Cut in rubber track for avenger

[DerrickLockyer]

Hi, this is my first time posting in the forum, not sure if this is the right place to pose a question.

I just purchased a 2009 Argo avenger 750 EFI. I am a first time Argo owner.

The rubber track has a tear in it, about 1 inch long on the outside edge. Any suggestions on how I can prevent this from tearing any further would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Derrick

[Mike]

Hi Derrick, welcome to the forums and congratulations on your new Avenger. Let me start by saying that I have no track experience at all. I'm sure someone with some rubber track experience will chime in shortly with some trail tested fixes but just thinking out loud on this to help spur discussion, I would think that you would want to drill the end of the tear so that it helps stop it from going any further. Then I would see if someone could perhaps vulcanize it? If not I would probably try to make a patch using baler belt that you can purchase from tractor supply.

As a last resort, if the tear does get a lot worse, Argo does make a splice kit for tracks. Again, that would be used only as a last resort but at least you know that option is out there.

[Obsessed]

I think that Mike has probably given some pretty sound advice.

If you want to try the belting, before you buy any of it , Adair Argo Sales has lots of scraps of the 1/2" thick and 3" wide belting in their trash...if you want any of it I am sure they would just give you a piece at no cost. Also, to expand on Mike's suggestion on the metal belt splice which would require you to completely cut the track (which would also require the tear to be in the correct location between two lugs) Adair also mfgs their own stainless belt splice for the 3" belting and before they are pressed into the hinge profile they are just flat looking mending plates about 3"x4" with three mounting holes on each side...you might be able to take one or two of them and sandwich the track and mend it back together ...pretty sure they would give you a couple of them to try if it might help you.

Best of luck,

Tim

[JohnF]

Hi Derrick.

I have no experience with rubber tracks. I found your problem interesting and put myself in your shoes. My closest experience is having a baler break a belt. We had metal splice kits (hinges) and extra belt. To make a repair we usually had to cut the broken belt clean and add a small section of belt. Today I did a bit of a search and I found that conveyor is repaired by vulcanizing a splice. It looks like there are a few ways to do this and some of it takes some pretty expensive equipment. Might check your area for someone that fixes conveyor.

But if it were me I would do what Tim and Mike suggest: Call Adair Argo Sales for a couple pieces of belt and then vulcanize using a product such as sold by this company for cold vulcanizing. (This is not an endorsement - only a sample that I found) and vulcanize a patch top and bottom of the tear. I would probably move the tear to a spot where it wasn't under tension or at a turn - somewhere on top - maybe let air out of tires, slather the patches up and clamp hard between a couple of boards. The bottom patch (inside tracks) might (???) even span grouser bolts so that I could get a bolt on either side of the tear. I would be worried about something catching a patch edge so I would probably take a razor and bevel the patch edges that are exposed and not protected by a grouser or something. Maybe a thinner belt for the outside patch. Maybe the mending plate idea on the outside.

I think the stop drill idea is interesting. I would do it because I believe it may help and it cannot hurt.

Anyway, just thinking out loud. What I do know is that you will make a choice and whatever you do, even if it is to do nothing, will provide information that folks following you will find helpful so please please please come back and let us know what you decided to do. And come back from time to time and let us know how it turned out.

Welcome!

Oh, and if the dude that posted just above me told me to give Adair Argo Sales a call I would probably pick of the phone right then.

[msafi65]

Go to Flexco web site and look at products for belt repair. The# 140 single splices can be installed across a tear without removing the track. They are usually sold in boxes of 50 but some suppliers sell individually. RI uses them to splice factory tracks and will sell small numbers. They work well and are very strong. Hope this helps out