@001 MAX IV with Rubber tracks

[Hogneck]

Hey Hogneck,

Some pictures of the damage to your machine would go a long way to determine the proper way to fix it. Since your Max IV tub is polyethylene, a good start would be to get some scrap HDPE from one source or another, and try to weld the holes/cracks back together with some thing welding rod you make out of the scraps. Let's see the damage first, before we get too far.

We can save it.... I promise.

Mike , can I use oxy acetelyne torch with small tip to weld with. Kind of like brazing? I have hdep plastic

[amphibious drew]

Just to help clarify what you want to use, I meant hdpe when I said abs in me first post. Abs will not work and I bloom me errar un to a rapid response and lack of prooph reeding abilities on y part.

[amphibious drew]

After looking at the pics. It seems to me that it looks like a left turn caused the rear of the track to come off and rub without being noticed. It probably wasnt all that long, just until the right turn pushed it back on. Because it fell to the inside it didn't come completely off thus allowing it to correct itself after a little damage. I would suggest more psi, different tires, or making sure you ot someone watching your rear. Btw were you doing doughnuts with your tracks on?

[azz7772]

I would get someone to drive it like you were and you should stand outside and watch what's going on best way to diagnose

[Hogneck]

After looking at the pics. It seems to me that it looks like a left turn caused the rear of the track to come off and rub without being noticed. It probably wasnt all that long, just until the right turn pushed it back on. Because it fell to the inside it didn't come completely off thus allowing it to correct itself after a little damage. I would suggest more psi, different tires, or making sure you ot someone watching your rear. Btw were you doing doughnuts with your tracks on?

Plowing with alot of ice under foot while turning at the same time........maybe?

[amphibious drew]

Maybe. I've seen them walk off pretty easy, but with an army truck's on board air compressor you can just add a few psi. I guess you could use any air compressor, but thats just how I saw it done.

[Hogneck]

Man, that's tough....

The only thing I can surmise, is that you're getting a lot (a LOT) of flex out of the side walls on your tires, and that's letting the tracks slide over toward, and grind into the tub when you're either turning, or when one side of each track is on an incline. I've seen something similar on Adair tracks when one side of the track is tweaked over toward the tub. I don't think it rubbed the tub, but it came darn close.

What tires are you running, and at what psi? Outside of repairing at this point, let's figure out how to alleviate the problem. Is a couple-more psi an option, in order to stiffen up the sidewalls? I think that welding up the tub with some home-grown poly rod is an option. If you struggle to find any black poly, I have a butt-load of black poly from an old black Max IV tub I can mail you.

21 '' rawhides Mike, @ 4 /1/2 psi each and holding. I also agree with you but what is the max psi I dare to run on? I would like to get some of that tub you have also..Thanks Mike.

[amphibious drew]

I think we pumped Max IV Mark's up to 6 when his walked out. Maybe he or Jpswift can verify. It seemed to make a huge difference and they didn't come off again that ride.

[jpswift1]

I think I set the 21" Rawhides at 4-5 PSI on my dad's Max II with tracks. We put Mark's Max IV at around 5, maybe 6 and as Drew said, it made a huge difference and we didn't have any more problems throughout the day.

[Hogneck]

Thanks Guys. I am going to put 6.5 in the back I think. They never came off but I think on the ice pushing heavy wet snow and steering and spinning the tracks wide open caused this.Can only make educated guesses at this one. I will just have to be more gentle with tracks and turning.Just sucks now my tub is cut on both sides.Once I patch repair the tub and make it well again,I was thinking of adding a steel plate somehow to the general area to protect it. Any thoughts on this one?
Thanks again everyone for the replies and help.