How to change the tracks of my mini digger?

The_Bullman

Has anyone tried changing the tracks of their mini digger?

We busted one of the tracks last weekend and the replacement tracks are on the way. Naturally enough I've not much of a clue where to start but I've the job to do anyway.

Any tips and tricks to doing the job?

And any general maintance tips would be appreciated too btw

Slidey

I am assuming that they are rubber tracks and not steel.

The new rubber track are normally very tight to put on.

You will need to take out the grease nipple from the idler wheel and push it back fully with the bucket of the machine.

The get the track on the idler and under the guides at the bottom of the undercarriage right up behind the sprocket..

Then using the bucket to lift the machine and with a sling you will need to start to pull tension on the track while slewing the undercarriage towards the track and slowly spin the sprocket. This should pull the track on.

I see you are in the Dundalk area. I know a guy over that way that does plant fitting. He might be interested in the work if you get stuck.

The_Bullman

Thanks for your help.

The tracks weren't that tight to put on thankfully. No need for the sling for putting it on.

Only trouble was retracting the second idler wheel. Took a brave bit of a push. Once that was back the track more or less slipped into place.

Thanks again

DirtyDiesels

good stuff. well done.

DD

The_Bullman

Another question now that I've started asking

What oil is used on the hub of the drivin wheel? And is there anything I should look out for when changing it?

Slidey

More than likely it is ep90 but you would be safer ringing an agent for the machine and confirming. Just check for shrapnel when you are draining the oil.

The Digger Driv

hello

The Digger Driv

Hello just wondering where you got your digger track from. having trouble finding one on the internet. cheers and thanks

leitrim lad

google a few of these names and you will get your tracks

mc sharry bros
m&s plant spares
trackweld
cs construction spares

should be on the right track there

i use 30 oil in the hubs on all the machines, but there can be a difference in makes, and deals done with companies and oil suppliers,

and no matter how many times you change the oil in the hubs, it always turns black with immeadiate effect anyway,

when putting on a track ,slidey has done it and good explainations, heres another tip, always put on the idler first, and then the top rollers,

mainly because the sprocket will pull the track in and will cut out the majority of hard labour, and abuse used on each other when it falls off again, and again,

and normally when the sprocket gets in on one link, even if the tracks is still out of line , it will jump in on the sprocket ,because it has teeth, the idler is just smooth ,and has no grip, so the track will just jeep slipping off

The_Bullman

leitrim lad wrote: »

mc sharry bros

These are the guys we used. Couldn't think of the name of them

Figerty

I got tracks in a few years ago from Evansandreid in the UK. I think they go under the name of the miniexcavator company. I found them great to deal with and dead sound.

Plus they were a hell of a lot cheaper than local dealers along with the weakness in the sterling. I think I paid around €700 per track at the time; original Kubota tracks were €1600.

The Digger Driv wrote: »

Hello just wondering where you got your digger track from. having trouble finding one on the internet. cheers and thanks

oflynno

just to help along

firstly did you regrease the nipple to tension the tracks properly

second,i used A1 plantspares in northern ireland to get tracks for a pel job,delivered to the door,cheaper than anywhere else i could find