`D7 was working fine just a few weeks ago. When i started it up today and started out, I noticed it was taking a lot of power just to roll on level ground and I noticed why. Most of the track pins had bound up while it was sitting there.

It wasn't working in muck or water when I ran it last. ("had a little pile to move" in this forum) The weather hasn't been horrible. The tracks have been in service for maybe 10 years with no trouble. They were installed with new pins about 10 years ago, reused the bushings. The new pins/used bushings pulled the tracks up very close to new track length.

Why would these tracks bind up now after all that time working perfectly? Can I free them up some way before they get worse?

Need a bit of advice here, guys. There was a thread on this not too terrible long ago but I can't seem to find it. Thanks,

Jack

Hi Jack,
That's one of those rare problems that few of us have:D tight tracks...LOL
One of the solutions I recall ( haven't tried it myself) is to go park it in a creek and let the tracks soak.....apparently the water will soak/loosen the rust grip if they are not to far gone.

I had the same with my IH 125,i tried using water,diesel etc.I found that trailor wash,truck cleaning deturgent worked very well.I think it is because its a mild corrosive soapy mixture that worked and done the job.I sprayed it on using a weed sprayer.

I'll try the water first, it's plentiful this time of year. They didn't stop me from a little winch job this morning and it was running a little easier after I drove it back home.

Son-in-law got some pictures, we'll post them soon. He's out tonight. Neighbor had a skyhooked tree hanging over his backyard:eek: , tipped out in a wind storm. We had to pull it over, fall it against the lean and away from his house.

Thanks for suggestions. I have some commercial dishwasher soap left on the premises. Suppose that would help?

Jack

I never experienced that problem or saw it with tracks but since you said they seemed to loosen up a little after running it I was wondering if you ran it in a straight line in a higher gear if the speed & throwing of the tracks if it would help to loosen them, just guessing.

I've always wondered what to do in that situation. I have one D7 with a nice undercarriage, I have not run it (moved) in a few years, and back then it seemed that the pins were tight. This tractor seems to have the original undercarriage, just over 1000 hours on the working meter, given it's history, 30 something years where it was never used, never had a blade, assigned to the army corps of engineers, it looks legit, so it sat for most of its life, the pads have some decent size rust pitting on them, I'd bet they ain't been shiny but a few times when after it was bought as surplus. The grousers on the pads are only worn 3/8" from new. So I can see where the pins/bushings can kind of seize up or become stiff. Fact that they don't have a lot of wear, tolerances are still tight, must be the reason. I hope they are not too stiff when I go to move it, which will be soon, just found an outfit that can re-line my clutch friction segments. I can still move the pads up and down a little, so probably not much has changed, I can also flood an area near the small creek, hard ground, just enough to immerse the pins, that would be great if that worked, then need to give er a good work out. It does not look like the track tension adjusters have ever been let out.

I've got to post a photo of the clutch assembly shaft, there is a bushing on there that requires a puller, it's the one that the driven plate pilot bearing runs on, then I can get the other clutch plate off the assembly/shaft, had wondered what others have done to remove this, the end of the shaft looks machined for a puller.

In sharp contrast, when I brought the other D7 home, it sat for over 20 years or more, and those tracks moved like it had been in use the day before, however this one has many hours on it, tracks are worn, my friend pulled me with a D5M, and those tracks were flappin, to my surprise.

Look at the positive side - Only good track have this problem.

When I started out last Wednesday I could just muster enough power to make a long-radius turn in second gear. When i drove it back home we were rolling pretty good in third, but you could see several links standing up over the carriers. I tried to post a picture but can't remember how son-in-law did it, but you could see the links kicked up out of the natural line of the track on the top side. This has to be pulling darned hard on the sprockets and idlers.

Will have time in a couple weeks to try some things, roll it around a bit, soak it, soap it, or just yell at it a lot.

Will also try again to post the pictures.

Jack

Jack, lets see if I can help with picture posting. I'm going to post a photo of Ed Akin and family so I have to go through the process and can then explain it.

First, of course, punch reply button. Up comes this box that I'm writing in. Then go down to "Manage Attachments" and punch it (i.e., "click" on it), and up comes a box with a bunch of "browse" buttons; click on a browse button and another box comes up that gives you the opportunity to choose the file in your computer that has the photo in it. Choose the file you want to upload into your message, click on it, then click "open", and it will go into the Manage Attachments box. Then click "upload" and it goes into your message. Get rid of the little box by clicking the X at the upper right, and then click on "submit reply".

By the way, I chose the photo I did because anyone who knows Ed Akin, an ACMOC member from northern California and former board member, knows he is a really good guy. Kudos to Ed! GWH