How do I reinstall my slipped track?

xntric1 · May 14, 2009

I'm new to this old case 350 dozer and slipped the track off the rear sprocket, and was wondering what the easiest way to reinstall it would be. Any help is much appreciated!

GeneMO · May 14, 2009

No experience with a Case, but on my old Cat it is just a real pain in the patutie.

I take the shields off that cover the tightner. Then loosen the tightner as much as I can. If it's off the rear I would guess that jacking that corner up would help.

I have use pry bars, come-alongs ties to trees, cussed, and done a little bit of everything to work it back over the sprocket, then retighten everything.

I have even put a come along on the front and hooked it to the rear of my truck, another tractor, even a tree to help compress the front idler. Give yourself as much slack as you can.

Sometimes if you are careful and have help, you can get it started on the sprocket, then start the machine and by clutching the good side, put it in gear, forward or reverse, depending on the situation and let the machine pull the track on.

But be danged careful doing this and dont get someone hurt.

Good luck,,, Gene

xntric1 · May 14, 2009

(quoted from post at 06:07:26 05/14/09) No experience with a Case, but on my old Cat it is just a real pain in the patutie.

I take the shields off that cover the tightner. Then loosen the tightner as much as I can. If it's off the rear I would guess that jacking that corner up would help.

I have use pry bars, come-alongs ties to trees, cussed, and done a little bit of everything to work it back over the sprocket, then retighten everything.

I have even put a come along on the front and hooked it to the rear of my truck, another tractor, even a tree to help compress the front idler. Give yourself as much slack as you can.

Sometimes if you are careful and have help, you can get it started on the sprocket, then start the machine and by clutching the good side, put it in gear, forward or reverse, depending on the situation and let the machine pull the track on.

But be danged careful doing this and dont get someone hurt.

Good luck,,, Gene

Thanx Gene...I was thinking along the same lines, but was hoping there was a simple trick that made it all easy.
" compress the front idler"...tells me that it is spring (or gas pressure) loaded and that there's no easy way to release the pressure to provide slack for the track.
Guess I'll head out with a come-a-long, chain, pry bar, ...and make sure there are no kids around to hear me....

molinebob · May 14, 2009

On our D2 cat whenever that happened we would drive one side up on a log or sometin that would elavate it, normally it would go back on by itself, cant remember if it was some side that came off or if it was oppisite side that you would elavate.

Anonymous-0 · May 14, 2009

If your 350 is manual track adjustement you just loosen the nut adj. and if it is a hydrolic cylinder just removed the grease fitting, do't try to push on the spring.

Anonymous-0 · May 14, 2009

My 350 almost came off the right side when I was backing up because the track was too loose. I heard a strange pop & managed to stop before it came all the way off. I worked the machine back & forth abit & it jumped back on the sproket. Tightened it using the grease gun & hardly even worked it....loose again. Had to put a seal kit in the track adjuster, all the grease was coming right back out. Good Luck, I still can't get the bucket pins out of mine, thought I had plenty heat on it but won't budge.

Anonymous-0 · May 14, 2009

There is a spring but also the track adjuster in front of the spring. The spring doesn't tighten the track. It is used as a cushion from loads on the track. The track will be a lot easier to put back on the looser the track is. Sometimes a come-a-long or even a good ratchet strap can pull the idler back to loosen the track after the adjuster has been loosesned. You don't have to mess with the spring at all. It is under a lot of pressure but the track adjuster is what tightens the tracks. Dave

JimInOz · May 14, 2009

Slacken front idler & ease the chain back into line with bar or other tractor.Tighten idler to spec.
You'll need to look at why your track was loose ,& fix the problem...or track will continue to fall off.

Anonymous-0 · May 14, 2009

My JD 420 has holes in the sprocket, don't know if yours does. I've threaded a short chain thru the track links and a sprocket hole and pulled it back on with the crawler going forward. Done it many times. Don't use a hook on the chain, you won't be able to unhook it. The 420 doesn't have the grease track tightening feature.

How do I reinstall my slipped track?

xntric1

New User

GeneMO

Well-known Member

xntric1

New User

molinebob

Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

JimInOz

Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Similar threads