Track Orientation

[KM Thompson]

I have a '73 450B loader with open-center 3-bar shoes (P/N T75588). On the left side, the shoes are oriented so that the leading edge of the shoe is at the forward end (as viewed from the top) but the right side has the leading edge at the rear end.

Which orientation is correct?

Also, and more importantly, do I have to correct this is or does it not matter?

Any information will be greatly appreciated.,

 

[Jim.ME]

Rule of thumb is the grouser should hit first, traveling forward, so by that the left track pads are correct.

I can't see the chains well but those have a best direction as well. The wide end of the chain links leads, narrow end follows.

Pads the wrong way can capture more dirt and rocks in them. Chains running the wrong way mean the stresses are not as designed. Going forward puts strain on only a couple pins at the sprockets, reversing spreads the stress on more pins at the sprocket.

Those things said, if you don't use it hard and steadily, you will likely be just fine as it is.

 

[KM Thompson]

Rule of thumb is the grouser should hit first, traveling forward, so by that the left track pads are correct.

I can't see the chains well but those have a best direction as well. The wide end of the chain links leads, narrow end follows.

Pads the wrong way can capture more dirt and rocks in them. Chains running the wrong way mean the stresses are not as designed. Going forward puts strain on only a couple pins at the sprockets, reversing spreads the stress on more pins at the sprocket.

Those things said, if you don't use it hard and steadily, you will likely be just fine as it is.

Thanks Jim. I thought that might be the case. I'm going to be using it fairly hard so I think that I'll have to bite the bullet and turn the right hand track around.

 

[bob p mn]

Street pads can be confusing but I'm going to say the right hand side is on the correct direction and the left is backwards. If you look at a regular grouser on a dozer it's easy to see. Jim's right the grouser does lead but street pads can be deceiving, I've seen several of them put on backwards but usually the single bar dozer pads are on the right direction. That's the way we always ran them and the way they came new.