Plastic Track Experts needed

[zoood]

My plastic tracks fit too loosely! When I turn on the turf. My right one came off. Some of the steel rods need to be replaced, which I have done so to the ones that were really bad. The tires I'm running are 21x11x8s. I have them inflated to 7lbs, thinking that that would remove the slack or sloppiness. These tires dont leak. But show signs of cracking. Which prevents me from filling them with more air. I read some where in here that there should be about a 2" space ( I think) between the bottom of the middle tire and the inside of the track.









Im open for suggestions.
zoood

[Rock Doctor]

If "some of your pins need replacing", I would suggest that ALL of them need to be replaced.
Just so you see where I'm coming from:
If you have 1/16" wear on your pins (which is not a terribly worn pin, imho), that translates into almost 4" of extra length in each track. I've had to replace all the pins in my Supertracks as well as all of them in my Standard Tracks. Makes a big difference. Not only do you get wear on the pins, you have wear in the pin holes, not much you can do about that, but replacing the pins will help. 4" does not seem like much, but it's actually a fair bit. Another option is to pull a link and install a half-link.

Do you have any of the pins you removed? Could you measure the wear, and/or post a pic?
The ones I pulled out of my Standars Tracks were so bad, that at a glance, they looked like "Lightening Bolts"

RD

[zoood]

No pictures at this time. The rods I pulled. I had to use a wiz wheel to cut them out. Its impossible to pull a rod out in one piece. The rod's diameter is .250, a 1/4". I have to hammer them in. The suggestion by you for me to replace all the rods. Thats gonna take a couple days. But your right about it all adding up. Do they make a half link for the track? Like they do for chains? If so I wasnt aware of that. Where may I obtain the 1/2 link?

[Rock Doctor]

A half-link is just a plastic plate, about half the length of a full link. It has no tire guides on it. Pull a full link and replace with the half-link.
Dealer should have them........

Once you get the tracks off, and invite a friend over to help, you might be suprised at how fast they can come apart.

Good luck

RD

[zoood]

I checked with Richards Relics. He said the following - Sorry the track company does not offer 1/2 tracks. You have a number or a URL link to where I can get the links your mentioning? Like I mentioned before. the only way I have had any luck getting the tracks apart to replace the rods is to use a wiz wheel to cut them into smaller pieces for extraction. And even then I have to hammer those individual pieces out and on some I have to use a heat gun. They will not slide out and I have to use a hammer to put the new ones back in.

[amphibious drew]

Dus you try to remove a full link? Is it possible you need to run 22s with that track set up? Those are my only thoughts.

[zoood]

I did remove a link the last time I was messing with it with no luck of attaching the track back together. The only way so far that I can connect the links is to have the track laying on it's side on the floor. But this time Ill try it again since I can utilize the lift I have it on and with a ratcheting strap and removing the valve from the stems to allow all the air out of the tires when I tighten the straps. Im trying not to have to shell out for new tires. The tires on there are old but still good shape tread wise.

[Rock Doctor]

I'm hoping a Hustler owner can answer you. I did not know you could not get half-links for those tracks.
If it was me, I would probably get into trying to make a couple half links.
How close can you get to installing the tracks with a link removed? I know that I have a prety good fight on my hand when I put tracks on. Always have to pull the track ends together with ratchet straps.

[brushcutter]

Just thinking here, but wasn't there supposed to be a reinforcing bar of some type used on the hustlers axles specially for use with tracks.? If so, do you have them on? I'm not saying they would actually help with the trouble you are having, but the system I seem to remember reading about was to prevent the axles from flexing and or bending when running tracks. Also, it would seem to me that if the pins are that difficult to remove, then wouldn't they be ok to run, or are they bent so bad as to make one piece removal impossible? Nope, reread your post on driving them out, which tells me the pins are tight. NOW I'm confused, that makes no sense to me. As Drew asked, is it possible you need 22" tires for these tracks? Ask whoever you bought the tracks from if they are sure the tracks and tires are the correct fit for each other. That would eliminate one possibility.

[zoood]

The tracks are the same size that RR sells and the tires are the same size too; when you buy it as a kit. I'll be removing all the tires and fill them all with the same poundage. I'll then measure each tires circumference. This way I'll know if they need replacement or I may try filling each tire with a different amount of air making them all the same size for when I put it back together. I think the rust on the rods are whats making them so hard to remove. The rust is the cause of binding the rod into the plastic. I'll rebuild the tracks 1st and then take it from there.

[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.