While I have heaps of experience with engines, a
crawler's undercarriage is a something new to me.
I started by pulling off the right track which had "toe out" due
to what I suspected was a bent track pivot shaft. On getting the track and frame off
my theory was confirmed.
The right track frame pivot shaft was bent back by about 1/2 an inch at
the outside edge causing the right track to "toe out" by about 2 inches at the
front. The worn track bushes are obvious in the third photo and there is some wear
on the main drive sprockets. One link has been removed from each track at some stage
as well to take up the wear.
A few weeks later I pulled the other side off and removed the bent pivot
shaft. I was planning on getting a new one made but was quoted up to $500 for that job and
decided a second hand one may be more within budget. The first place I tried
(Horstman Tractors in Salisbury, SA) had one on a 4U that had been wrecked for parts and
after removing the track frames I found the shaft to be almost like new. I paid $250
for it which to date was my most expensive single purchase for the tractor but it's
cheaper than a new one and cheaper than anyone else I rang as well.
I also got some decent replacement sprockets from Allan Horstman and left
my tracks with him to get the pins and bushes done. The old track tensioning bolts
had really worn and rusted threads so my father-in-law offered to have a go at making some
new ones and they turned out really well. Another problem was the roller bushes were
nearly all worn so I knocked the old ones out and made up new ones out of bronze bush
stock.
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