The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Forestry and Logging => Topic started by: snowstorm on December 05, 2013, 08:03:31 PM

Title: fowarder tracks
Post by: snowstorm on December 05, 2013, 08:03:31 PM
anybody come up with a way to rebuild them without buying new links ?one set i have is maybe 50% worn. i priced the factory rebuild parts. over 6k  i have heard of a half round insert that you weld in. but dont know where to get them
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: 1270d on December 05, 2013, 08:14:45 PM
So do you weld over the outside with the fix?  You can wear em pretty thin before they start breaking.  Our last set only had about 3/16 to 1/8 before they started popping.  Just got another used set to replace em.
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: Tree Killer on December 06, 2013, 04:11:30 AM
I have seen it done with heavy wall pipe cut in half and welded   the outside of the link. I dont know what it cost  it was a 2 day project for the welder. The owner got a couple yrs out of um.
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: snowstorm on December 06, 2013, 05:39:30 AM
Quote from: 1270d on December 05, 2013, 08:14:45 PM
So do you weld over the outside with the fix?  You can wear em pretty thin before they start breaking.  Our last set only had about 3/16 to 1/8 before they started popping.  Just got another used set to replace em.
the piece i saw went on the inside. it was on quadcos site a few yrs ago. now i cant find anything like it. i asked them they dont have it
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: furltech on December 06, 2013, 05:21:13 PM
We are running about four or five sets that are rebuilt right now .they were fixed by welding pipe on the outside .If i remember i can take pics on monday for you
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: snowstorm on December 06, 2013, 06:35:54 PM
Quote from: furltech on December 06, 2013, 05:21:13 PM
We are running about four or five sets that are rebuilt right now .they were fixed by welding pipe on the outside .If i remember i can take pics on monday for you
pics would be great. was it just mild steel pipe or something better?
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: Tree Killer on December 06, 2013, 08:08:40 PM
Im pretty sure it was just heavy wall pipe, 1/4  or more thick. The track links are hardened and have to be heated , before welding. What brand of tracks are they ?
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: Jamie_C on December 08, 2013, 09:48:30 AM
Quote from: furltech on December 06, 2013, 05:21:13 PM
We are running about four or five sets that are rebuilt right now .they were fixed by welding pipe on the outside .If i remember i can take pics on monday for you

Hey furl,

Who are you working for now ?
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: snowstorm on December 10, 2013, 06:46:18 PM
i was told there is a welding shop either in or near water town ny that makes the u shaped piece to repair the tracks. anyone know who it is or anything about it?
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: Gary_C on December 11, 2013, 01:34:18 AM
Don't know anything about that, but it would not be hard to make some repair links.

Just takes two drilled or punched side plates and two good pins. Make a simple jig to weld the two pins into one side plate and then weld the other side plate on at assembly.

It should not be a big deal for most any shop.

Making a U shaped link would be harder and perhaps not as good. It probably would take some sort of press and die as making two tight 90 degree bends is hard to do and it might weaken the rod too much. And if the two sides of the U were not perfectly parallel, you would get uneven wear and stress.
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: snowstorm on January 22, 2014, 05:12:35 AM
just finished the track rebuild. i ended up using 1.5" x .5" flat bar and had a machine shop bend them into a u shape. its not a sunday afternnon project its a lot of work. it took 25' of steel. 124 u shaped pieces. a lot of mig wire and over a tank of argon.
Title: Re: fowarder tracks
Post by: KyLogger on January 22, 2014, 06:08:42 AM
It didn't happen unless we see pics ;D