cat needs new tracks and tensioner.

doc henderson · October 11, 2022, 07:59:59 PM

I have a 277c track loader. I finally got around to picking up logs from 4 people. 2 of these were about 45 miles from home.; been waiting for time and to get my brakes right on the HD3500. i got it all home over a couple days, and was moving a little order, and turning, and my track started jumping cogs. the left track was very loose, but too much dust and dirt to see. thanks goodness I was in yard.

good

bad

the threaded part is aupposed to be welded to the part under the tensioner. some rust and some clan metal. has been fatiguing for a while. will fis both sides and replace tracks.

this is the so called good side. guess I should clean the dirt off more often. very rusted and corroded. helped me make the decision to do a temp. fix to limp it on the trailer and take it to Wichita Foley Cat.

jacked it up, after turning it shorter on the good end

got the tensioner wedged back against the yoke where the weld broke.

doc henderson · October 11, 2022, 08:04:55 PM

will be about 7K.

nativewolf · October 11, 2022, 08:15:31 PM

yikes

doc henderson · October 11, 2022, 08:46:00 PM

the tracks were new when I got this machine 12 years ago, and I could have treated them nicer. I have a ramp from a 4-foot lower area that was dirt with concrete retaining walls. the loader barely fit. this is how I bring crates up to the sidewalk. backing down, is what tended to fold the edges and eventually they peeled off. It is now filled with concrete and is smooth. I should get more than 12 years this time. It has overall been a good machine. keeping it clean and dry would have prolonged the life of the tensioner parts as well.

nativewolf · October 11, 2022, 08:49:59 PM

I've gone through tracks in a lot lot less time Doc. Like 2 years, but then ours goes in the woods/rocks.

doc henderson · October 11, 2022, 08:55:26 PM

we bought this one when we built our pool. it would float on sand. it has done lots of concrete work, and when I picked up those cedar logs, I ran over some big (4 feet across) concrete drops (to empty a truck) that Shawn was hoping I could break up. It was clunky and prob. finished off the rusty welded area. I could live with the tracks, but the rough stuff is over, and I think they will last.

Walnut Beast · October 11, 2022, 09:04:39 PM

How many hours on the 🐱

Resonator · October 11, 2022, 10:22:56 PM

Check the sprockets are still good, and the rollers (bearings) should be tight and not clunk side to side. If it was me I'd shop around the price, there are different styles and grades of tracks available.

beenthere · October 11, 2022, 11:32:16 PM

The cat will be glad to see you..

doc henderson · October 12, 2022, 01:37:53 AM

2000 +. i thought about after market, and would, but the tensioner rod sped up the process. i could have kept the old tracks. remember, I do not like to pay others to do work I can do. and I decided this one was best done by others. there shop rate is really close to mine.

we did some bearings in the drive train about 5 years ago. I thought about a new/diff. machine, but this one is perfect for my needs. a bigger machine that can lift more, also weighs more so decreases my net load for logs on my 24K trailer. I hate buying stuff in this bubble.

Walnut Beast · October 12, 2022, 02:46:15 AM

Nothing wrong with that unit. That's a nice machine! Smart move getting OEM tracks & parts plus having that done and if anything is wrong your covered. 7k is peanuts compared to a new machine. Look forward to pictures of the new tracks. I've heard plenty of horror stories and complaints of aftermarket tracks. Make sure they check the cage and rollers and get replaced if they need it!!

doc henderson · October 12, 2022, 07:46:16 AM

the cage and roller show some wear, but the foreman said he will have the tech. check them. It had a big hydraulic leak away from home and that was expensive as they had to go get it with a crane truck. It had to have a pilot control replaced. other than those repairs, it has done well. It may not be smart, but my equipment becomes like part of the family. I am glad someone else feels it is worth fixing. I was having some after thoughts about new trax. they are over 5 K of the cost.

Southside · October 12, 2022, 08:38:15 AM

I disagree, it's not worth fixing. When I head west for Milo harvest in a couple of weeks I will bring my trailer to pick it up and help save you the disposal fee. :D

Resonator · October 12, 2022, 08:46:39 AM

Compared to the cost of a new one, it is definitely worth fixing.

Quotethere shop rate is really close to mine.

Reminds me of a story...

