Solo Track Repair

sometimes it just happens before you can catch it. Showing you how to put a track back on a 50K lbs machine the easy way by yourself.

[@cwbean3087]

Lol,...now look how far you have gone 10 yrs later! I like looking back to see what we all have accomplice in life. Good job Chis!

[@eamonmcdonnell8275]

Every now and again this can happen. You are are a really great guys to show it honestly. Top marks to you!

[@daveablett9614]

Really helpful video. Helped us put track back on Sumitomo 360 in half hour - but then took another 45 minutes to get the grease cartridge in the grease gun!! Well done, mate.

[@charliefoxtrotthe3rd335]

Necessity is the mother of invention. Truer words never spoken.

[@grantw.whitwam9948]

Wows, you fixed it with itself, experience is priceless.

[@earlye]

Happened to me this morning. Was really worried I'd need another machine or something to fix, but your approach seems rather... approachable. Thanks for the tip!

[@danielroe845]

Well done sir, made it look easy. Im so used to being able to slew the arm and just pull it back on, I could almost do it in my sleep but seeing you do that so quickly was very impressive.

[@evangood6368]

Thought it was impressive when I put our john deere 60D mini ex track back on alone in an hour and only thirteen years old but you win. Nice Job:]

[@cardiackidjones2848]

Very knowledgeable and creative with your work Chris. Job well done sir.

[@daileydoo511]

Some nice tips man. Things newbies don't take into account at all! You are the man lol

[@raysabin1820]

Thanks for sharing ,Chris ,very imformative.

[@rudomeister]

Thanks for the tutorial! I'm working on a junkyard, and what I discovered is how the right tool for the right job make life so much easier. Most cases on the junkyard the right tool is just laying around on the ground, like an iron bar. Like draining fuel from a hard plastic tank from car: Wheelloader + random Iron bar + Gravity = Hole in the tank. Or I was looking for a tutorial like this. The best tool for replacing or repairing tracks on an excavator is the excavator. Thanks!

[@mrbluenun]

Hi, Good job well done, someone with experience , you always make it look easy when in fact many would take a day or more not 20 minutes! Thanks for the upload. Take care mrbluenun

[@TomBrueggen]

Chris, thanks again for this video. I threw a track this past weekend on the Link Belt. I'm fed up, and getting new sprockets and track chain. I wasn't able to slip it back on like this since the prior owner short tracked the machine. Here's to hoping I never have to replace it again! It should be fun...

[@michaelwills1926]

That was outstanding man.

[@nomad1187]

That was awesome. No need to call the service truck.

[@radioace318la]

I did that once on a rented bob cat skid steer. Took me all day, a few choice cuss words, almost half a thumb, covered myself in nasty ass grease. backed over my igloo cooler I forgot was behind me. It was a hell of a day.

[@1toomanyhobbies]

very cool Chris, thank you for showing how to do this.

[@nrcrotatoraxeleakin8608]

I like the way you work man

[@thomasyerbey337]

Great video Chris 🇺🇲 I really appreciate you sharing this information 🇺🇲

[@firefighter122156]

Those lincoln grease guns are amazing never had to many issues with them when i used to service semi trailers

[@388gruardian]

You just have to love electric grease guns. Make life so much easier especially when you have put a tube of grease in.

[@anders3210]

Clever! And as a Swede it feels good you have a Volvo!

[@22idjake]

that was the quickest track i have ever seen put back on but good video keep up the good work

[@DrazCC]

Had the same thing happen to me on are link belt 4300 but i had to use are kubota kx-61 with chains to put it back on still took me about a hour to fix it by myself. great how to video thou keep it up always enjoy watching them

[@christophers1247]

Good job i can tell you have done that a few times i am a heavy equipment mechanic and it is unreal how many operators cant do this with me telling them wat to do never mind on there own.

[@harrygmarshall5157]

Working man ingenuity 👍🏻

[@kobelcofan]

Great video Chris!

[@ahosuryoyo]

Dude!!! Thats amazing!

[@Hullspeed]

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing.

[@mojostevo]

Dude, you sound like Matthew McConaughey, that is awesome.

[@paulpoulin488]

Great info, thanks for the help

[@bruno640]

You had me do a double-take, when you said you were gonna use that log to get it back in line: I was ready to see you rip off your shirt, and reveal a mighty Superman "S", and freehand it on!☺ And only then did I watch, with a red-face!, you maneuver the bucket and "thumb", to do the feat...!

[@mbedrryandod7616]

I threw my track today, i just have a long grading bucket on ,has no teeth..but ima try ur method sumhow tomorrow, tks man

[@adamcallaghan4081]

very good video, never scene it done like before.

[@benconte2505]

Broo I was the 1000th like and I love ur kids keep it up. Even tho this vid is super old

[@westernstar4964]

Bad to the bone. Keep up the good work . Big fan from Barbados West Indies

[@franksfamily]

Using a log, good technique. Thanks for the tip

[@paininthe10]

Great job sir, beats waiting for someone else to do it.

