450c track adjuster

[Bobby H.]

have right track adjuster that won't move. at some point some one has put a shim between piston and tube going back to spring . does the piston go into that tube or is it suppose to be all one piece?? parts Manuel is not clear. yolk bolts broke loose so I can remove yolk and try to get apart. Is piston available??what seems to be the best way to get adjuster apart.??@*#! or heat?Thanks in advance for any help.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

Piston goes into tube. Sounds like a typical quick fix for a way-past-worn-out set of rails.....

Stan

[Bobby H.]

manual says to pull spring. If I'm just doing the adjuster and yolk is that required?? or pull yolk and piston and install into tube and grease??

[JWB Contracting]

Best to post some pics then we will know what your up against instead of just giving comments on what the issue or required work is.

[77 Ford]

More than likely the tube is ruined as well as the piston but like they said you'll need to post pictures and probably tear into to find out. Normally the adjuster comes as a set when purchased aftermarket.

[Bobby H.]

pics of right side and cracked tensioner on left

[Bobby H.]

I got the wrong adjuster. I got one for a dozer instead of a track loader. Have correct ones coming. I'm trying to get in touch with Lavoy on parts but my fingers are not sending to right address. It came back undeliverable, so I tryed again.

[Bobby H.]

after looking at service manual and parts manual it looks like the piston /tube fits onto the spring perch and I assume once adjuster is clasped it should come out. hopefully I am not to far off base.

[mini kahuna]

you are right, collapse the adjuster as far as it will go, then I use a come along around the track and to the bucket to hold the idler forward....this should give you enough room to separate the front yoke and get it out.
you can also sometimes get the spring to come out of it's perch once the pressure is off....spring most times is seized to the rear perch.
sometime we use a torch and cut the adjuster tube because the adjuster is so frozen.
the torch may seem drastic but machines can't be out of service for days while we struggle with a seized adjuster.

[Bobby H.]

What am I missing ?? Why does the spring need to come out?? Sounds like you are saying that the adjuster tube doesn't set on spring perch. Is it welded to or something??Once I've done it I'll know the answers Ha Ha. Just have to get there first.

[mini kahuna]

the whole thing is held together by it's own pressure against the front idler, thats why I collapse the tube into the front yoke and then slid the yoke assembly back forward with a come along, taking the pressure off the spring and tube that fits into the spring.

you should then be able to remove the 4 bolts in the yoke.
if you are lucky the spring will come away from the rear mount it is up against and you can just set it aside and the push the whole adjuster rearward and remove.

now if the adjuster is frozen or spring has welded itself to the rear perch it sits in the fun really starts!!!

[Bobby H.]

Thanks for the help. I'm glad that the fun part is fixin to start..

[jtrichard]

I have never worked on a "C" can you post pics as you go showing the steps THANKS

[77 Ford]

I don't think the spring should come out unless you compress it or it's wore out. Mine when new was compressed several inches to even fit in the holder. If you can get the rod out of the spring you shouldn't need to remove the spring.

[Bobby H.]

I will post pics. had to cut the adjuster off the tube. I notched the tube to get into the spring area. I torched a hole in the bottom part of the tube and used a come along to hold pressure . I cut a slot in the tube as far as i could used a zipgun (air hammer) with a panel cutterto cut a slot, then used a drill for the very end. I then was able to hit with a punch in my zip gun to knock it out of the spring retainer or end cap. I thought I was in the clear at that point. Weeelll not quite. the new adjuster would not go in without pulling the track off frt idler, moving idler almost off the rail . Then I put the adjuster in slid idler back and then almost didn't get track back on. I think the this machine was refurbished or has very little use. The track, rollers, sprockets look to have very little wear and are still tight (very little slack) I have gotten so gooddd at this I think I will do the left side another time.