Years ago a surgeon had his car in for major work at a dealership. He went to check on it, and the mechanic had the engine all taken apart. He smuggly told the doc "Job I do is just as skilled as what you do! I should be getting paid just as much as you fancy doctors get paid!" Doctor walked over to the car, pointed at the engine bay, and calmly said: "Now do it with the engine running." :D

Walnut Beast · October 12, 2022, 03:11:56 PM

Quote from: Southside on October 12, 2022, 08:38:15 AM
I disagree, it's not worth fixing. When I head west for Milo harvest in a couple of weeks I will bring my trailer to pick it up and help save you the disposal fee. :D

With all the money coming in harvesting look into a new Fendt tractor. A guy harvesting close by had a nice new monster black one and that was some eye candy

bigblockyeti · October 14, 2022, 08:43:26 AM

I've run both tire and track skid steers but have owned neither, when I rent one, it's usually a tire machine as I don't need the floatation or lower ground pressure offered by a pair of tracks. Seeing those pictures has strengthen my resolve to only shop for a tire machine when I can justify owning vs. renting.

chevytaHOE5674 · October 14, 2022, 08:50:04 AM

Plenty of aftermarket tracks out there of equal quality to OEM (OEM is usually manufactured by someone else anyways) for a significant cost savings. Be a cold day in you know where before I bought OEM tracks for anything.

barbender · October 14, 2022, 08:58:41 AM

One great aspect of ASV undercarriage is they don't tear the ground up. My rubber tire skid, even with me operating it, makes a mess. With a new guy in it, oh gosh. My Mom stopped over and wondered what happened to my woodyard, it was tore up so bad😂

The bad part of an ASV undercarriage is what Doc is experiencing right now- high maintenance costs.

doc henderson · October 14, 2022, 01:38:33 PM

the tracks are more stable. a 7K tire machine is 22 pounds per square inch vs 4 psi for a 9K track loader. the wheeled ones flip forward if a heavy load, or flip back of you are prying something up like a root ball and slip off. i bought the machine 12 years ago for 34K with 700 hours. new in a similar size and style is not 85K, and used I am right back where I started form. My machines become like part of the family, so right or wrong here I am. I could have welded the old tensioner back to the yoke, and then wonder how long it would last. 2200 hours on the machine now. they feel well cared for engines go 4 to 7 K hours. If I had kept this inside, this would prob. not have been as bad. I respect all the opinion here. but I am glad there are some on both sides of the fence. I could have only replaced one hub of the small roller, and another in 200 hours ect. It will be in good shape so I can spend time at my hobby, and not working on a machine.

doc henderson · October 14, 2022, 01:44:24 PM

due to the pandemic supply chain issues, my store got in some tracks for me as well.

putting the toe guard on. they have been out for a year. I was told they would be in this past summer and I forgot to check thinking they would be out for a long time. got some in, but at almost twice the price I paid 12 years ago.

Wlmedley · October 14, 2022, 03:02:10 PM

Good boots ,wore them for years.Only brand I could get a year out of.Oil and grease takes a toll on them.You get what you pay for.I'd say the same about tracks :laugh:

doc henderson · October 14, 2022, 03:33:03 PM

the pair I am wearing are a few years overdue. A hole in the back in the flex area, the sole nearly worn flat and separating. put in some new insoles about a year ago. i have had brass eyelets in the past that wore and started cutting shoestrings. these held up. they replaced them at a shoe repair place for free. they will touch up the toe guard and spray with water proofing for free, but you have to leave the if they are busy. always give you free shoe laces. but you pay up front.

Firewoodjoe · October 14, 2022, 05:58:00 PM

I wore red wings for years. But my skinny ankles did work so well with the way the top fit. Been wearing Irish setter red wings for prolly 5-6 years. Awesome boots.

YellowHammer · October 17, 2022, 09:55:02 AM

Fix what needs to be fixed and don't what don't. My dealer's tracks are almost exactly the same price as the aftermarket ones I've looked at with similar tread design, and might as well have them look at everything and get it all inspected and checked while it's there.

Get it back running and happy days again.

barbender · October 17, 2022, 10:59:33 AM

It's definitely worth having someone that's "been around the block" doing the service on them. If I do ever something on the ASV undercarriage, I have a good resource in that they are manufactured about 25 miles from me, and I know 2 guys that were successive ASV service techs. Those guys know those machines down to the individual fasteners, and I'm not kidding.