[@gangesexcavating]

Good work - having the 24Volt gun and the dry ground is a luxury. Most times you don't even have a chainsaw to cut log rounds.

[@Joewalshe38]

Skillful work

[@mjlmbl]

Nice job Chris.

[@jimzivny1554]

Nice job, I've seen guys make a day project out of that.

[@bert26a]

That system that you have there is what's referred to as a hydraulic tensioner. It doesn't use hydraulic oil like the rest of the machine it just uses grease and your grease gun is the hydraulic pump. On old machines like made before the '70's you had to adjust track tension with basically big nuts and bolts.

[@NeverEnoughMud]

a thumb sure does make it a hell lot easier haha great vid

[@Ole_CornPop]

I pump myself full of grass when I get frustrated but it isn't the kind of grass that grows on your front lawn, or maybe you do grow it around your back yard lawn. 😂

[@asvmanic]

Hey thanks for the video! I hope I never have to flop a track back on by myself, but if I do I know how to do it the easy way :D

[@letsdig18]

The grease pushes out that cylinder that looks like a hydraulic piston. I've been around machines a long time and I've never heard of a hydraulic tensioner

[@robby844]

So glad you finally admit that it's operator error.

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

Good job !

[@Starcar4900EX]

Wow that was amazing How fast you had that back on ! Kyle

[@BillOtinger]

Good Video

[@charlesswhitlock]

That was pretty cool

[@bretmuldner]

If you want to get picky there are multible ways to throw a track off! NOT just TWO or three! A worn out idler and or idler caps bearings, lips worn off the rollers, track guilds bent or off, worn out segments, rocks, worn out links and or pins, brocken pins, thats just a few that I have had to repair. Oh I forgot to say good going to the operator for putting the track back on, most opr,s would of just shut down and called someone let alone go to work!

[@mikegeorge991]

When doubt turn to Letsdig18😂😂 Thnks for the help 😂

[@tazgulley5488]

That's exactly how I do it alone also 😂 be trying to tell these guy's all the time you must know your equipment to be an operator ... And to become a master of your talents you must become intimate with the day to day challenge of keeping her running 😂

[@gathmc]

spent 5 years working for a construction firm that had one old halla h220LCE with a long dipper tacks was worn out on it and they had been using it like that for years before I got there ended up taking a link out of the chains made it better but by that point all the guides was buggered and the idler had no ridge left on it basically also the adjusters had been at there end the hole time so the pistons was warn out and leaked back was a daily struggle till got some newer fatter seals made for it and machined the pistons to take them but almost daily while waiting for parts I was putting tracks back on I had a long thin link chain that fitted in the eyes in the track plates the bucket reached to pop tracks back on top idlers and then id flop the top over the front with the chain and the bucket lift it up and track away

[@letsdig18]

yeah I've had to use the bucket before but wood and metal go together better than metal on metal lol

[@farmerphil]

Good job on sliding the track back on, I have done many myself and sometimes prefer to be alone. Sometimes when you have help it is worse than no help. Like the tree branch I normaly use a chain. Phil

[@strangedays4]

& there's nothing worse than when someone or people are just standing there & watching you...especially when it's not your day

[@rabidbigdog]

Bloody clever!

[@KellyHawkins]

You made that look easy.

[@turbotdi5190]

If you unwind the grease nut you take it out completely to push idler back in with bucket.... Seen them go bang and fire out the side like a bullet before today

[@Donkey2454]

I worked on a smaller Takeuchi that I had to replace the hydraulic tensioner valve. To tension the track you would raise it, turn the valve one way, then run the track in the air., Then tighten. No grease.

[@rude252]

Seems like you have done this before haha. Good job!

[@davidkierzkowski]

impressive!

[@jamesdavies7526]

Showed this to my dad and his brother. They stared at it for a little bit and commented " poor people have poor ways"

[@zestead814]

james davies that's dickish. they probably don't know jack shit. you can learn from anybody, even a small child, but if you get too full of yourself, you'll never learn a thing.

[@Theonetwo48]

Smart using the log as a pry bar, I watched one of our guys attempt this but he just used the bucket....bent the hell out of the pad and nearly tore it off.

[@robby844]

Cat and Volvo have them. Cat has had them for roughly 10 years. Our 2005 365 had them. The track would be slack and then when you started it they tightened up.

[@rocklives12]

so did you already have the chain over the sprocket and fed it over the idler? I've got the same problem except the chains already on the idler and ive been trying to feed it over the sproket and it seems abit short.

[@todlindley8101]

DANGER WARNING !!!. if you slacken of the Grease point IF the Track is in Tension (obviously not in this case) It'll fly out like a bullet !!!!

[@letsdig18]

why does it have to be that amount of time?

