Remove a link to shorten the chain??

[Bob Doss]

The track adjusters on my JD350 are almost fully extended, to the point that they buckle upward at the point where the piston emerges from the cylinder.

There is about 1.5" of rail in front of the idler axle bracket.

After I pump up the track adjusters, I can only run for a short time before the packing gives way and the grease escapes from the back side of the cylinder (where the piston enters)

I've read somewhere that I could remove a link to shorten the chain, thereby allowing the piston to be about 3" farther into the cylinder.

Is that a viable option? If not, what other recommendations are there?

 

[Anonymous-0]

You'd be better off adding a shim block between the adjuster and the idler.

 

[BCnT]

my 350B has pitted piston rods and it also loses grease...i solved my problem with a piece of angle iron between the front and rear parts of the adjuster and tacked in place...works great...i run my dozer quite abit and usually add more angle twice a year to keep track tensioned.

 

[2x4]

yes, taking a link out is a common solution.

 

[AJ.]

It is common practice to remove a link so you can run the tracks to destruction,by shorting the tracks it will extend its life,when the tracks are split it is a good time to replace the adjuster seals.
AJ

 

[jm.]

Just remember that you are going to have to do both sides at the same time or the unit will walk sidways to some degree. When you get to the point you are the next thing to expect is a rail to pull into but on that little crawler you might get several hours just by removing a link.
Be sure and keep the pad removed so when you go back to better rails you will have your pad. Good luck

 

[Anonymous-0]

I was always told to never do this. As the pins and bushings wear, in the track, it lengthens, increasing the pitch, in each link, so that the link no longer fits the drive sprocket, wearing the drive sprocket, by forcing the chain to ride higher on each sprocket tooth. Eventually, the chain starts snapping, and popping off of the sprocket. Field expediency is one thing, but to wear out all components is hardly the most economical thing to do.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Actually even if only one side had a link removed, it would still track in a straight line. Old Magnet and some other very knowledgeable crawler experts explained it on here a year or so ago. You'd have to change the track pitch in order to cause it to walk sideways. Taking a link out shouldn't change track pitch at all. All it's doing is shortening the length.

 

[scotc]

We've done it with several sets of tracks on dad's (10,000 hour) TD8. Twice we took the removed link in with the rest to have them pinned and bushed and the link put back in.

Chances are if you're rails are stretched that far, the sprockets are already about gone, too. By pulling a link and a throwing on a set of sprockets you can get another summer out of a machine before doing the complete undercarriage.

 

[Lavoy]

Correct, one link or one hundred, the sprocket is still the same diameter, and this is what determines track speed relative to engine RPM and gear selection.
If you are going to take a link out, no sense spending the money for new sprockets, it is just going to trash them anyway, just as well destroy the old ones.
Lavoy
JDCRAWLERS.COM

 

[scotc]

Unless the sprockets are already shot. It's easier to change them when you have the track split already for the link than to split them again in a month because they won't drive. Maybe sprockets went up a lot since last time we did it but for what they cost we couldn't see leaving P$!! poor sprockets on it and having to take a day to change them later, when we needed the machine to be working.

 

[Bob Doss]

This is how I solved my problem. I added 1" thick shims and replaced the bolts with longer ones. That pushed the cylinders 1" farther onto the pistons, which seems to be enough to do the job.