Ok I have thrown the left side tracks half way off my crawler, which is a 1959 440 IC. It has a six way blade on it. It is deep in the woods on a small incline.
What is the best procedure to fix it? Should I try to jack that side of the crawler up with some type of floor jack, place stands or blocking under it, then loosen the tension and try to put track back on? Or will I have to take the track apart to put it back on?
Thrown Tracks on 440 IC
I wouldn't recommend trying to jack up a crawler on an incline- you will find that the weight will likely cause the jack to shift on the incline and drop the crawler at the worst time, even with a small pad beneath it.
If a complete derailment, you would probably be best off to completely remove the track, roll/drive the crawler to a flat area off the incline, and then attempt to reattach the track. If you do so, you have to take care that you do not drag the final on that side over hard surfaces. If a minor derailment, you may be able to back up the crawler on the track, especially if you first raise the track off the ground enought to slip the track under the bottom rollers. Partial derailments are tricky- it depends on how much of the track has derailed. Generally I have fouind it is more important to get to level ground, which means removing the track first.
Whether you split the track or not is up to you, but it is much easier to reattach when split. Even with the front idler completely retracted, it is difficult to slip the track rails back over the front and top idler. With the track split, you have some options including driving the track back over the front idler and sprocket or jacking up and slipping the track underneath and then stretching over the top.
I have some photos posted in the "Show and Tell" forum if you want to see some of the issues with jacking on a slope and splitting the track. Reattaching track on a 440IC should be fairly similar to my 2010 in the photos I posted.
http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... ht=slipped
It may also be helpful to post photos and we can give you a better idea of the best way.
If a complete derailment, you would probably be best off to completely remove the track, roll/drive the crawler to a flat area off the incline, and then attempt to reattach the track. If you do so, you have to take care that you do not drag the final on that side over hard surfaces. If a minor derailment, you may be able to back up the crawler on the track, especially if you first raise the track off the ground enought to slip the track under the bottom rollers. Partial derailments are tricky- it depends on how much of the track has derailed. Generally I have fouind it is more important to get to level ground, which means removing the track first.
Whether you split the track or not is up to you, but it is much easier to reattach when split. Even with the front idler completely retracted, it is difficult to slip the track rails back over the front and top idler. With the track split, you have some options including driving the track back over the front idler and sprocket or jacking up and slipping the track underneath and then stretching over the top.
I have some photos posted in the "Show and Tell" forum if you want to see some of the issues with jacking on a slope and splitting the track. Reattaching track on a 440IC should be fairly similar to my 2010 in the photos I posted.
http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... ht=slipped
It may also be helpful to post photos and we can give you a better idea of the best way.
(1) JD Straight 450 crawler dozer with manual outside blade; (2) JD 2010 diesel crawler loaders; (1) JD 2010 diesel dozer with hydraulic 6-way blade; (2) Model 50 backhoe attachments, misc. other construction equipment
Tigerhaze
Thanks for the advice. The pictures help alot. I have never posted any pictures but I may try that this weekend. It is a slight incline and the crawler is perpendicular to incline. I don't think it would roll if chocked. Otherwise I would have to move it 300-400 feet to the bottom of hill. I have to work by myself and I'm wondering if this is more than I can handle but I will find out quickly I'm sure. I will probably try to jack it up first and if that looks safe see if a can retract tension and slide tracks back on. I'm sure thats just wishful thinking though but seems like worth trying first. Thanks again for advice.
Steve
Thanks for the advice. The pictures help alot. I have never posted any pictures but I may try that this weekend. It is a slight incline and the crawler is perpendicular to incline. I don't think it would roll if chocked. Otherwise I would have to move it 300-400 feet to the bottom of hill. I have to work by myself and I'm wondering if this is more than I can handle but I will find out quickly I'm sure. I will probably try to jack it up first and if that looks safe see if a can retract tension and slide tracks back on. I'm sure thats just wishful thinking though but seems like worth trying first. Thanks again for advice.
Steve
You can retract the front idler without having the crawler jacked up as long as the weight isn't all on that idler. If you have access to a skid steer loader or similar you can push on the front of the idler to retract (after opening the pressure relief bolt on the hydraulic adjuster). Since you have a dozer, the other trick is to use the hydraulics of the blade with a post or similar to force the front idler back. You can also use a come-along to do the same thing.
Once retracted it will still be difficult to slide the track over the idlers and under the rollers, especially on a slope.
Please be careful jacking it up- heavy objects like crawlers tend to move very slowly (almost unnoticably) when they start to tilt the jack on an uneven or sloping surface but will go all of a sudden.Blockign sounds good at first but difficult to do so and stay out of the way of putting the track back on. Make sure when jacking that you keep all of you body parts well away from the potential fall zone. Also make sure you are jacking up a steady anchor point- some parts won't handle the weight on a point location.
Good luck.
Once retracted it will still be difficult to slide the track over the idlers and under the rollers, especially on a slope.
