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1989 Tucker 1644c

I had the same loose tie rod issue that actually pulled out. Slit and clamped as a bandaid. Luckily it was in a parking lot close to tools and curious helpers. If it happened where the cat was 10 minutes prior would have been there for a bit.

Also had the front tie rod on the 442 break under way and pole vault the machine. The water fills and the front and rear table recess for the nuts. This tie end broke off right below the nut. This is probably rare but happened. Metal looked stressed/brittle.

Moving both a rubber and pontoon cat with only one table connected what's quite a show. Think Tucker Someday had a good laugh watching the security cam footage.

Davenet found a solution that works and should be the same for yours. Didn't have access to a big enough pass through lathe so we cut and welded the tubes to length. Plan was to cut the right hand threads off, drill, tap. I have the right hand drill and tap if needed also.

This link as the part numbers and info:https://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/threads/making-a-443-from-a-442-project.52430/page-7
 
TA,

I did recall seeing photos of your temp in the field repair on the tie rod. Getting home with the problem, thats the main thing.

The tie rod on mine is basically made of two different tubes threaded each end, one right, one left. The bigger tube slides over the top of the smaller one and that is used to create the desired length, as I recall. Certainly a number of ways to accomplish the same thing, that was probably just the simplest, easiest, fit the most applications with the least inventory from a manufacturer standpoint. Just something to be aware of on these old cats, un-clamped it's asking a lot of those treads over time.
 
Lucky, no failures and no damaged seats. But not reusing any of them.

Also if you ever had to replace a gear in the backcountry take a 14mm socket. The bolts take 9/16, but two of the sprockets didn't have the recesses for the socket machined into it. The only way to get them loose was beat a 14mm onto them, otherwise would have had to torch or grind them off.
 

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Had gotten most all of the important engine parts except the cam. Word was there were no cam blanks being delivered and no word on when they might be. Shutdowns firing back up, could have been bad, but got the email yesterday that it shipped.

On the subject of cams ...... the 360 as a whole is at least second gen old school, adding some new tech like efi is an improvement of that old tech but no chance of ever keeping up ?. Anyway, thought this was pretty cool. Hyundai's version is all mechanical as explained, Koenigsegg's freevalve is a whole different approach that's fairly high tech, but probably farther out to adaptation.

 
1boringguy said:
Thanks for the schooling TA and PP, less embarrassing here than high centered in the snow on a hillside right ? As with most things successful, surely a combination of factors.

Ok PP, you're making this hard on me, no pontoons from the Belgium Tuckers then. So hear me out, if a P-38 can be recovered from the Greenland Ice Field after 50 years, maybe a Freighter can be recovered from a crevasse in Antarctica for some pontoons. I mean that would probably be easier than finding a good 543 cheap, right ?
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The Freighter referred to here, County of Kent aka Rose, did in fact drop 100' in a crevasse. If you are going to recover it, bring your scuba gear as the crevasse was on the Ross Ice Shelf as I understand. After 61 years and Al Gores global wining, I'm betting she sits on the ocean floor.
 
PP,
If I had gone a different route the Hemi might have been pretty appealing. Not sure of the fit of things like bell housings, hydraulic pump ect but horsepower, torque, weight, vvt, all look like a pretty good choice.

sno-drifter,

Figured the pontoons might be a little deformed by a moving ice field over the years, but hadn't thought about the bottom of the Antarctic Ocean as well. Starting to sound like it might be just about as easy to find a nice 543 instead ?
 
A Tucker 100 feet down a crevasse for 50 years would be flatter than a picture of it would be. Besides having been ground to pieces due to ice field movements. Little more than a memory at this point.
 
Thanks Tucker.

I've read that some people found the o-ring style seal spacers in their tracks on machines that are older than 1989, but all of mine were the early version non o-ring style so replacing them all along with seals, bearings and dirt covers.
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Diffs back, rebearinged just because its 30 years old, the rest looked great inside. No lockers, a decision more or less made for me. My gear shop says Eaton, makers of the e-lockers, recently listed a part number for e-lockers for the Spicer 70s, but apparently there are none to be had at this point and because of Covid slowdowns and backlog for more high demand parts, it might be a year or two or more before a person could get them. I believe redsqwrl said he preferred air lockers but I decided not to go that route because I've owned trucks with airbrakes for 40 years, and my gearshop said the snowwheelers that have them are cusing them. Air dryer, deicer fluid, ect. a guy can deal with it, I just didn't want to, so I'll wait and see. Did put the parts in to make the rear diff open for now.

