Noticed significant right track sag....could not get track to adjust...thought maybe seals were bad....today used a chain from the bucket to pull track tight and watched as yoke went forward...noticed rod went with it and that rod was not properly aligned....and then rod came out of spring cover housing...broken rod....
Need several questions answered before I start spending money....
-should only the rod be replaced or should I buy a rod and yoke assembly? rod is about $200 after market, entire assembly about $450....concern with only getting rod is several sites say their rods are oversized and the cylinder will need to be bored....
-is there sufficient play to replace either the rod or the entire assembly with splitting the track?
-if anyone else has done this repair, are there any gotchas to look out for....
I am not going to attempt this by myself...have a friend locally who used to run a repair service and he has an abundance of experience but mostly on Cats, and he has the necessary tools....if he can't do it, I will call my cousin who lives about 60 miles away...he runs an active repair business fixing heavy equipment. Just looking to anticipate issues before I get into a jab....
Broken adjuster rod 455E
Unless you are worried about originality for restoration purposes (not likely a concern with a 455E), getting a complete assembly usually the easiest approach. When my hydraulic adjuster broke on me, I contacted Lavoy (administrator of this site and parts supplier) and even with shipping he got me a quality aftermarket adjuster cheaper than I could have ordered elsewhere. I don't know about a 455E, but I know bolting that adjuster went a heck of a lot quicker than trying to repair the old one.
(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
Finally, put on the new track adjuster today....it was not an easy task, and quite honestly, I could not have come close to doing it by myself....my friend Steve carried the day, and even he needed some help/advice from his cousin Charles (who spent his adult life running dozers and loaders)....
Problems encountered/lessons learned:
1. Two of the four bolts holding the adjuster yoke to the front idler were rounded....I did not have a socket for rounded bolts, but Steve did....I think I need to purchase a set of those....
2. We attempted to remove the old adjuster without splitting the track....we moved the idler wheel as far forward as we could, but the yoke would not go over the idler wheel (the transverse member piece hole just was not big enough to allow enough room to move)....we attempted to slip the track off the idler, but the track did not have enough slack to allow it, and nothing we did allowed enough slack, so we were left needing to split the track.
3. We used an acetylene torch to cut the pipe from the yoke to the spring. After cutting it, we could get the back portion of the pipe out, but the yoke and the front piece of pipe would not come out (that transverse hole just kept getting in the way). Had to make another cut just aft of the yoke.
4. The original break in the adjuster was as the pipe went into the spring housing...there was about a 2 in piece of the pipe inside the spring housing and it was rusted/frozen in place. We worked for a while to free it without success, so ended up cutting it out with the torch....
5. We found the master link (it was the only link with a dimple in the end of it) and we fashioned a drive out pin, and then drove out the master link. This had to be done to put the new tension adjuster in (it came with the yoke and pipe assembled). Charles was absolutely essential in splitting the tracks and then putting it back together...his experience was invaluable....
6. I used new bolts on the adjuster yoke..had to go buy them after Steve and Charles left...should have had them from the get-go, but did not know the length....they were 1/2 in bolts, 2 inches long...
7. After putting in the new bolts, then put in grease to tighten the tracks...it was a relief to see it work....
Overall, it took us 6 hours...but a portion of that was spent going to Steve's house (twice) for things we needed (socket for rounded bolt, then sledge hammer to split the track), plus lunch...had we had everything when we started, it probably would have been about 4 hours; if I had to repeat it, with Steve's help, it would probably take 2.5-3 hours....hopefully that will not be necessary...
Problems encountered/lessons learned:
1. Two of the four bolts holding the adjuster yoke to the front idler were rounded....I did not have a socket for rounded bolts, but Steve did....I think I need to purchase a set of those....
2. We attempted to remove the old adjuster without splitting the track....we moved the idler wheel as far forward as we could, but the yoke would not go over the idler wheel (the transverse member piece hole just was not big enough to allow enough room to move)....we attempted to slip the track off the idler, but the track did not have enough slack to allow it, and nothing we did allowed enough slack, so we were left needing to split the track.
3. We used an acetylene torch to cut the pipe from the yoke to the spring. After cutting it, we could get the back portion of the pipe out, but the yoke and the front piece of pipe would not come out (that transverse hole just kept getting in the way). Had to make another cut just aft of the yoke.
4. The original break in the adjuster was as the pipe went into the spring housing...there was about a 2 in piece of the pipe inside the spring housing and it was rusted/frozen in place. We worked for a while to free it without success, so ended up cutting it out with the torch....
5. We found the master link (it was the only link with a dimple in the end of it) and we fashioned a drive out pin, and then drove out the master link. This had to be done to put the new tension adjuster in (it came with the yoke and pipe assembled). Charles was absolutely essential in splitting the tracks and then putting it back together...his experience was invaluable....
6. I used new bolts on the adjuster yoke..had to go buy them after Steve and Charles left...should have had them from the get-go, but did not know the length....they were 1/2 in bolts, 2 inches long...
7. After putting in the new bolts, then put in grease to tighten the tracks...it was a relief to see it work....
Overall, it took us 6 hours...but a portion of that was spent going to Steve's house (twice) for things we needed (socket for rounded bolt, then sledge hammer to split the track), plus lunch...had we had everything when we started, it probably would have been about 4 hours; if I had to repeat it, with Steve's help, it would probably take 2.5-3 hours....hopefully that will not be necessary...
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