ZIP TIE Chain Tensioners ???

[ArgoNewf]

I heard guys zip tying tensioners in place when using tracks. Any input on this ? I know i have broken axles with tracks on , & one time the rear chain was super tight !!!
Winter has arrived, & putting tracks back on. Hate them LOL

[john swenson]

what kind of machine do you have ? curious what tying the tensioner does. j.b.

[plott hound]

hey argonewf,ive zip tied mine up after replacing the nylon tensioners and chain. dang chains were as tight as a G string on a finlanders mandolin.what axles are you breaking?rears?a bud of mines machine has been eating rear bearings with tracks on.the dealer told him that tracks were to tight and to put the spacer back in and see what happens.

[Noel Woods]

I always have zip ties with me. When all else fails zip ties will last long enough to get you home. Usually have a spare throttle assembly as well, got to zip tie that too if it fails. They also come in handy for chain changing in tight areas where a 3rd hand won't fit.

[ArgoNewf]

Zip tying the chain tensioners down to a normal chain tension. So they don't over tighten while running tracks. Uncertain as to why that happens. Broke two axles last winter. Trying anything not to this winter.
Yes Noel them zips come in handy for changing out chains.
I have a 2010 8x8 HDI 750
Thanks for the replies !!!
I'm a Hunting & Fishing Guide in Newfoundland Canada, 11 Moose this season, hoping for 12 on friday.

[Buzz]

under heavy driving load in the forward direction (such as climbing a steep hill), the drive chains will experience their maximum amount of stretch. When this happens, the maximum amount of chain slack will manifest between sprockets on the tensioner side of the chain. The tensioner will do its job and take up the slack. Problem is, the ratcheting style tensioners are unable to go back down on their own once the notched metal plates have locked in place.
With tracks, you are able to put more traction to the ground, and therefore the chains can see higher loads. Tires alone will break traction much sooner and are unable to transfer as much power to the ground in most situations.
Also because of standard tire indexing, the back 3 tires (on all tracks) will overdrive the track to varying degrees, so having a track that is tighter than necessary greatly increases the force required to do this 24/7. Mostly it’s the back tire, but because the rear tire is piggybacked via drivechains on axles #2/#3, they all experience increased load.

Best route to go is to 1) index properly, then 2)have rear tire very close to front tire in size (only “slightly” larger in circumfrence), and 3) adjust air so that track is not tighter than necessary. On most machines, this will mean lowering all tires equal amounts (even though only the corner tires affect track tension), so proper indexing circumference is maintained. Occasionally the track length itself needs to be adjusted.

Moveable Tensioners that can take up slack on both sides of the chain are a big improvement, they are more resistant to damage when the machine is driving in reverse, and they cannot over-ratchet/lock-in when you simply ask the machine to do what it was designed to do (hard work). Just remember to check chain tension fairly often if you zip tie the 3 rear tensioners because you will have turned them into manual-adjust tensioners by doing this.
Good luck hunting! Hope you catch #12

[john swenson]

thanks buzz for the explanation on the zip ties function . makes sense now . we got about 10 '' snow today here in the shenandoah valley .my max 2 highboy with the tracks did fine , other than a little tire slippage in the tracks going up hill . guess thats normal . thanks , j.b.

[ArgoNewf]

Thanks a lot !!! Well explained. Never got number 12 moose the other day. My sport had a foggy scope & never squeezed on a nice cow. By the time he sorted it, she was gone. Good call, & lucky moose ..... this time
Argo with tracks was a must on this expedition !!! MERCY !!!