Disassembled the transfer case to check it out too. All looked good, so reassembled it.
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1boringguy said:
Thanks Tucker.

I've read that some people found the o-ring style seal spacers in their tracks on machines that are older than 1989, but all of mine were the early version non o-ring style so replacing them all along with seals, bearings and dirt covers.
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1BG,

My wallet quivered at the sight of this photo of parts bought from Tucker, Inc. But wallet pain aside, good on 'ya for doing it right!
 
Blackfoot Tucker said:
1BG,

My wallet quivered at the sight of this photo of parts bought from Tucker, Inc. But wallet pain aside, good on 'ya for doing it right!
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Lol, yea that photo looks like I have a little in common with a silver stacker right?

Actually the bearings were competitive, common to oem parts that are non-captive. Avaliable at numerous retailers, economy of scale, all that. The captive parts can be a little different story. No economy of scale, ect. and manufacturers have stay in business on something. And perhaps heavy equipment owners are a bit more acclimated to it. I just replaced a hydraulic hose on a Deere excavator that cost $600.00, and Cat or Perterbilt are no different. I like saving a buck, or in some cases a lot of bucks, but I also need the manufacturer/dealer to remain in business as well.

I appreciate the help I've received from Tucker Inc both parts and service dept. on my project, and don't mind supporting them, within reason ?

And thanks for the compliment, I hope to do it as right as I can and know, within my goal of a mechanical rebuild.
 
1boringguy said:
Lol, yea that photo looks like I have a little in common with a silver stacker right?

Actually the bearings were competitive, common to oem parts that are non-captive. Avaliable at numerous retailers, economy of scale, all that. The captive parts can be a little different story. No economy of scale, ect. and manufacturers have stay in business on something. And perhaps heavy equipment owners are a bit more acclimated to it. I just replaced a hydraulic hose on a Deere excavator that cost $600.00, and Cat or Perterbilt are no different. I like saving a buck, or in some cases a lot of bucks, but I also need the manufacturer/dealer to remain in business as well.

I appreciate the help I've received from Tucker Inc both parts and service dept. on my project, and don't mind supporting them, within reason ?

And thanks for the compliment, I hope to do it as right as I can and know, within my goal of a mechanical rebuild.
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1BG,

I too have received some help from Tucker from time to time, and I certainly hope they stay in business. I do prefer the Tucker seals to oil seals from other manufacturers/suppliers, and the last time I bought them from Tucker they were reasonably priced...but that was several years ago and Tucker parts seem to escalate in price MUCH faster than the general inflation rate.

I have a strong preference for OEM parts, but the parts themselves must be reasonably priced. When a manufacturer/dealer/vendor starts gouging me... I start looking elsewhere, and then I typically keep looking elsewhere.

I'm not sure if you are planning on, or thinking about, replacing any of your track belting, but in my opinion Tucker's belt pricing is not competitive. I bought belts from Montana Outdoors and will buy from them again. For me the criteria is quality, customer service and price; in that order. Montana Outdoors hit the trifecta with me. Reasonable pricing, great quality and outstanding customer service. Years ago (more than I'd like to think about, actually) I was stationed in South Georgia while in the USAF. There was a phrase that I heard a number of times that I really like: "Sir, I'd like the opportunity to earn your business". Some businesses get that, but most just talk the talk... Montana Oudoors treats you as a valued customer, and they've "earned my business". I take my recommendations seriously, but I have no reservations in recommending them. They ARE that good.
 
5th wheel plates back from machine shop. I use we somewhat loosely, meaning I get to be involved in deciding the course of the work and I get to pay, otherwise the skilled part of 'we' gets the work done. So 'we' decided if we turned the plate end out to accommodate a bronze bushing between the worn parts it didn't leave a lot of wall thickness, so we made a new piece for the plate and some bronze washers for friction reduction. Not sure thats a big deal, but we did.

On the rear plate we v'd the crack out, welded, and also double plated the back side.

On the rear we trued up the stud end on the pivot, the front stud end is larger and didn't need it. Don't know if it should have been tighter but fit was made to .005
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Well its nice to be to the point of going back together with some things anyway.

