Bennyboy1337
Active member
Shouldn't using track tightening tool to take up the slop via bending the links do the trick though?
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1962 443A Tucker - V8 Poly Hot rod!
- Thread starter Bennyboy1337
- Start date
Shouldn't using track tightening tool to take up the slop via bending the links do the trick though?
Track Addict
Bronze Member
Only to a point. Once you get a bunch of u in them it’s tough to do much more. Adjustable noses help if you have them.
It’s a combo of wear all over. Sprockets rails rollers links grousers etc.
Bending the links actually changes the pitch which is why they went to adjustable noses.
Age only Tucker dilemma. Straightening might take some slack up also.
It’s a combo of wear all over. Sprockets rails rollers links grousers etc.
Bending the links actually changes the pitch which is why they went to adjustable noses.
Age only Tucker dilemma. Straightening might take some slack up also.
never use a tightening tool, it was a cheap trick repair, it works against the tracks moving without binding and seating into the sprockets, extremely bad idea
add more rail to the noses,
TA speaks from experience, good tucker man
add more rail to the noses,
TA speaks from experience, good tucker man
Bennyboy1337
Active member
All makes perfect sense. Looks like I may soon belong to the 30 grouser club then
Bright side is I may have more spare grousers than I originally planed on!
Bennyboy1337
Active member
Recruited a friend over the weekend to help with track disassembly. Got every torn down in an afternoon and a case of beer.
Harbor Freight press is the PERFECT size to tweak 400 series tracks! I found that almost every single one had a bow, and simply pressing in the middle as pictured but them back to near factory condition, this also eliminated most of the flaring of the flanges on the outside.
Using PP's recommendation I used a rod to check my square, this was the perfect way to make sure everything was near spot on! While pressing the bow out of the grousers fixed 75% of the problems, I found that I had to press individual sides on occasion since they weren't always perfectly aligned even after removing the bow. Bending of the grousers horizontally also happened is very minor instances, so I welded a small metal jig that would allow me to prop the grousers on their side, then press them back into alignment.
Some of the flanges still aren't a close enough 90 degrees, but I figure I can address that with a custom spanning clamp once tracks are on the pontoons and rolling. The important thing is to get the link holes aligned at this stage since they are impossible to adjust once tracks are assembled.
Found it much easier to work with assembly in sets of 10 links, easy to move around, and will link 3x of them together when I'm ready to put them on the pontoons. I also need to get a good count of how many new rollers I need to purchase, I should know for sure how my replacements I need by the time I'm done.
After assembly the tracks are noticeably much easier to rotate than before, they're moving freely and nice and smooth now that the grousers are all aligned. Despite what PP mentioned about not using link tighteners on tracks, I think it will be important to use one just on the inside links, reason being, the removable links on the inside wear out horizontally where as the outside links are welded, and never move at all. This theory is backed up by the fact that all the pins I have remove have an ever so slight bowing towards the inside. The way to address this problem is simply to bend the inside links just a hair so the pins are properly square with the tracks.
I am going to do a better write up of this wear issue and how to address it with some pictures, because I haven't seen anyone talk about it and I think it's am important step to maintain the life of these precious metal components.
1/2 of my links are done as of today posting, takes me about 3 hours to assemble everything for a single pontoon. I'm sure getting better at these damn cotter pins
Harbor Freight press is the PERFECT size to tweak 400 series tracks! I found that almost every single one had a bow, and simply pressing in the middle as pictured but them back to near factory condition, this also eliminated most of the flaring of the flanges on the outside.
Using PP's recommendation I used a rod to check my square, this was the perfect way to make sure everything was near spot on! While pressing the bow out of the grousers fixed 75% of the problems, I found that I had to press individual sides on occasion since they weren't always perfectly aligned even after removing the bow. Bending of the grousers horizontally also happened is very minor instances, so I welded a small metal jig that would allow me to prop the grousers on their side, then press them back into alignment.
Some of the flanges still aren't a close enough 90 degrees, but I figure I can address that with a custom spanning clamp once tracks are on the pontoons and rolling. The important thing is to get the link holes aligned at this stage since they are impossible to adjust once tracks are assembled.
Found it much easier to work with assembly in sets of 10 links, easy to move around, and will link 3x of them together when I'm ready to put them on the pontoons. I also need to get a good count of how many new rollers I need to purchase, I should know for sure how my replacements I need by the time I'm done.
