Plastic Track Experts needed

[zoood]

I have no choice but to rebuild the tracks completely. I spent 11 hours separating the track links on one side. The 1st ten links, I managed to remove the steel rods without cutting them. It was no easy task. The other 20 links. I had to use a 3" die cutter to cut the links loose from each other. I then had to drive each piece of rod out of each individual link knuckle. A lot of times I had to use a heat gun to heat the knuckles in order to drive the rod out. I provided a couple pictures of a cut section of one of the rods. As you can see. The rust was the culpret, that kept me from driving them out in one length. I really hope the other track comes apart a lot easier then this set did. I still have another 7 links to drive the cut rod bits out. I plan on purchasing a long 1/4" drill bit to clean out the hole that passes through the knuckles. Im sure there's a lot of rust embedded in there.

zoood

[lunnex]

Zood, I have thought of replacing the pins in my supertracks also. Ive noticed that they do not hinge well, lots of resistance. Are the new pins just 1/4"rod?

[zoood]

lunnex, I know that the rods in the plastic tracks I have are 1/4". I havent a clue as to what the name brand of my tracks are. I just know from pictures, mine are what RR sells.

Zood, I have thought of replacing the pins in my supertracks also. Ive noticed that they do not hinge well, lots of resistance. Are the new pins just 1/4"rod?

[lunnex]

I am going to go with stainless steel rod if the pins are 1/4", the cost would be peanuts. A 12' lenth is only around $12.00

[mudNmallards]

I’ll throw my 2¢ in. Maybe it will give you some help. My experience with tracks pretty much begins and ends with tanks but I’ve thrown and broken a few tracks and had to adjust them and every year had to replace the whole thing, pads and links for SQT training like every other tanker.

I don’t know if the wall thickness exists on a plastic track (never looked that close at the few tracked AATV’s I’ve seen ) but if you are having hole wear then that’s effecting the mechanical strength of the track and creating a damaging environment for any new pin installed.

If it can be done with existing wall thickness you might consider installing a sintered bronze bushing the full length of the hole and epoxying it in. Those are pretty cheap and can be bought in about any length or can be bought in sticks and custom cut on a lathe or good bandsaw and fitted with a file.

On the pins I would recommend going with an ISO grade 8 plated rather than stainless. They would have equal corrosion resistance and are much stronger than SS.

The lubrication might help you too. When I was in the deserts of Iraq I saw many tracks fail due to that moon dust wearing the pins out. The maintenance guys switched from the normal #2 grease they used to a #.5 grease. ( 5th wheel grease) It was thick enough to stay in there and act like a seal keeping crud out.

[zoood]

I am going to go with stainless steel rod if the pins are 1/4", the cost would be peanuts. A 12' lenth is only around $12.00

Lunnex, Just what grade SS rod you obtaining? I found this Multipurpose Stainless Steel (Type 304) and it's not a dollar per foot. Better look into the grade your talking about. By eliminating corrosion you may be inviting weakness. I chose not to use SS. The movement or hinging on the rod will keep the rod clean as long as I do the maintenance of cleaning and lubricating my machine.

I’ll throw my 2¢ in. Maybe it will give you some help. My experience with tracks pretty much begins and ends with tanks but I’ve thrown and broken a few tracks and had to adjust them and every year had to replace the whole thing, pads and links for SQT training like every other tanker.

I don’t know if the wall thickness exists on a plastic track (never looked that close at the few tracked AATV’s I’ve seen ) but if you are having hole wear then that’s effecting the mechanical strength of the track and creating a damaging environment for any new pin installed.

If it can be done with existing wall thickness you might consider installing a sintered bronze bushing the full length of the hole and epoxying it in. Those are pretty cheap and can be bought in about any length or can be bought in sticks and custom cut on a lathe or good bandsaw and fitted with a file.

On the pins I would recommend going with an ISO grade 8 plated rather than stainless. They would have equal corrosion resistance and are much stronger than SS.

The lubrication might help you too. When I was in the deserts of Iraq I saw many tracks fail due to that moon dust wearing the pins out. The maintenance guys switched from the normal #2 grease they used to a #.5 grease. ( 5th wheel grease) It was thick enough to stay in there and act like a seal keeping crud out.

mudNmallards, thank you for your 2cnts. Im not having hole wear issues on my tracks. More like rod corrosion build up by lack of preventative maintenance by the previous owner. The sintered bronze bushings are a good idea and I'll look into that, if I what I plan on doing doesnt pan out. After I run a drill bit through the rod holes in the track links to remove any embedded rust that may hinder the pivoting of the links on the rods. Before installation of the rods. Ill get grease in there and then slide the rod in. Like I mentioned before I think the biggest problem with plastic tracks is maintaining them. But that applies to any of our aatv's. You have to clean it and re-prep it again after every use. Or you'll be entertaining corrosion.

zoood

[mudNmallards]

heres another thought based on what you just said

If this would work and you could access it on each track where the pins run through

You might want to install needle fitting grease zerks ( if you have never used them- you put the needle like a football needle on your gun and the zerk is completely recessed)

That would allow you to grease/purge your tracks after each use without having to break them down

If corrosion is your major problem that might be the best permanent fix after you repair everything

[zoood]

that grease needle idea would be nice but theres like 14 knuckles that mate each other between two links and that multiplied by 60 links. Thats way too much work. Besides. I run mine in swamp water, not salt water like the previous owner. I had just tried the 1/4" drill bit out through the knuckles of the links and sure enough. There is rust embedded in the plastic. I'm not making the holes bigger. I'm basically using the drill bit as a reamer. I can now push a rod in there without great force and by hand. With lube it will fit nicely.

[mudNmallards]

that grease needle idea would be nice but theres like 14 knuckles that mate each other between two links and that multiplied by 60 links. Thats way too much work. Besides. I run mine in swamp water, not salt water like the previous owner. I had just tried the 1/4" drill bit out through the knuckles of the links and sure enough. There is rust embedded in the plastic. I'm not making the holes bigger. I'm basically using the drill bit as a reamer. I can now push a rod in there without great force and by hand. With lube it will fit nicely.

guud lawd- yeah I would agree thats WAY too much work. I believe I would run a good bore brush through them and pack them full of 5th wheel grease and let it go

[lunnex]

I work in the metal industry, and 304 S.S. is cheap as could be. I work wit it every day, even 316 would not be much more. Mudnmallars is correct on the grade 8 being stronger but I would think the plating would wear off quickly and just be bare steel in no time. Stainless Steel would never rust and there is no way that you could create enough force to shear it on an 6x6 or 8x8.