Tried to put the carriers on the journals with .0065 uhmw over the wear spots and the wrapped all the way around with .035. This should still have given about .010 clearance but fought it for awhile (quite awhile) and couldn't get it to go. The .035 just wanted the buckle up and couldn't get it started. Ended up just putting various thickness over the wear areas and had to go with that. ☹ Had really hoped to take up the gap all the way around, but still took 75% of the slop out of it. Could have maybe wrapped all the way around with .0065 or .0045 but thought material that thin would just get beat out pretty quickly anyway, and then might be more harm than good. These pictures are before adding lots of grease.
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Most of the powder coat is done, cab is just about ready for the paint shop.
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BFT, agree, quality - service - and then price. I would be happy to use MNOutdoors as a supplier but ended up with these from Tucker. So made a trip to Medford last week to pick up some 200 inch take off tracks that Tucker had for sale. A little arm twisting and ended up with a deal I could live with so pulled the trigger on that. These are the latest series hardware so they said maybe 2 or 3 seasons on them. I'd guess about 70% life remaining so doubt I'll wear them out in my lifetime. These tracks are the narrower grouser spacing of all the new series tracks and so take the 9 tooth sprocket rather than the 7 tooth that were my originals. So got sprockets as well, fitment is the same to my sprocket drive spools. They take the heavier 2" wide sprockets which is the same as my 7 tooth originals.
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And some great scenery along the way ? Looking across the Klamath Marsh.

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Got the tour while at Tucker, thanks Dan. Very interesting. Couple of old Tuckers, that's Rock and Roll on the left, and a couple of PP's new skis on the (I think) 424? ?

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So finally had the time to get the tracks mounted. A couple of the 9 tooth sprockets rubbed the damper wheel mount. Just by a few thousands, could just be manufacturing tolerance that was acceptable as my 7 tooth sprockets didn't rub. Anyway just shaved them slightly with a grinder to eliminate the rubbing. Funny the stuff collects off the grinder wheel like cotton candy as its spun, or a spiderweb.
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Since I have pieces and pics at hand thought I would also share a little of what I think I've learned about belted Tucker tracks. First there is some good information in this post and this thread; Post in thread 'Tucker Tracks Info' https://www.forumsforums.com/threads/tucker-tracks-info.7118/post-69648

The earlier 7 tooth sprockets have 6.06" grouser spacing, the later 9 tooth sprockets have 4.88" grouser spacing. My old and new to me tracks show three of the different backing plates.
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Also a couple different versions of splices.
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And the difference in backing plates for grousers and splices. Splices take a bigger bolt and have the recess for the spacer.
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Although the track carriers are supposed to be the same from mine, 1989, to present, there must be some small differences because I had to drop two grousers from these newer tracks to fit my carriers. Per Tuckers direction, a 3/4 diamond bit hole saw works great for drilling the new holes in the rubber for the spacers.
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And again, this little tool made the track chore much easier, it's a honey. (See next post. Apparently you can't have more than 10 attachments on one post)
 
1boringguy said:
Got to worrying that there were tapered bearings in this so decided I just had to check. Just post a pic in case someone's curious in the future. View attachment 134233
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wow, this part has not changed since the very first one in 1950, no bearings,

hey boring guy, I am impressed with your work and progress...well done and looking forward to seeing it at the serenade, a gathering of old grousers.
 
Pontoon Princess said:
wow, this part has not changed since the very first one in 1950, no bearings,

hey boring guy, I am impressed with your work and progress...well done and looking forward to seeing it at the serenade, a gathering of old grousers.
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Thanks for the compliment. Significant coming from you.

If it's basically unchanged since 1950, it must work pretty good just like it is ?

I'm still hoping it's going to be ready but idk. Hard to get on peoples schedules, hard to get parts, covid issues making it tough. The engine cam was a delay, no cam blanks,, then the other day we find a flat spot on the scat crank. Everyone says that's very unusual for scat, but ...... it's flat, so now waiting for crank. No delivery date yet ☹
Running out of time fast here though. Might just be there in the Camo.
 
Track Addict said:
If there is any opportunity to add grease zerks to better grease that's a win on the trunion.

I see a few other cats in the background look ready to rock worst case although they are missing a set of tracks for some.
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Good thought TA since there is no grease groove around either part internally, and pretty easy at the moment to add a couple zerks at 180° to the existing ones.

Those are the tracks/diffs for the 1644. The sv252 and the Patrol can both roll. In fact if I'm stalled on this project the weekend we'll going to go checkout the new snow from this week around here. Just, you know, like to have the 1644 for sv ?
 
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