Replacing tracks????

[NorthernRedneck]

What's the easiest way to replace a track on a snowcat. We've done it serveral times each time doing it a different way. I want to know what works for you guys. What's the easiest way to remove and install a track.

The reason I ask is that we just did the two front tracks on the lamtrac yesterday including new sprockets, belts, and cleets. Getting the old ones off was the easy part. One track was shot so we just cut the rubber. The other track, we are keeping as a spare so we took the time to split it where the belts join. Getting the new ones on was another story. We jacked up each track, removed the hex nut that locks each hydraulic drive so we could free wheel each track, then with great care and a few choice words, got the track up over the top idlers and sprocket. We removed the front idler on each track to assist in getting the track into position then re-install the idler. All we needed was 5-6 strong guys, a couple prybars, some chain, a four wheeler to tow the track in place, and a well stocked dictionary of choice words to use.

 

[Av8r3400]

What about finding a procedure from the military for tank track replacement?

I know, metal segmented verses rubber belts, but maybe it might give some insight....

What do I know, just a thought.

 

[leopard_colony]

Here's a thought... my Dynatrac breaks the track up into 5 sections. The pieces are joined by bolting each end on to the same grouser. Makes replacement much easier and in much lighter pieces. Here's a link to how Canadair did it. Perhaps with conveyor belt type tracks the belts could be overlapped instead. Breaking the track down to even just 2 or 3 pieces should make the job much easier.

 

[ve3otk]

Changing Tucker tracks is not a big deal. Our club has done that enough times on the trail. Along with changing ice breakers.... Started getting my share of helping out last year. Took two of us to get one track off last March. Used the BR to lay the track across our small drag and took it home. We took it back a few days later on the BR's deck (had a few guys give us a hand to get it on the deck.) The two of us put the track back on and we drove both machines and the larger drag back home.

 

[Lyndon]

Somewhere in this Forum I wrote an atricle about track replacement, I believe it was called "tracks On/Tracks OFf" or something pretty close to that. Anyway, with most makes and models, roll out the track, roll the machine on-to the tracks, as above, wrestle the track across the return wheels/pulleys, BUT, instead of fighting with clamps, come-alongs, and all manner of contraptions, use a piece of wire on one of the drive sprockets to pull the track around to where you can make the splice. For rigs withmanual transmission take the coil wire off and use the starter in any gear. I once got a snow trac track on this way, alone, unaided, in under 20 minutes! And there's more: an associate of mine and I got 4 belt Track master tracks on , thats both tracks, in under an hour. It really works. It also worked on the Bombi, and with the J5. The trick was to cut a board the right length, to jamb in to the track guides and that would wedge in to the undercarriage somewhere to prevent the drive from dragging the tracks away. For a snow track a 2 by 4, or pair of 2X4's that were roughly 14 to 16 inches worked well.