taking out the master pin.

[gdismine]

How do I go about taking out the master pin on my 350B in order to remove the track to fix the clutches? I have the tech manual. But they refer to a hydraulic tool that when I ask where to find one , people stare as if they were deer in the headlights. Is there anyone who has an easier way to remove the pin on the track in order for me to get at the clutches? Or else just the procedure to accomplish breaking the track open. Thank you...

[Paul45]

Get a big drift pin punch and a big sludge hammer and beat it out. I have done it both ways, depending on the condition of your tracks. I have compressed track adjusters all the way in and I was able to work the track off the sproket and move track out of the way enough to pull the final out. Good luck !

[JWB Contracting]

1. Remove tension on the tracks by unloosening the plug beside the grease nipple on your track tightener. Don't remove it, just unloosen. You need to get the front idler to come back so the track slacks off, a loader cat picking in the middle of the rail works best. Consider cleaning and buffing up the track tighener shaft to save the tightener seal.

2. Locate your master pin, we like to position it at about 1 o'clock on the rear sprocket. Remove a pad in each direction of the master pin.

3. Cut a pice of pipe just slightly larger than the master pin, instert this between the inside of the track chain and the final drive. This acts as a back up for sledging the master pin out.

4. Build a pin holder, such as ready rod welded onto a pin smaller than the master pin. Find someone to hold the pin pounder in place while you hit it with a sledge hammer. They are tough to get out, you can heat the outside of the rails a bit. If you don't have help you can weld a piece of pipe to the outside of the rail to keep you pounding pin in place. We beat the pin right out so that it can be installed from the outside plus we often grind the end down a bit on the hammering end to get it back to round.

We just got 7 sets of 350 track chain from a sawmill. They were used as a feed table and were linked together in 2 long chains. It was tough to get the master pins out as they were loose rails. Also had to air arc the feeder arms off every 5th link. I only wish they were John Deere rails, but I guess Berco is still good quality, very minimal wear and near new condition. We were suppose to get idlers and sprockets as well, maybe I'll get lucky and they'll be deere. I'm still on the hunt for excellent deere idlers for my 350. I can get new Trek idlers and sprokets, but I would like originals. The Trek idlers have holes in them and look far from original.

[Tigerhaze]

But they refer to a hydraulic tool that when I ask where to find one , people stare as if they were deer in the headlights.

There are pneumatic and hydraulic master pin removal tools, but they are really designed for much larger crawlers and are very expensive. If you look through the archives on this board, you can find the thread with a photo of that type of tool.

As mentioned, the good old fashioned way of beating it out usually works best. There are many ways to hold the punch- one mentioned was clamping a 2x4 with a hole drilled the size of the pin and driving with onther pin. It usually takes really large swings with a heavy sledge to get them to move.

[77 Ford]

Along the lines of this, has anyone ever pulled their tracks without removing the master pin. Then taken the track to a shop to get the master pin pressed out and replaced with the bolt together link to make it easier to remove in the field?

I've been thinking about that but sense I got my new springs on I'm not having near the trouble with my U/C so it might not be worth it now.

[JWB Contracting]

Never had one that we couldn't do at home. Get something to hold your drift pin and back up the track link and swing away.

Last resort is blowing a hole in the master pin with the torch. I don't recommend taking them of without removing the master pin.

[Tigerhaze]

I have removed my track whole without splitting a couple different times-usually when the track has partially slipped off. If you search some of my threads in the "Show and Tell" you will see photos of a couple incidents.

You can purposefully remove the track whole, but unless really worn and front idler fully retracted, it is difficult to get it over the top of the sprocket teeth or the front idler ridge.

If removed whole, it is much easier to get a good swing on the master pin to get it driven out so I have never had to take to a shop either. Older crawlers (not necessarily a 350B) used a headed pin with a retaining clip (circlip) that has to be removed to get a pin out.

I have used penetrating fluid but not sure if it helped or not. One other trick I have used in the past (since I didn't have a rosebud or torch) is to chill the end of the master pin with dry ice and then immediately heat around the outside of the bushing with propane torch. It doesn't get the expansion/contracting that a rosebud can but seemed to provide enough difference to help drive out the pin.

I have never used a bolt together link, but it seems since the track would be in mud and grit from time to time rather than driving out or cutting a master pin you would be cutting and driving a bolt/nut assembly.

[gdismine]

I have a new insight into removing my 350B tracks. I guess I will beat the hell out of the master pin and hope for the best. Thank you all.

[kedorland]

I just broke our left chain apart on our 450C. First time for me ever as I'm very green to heavy equipment.

