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Kristi KT7 restoration pictures
- Thread starter BigAl
- Start date
Ok .... What I plan to do is take pictures as I build and manufacure the different components into a track assembly . I can easily show it all in one post . It's mostly repetition once I get started .
Once I get the track alinement brackets off the old tracks and reinstalled on the new ones it should be about Wednesday. Then it is just a matter of installing the Flexco belt fastners and I will be done .
Once I get the track alinement brackets off the old tracks and reinstalled on the new ones it should be about Wednesday. Then it is just a matter of installing the Flexco belt fastners and I will be done .
alaska741
New member
Al
Please keep posting and showing us pictures on your progress.
A lot of people are very interested in the restoration. I for one look forward
everyday to see how much you have accomplished.
If anybody isn't interested then they don't have to look. Please don't deprive the people who enjoy hearing from you daily.
Ken
Please keep posting and showing us pictures on your progress.
A lot of people are very interested in the restoration. I for one look forward
everyday to see how much you have accomplished.
If anybody isn't interested then they don't have to look. Please don't deprive the people who enjoy hearing from you daily.
Ken
alaska741 said:Al
Please keep posting and showing us pictures on your progress.
A lot of people are very interested in the restoration. I for one look forward
everyday to see how much you have accomplished.
If anybody isn't interested then they don't have to look. Please don't deprive the people who enjoy hearing from you daily.
Ken
Hey everyone ,
I may have misled you to believe that there was a problem ,after rereading my last post .There is not .
Its time to finish this KT7 . I consider Lyndon a "Very good friend" and a hell of a knowledgable guy on Snowcats of all types . I myself feel that this Restoration has taken a long time to complete .I am way to much of a perfectionist
. Lyndon , BoB S., Mtntopper , Snowcat operations , BCZOOm ,Tomma and a whole lot of others have taken a whole lot of kidding from me and absolutely none of it was ever serious . I also feel the same way about the kidding they gave me .
I think half of us here on FF enjoyed this thread and tuned in just to see who was being called what, each week .
I personally like to add a little humor in anything I do . After I lost half of my Heart a few years ago from a virus , it takes me a liitle longer to get things done now . But it taught me to enjoy life to its fullest and to try and be the best person I can be .
Besides the Kristi KT4 is sitting on the trailer and has been patiently waiting its turn to be restored .The sheriff in our county in Idaho would also like to see it get done
and the sooner the better . So the final pictures will get posted and a Test Run report will be made .
Its time to watch some of the other restorations that are going on here . I for one am really looking forward to watching Gavin's KT3 restore as I have a KT3 also and maybe he can lead the way for the rest of us KT3 owners to follow .
Sincerely,
Allen
Lyndon said:
You know Lyndon , There is a lot more truth in that statement than a lot of us realize !
I cannot tell you how many hours I have put into the KT7 and then started ripping it all out and starting over again . The window moldings, just recently , were a perfect example of that . I figure I have very close to 1500 hours in this restoration to date . I bet there is better than 100 hours of that time redoing what I had already done . there is another 100-200 hours just drawing ,figuring ,searching the internet, and thinking how I wanted something to work and turn out . If I did another KT7 ,I bet it could be done in 1/2 the time .
Good evening Folks ,
Ok Lyndon ,I know what I said but this is important and I need to post it
!
Remember the other day , when I said the tracks were going pretty well ??? I lied !!!
I started today planning on breaking down the old tracks and taking off the Alignment brackets . Just about anything that could go wrong, did .
The Kristi manual says you can just “over tighten” the nuts and they will snap right off . Yea right . It don’t work !!! The bolt and nut spin together and there is no way to lock the one side down while twisting the other half off . So much for believing the Kristi Manual .!!!
So I started out by picking up my neighbors Oxygen and gas bottles to use with my torch to cut off the welded on nuts . My tanks were empty . I got everything ready to start and his tanks were empty too . So I stop everything and head to the AirGas Supplier and get my tanks refilled . When I get back a hour later ,I fire up my cutting torch and it does not work ???? I have not even used it since it went into the shop and was reconditioned !!!!!!!
So I grab my 4” hand held grinder and start cutting off the welded nuts . 544 nuts and a bunch of cutting wheels later, I have the tracks apart and discover the damage to the Alignment brackets . A lot of damage !! Almost every bracket is either broken in half or cracked and ready to break .
