I need some track advice...

[Highbeam]

On the IH, I had to push out a roll pin from one side of the master link pin then rotate the track until the pin was at the rear of the sprocket. Then I used a floor jack to push up on the track at the rear most part of the sprocket, effectively unloading the tension from the master link pin. Then use a sledge hammer and a drift to knock the pin from the outside to the inside. I went ahead and drove the pin all the way out and since the track is on the sprocket it stays put hooked on the teeth.

That is the trickiest part. All this undercarriage is pretty heavy and the tracks are not something to lift by hand. It takes some thought and some leverage to do most anything down there safely. The hardest part of the whole thing for me was positioning the rollers up inside the track frame so that the retaining bolts could be installed.

A good pressure washing before I started was very necessary.

 

[cmuncy]

I guess I am a bit intimidated of removing the pin in the master link. Everything else looks straight forward, or appears that way. I guess I can set the dozer on blocks and position the track to remove the pin. If I have dificulty, just put everything back together and send it to the dozer doctor.

I do have a complete service manual for it ( rewritten in engrish of course) so I have a good place to start.

 

[cmuncy]

I just had a thought...

I've got a large bore cylinder laying around. I could probably rig up a fixture to push the pin out using my Farm Trac's hydraulics.

Just an idea I had over lunch.

 

[Dozernut]

You probably already know this, set the dozer on wooden blocks, not concrete. The weight of the dozer will crush a concrete block.

 

[Highbeam]

I guess I am lucky to have the rear rippers. It meant I could lift the whole machine off the ground and rotate the track if needed or block up the one side so that I could remove the track without the machine running.

With the thing still on the ground and the pin on the sprocket, give it a tap if that's how you are supposed to remove the pin. Mine came out pretty easily. In fact, I ended up adding material with the welder and grinder to make the pin cylindrical. It seems that the bushing had worn it a bit.

As far as concrete vs. wood. I am pretty sure that an adequate concrete block could take it. We're not talking about a 30,000 lb dozer here. I used wood rounds for the lifting and 6 ton jack stands for the blocking. I kid you not, stout car stuff.

Give it a try, worst case is that you can't get the pin out. Some of the pins are pressed in and some owners have been known to weld these kinds of things in place if they get loose in the field.

 

[Dozernut]

I guess it depends on what kind of concrete block you are talking about. The "cinder block" or construction block will collapse under the weight of an automobile. Been there first hand to help remove the injured and or bodies from under cars and trucks propped up with cement blocks. A solid block will take a lot more weight, but will fracture easily if the weight is concentrated on a small part of the block (this is how stone masons shape granite). I have Mr. Murphy always looking over my shoulder, so I have to err on the side of caution to make up for being a klutz. Back to your statement "We're not talking about a 30,000 lb dozer here". No we are not, but a 10,000 dozer with the weight concentrated on a small spot on a cement block, is asking for trouble.

 

[Highbeam]

Safety first. 10,000 lbs is plenty to squish you, but not even twice what my 1/2 ton pickup weighs. When these things fall, they fall real quickly and quietly before the thud.