O.C.Tracks W/pix.

[Lou from Wi.]

O.K.!!! Before you guys start on me (lol)you must remember I"m 75 years old and heard just about all the things you are thinking of. LIke names to call me(lol) JERK,IDIOT.MORON.FOOL. DUMB AZZ,NITWITT, Bafoon,2 bricks shy of a load, and any other un-mentionable things .We made THE ULTIMATE CHAIN SEPERATOR,(and Yes,DON"T TRY THIS AT HOME)it took 2 days to seperate both chains. Couldn"t do it with a press and 50 ton hyd jack.Any way the chain is apart ready for sand blasting then old bushing removal.If the crawler was any bigger, the track chain would have gone out to have em pressed apart,NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. We used the old pins,cut in half to use as driver head,and they are really tough steel. Several of the bushings could have been turned but the rest were mushroomed out at the flange ,so gotta be cut in 1/2 to get em out and the links seperated .L&R side.Within 4 more days, the chain will be together with new pins and bushings, ready to put on the crawler to see how true the chain runs. Then comes the track pads when all the rest of the crawler is back together and running,(less the weight packages) so were looking now at at least two more weeks .With that said, now it's your turn at humor (NOW DON'T get NASTY lol) REGUARDS,LOU & VICTOR.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Great job Lou. Necessity is the mother of invention. Probably took longer to make the tool then to press-out the pins. Can't wait to see that puppy roll off the assembly line into broad daylight!

 

[oldtanker]

guess I'm gonna have to just talk Lou into doing my crawler...LOL!

 

[ScottyinID]

Can't wait to see your finished product with the master sitting at the controls!! You are a tried and true antique crawler restorer!!

 

[nnaatz]

crazy!! lol lookin good!!

 

[Lou from Wi.]

nnaatz,Thanks for the humor. Looks like I missed one lol,Gonna rain us out from sandblasting,Oh Well, Need the rest I guess, next week doesn"t look good either,weather man says most of next week, RAIN.Got the mess cleaned up in the shop .ready for the next go round. Keep thinking of words I missed lol. Reguards LOU & Victor.

 

[Lou from Wi.]

Old tanker. Thanks for the reply and the truth of it is, IF YOU WERE CLOSE BY, My SON and I would be proud to lend a helping hand, (NOT A JOKE) Seems like most would charge for help, but were not one who does. Any one who KNOWS US will ATTEST to that statement!!!!.In 75 years of living, I have never known anyone who didn't need encouragement and HELP .Both go hand in hand to ease the burdens of those who need it. We have a great deal of help and encouragement on this forum for work we are doing on the O.C.crawler.Our THANKS TO ALL!!!! Looking to have it going soon, provided we get good weather.Most projects have to be done outside so were at the mercy of the weather for now. Thanks again. Reguards LOU & VICTOR.

 

[Lou from Wi.]

Rich, Looks like you have BTDT!!! Fun isn't it???
Bad weather is going to SLOW US UP . RAIN ALL NEXT WEEK . ANy way.Thanks for the reply.Really APPRECIATE IT!!! Reguards. LOU & VICTOR.

 

[Lou from Wi.]

Scotty in ID. Were at a stand still due to bad weather.Most of the remaining parts need sandblasting and painting. Sure hope the weatherman is wrong this time. Your Encouragement is greatly appreciated. Sure hope our efforts helps the next fellow save the older Units. We didn't intend to have to go into the O.C. at length but it sure was needed. My SON will be the first to do the honors as HE DID 98% of the work and thats THE TRUTH .I get 2nd shot at doing the deed. Thanks .Warmest reguards. LOU & VICTOR

 

[oldtanker]

LOL Lou....it's close enough to drop it off and pick it up when yer done!!!!!

Actually the knee surgery went good....a 20 minute procedure that took 2 hours....but I should be off those darn crutches later this week and will be starting work the TD5 with the help of my son. I'm going to be sitting and he's going to be doing the work!

Rick

 

[Jay Snyder]

Very cool!! I have been following your posts the whole restoration and I think that it is awesome. I have just bought a John deere MC about 2 months ago. I can only hope that my MC will look 1/2 as good as your O.C. Awesome job and I cant wait to see it done. Where are you located at? Wisconsin correct?

Jason

 

[Lou from Wi.]

Rick. Congratulation on the knee surgery. Glad it went well. Just take it easy for a while. You sound like ME!!! Chair bound while the Son does the work. Great to have a son to do the work on your crawler. WERE LUCKY to have em. Not For just the work, but for their caring of the home folks. When ya start the TD5 I sure would like pictures and progress reports.That project will be well worth the effort. Lots of uses for em, and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg like buying new.Son beat the weather mans forcast of rain and sand blaster the links enough to get em apart, so will be ready to install bushings and pins as soon as they get cut apart. Comming right along, Will be soon,- baring further Murphys interference.Reguards LOU & VICTOR

 

[Lou from Wi.]

Jason, Ya sound like a man with a plan!!GO FOR IT! Would like to see a pix of the MC before ya start,also pix of progress as you go along. There is a great deal of help available here ,from very knowledgable fellows. Jde comes first to mind. There are others as well. Just don't get disgusted with negative comments and for sure don't let such nonsence diswade your efforts and there will be some, from time to time. Yep were a short way from Stone Lake Wis. reguards LOU & VICTOR.

 

[Fred from MO]

I think that big sledge will keep you 75 years young! Must have been a workout!

 

[Lou from Wi.]

Fred. Ya just gota ask MY SON!!!!!!He has taken on where JOHN HENRY LEFT OFF. My job was to hold the punch assembly. Were back at punching out the 1/2 bushings(he cut em in two),so they came out easy.Got 10 links back together.Another 21 tomorrow.So far so good. Hope his arms hold up for the rest of em.If his arms give out, We will give ya a gingle so you can come and be a relief man lol.Reguards LOU & Victor,alias JOHN HENRY.

 

[Billy NY]

That 2nd photo looks like a pile of well earned spent rounds !!! LOL, boy talk about the manual substitute for a track press, like you said below any bigger, would have had to have been sent out. Eye protection goes without saying, must be good to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel though !

 

[Lou from Wi.]

BillyNY.Yep Them ROUNDS WERE WELL SPENT lol.You should see the bucket. HOLES HOLES HOLES!!!,just about the same size.26 of em. The spent rounds on the floor could have been what they shot it with lol.NOTHING SURPRISES US WITH THIS UNIT. Yesterday was spent puting the bushings back in the links,got 10 together,and squared em up.Rest of em today.(We hope).Sure glad we have a tinker toy(as one poster claimed we had)cause doing what were doing with a biger machine would have required us to buy more EXPENSIVE PARTS plus a gantry and larger tools and support jacks,etc not to mention a larger building then what we have( a garage)plus sending out the tracks to have pins & bushings replaced (or turned) not to mention track plates.Was also informed that the master pin was relieved in the center to make it easy to install,although they are the same size. Can"t figure that statement out cause if it was true, then the bushing would colapse in the center ,forming to the smaller center of the pin as the track rotated under load. We got a laugh out of that,!!!. Yep a face sheilds sure is required when JOHN HENRY MY SON)does the hammer work.The tunnel end is in sight at last.Sure will be happy to see it completed ,but were not rushing(short cutting)any of the work. Thamks for the post and the humor and support. Reguards LOU & VICTOR.