I get out the old wire feed welder and get ready to repair all the broken pieces . Then I discover that the Shielding Gas bottle is empty !!! So back to the Air Gas supplier for shielding gas .
I finally get started welding about 3oclock .
Two pieces of the alignment brackets are completely missing and I will need to fabricate new ones .
I cannot stress enough the importance to all Kristi Owners to check those brackets for cracks . They crack next to the Stainless Steel wear sleeve where the Sprocket engages .
Mine looked great until I started removing bolts . So look closely for damage . More tomorrow . Here's a picture
,Ok Lyndon ,I know what I said but this is important and I need to post it
!Remember the other day , when I said the tracks were going pretty well ??? I lied !!!
I started today planning on breaking down the old tracks and taking off the Alignment brackets . Just about anything that could go wrong, did .
The Kristi manual says you can just “over tighten” the nuts and they will snap right off . Yea right . It don’t work !!! The bolt and nut spin together and there is no way to lock the one side down while twisting the other half off . So much for believing the Kristi Manual .!!!
So I started out by picking up my neighbors Oxygen and gas bottles to use with my torch to cut off the welded on nuts . My tanks were empty . I got everything ready to start and his tanks were empty too . So I stop everything and head to the AirGas Supplier and get my tanks refilled . When I get back a hour later ,I fire up my cutting torch and it does not work ???? I have not even used it since it went into the shop and was reconditioned !!!!!!!
So I grab my 4” hand held grinder and start cutting off the welded nuts . 544 nuts and a bunch of cutting wheels later, I have the tracks apart and discover the damage to the Alignment brackets . A lot of damage !! Almost every bracket is either broken in half or cracked and ready to break .
I get out the old wire feed welder and get ready to repair all the broken pieces . Then I discover that the Shielding Gas bottle is empty !!! So back to the Air Gas supplier for shielding gas .
I finally get started welding about 3oclock .
Two pieces of the alignment brackets are completely missing and I will need to fabricate new ones .
I cannot stress enough the importance to all Kristi Owners to check those brackets for cracks . They crack next to the Stainless Steel wear sleeve where the Sprocket engages .
Mine looked great until I started removing bolts . So look closely for damage . More tomorrow . Here's a picture
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Since I already have added another post to this thread and broke my word to Lyndon , I might as well show you what else I picked up today .
I had completely forgotten about the name plates ,I was having made . The Sign shop called today and I picked them up while getting supplies in town . They turned out extremely nice .
I had mentioned in a early post about being able to get other Kristi owners a Custom Kristi Emblem if they want one . They cost $25 each if anyone wants one .
The picture does not do the brass name plate Justice . I'll try to snap a picture outside tomorrow .
I had completely forgotten about the name plates ,I was having made . The Sign shop called today and I picked them up while getting supplies in town . They turned out extremely nice .
I had mentioned in a early post about being able to get other Kristi owners a Custom Kristi Emblem if they want one . They cost $25 each if anyone wants one .
The picture does not do the brass name plate Justice . I'll try to snap a picture outside tomorrow .
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Good Morning Allen, Your Kristi nameplate came out beautifully. I would love to order one of those.
I figure I could mount it under my Snow Trac so that when your Krusty sinks in the snow like a led zepplin, and I drive over the hole where you are resting, you can look up through your sunroof and see a my Snow Trac is there to rescue you.
Maybe you could have mine modified to eliminate the wording where you had "Restored for . . . " so that mine reads "Official Krusty KT7 Rescue Vehicle"
The coffee is on and the Snow Tracs rule the snow!
(and since today we are under a blizzard warning with up 13 inches of fresh snow & high winds expected I may have one of the few vehicles out on the roadways) Now I have to go fire up one of the tractors to begin to clear the driveway in hopes of getting to work later (not sure that will happen as the snowplows have not been able to get to our road yet)
I figure I could mount it under my Snow Trac so that when your Krusty sinks in the snow like a led zepplin, and I drive over the hole where you are resting, you can look up through your sunroof and see a my Snow Trac is there to rescue you.
Maybe you could have mine modified to eliminate the wording where you had "Restored for . . . " so that mine reads "Official Krusty KT7 Rescue Vehicle"The coffee is on and the Snow Tracs rule the snow!
