I pulled the trigger on a 2000 JD450B yesterday!

[Al Swearengen]

You will find the rails awkward to move; I found my Case 580 backhoe very handy. You could probably heft them by hand with the help of a couple of friends, particularly if sliding them on plywood rather than dirt. Its gonna be hard and dangerous unloading and uncoiling the new ones. (How do other people do this?)

I used my 8N tractor with boom in the past, but inefficient and dangerous because hard to maneever tracks in tight spaces and a little too heavy for that tractor. I know use my Bobcat skid steer as a lot easier to maneuver and have the bucket to raise.

I have also moved tracks by hand, but because of weight you have to pull a couple links upm at a time and "snake" it across the ground. i don't recommend that

Thankfully, I have a little B7800 Kubota with a Woods backhoe that should be a backsaver with this task!

[Al Swearengen]

Since the original poster is from the great Central Valley (me too), I got a great price on Berco rails, pads, bolts and sprockets from their Woodland office.

Steve, do you have an website or contact number for these folks? I did a search and came up empty for Berco in Woodland.

Thanks!

[DBCSteve]

Al -- sorry -- my mistake. It is Industrial Tractor Parts, 281 North Pioneer Avenue, Woodland 95776-8609. The guy I worked with is Buddy Vance, 530-661-4803. ITP has dealers in other states, and it was handy to find that I could get Berco undercarriage parts at competitive prices just 12 miles from my house (although 90 miles from my 450C).

How did I find this place? A recommendation from Pape Machinery in Sacramento (yellow Deere dealer) who said they had the best deal on new tracks.

Steve

[Al Swearengen]

Al -- sorry -- my mistake. It is Industrial Tractor Parts, 281 North Pioneer Avenue, Woodland 95776-8609. The guy I worked with is Buddy Vance, 530-661-4803. ITP has dealers in other states, and it was handy to find that I could get Berco undercarriage parts at competitive prices just 12 miles from my house (although 90 miles from my 450C).

How did I find this place? A recommendation from Pape Machinery in Sacramento (yellow Deere dealer) who said they had the best deal on new tracks.

Steve

Awesome news Steve! Thank you SOOOO much!

[Al Swearengen]

Al -- sorry -- my mistake. It is Industrial Tractor Parts, 281 North Pioneer Avenue, Woodland 95776-8609. The guy I worked with is Buddy Vance, 530-661-4803. ITP has dealers in other states, and it was handy to find that I could get Berco undercarriage parts at competitive prices just 12 miles from my house (although 90 miles from my 450C).

How did I find this place? A recommendation from Pape Machinery in Sacramento (yellow Deere dealer) who said they had the best deal on new tracks.

Steve

Steve, did you get the SALT or dry tracks for your machine? I contacted them and the price for Berco dry rails was MUCH cheaper, and was told the only difference was the SALT tracks were quieter.

Anybody else wanna way in on SALT v. Dry?

[tjdub]

I contacted them and the price for Berco dry rails was MUCH cheaper, and was told the only difference was the SALT tracks were quieter.

Anybody else wanna way in on SALT v. Dry?

If it was only because they were quieter, they wouldn't cost so much more. SALT chains last longer (generally). They only last as long as the weakest link does though It's probably a safe assumption that you're getting what you pay for with either SALT or dry chains. If your going to be using your current pads on the new chain, you might want to consider how long those will last.

[DBCSteve]

Al -- I bought the standard dry-pin chains. I probably will use my 450C about 100 hours a year, so cost was a factor. I will probably have to replace the chains in 2035. My old sprockets were shot as were the pin bushings (and the idlers were fully extended on the track frames with sagging tracks), thus the full track replacement.

One other factor was new pads. I could have built up the grousers on my old pads but they used 1/2 bolts and I got a good deal on new pads and the now-fairly-common 9/16 bolts. The bolt size has to match the hole diameter in the chains. ITP also provided free track assembly, which would have taken this shade tree mechanic a good part of a day. Probably two days if beer is nearby.

Steve

[DBCSteve]

I have also moved tracks by hand, but because of weight you have to pull a couple links upm at a time and "snake" it across the ground. i don't recommend that

On the first side of my track replacement (with fully assembled tracks, not just the chains), we used the 580K to pull the tracks in place, then shoved 'em over with the bucket. On the second side we just used pry bars to move the tracks over under the dozer. The pry bar was actually faster and more accurate, but we also had the advantage of soft dry dirt.

[Al Swearengen]

this shade tree mechanic a good part of a day. Probably two days if beer is nearby.

I just happen to have plenty of shade and plenty of beer...and you sound like you are a little bored lately...

I think I will go with the dry rails too...seems I can get the rails, sprockets, and hardware for about $2800 from the good fellows you recommended.

Now, about that beer...

[Tigerhaze]

Anybody else wanna way in on SALT v. Dry?

See Digitup's responses in these posts- he is a commercial user of crawlers so I would put a lot of weight into his opinion.

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... light=salt

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... light=salt

[Al Swearengen]

Anybody else wanna way in on SALT v. Dry?

See Digitup's responses in these posts- he is a commercial user of crawlers so I would put a lot of weight into his opinion.

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... light=salt

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... light=salt

Good info and thank you for looking that up for me! I did a few searches but did not find those!

Decisions, decisions. The way the gov. is now, maybe I should throw the extra buck before it's worn worse than my rails!

I DO like the thought of a master link that won't need to be pounded in!

[Al Swearengen]

Understanding that the tensioner is under high pressure, after I relieve this pressure and go to reassemble and adjust the tension, will a regular grease gun be able to pump it up enough?

Does this take a special, higher pressure grease gun?

Sorry, rookie here!

[Jack-the-Ripper]

When just sitting, the tensioner only has enough pressure to resist the weight of the sagging top of the tracks. A normal grease gun with any old grease will easily, but slowly, extend it as it takes a lot of grease.

After removing the old tracks, and the release plug (in whatever configuration yours has) nothing will happen until you use something like a come-a-long to compress the cylinder, then lots of grease will pour out all over the top of your cylinder and perhaps drop onto whatever is below it. You can catch as much as you want on a paper towel or just scrape it up and wipe the residue. Its just a messy job!

[Al Swearengen]

When just sitting, the tensioner only has enough pressure to resist the weight of the sagging top of the tracks. A normal grease gun with any old grease will easily, but slowly, extend it as it takes a lot of grease.

After removing the old tracks, and the release plug (in whatever configuration yours has) nothing will happen until you use something like a come-a-long to compress the cylinder, then lots of grease will pour out all over the top of your cylinder and perhaps drop onto whatever is below it. You can catch as much as you want on a paper towel or just scrape it up and wipe the residue. Its just a messy job!

Thank you! That's what I was hoping, but had to ask. I'm trying to gather all the tools and information for this to be a one-trip-up-the-hill affair.

I should release the grease from the tensioner BEFORE removing the tracks, correct? Would a 4x6 board, placed between the front spool and one side of the 6-way blade work for this to to compress the cylinder...just ease the angle of the blade back towards it?

[Tigerhaze]

Hi Al-

Yes, the method you stated will work for retracting the adjuster (after the plug is removed). Retracting it will make removing or splitting the tracks much easier. I am not sure about the 450s, but I think some models have a check ball under that plug so look for it before you start retracting it. Maybe the check ball is under the zerk? Someone else will need to verify.

Another way to retract is to use a skid steer or other piece of equipment to push it in.Whatever you have handy will work. I have done it the hard way before (with a come-a-long).