HATCHEQUIP
Senior Member
Yair I here yall





[I got it back on! It took me two hours and five minutes. Tc, the problem with me doing it your way is that I can't heft a twenty pound sledge anymore. The shock of the hammer blow, especially swinging sideways, is just too much for the old pacemaker/defibulator. If I missed my mark it would probably just rip the wires right out of my old ticker. You know, it is just another one of those newfangled computer things!
I curled the bucket and raised it for maximum extension. The bucket was still full of dirt from my last load. I used the AG tractor front end loader to add more dirt so as to heap the loader bucket. All of that forward weight put the loader on its tippy toes lifting the last two rollers and sprocket off the ground. I used a come along hanging from the handle on the ROPS to lift the track chain over the top roller. Then I relieved the track tension grease bolt and pushed the front idler in as far as it would go with the ag tractor bucket. Next I used the ag tractor bucket again to place the chain over the sprocket teeth, one at a time, and then a push on the bottom of the track chain put it back on the bottom rollers. I pumped the track tensioner back up with the grease gun until it got too hard to pump. I fired up the loader and dumped the load and then pushed down until the idler and rollers came off the ground. The grease gun pumped easy with the track off the ground. I did not need to block up under the rear of the loader at all.
tc is talking about a fairy, well tc, that fairy came to me in a dream and told me to heap the loader bucket. Ha Ha. Thanks guys!





Today I figured out a way to get just a little more track adjustment and both tracks are now tighter than you would want to run a dozer but about right for a track loader. I haven't tried it yet but I think it will be ok for now. I priced sprocket gear rings today, $ 430.00 for both sides at Off Road. New chains, not SALT but with a," bolt together" master link, $1505.00 each side. Salt chains are $ 1940.00 per side. I already have new pads and hardware to reuse.
Jeff at Off Road suggested that I run it as long as the track chains stay tight. If they get loose, again, having no more adjustment left, remove one link and run till destruction and get my moneys worth before putting on the new chains and sprockets. That sounds like a plan to me.
The loader runs very good, spins the new triple grouser shoes, blue smoke, no more slobbering and it has not overheated in 14 hours hard use. It did burn 5 gallon of oil in the 14 hours though.
While I had Jeff on the phone today I went ahead and ordered the complete overhaul kit, new pistons, rings, cylinder liners, rod bearings, main bearings, thrust plates and gasket set. Not too bad at $571.00 plus UPS freight.
With the engine rebuild the old gal might not be so blue!
Don't try this at home!