(and since today we are under a blizzard warning with up 13 inches of fresh snow & high winds expected I may have one of the few vehicles out on the roadways) Now I have to go fire up one of the tractors to begin to clear the driveway in hopes of getting to work later (not sure that will happen as the snowplows have not been able to get to our road yet)
The coffee is on and the Snow Tracs rule the repair shop!
Hey thats my line !
I just figured all you "girlie men" Snot trac owners only drank tea with cream and sat on your spreading asses (< America for Arses) (< Cowboy slang for horses asses )all day ,wishing you owned a Kristi .
I figure I could mount it under my Snow Trac so that when your Krusty sinks in the snow like a led zepplin, and I drive over the hole where you are resting, you can look up through your sunroof and see a my Snow Trac is there to rescue you. Maybe you could have mine modified to eliminate the wording where you had "Restored for . . . " so that mine reads "Official Krusty KT7 Rescue Vehicle"
OK,I'm a big enough man to openly tell you a tear has formed in my eye as I read this part and write this reply . You Snot Trac guys care ??? You really care ... Man thats beautiful .
You guys are my Snot Trac Heros and its so nice to finally hear you say you would move "Heaven and Earth to save my KT7 as I continue to boldly go where a SnotTrac would fear to tread .
Oops ! Wait a minute, that wasn't a tear . I had some goop in my eye . Sorry ......
Hey thats my line !
I just figured all you "girlie men" Snot trac owners only drank tea with cream and sat on your spreading asses (< America for Arses) (< Cowboy slang for horses asses )all day ,wishing you owned a Kristi .I figure I could mount it under my Snow Trac so that when your Krusty sinks in the snow like a led zepplin, and I drive over the hole where you are resting, you can look up through your sunroof and see a my Snow Trac is there to rescue you.
Maybe you could have mine modified to eliminate the wording where you had "Restored for . . . " so that mine reads "Official Krusty KT7 Rescue Vehicle"OK,I'm a big enough man to openly tell you a tear has formed in my eye as I read this part and write this reply . You Snot Trac guys care ??? You really care ... Man thats beautiful .
You guys are my Snot Trac Heros and its so nice to finally hear you say you would move "Heaven and Earth to save my KT7 as I continue to boldly go where a SnotTrac would fear to tread .
Oops ! Wait a minute, that wasn't a tear . I had some goop in my eye . Sorry ......
Morning Allen. . . I guess you started drinking the Rum & Dr Peppers early todayBigAl said:
We are having a little snow today. I'm planning on driving the Snow Trac out to the highway to rescue stranded motorists. Maybe you could express ship that logo to me and I can also rescue people who are stranded in their King Ranch Ford pick'em up trucks
B_Skurka said:Morning Allen. . . I guess you started drinking the Rum & Dr Peppers early today
We are having a little snow today. I'm planning on driving the Snow Trac out to the highway to rescue stranded motorists. Maybe you could express ship that logo to me and I can also rescue people who are stranded in their King Ranch Ford pick'em up trucks
Ouch !!! Touch'e my friend .LOL
.I''ll have the coffee on when you get back .
I'll take you up on that. Make that coffee just like my women . . . hot, black & bitter! Just stay up late because we are currently getting moderate snow, the main body is supposed to dump on us a little later today and the afternoon/evening rush hour is supposed to be a catastrophe. O'Hare Airport already cancelled 400 flights for today, Midway cancelled 100 so far, and those airports are supposed to be north of the major storm area. Our school called the house at 5:30 am to announce a 2 hour delay, but then called back at 8am to announce they are going to be closed for the day. This looks to be a good storm that is coming in!BigAl said:
Evening Folks ,
I thought I would add a picture of my "Official Kristi Cat Track Demolition Area" . Actually it is in the corner of the driveway but what a mess .
Over 90% of my Track Brackets were broke in half or cracked and ready to break . 6 brackets are completely missing the center Stainless Steel Wear Sleeve's and the support bracket that they are suppose to rest on. I will end up just having to make these from Stainless Steel muffler pipe as there are no parts avalible
.It's a damn good thing , I did not try to see how well it preformed in the snow before the "restoration tear down" 
!!!It would have detracked for sure .
The good news is all but the 6 missing parts brackets are welded and repaired . I should start assembling the different componants back into a working track tomorrow .
