have machining
cabilities don't be alarmed .Lay a consistant bead around the circumferance and run the roller welded.Mild steel rod would not be
my first choice but it will last for awhile.My father was a heavy equipment
operator back in the late forties and tells me this was standard practice
back then.In the late sixties I saw him hardface the sprockets on his
420c,put them on the machine as welded and run them that way.Forty
years later they're still going strong.I'm sure others on this board have
welded up their track components and equally sure others frown on
this practice.If the rollers you have now are wore out I see no reason
not to build them back up.Jim Anderson

[barnie]

just curious jim do you know what the original dimensions are just incase i find a lathe. a friend of mine has one but am not sure if it is big enough to do the job. also what type of rod would you use i thought just a 7014 or 7018might work for a short time but any suggestions on other rods i might use. my tracks are getting rough they need pins and bushings also but at least with the rollers fixed they should stay on the machine til i can get the pins and bushings replaced by lavoy.it costs alot to fixem up just got done putting 1200.00 into the clutch,reverser,some seals in the reverser ,tranny and engine but will be worth it when shes working good again cause its very handy thanks for the info helps me out alot

[Lavoy]

There is actually a wire, and maybe a rod that is meant for this. It is called a "work hardens or work hardening" product. I think Stoody makes it, maybe others. It goes on relatively soft, and then hardens as the rails pound it flat. Last I knew it was only available in really big tubs, and in pretty big diameters meant for raill and roller build up machines.
Lavoy

[JimAnderson]

barnie,
The welding rod I intend to use is a Lincoln Wearshield BU.From the
info on their website this rod will give a hardness in the Rockwell C range
of about 28 to 30 with no heat treatment.This is well within the range that
can be machined with normal tooling.The only requirement is a preheat
of the base metal to 70 degrees.They have a BU 30 rod that can get into
the upper 30's in the C range but this takes some serious heat treating.
I have a new old stock roller to get measurements from.I got it off
E-bay for that purpose only.The total outside diameter is 8.275 inches.
The diameter of the running surface is 7.175 inches.The flanges are tapered and measure from .320 inches at the rim to .440 at the running
surface.
In my opinion,on a dozer, 7018 rod will provide many years of
service but probably wear quickly on a loader.If you decide to build
up your rollers you might want check the bushings,shaft and seals
while you have them off.I know more money,but you can't take it
with you.JimAnderson

[barnie]

thanks for the help guy's i don't know when i will get at fixing them but i am going to do some inquiring about those types of rods. might end up buying used shells from someone if anyone has some please let me know. thanks barnie