I bought 7' of 7/8" hardened rod. Cut 16" off of the 7' and made a T with balance.

The long portion is now a handle and the shorter section is your drift pin. I welded a 3/8" by 3" by 3" plate on the end of the drift pin the sledge will be impacting....(for less misses)

We just took ours apart a couple of days ago......and one man was on the handle (two handed in the middle) and he said it didn't ring his hands while I swang the sledge with all I had. Used some oil...couldn't tell ya if it helped. Also used our flame thrower (propane weed burner) (flame is 4" diameter and about 4' long) as a rosebud to expand the links. With fire extingwisher in hand we're thinking it made life mush easier.

10 min. and we had it apart. Our left drive sprocket is cracked and am going to repair it.

Kevin from Iowa.

[BOBWOOD]

I built the tool shown in the tec. manual and pounded them out with a sledgehammer also...My father said to wear safety glasses when doing this...and I usually do anyway...sure enough a chunk of pin broke off when I was reinstalling them and went flying somewhere...

[LeonardL]

Welcome to the wonderful world of track driven heavy equipment! It is a world of beating, cussing and or swearing, sweating, panting and or gasping for air! You have to learn about flying debris the size of a pin point and learn how to swing a hammer ( a big one!) and hold a drift pin at the same time while holding it centered with a target the size of a quarter!!
Knee pads and shin guards and sometimes athletic cups are a must. Even chainsaw chaps would be handy at times!
Without all this stuff it will make you cuss and swear and sweat even more. Followed by heavy breathing and gasping for air!
Sometimes the athletic cup has to be removed if you have accidentally hit your hand with the big hammer! The reason being is that there are healing qualities between your legs! Ever wonder why we always put our hurt hands and fingers between our legs? There's healing qualities there believe me!
All of this just to get the tracks apart! Unless you are one of the lucky few that have pin presses and all the fancy equipment that none of the rest of us can afford! And if you ask me... that's just not right!! Everyone should have to beat a set a tracks apart at least once in their life!!
Usually the repair your needing to do goes quickly and without most of the above. At least the repairs for the most part can be done sans the cup!
But then... you get the sweet job of putting the tracks back together! Every bit as much fun as taking them apart!! Only this time you get to pull your guts out trying to get the track back together close enough to drive the pins back in!! So... Good luck! And swing away!!! And swing true!!

[vestor_guy]

I would use a standard hot rolled rod as the driver. Any type of hardened steel might tend to break off sharp chunks that are dangerous.

I have broken several track with a tool I made by welding a short lenght of rod to a handle about 4 feet long. I stood on top the track while my brother held the driver rod in place. The first swing was light to make sure I hit the target and on the second swing, the master pin moved.

Making a jig to hold the rod out of wood clamped to the track would be a good way for a one man operation.

[Lavoy]

Another trick is to use a heavy piece of cable for the handle instead of rod, keeps the vibrations from numbing your arm so bad.
Lavoy

[Barnhardtsr]

Wow!!!! Thats good stuff even if it a year old or so. Thanks to all who posted. I gotta' break the tracks on my 450D in order to repair the track expander, and all those folks who posted the "How to's" are certainly appreciated.

Homer Barnhard
Saluda, Va.

[MarkW]

I built the tool shown in the tec. manual and pounded them out with a sledgehammer also...My father said to wear safety glasses when doing this...and I usually do anyway...sure enough a chunk of pin broke off when I was reinstalling them and went flying somewhere...

I had an interesting experience this last winter, I got a splitting maul stuck in a piece of log and drove it through with a sledge hammer. Never wore them growing up, but I wear safety glasses most any time I think I might need them nowadays. Anyway, a spall smaller than my little fingernail came off the sledge, cut through my pants, and made a clean slice through the skin on my calf about 2" long and cut all the way to the muscle.

First time in my life I've ever been cut like that with flying metal and I'm going to invest in one of those clear full face shields as well.

Since this is a technical forum, I'll tell you guys how I dealt with the cut-

I suppose many people here have read how you can use super glue to glue a cut closed in an emergency. I have too and since this was in a non-cosmetic area I figured I'd try it. The first thing is that while super glue does a wonderful job sticking your fingers to some delicate thing you are trying to fix, both those surfaces are dry. A cut usually bleeds for a while so in the woods without a roll of paper towels and some rubbing alcohol to clean and dry everything off I don't think it would work to hold pieces of your person together IMHO. What I ended up doing was using small strips of heavy paper towel that I wetted with glue, as an experiment but even there simple butterfly strips would be way superior if you can't get to an ER to get it sewn.

Just thought you'd find it interesting.