,I thought I would add a picture of my "Official Kristi Cat Track Demolition Area" . Actually it is in the corner of the driveway but what a mess .
Over 90% of my Track Brackets were broke in half or cracked and ready to break . 6 brackets are completely missing the center Stainless Steel Wear Sleeve's and the support bracket that they are suppose to rest on. I will end up just having to make these from Stainless Steel muffler pipe as there are no parts avalible
.It's a damn good thing , I did not try to see how well it preformed in the snow before the "restoration tear down" !!!It would have detracked for sure .The good news is all but the 6 missing parts brackets are welded and repaired . I should start assembling the different componants back into a working track tomorrow .
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bczoom said:
Ahhh.... Young Boomer ... Your eyes decieve you . Look closely, my young friend and see the real vision . It converts into a rolling stool for me to position my Royal Ass upon . I had sat here and disassembled the tracks around my royal throne ,comtemplating the meaning of life and cussing Kristi tracks .
Lastly you should not refer to my "well built anatomy" like that . That is between me and my wife .....
Vance
Member
Getting close, Al.
I see your tool of choice for dissasembly ended up being the angle grinder - great choice!!
Sorry to hear about all the broken guides. Do you think that the HDPE/channel cleats will stiffen up the tracks enough to prevent this in the future? Sorry to say but looks like the factory design couldn't take the punishment.
Mabye that channel could be heat-treated to stiffen it up a bit without adding weight?
Vance
P.S. If the tracks come apart up in the hills, I can always drag you back with my Tucker ......
I see your tool of choice for dissasembly ended up being the angle grinder - great choice!!
Sorry to hear about all the broken guides. Do you think that the HDPE/channel cleats will stiffen up the tracks enough to prevent this in the future? Sorry to say but looks like the factory design couldn't take the punishment.
Mabye that channel could be heat-treated to stiffen it up a bit without adding weight?
Vance
P.S. If the tracks come apart up in the hills, I can always drag you back with my Tucker ......
Vance said:I see your tool of choice for dissasembly ended up being the angle grinder - great choice!!
Sorry to hear about all the broken guides. Do you think that the HDPE/channel cleats will stiffen up the tracks enough to prevent this in the future? Sorry to say but looks like the factory design couldn't take the punishment.
Mabye that channel could be heat-treated to stiffen it up a bit without adding weight?
Vance
P.S. If the tracks come apart up in the hills, I can always drag you back with my Tucker ......
Yes I agree that the tracks are in much worst condition than I originally realized.
The factory would have done much better if they had gone to "Channel Steel in the first place ,but it did last 35 years the way it was . I thought about trying to get "cold rolled steel channel " But was told it was not avalible . I was also told 1 1/4" channel was not avalible either but my brother was able to get me some with no problems .
I think between the HDPE Plastic cleats and the Channel steel the brackets will hold up fine . I also welded a area at the Stainless Steel Wear Sleeve where it had not been welded before . I think this will reinforce the whole bracket and make it even stronger .
I hope I never have to take to up on your offer but I do appreciate it . I'm sure if you do "Pictures" will be taken and plastered all over this website
!
Al, My biggest concern with the poly cleat with the metal cover is going to be expansion/contraction poly shrinks and grows rapidly with tempature change the metal reacts at much different rate and with no place to go you may get some warpage between the two...... but you really do not have the change of extreem tempature that we would. 12 below zero again this morning.
Allen the channel steel will not flex nearly as much as the original flat stock that was mounted over the hickory. In fact, unless you really impart a high load on it, it probably won't flex at all under the low PSI that a snowcat imparts on the ground.BigAl said:
I'd also say the HDPE will probably be a bit stiffer than WET wood, but I doubt if it is any stiffer than dry wood. Still, the reinforcement of the channel steel will give you virtually zero flex and the combination should last for another 35 years and probably still won't need to be replaced then! Now if only the belts would hold up that long
Notice !: I have changed tracks on D6 cats and John Deere crawlers that were much easier to work with then these snow tracks .
Since I don't drink would someone please have a stiff one for me ,maybe two
!!!
This is ,without a doubt, the most misable job I have ever had . I drilled everything "way too tight on tolerances " .
I have never built rubber belt tracks before and have always lived by the rule " Tight is Right" in the past . Not this time !!!!!
Now I am going back through and redrilling a 1/32" over size on the parts and it is still a pain .