After assembly the tracks are noticeably much easier to rotate than before, they're moving freely and nice and smooth now that the grousers are all aligned. Despite what PP mentioned about not using link tighteners on tracks, I think it will be important to use one just on the inside links, reason being, the removable links on the inside wear out horizontally where as the outside links are welded, and never move at all. This theory is backed up by the fact that all the pins I have remove have an ever so slight bowing towards the inside. The way to address this problem is simply to bend the inside links just a hair so the pins are properly square with the tracks.
I am going to do a better write up of this wear issue and how to address it with some pictures, because I haven't seen anyone talk about it and I think it's am important step to maintain the life of these precious metal components.
1/2 of my links are done as of today posting, takes me about 3 hours to assemble everything for a single pontoon. I'm sure getting better at these damn cotter pins
Mill666er
Active member
Even adjusters have their limits. When you run out of adjustment and then add another 2” to them the rollers push right through the bottom of the pontoon. I made new adjusters and links for half of the grousers which took up enough of the wear to run them. The new links only correct the pitch between grousers and does nothing for the pitch wear of the grouser. I’ve started making the links .050” undersize which shortens the track but now have .100” difference between grouser pitch and link pitch but is within the slop of the sprocket.
I was straightening grousers 1 at a time but then made a hydraulic ‘crimper’ to straighten them on the pontoon but the spring back was about 1/4”. I then decided to pull tracks off and make an adjustable stop to compensate for the spring back and work pretty well. The crimper slips over the nut and is counterbored for the roller stud so it presses on the face of the nut. The stop allows a little extra pressure to help to take some of the twist out of the ears. The ears aren’t perfect but goes pretty quick with the air over hydraulic pump.
I was straightening grousers 1 at a time but then made a hydraulic ‘crimper’ to straighten them on the pontoon but the spring back was about 1/4”. I then decided to pull tracks off and make an adjustable stop to compensate for the spring back and work pretty well. The crimper slips over the nut and is counterbored for the roller stud so it presses on the face of the nut. The stop allows a little extra pressure to help to take some of the twist out of the ears. The ears aren’t perfect but goes pretty quick with the air over hydraulic pump.
Bennyboy1337
Active member
Wow that's quite the crimper! I will certainly take inspiration from you on making my solution, although I don't think it will look as pretty
Track Addict
Bronze Member
Think you can get that at Napa with all the other available Tucker parts no?
Bennyboy1337
Active member
Tracks are 95% complete and it's full speed on the pontoons!
As mentioned before, I'm doing this refurb on a budget, so having fully rebuilt rails with plow grade steel was just never in the books, instead I think I've found a very reasonable and much less expensive alternative! I'm adding material to the rails by simply welding it on, then a quick pass or two with the grinder to get rid of high spots. Yes, I realize the welded material isn't nearly as hard as the treated steel, and it will wear much faster, but the faster wear comes with the tradeoff of less wear on the rollers, and you were to pick one to wear faster than the other which would you pick?
Wanted to confirm a suspicion I had about the paint, which to the surprise of nobody ended up being true. No big worry though, since I'm not grinding/blasting the old paint off. I will be using linseed to lock in the old paint and patina when I'm done with the welding and polyaspartic treatment for the high wear areas.
Cut away the really hackjob cuts the previous owner made, and will be welding them up tight!
Not the best looking weld job, but as long as it keeps snow and dirt from getting into the pontoon that's all I care about!
Got a present from Jesse! Also no pressure to get this lady up and running in time for the Jamboree now
These are some mighty fine rollers, they'll stick out like a sore thumb against my hodge podge collection of well worn ones
As mentioned before, I'm doing this refurb on a budget, so having fully rebuilt rails with plow grade steel was just never in the books, instead I think I've found a very reasonable and much less expensive alternative! I'm adding material to the rails by simply welding it on, then a quick pass or two with the grinder to get rid of high spots. Yes, I realize the welded material isn't nearly as hard as the treated steel, and it will wear much faster, but the faster wear comes with the tradeoff of less wear on the rollers, and you were to pick one to wear faster than the other which would you pick?
Wanted to confirm a suspicion I had about the paint, which to the surprise of nobody ended up being true. No big worry though, since I'm not grinding/blasting the old paint off. I will be using linseed to lock in the old paint and patina when I'm done with the welding and polyaspartic treatment for the high wear areas.
Cut away the really hackjob cuts the previous owner made, and will be welding them up tight!
Not the best looking weld job, but as long as it keeps snow and dirt from getting into the pontoon that's all I care about!
Got a present from Jesse! Also no pressure to get this lady up and running in time for the Jamboree now
These are some mighty fine rollers, they'll stick out like a sore thumb against my hodge podge collection of well worn ones