Please be careful jacking it up- heavy objects like crawlers tend to move very slowly (almost unnoticably) when they start to tilt the jack on an uneven or sloping surface but will go all of a sudden.Blockign sounds good at first but difficult to do so and stay out of the way of putting the track back on. Make sure when jacking that you keep all of you body parts well away from the potential fall zone. Also make sure you are jacking up a steady anchor point- some parts won't handle the weight on a point location.
Good luck.
(1) JD Straight 450 crawler dozer with manual outside blade; (2) JD 2010 diesel crawler loaders; (1) JD 2010 diesel dozer with hydraulic 6-way blade; (2) Model 50 backhoe attachments, misc. other construction equipment
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Paul Buhler
- 350 crawler
- Posts: 993
- Joined: Wed May 21, 2008 6:25 pm
- Location: Killington, VT
Hi: To replace a thrown track safely is often a two or more person job; sometimes a rock on the flats will pop one off and one person can muscle it back on, but in my experience, a thrown track happens in miserable places, and requires two sets of eyes, considerable discussion, grunts and differing opinions to proceed. Sometimes you can release the tension, as already stated, and lever/come-along/drive the tracks back on. Sometimes it's best to split them - each situation is different and safety is most important - my dad lost a finger working alone with a slipped jack.
Does your tractor have a winch? We sometimes would choker a tree and the canopy to lift one side and keep the machine in place to assist getting the track in the air where it could spin and get realigned. With out a winch, blocks, planks, jacks, crowbars and come-alongs are needed along with patience and usually some sweat. Great to have another machine to help if available, but if not, plan to spend some time to solve your problem; sometimes you get lucky and things come together quicker than expected.
Good luck, be safe, and share some pictures
Does your tractor have a winch? We sometimes would choker a tree and the canopy to lift one side and keep the machine in place to assist getting the track in the air where it could spin and get realigned. With out a winch, blocks, planks, jacks, crowbars and come-alongs are needed along with patience and usually some sweat. Great to have another machine to help if available, but if not, plan to spend some time to solve your problem; sometimes you get lucky and things come together quicker than expected.
Good luck, be safe, and share some pictures
Paul Buhler
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch
Killington, VT
420c 5 roll with 62 blade, FOPS, and Gearmatic 8a winch
Paul
I don't have a winch on crawler. I will probably have to wait until I can get some help to work on it, if for no other reason than safety. I'm going to try to figure out how to take a picture and post it. And yes as you stated its in a pretty bad spot. Of course in East Tennessee I don't think I've got a level spot on ground on my whole property.
Thanks
Steve
I don't have a winch on crawler. I will probably have to wait until I can get some help to work on it, if for no other reason than safety. I'm going to try to figure out how to take a picture and post it. And yes as you stated its in a pretty bad spot. Of course in East Tennessee I don't think I've got a level spot on ground on my whole property.
Thanks
Steve
Steve-
The tracks always throw in the worst spots- I have found that sometimes it is cheaper to get a large tractor-trailer tow truck isinstead of trying to work on a thrown track on uneven ground. Here is another photo blog thread of mine that can givee you some persepctive on that (scroll down to the second incident at bottom of page 1):
http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... sc&start=0
I am imagining you are in an inaccessible spot but thought I would throw that idea out. Otherwise I can tell you right now that it will be much easier if you can borrow some other equipment to help with this.
Ideally if you could get a large wheel loader, crawler loader, or crane to pick up one side of the crawler it would be relatively easy. Absent of that, even a medium size skid steer loader will help maneuver the track and pull it over the top. I have a skid steer loader now and it has drastically cut down the amount of time to reattach the track.
If you do any of these you have to be careful about the final drive/sprocket dragging on the ground- my area is pretty silty/loamy so not an issue but in the hills of Tennessee that may be a real concern.
The tracks always throw in the worst spots- I have found that sometimes it is cheaper to get a large tractor-trailer tow truck isinstead of trying to work on a thrown track on uneven ground. Here is another photo blog thread of mine that can givee you some persepctive on that (scroll down to the second incident at bottom of page 1):
http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... sc&start=0
I am imagining you are in an inaccessible spot but thought I would throw that idea out. Otherwise I can tell you right now that it will be much easier if you can borrow some other equipment to help with this.
Ideally if you could get a large wheel loader, crawler loader, or crane to pick up one side of the crawler it would be relatively easy. Absent of that, even a medium size skid steer loader will help maneuver the track and pull it over the top. I have a skid steer loader now and it has drastically cut down the amount of time to reattach the track.
If you do any of these you have to be careful about the final drive/sprocket dragging on the ground- my area is pretty silty/loamy so not an issue but in the hills of Tennessee that may be a real concern.
(1) JD Straight 450 crawler dozer with manual outside blade; (2) JD 2010 diesel crawler loaders; (1) JD 2010 diesel dozer with hydraulic 6-way blade; (2) Model 50 backhoe attachments, misc. other construction equipment
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