Good news-? news

Forum Members,
Just returned from northern Minnesota. Weather has been unseasonably warm. While "up north" I worked on the HD3 Allis. With that there is good news and some questionable news. Brought up one of the new tracks recently purchased from Missouri. Good news they are the same width as the '65, 14 inches. Not so good news is the previous owner welded the master pins in place??? One will be easy to work with, welded a little on the outer edge.The other one is welded completely around on both ends. Any hints on removal; drill, grind, or razor blade(1/16th thick cutting blade.
Another concern is rebuilding the track tightening yoke. I am not sure if the like new sprockets and tracks are going to fit the currently "frozen" track tightening situation. I would like to try to remove the yoke and try to loosen the frozen threads. It seems the only way to do this is to remove the idler. Am I seeing this right, remove the two end caps and slide the idler and then remove the yoke tightener? Another question, does anyone know how far the threaded part of the tightener threads into the yoke? This determines my thoughts on rebuilding the tightener.
One more bit of good news, tried 18 volts on the starter and it worked great, started quickly.
Any and all thoughts are welcome.
Mr. T. Minnesota

I just took my adjusters off my h4 I think are the same. The threads go into the yoke quite a ways. Yes you will have to take the front idlers off to get them out. I took mine to the machine shop and they used a torch to heat them then ran thread chasers inside the yoke. they work great now. I don't have a torch or I would have done it my self but they just charged me 20 bucks so that was worth it. as far as the pin a grinder should be able to remove all of the weld without damaging anything. you might just call some one around there to see how much they would charge to get the pins out. You can always beat the new pin in. norm

I live in Missouri. where did you get your tracks. norm

Those pins are pretty hard. Usually the weld doesnt stick to it as well as the link. Grind off the weld on one side and smack it with a sledge square on the opposite side, just dont mushroom it. That will usually break the remaining weld loose as long as the side you are hitting protrudes from the link a little. If they are welded in that usually means they are loose, so they dont usually come out too bad, especially on links that small. On a machine with a 2 inch pin it could mean trouble though. Another handy thing for track pins is a pin hammer, an L shaped piece of 1 1/4" or so sized rod. Long end of the L is the handle, about 3' long, and short end of the L is about 16" or so and you hold the end against the pin and smack the end where it is welded to the handle with a short handled sledge, saves hands and fingers. Watch out for shrapnel if you dont hit pin square. Ross

PB,
Tracks came from Versailles. Was going to travel from central Minnesota to MO and decided to have them shipped. The tracks and sprockets are hard to find. The HD3 is in very good condition and felt it worth the time and money. Toys and boys
Mr. T. Minnesota

Hi
if you have access to a cutting torch and a rough idea where the link hole edge and pin outer is. you should be able to pick the weld out, with the torch. The weld should burn before the pin and track link eye, if you get it right.
I'm guessing your dumping the old tracks so accuracy, and neatness wouldn't be a problem,versus keeping it nice to re use again.

I kinda wonder how much you would have to grind out if the pin has a tapered end on, to get all the welds off and beat the pin out. the cutting heat might help free a rusted pin to, if they are rusted in! or just cut the links if scrap anyway.
Regards Robert

Zimmermans---I bought my rear sprockets and upper rollers from them. there about 1/1/2 hour from me. Good luck on your new toy. norm

re master pin removal: can you grind down the weld and attack the pin with an air hammer and point, to push it out? I"m a big fan of torch heating and applying candle wax as it cools- seeps in between metal parts to loosen them.