1010 track seperation

[townlineterry]

Been putting this job off for awhile, need to rebuild tensioners and right steering clutch. I am ready to seperate the tracks. Could not identify the master link, so I guess one pin is as good as another.

I have a torch, a drift pin, a big hammer and somebody fool enough to hold the pin while I beat on it.

Anybody have any special tricks or advice to make the job easier?

Terry

[Ray III]

Try to find a pin that is already flush or recessed in the bore. Position your chosen pin at 10 o'clock on the drive sprocket and pull the tracks together with a come-along just enough to relieve tension on the pin. Hit it with lots of penetrating oil and wail on it with pin hammer and sledge. If the pin does not budge... hit it harder!

You don't want anyone to hold the pin for how hard you have to strike it. (Unless your rails are dead and pins are falling out already) Have them hold it with large channel locks, tongs, etc. or get a pin hammer which is a very large punch mounted on a handle.

Avoid using the torch if possible, but if the link begins to separate because the pin does not want to go through the other side, then you'll have to heat the spot on the link visible between track pads to expand the bore (no more than red heat) and then QUICKLY drive the pin through before it cools.

[FarmLife]

I used a drift and welded a piece of 1/4" rod to the drift to hold it while we beat on it with a 20lb sledge.

Now that was beating out a king pin in the front end of a truck, but I think that is a good way to hold it and be a good ways out of the way. That was pretty bad, couldn't barely steer the truck it was soo frozen up.

[jdemaris]

Been putting this job off for awhile, need to rebuild tensioners and right steering clutch. I am ready to seperate the tracks. Could not identify the master link, so I guess one pin is as good as another.

I have a torch, a drift pin, a big hammer and somebody fool enough to hold the pin while I beat on it.

Anybody have any special tricks or advice to make the job easier?

Terry

Lots of different ways to do it. The Deere original masterpin is headed and held in with a snap-ring. Replacements can be just about anything. Best-case- a plain non-headed masterpin has a little dimple mark in the center to ID it from the others. With used tracks - often masterpins get tack-welded in and could be anything.

In most cases - when we had to remove tracks - in the shop or out in the woods we did it like this -as long as the crawler had a dozer blade on it. For tight pins - we had two types of drivers. The first - to get the pin started was a sledge-hammer with a tapered point ground on it. One person held it tight against the pin - and another person hit it with a large mall or sledge. Once the pin moved a little, we used a long bar/handle with a 3/4" or 1" long bolt welded on the end (at a 90 degree angle). Again - one guy held it against the pin - and another person wacked it with a large sledge.

With removing the track - if the machine had a dozer blade we did this. We put blocks under the back of the crawler. Then, put down pressure on the front blade. This way, the whole crawler came up and off the rollers. Track got broken in front - in front of the idler wheel. Then - someone held a bar in one of the chain-link holes. Person in the operator's seat ran the track backwards as the guy holding the bar in track walked with the track and guided it until it was driven off the back sprocket and laid on the floor behind the crawler. Later - using engine power - you can reverse the operation and drive the track back on. The dozer blade via a stick of wood can be be used to hold the track together and in place while putting the master-pin back in. Much of this can be done with just one person - I had to do many out in the woods by myself on road-calls. But - much easier with two people.

[Tigerhaze]

I was able to find my "headed" master pin on my 2010 so I have no advice to add on how to knock out a regular pin. However if you look through the "Show and Tell" forum, I have a fairly detailed photo log of steps to put a track back on a 2010 crawler loader after slipping it off. I used a wheel tractor with a 3-point boom to help pull the track into position.

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... pped+track

However Jdemaris's way is easier especially if you have firm gound to do the operation on; as Jdemaris stated it is much easier with two people.

I do know that the "headed" master pins (at least for a 2010 crawler) are still available; however they are pricey (I think it was around $50 or so a piece).

[stmftr395]

Did mine by myself; After an hour with a hammers and drift pin and I knew there had to be a better way. Looked on line for track pin removal tools to get an idea of what I was to make. First try I used a piece of 2" tube long enough to swallow the track link (noting that the grouser is removed)and the cylinder of a 10 ton portapower. On one end I welded a 2" tube "foot" for the cylinder to seat against and on the other end I welded a piece of 2" tube with a piece of 2" pipe welded to the top. The pipe is placed against the track link and the pin is pushed through the bushing using the cylinder from the other side. Try number 2 consisted of the same tool with an other piece of 2" tube welded to the back of the first piece to make a strong back. The 10 ton cylinder will bend one piece of 2" tube as was discovered during try number one. To get things moving I pumped the portapower up good and tight and beat the the end of the tool. First pin took half a day or better, but with the pin removal tool finished the second pin was out in less than a hour. I liked the fact that I was not beating the track, sprocket and final drive components with a sledge and my fingers liked not getting hit. I did weld on a guide so that the cylinder and drift pin under great pressure, could not slip out and injury me. This tool should only be fabricated by a competent welder. 10 tons is alot of force and will test not only the welds but the materials. I tried to keep this thing light enough to use in the field. Could take some pictures and post them if anybody is interested. Mark

[Gil]

I tried to follow your verbage, but I got lost somewhere between pipes and tubes. And since a picture is worth a thousand words; would you mind posting one of this tool? I'd be interested to see how you made it.

[stmftr395]

Posted a couple of pictures of the pin removal tool in the show and tell section. Should be worth a thousand words. Mark