Tomorrow with my brothers help we are going to set up a chain hoist and try lifting the tracks straight up so we can get two both sides at the same time . Flipping the tracks over as we bolt each cleat in place is becoming very tiring work .
Can one of you experts tell me how you do it ?? Please !!!!!
I'll be damn lucky if I have one track complete by tomorrow night , much less two .
Also, should I run the tracks a little bit and then retighten the nuts before hardfacing the nuts and bolts together? I am a little worried that if I weld the nuts as soon as I put the cleats on, the Welded Nuts may loosen up as the tracks become "Run In" . Opinions are needed . I think I should drive around the property here to get the track cleats properly seated ,then check and retighten if necessary before welding the nuts .
I really need some opinions on this one
Thanks in advance ,
BigAl
.Since I don't drink would someone please have a stiff one for me ,maybe two
!!! This is ,without a doubt, the most misable job I have ever had
. I drilled everything "way too tight on tolerances " . I have never built rubber belt tracks before and have always lived by the rule " Tight is Right" in the past . Not this time !!!!!
Now I am going back through and redrilling a 1/32" over size on the parts and it is still a pain .
Tomorrow with my brothers help we are going to set up a chain hoist and try lifting the tracks straight up so we can get two both sides at the same time . Flipping the tracks over as we bolt each cleat in place is becoming very tiring work .
Can one of you experts tell me how you do it ?? Please !!!!!
I'll be damn lucky if I have one track complete by tomorrow night , much less two .
Also, should I run the tracks a little bit and then retighten the nuts before hardfacing the nuts and bolts together? I am a little worried that if I weld the nuts as soon as I put the cleats on, the Welded Nuts may loosen up as the tracks become "Run In" . Opinions are needed . I think I should drive around the property here to get the track cleats properly seated ,then check and retighten if necessary before welding the nuts .
I really need some opinions on this one
Thanks in advance ,
BigAl
Al, sometimes you can lay the tracks on their side and leave the curl in them. and have a person on each side to tighten or you can set up some saw horses. Strong ones and lay some planks down leaving access between the planks to get at the bolts and keep from working bent over all day. we just assembled these tracks today they are for a Bombardier Muskeg six ply belts these are what you call double D dent bars
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boggie said:
Thats not a bad idea....??? I'll try that first before getting out a chain hoist . I also have access to my nieghbors tractor and thought of using the front bucket with the tracks hooked to it . I have a Fused Back and do not bend over very well .
THANKS !!!!!
Al no matter how you try and do it it will take a long time. Since you dont drink I would suggest taking it up. I wouldnt weld the nuts on until everything has had time to break in. On my old KT3 the original bolts had to be broken off since they were welded but the newer (20 years I would guess) nut and bolts were not welded and some did unbolt off. You can tighten them up even if you run them on rocks and such but not unbolt them since the threads will be hammered. But I do believe your design is superior to what has ever been used to upgrade the groussers in the past. BUT only time will tell for sure.
Hi Mike !
Good to see you posting a little bit.
Ok Guys and Gals ,
My brother and me worked out a solution to the "welded on nuts" . As he tightens the nuts with 100 pounds of torque on a air wrench , I hit and keep tapping the bolt head with a "ball ping hammer" . Its amazing to watch those bolts and nuts just tighten right up perfectly . We seem to finally have a good system working on building these tracks now but it still is a huge labor project that I grossly underestimated .
One track is almost completed and will be finished in the morning . The other one should be done sometime Sunday if all goes well .
If all goes well ,on Monday we are planning to take Yetti out for a shake down cruise in the High Sierra's where there is just a little snow .
Here's a picture of us working to assemble the tracks .
Good to see you posting a little bit.
Ok Guys and Gals ,
My brother and me worked out a solution to the "welded on nuts" . As he tightens the nuts with 100 pounds of torque on a air wrench , I hit and keep tapping the bolt head with a "ball ping hammer" . Its amazing to watch those bolts and nuts just tighten right up perfectly . We seem to finally have a good system working on building these tracks now but it still is a huge labor project that I grossly underestimated .
One track is almost completed and will be finished in the morning . The other one should be done sometime Sunday if all goes well .
If all goes well ,on Monday we are planning to take Yetti out for a shake down cruise in the High Sierra's where there is just a little snow .
Here's a picture of us working to assemble the tracks .
