Breaking the chain on a 1010

[wwattson]

I read enough posts on here to know that this is sometimes a trick. Is there any special cuss words you use? I've done the heat, force, and any of the really good cuss words I used to use when I worked on nuclear submarines (and they had some really good ones in the US Navy) but nothing is working.

[Trucker Dan]

A couple of good stiff drinks will help. At least help you forget about it till tomorrow.

[wwattson]

That's a great idea! I suspect that a hangover might make this even worse with all the pounding and yelling and such but it does put you into a frame of mind where it's not getting any better but you don't care as much.

Maybe a couple of beers and a bigger hammer.

[Lavoy]

Most of the words used when splitting tracks would make a sailor blush!!!!!!!!!!

[whybill]

I have to agree with Lavoy, I had to split my tracks on the 420 and it will make you have a use of choice words but that was before me and Jesus came to an agreememt. It may be part of the reason that we came to that agreememt. It seems to me that when I was hitting that bit punch with that sledge that I split more than just the track chains but that is another tale ha ha ha. If they are very worn it just takes lots of paitence and time and pounding. Lots of Luck

Bill

Like they used to say in the Army don't strain it get a bigger hammer...........

[stmftr395]

I also recently removed my 1st set of tracks from a crawler(1010). Tried a few whacks with a 20lb double jack, but did not like the stress placed on the sprocket(had the master pin located as shown in manual). I removed one cleat and took some mesurements then proceded to make a pin removal jig. After a few reneforcement/weld repairs I had a tool that along with a 10 ton porta power removed the pins with little hammering and no injuries. Took 60 minutes to press the pins out. I had looked online for pin removal tools and fabricated a simpler version using my porta power. I did design the tool so as to be light enough(2" x 2" tube) for field use. Hopefully I will never need to use it out of the shop though. Mark.

[hunter41mag]

Hi,
For class 8 truck air brakes with removing the anchor pin on S cam style brakes a tool company (I believe was OTC) made a C clamp type tool to push out the anchor pin. The base of the C clamp had an opening where it would let the anchor pin come out and allowed the use of an air impact wrench on the screw for pushing on the pin. I do not know if the length is long enough to fit over the rails but I am sure something could be made that is similiar in design.

Don
Eastern PA
440IC

[Tigerhaze]

Hi,
For class 8 truck air brakes with removing the anchor pin on S cam style brakes a tool company (I believe was OTC) made a C clamp type tool to push out the anchor pin. The base of the C clamp had an opening where it would let the anchor pin come out and allowed the use of an air impact wrench on the screw for pushing on the pin. I do not know if the length is long enough to fit over the rails but I am sure something could be made that is similiar in design.

That sounds very much like the u-joint removal tool that I have for my auto mechanic work. The one I have would fit over the rails, I believe. I'm not sure if it would provide enough force however. i may have to check that out. Thanks!

[ggfossen]

I built a tool, for pin removal, from rail road tie plates. It has a grade 8 bolt that on which an impact wrench can be placed. It spans the chain with the pads removed. Problem is, I tried it on the regular pins after I had the master pin removed. It wouldn't budge the regular pins, but it might work on the master pins. I intend to try it the next time I have to remove the tracks.

Gary

[russ61]

The tool I made consists of a 3/8 plate with 2 hooks that hook over the side of the pad with a guide bushing to hold a drive punch inline with the track pin.Nobody needed to hold the punch,I secure it on the backside of the pad with a big c-clamp.I've used this on my 955 cat with no problems,so I know it'll work on little johnny! Russ

[Lavoy]

I know a track press company that makes a master pin remover that is just a piece of square tubing with a clamp and a long punch through it. Looks like a slick setup, I think it can be bought for around $1000, isn't that a joke.
Lavoy

[Jimmy in NC]

All of these fancy tools.. one won't get the full enjoyment of mashed fingers and the such!!

I've been lucky, the tracks were just pinned and bushed on this crawler before purchase and the previous owner felt bolts were better than master pins. It now has master pins breaking them wasn't much of a hassle at all.

Jimmy in NC

[wwattson]

If I did enough of them, I'd sure invest in one of the portable track presses that are built for things like master pins. The Berco PP50S and PP100S and the WTC Machinery MPP150 are a few that might be a pretty good fit for this kind of work.

From the other posts on track presses on the site, you sure want to consider safety in a portable press capable of anywhere from 50 to 150 tons. Could sure make you wish the only thing you had was mashed fingers.

[Lavoy]

Last quote I got on a WTC master pin press was about $8000, not sure if that included tooling.
Lavoy

[wwattson]

I think that most of the portable track presses I've seen seem to run in that $6K to $8K range. Lavoy, did you ever look at the manual master pin punch deal that WTC sells. It's a one man punch holder that attaches to the track shoe. It's their model number HFPP. I was going to give them a call just to see what such a thing costs but it's probably more than I'd want to pay for something that seems like it would only marginally help.

WTC is in town so I'll give them a call. Paying over three times as much for the portable track press than I did for the crawler isn't going to happen but curiousity has got me.