[@kvajeblostari]

yeah,this tensioner cylinder have a spring too...i allways check tracks ,if noticed they are loose i put some grease in

[@CDNcatskinner]

Excellent...

[@TomBrueggen]

Forgive my ignorance, but did you say that just pumping in grease is all it takes to extend the idler and tension the track? I'm looking at buying a trachoe of my own and trying to learn more about general maintenance. I would love if you made more videos about just general checkups and things to fix. Trust me, no subject is too dull to cover. I have three KZbin channels to help teach others. Even the simplest things can go over looked, or un-thought of. Thanks man!

[@letsdig18]

cool deal. yes the grease pushes out a piston that keeps the track tight. its really that simple!

[@freerme7202]

Tom Brueggen Im also trying to learn more about general maintenance and quick fixes. Would love to find a good video on hydraulic repairs.

[@selfinflicted77]

yep. nothing more than a grease jack. most modern Equipment with tracks use a grease jack for track tension. the important part is not to over tighten the track. you do want a small amount if deflection. too tight and you destroy idler and the rails (chains) also can blow the packing out of your grease jack. that's when you got a real problem

[@PATTONSFOLLOWER]

What do you want to know? I've worked on a lot of Deere, Hitachi, and Volvo excavators.

[@swilson4063]

@@PATTONSFOLLOWER how do you get the idler pin un froze?

[@copperheadmarine]

Pretty Good! I'm suprized someone who runs new equipment could pull this off...When you run every penny out of udercarriage like me you get pretty good at this sort of shit!

[@dactgsr1]

Curious; does having that much loose or compacted dirt on the frame and around your rollers,if it plays any part in loosing a track?.......growing up on a farm in the 60's, my uncle always said if your working the dozer in mud, heavy brush, to dig your tracks out nightly before you leave the machine. You could have had a small branch hang in there also causing the track to jump off.....just a question, You did a great job putting it back on.

[@tractortom401]

Awesome!

[@tactical855]

Well Gee, man, your very informative, have you ever thought about becoming a heavy equipment teacher at Alfred State, because I learned more from you in 6 minutes than from 6 hours with Lynch.

[@tomatodolotuyo7349]

tactical855 yo también jodo a las persona así XD

[@letsdig18]

pretty much didn't really even pop just heard and unusual squeal but it was too late.

[@wrapper097]

very nice i had a spring break on the idler and i came flying through a brand new chain unfortunatly i didn't have a camera on me

[@Donkey2454]

cordless grease guns are an operator/mechanics best friend!!

[@strangedays4]

Good thing your Track is a bit worn & stretched. If it was a new Track a person would first push the Track under the front Track Guide (under the Idler) then reverse the Track whilst pushing against the Track. Sometimes it takes 10 min other times an hour. Good video

[@nancygoodman8273]

I just started watching your channel and love watching what you do but I wanna know if you clean up underneath where the tracks are and there's so much dirt and debris. Coming from a woman's perspective of course and am just curious.

[@Maples01]

There was a track loader at my old job that was completely worn out, the seals were gone in those cylinders, when he'd turn, they'd collapse, and it'd jump the track, I sure got tired of putting it back on.

[@letsdig18]

they joys of lots of tracking and mud work. it'll last till shes traded lol

[@EchosFromaBlankMind]

Challengers use hydraulics for tensioning their tracks. They also have a burst disc in place in the event the pressure get too high which then lets you know it was activated due to all the HO all over the place. Unbolt, replace and your back in business.

[@HalifaxRegionalFire]

So is grease the only thing putting pressure on the idler? And it holds it?

[@digger321b]

looks like you may need to that a link out of those track, idle is sticking out a fair way

[@xRoyalPlayer]

love it

[@jimlong527]

You made it so easy grandma could do it

[@RedVRCC]

Babushka can fix the family KV-2's track herself now

[@SquareHeadMaster]

what brand is your grease gun and do you ever have any trouble with it?

[@jamesfarnham1976]

I would like to have been the guy who came up with the idea of using grease pressurized to tighten up the idler pulley!

[@copperheadmarine]

Looks like that U/C is getting a lot of internal wear, wont be too much longer till you need a set of rails.

[@master_vator]

this is a sweet vid but, thanks but, what happens if the idler goes off on the inside, stick chain, pull with bucket im guessing?

[@joemoe1601]

Well didn't go so well with me, but I got the track back on with the help of another piece of equipment. No I don't want to get really good at track fixing.

[@JohnKneeH]

What do you do if the track comes off to the inside?

[@H4rleyBoy]

You were less beefy back then 😮😮😮

[@jvpfwydh]

yes grease is under pressure and man he made that look easy if you called a mechanic what do you think the bill would be

[@tokarevtt3]

to all machines if u want you can change the sistem just take grease out and put hydraulic in thats posible i tryed it to liebherr and O&K and Hitachi

[@xxXThebudXxx]

That's why I like driving back oh no tracks lol