track plate bolts

[remley]

I need to find the bolts that hold the track plates on. Ineed about 24 . Also what kind of wrench do they need. The nuts are square and I can;'t get to them to tighten the loose ones.

Thanks

[Tigerhaze]

I'm assuming that this is for the 450C you have previously discussed.

The JD parts website shows both the bolts and nuts are available- there are a couple of variations but the track bolt appears to be around $1.22 a piece and the nut around $1.12 a piece. The nuts and bolts are showing as being hardened hex heads, so not sure if they used square nuts in the past or if someone did an aftermarket switch.

I would think Lavoy could get these cheaper for you if you contact him but may be a wash after shipping if a Deere dealer is close to you (guessing maybe that is Martin Equipment in Ashland?).

[JWB Contracting]

The square nuts were made to match up to indentations in the rails. I prefer the square nuts even if the rails don't match. There are also both large and small square sized nuts.

I use a large screw driver or small pry bar to jam in between the nut and the rail. Once you have the bolt fairly tight the nut will lock into the rails. I find them very fast and easy to change with the square nuts. Hopefully you are using an air or an electric impact wrench.

[Jack-the-Ripper]

Sometimes you can get a twelve point box end wrench on the square nuts, yet that may not fit all rails and all situations. I finally welded a piece of maybe 3/8" square stock onto a long bolt that I could hold with a heavy padded glove and wedge between the nut and the rail (keep your teeth out of range).

I found the 1/2 inch drive impact wrench too weak and have had good luck with the heavy and awkward 1" drive unit. It will either loosen them or break them.

I found many of the impact sockets (identified as dull black, not chrome) have rounded corners on the 6 point entry hole, and combined with the rounded (and worn) hex heads of the track bolts, tend to spin off and ruin the bolt head. I grind the socket face until the working edges are perfectly 90 degrees with a sharp corner to get maximum bite and depth of contact on the bolt head. This should be perfectly flat and at right angles to the drive axis. You can chuck the socket in a lathe and use your mini-angle-grinder to do the job, or maybe rig up a drill press to spin the socket while grinding (sounds easier than it probably is. When all else fails, torch them off and start over - try not to gouge the grouzer (easier said than done, but then there's lots of them to practice on!)

Jason has the right technique for reassembly and I found the large screwdriver and prybar tended to slip out sometimes so I made up the special tool with the square stock.