replaceing sprockets on excavator

[ktm250rider]

I picked up a Hyundai 130lc-3 that may need some undercarriage work. Seems that the shoes are in great shape very little wear. However, the sprockets are near the end of their life and the chain spacers dont look too good either. Chains themselves look ok. Can the spacers be changed without replacing the complete chain? How tough of a job is it to do that and the drive sprockets?

 

[Dirthog]

The sprockets just bolt on as far as the spacers if you are talking about the bushing in the tracks they can be replaced BUT we have found it is not worth it between the labor and parts you can buy a new aftermarket rail and most of the time the bushings and pins will not stay tight in a excavator

 

[tonyoz]

The sprockets should be replaced whenever the chains are rebushed and pined or replaced. Old or half worn sprockets won't match the pitch of a new or referbushed trackchain and the wear rate is horrendous

 

[Eagleview]

If someone in your area has a track press , the "bushes" can be pushed out and turned 180* and put back in . This is aptly called "bush turning" it will give you a new wear area to suit the new sprockets . How loose the pins are inside the bushes will determine if this is worthwhile . You will also have to decide if new chains and bolts and the labour to fit them will be dearer or cheaper than turning the bushes .

 

[ktm250rider]

Well, I noticed this weekend a broken tooth on the sprocket. Being a homewoner machine and Ill probably put less than 300 hours on it in the years Ill own it, could I just replace the sprockets and leave the bushings?

 

[Eagleview]

That would not work very well or last long . The thing that happens is that the pins and bushes wear and the chain gets longer . That's why you need to tighten them occasionally . The chains getting longer means that the pin center lines are getting further apart which wears the sprocket teeth , so their tight radius when new becomes long and shallow . When you put new sprockets on an old chain , the ratio is no longer correct and the tips of the teeth will be trying to land on the bush which will cause banging and damage .

If you don't want to spend the money on new chains , sprockets etc , I would suggest you rebuild the broken tooth with weld and just keep nursing it along .