D4D Track Tension Adjustment

I believe your seals are leaking. The grease gets by the seal and fills the cavity behind the piston (which you can't see). Eventually you will see grease inside the recoil spring. Also the maximum extension is 5.1 in.

Between a "cracked (broken)" spring and leaky seals on the ram, you'll probably never get the track to adjust. Measure the difference between the coils on the spring on the other side and the one that's "cracked" and you'll probably see a difference.

I still have about 3" of extension left before I am out of extension length. I have measured that dimension in accordance with the Service Manual.

I have even used a 10 ton porta power to push the front idler forward but it does not move.

The spring coils are broken on both sides so I can't measure the difference.

I'm back to the Question: Does the bolts (total of 6 - 3 each side) have to be loosened to allow the front idler to "slide" on the guide rail to adjust the track tension?

Hydraulic track adjustment does not require the loosening of any bolts.
It is possible that the idler bearing blocks can become frozen on the guides but that would be a pretty severe situation of rust/corrosion.

Thanks Old Magnet for the reply!

I have been able to loosen the 3 bolts on the outer side of the idler bearing block. The "plate" next to the guide rail is then able to move a little with a screw driver. When I tighten the bolts back down, the plate tightens back to the slide rail. I have not been able to lossen the 3 bolts at all on the inner side (next to the motor). The bolt heads are rounded off.

So, what you are telling me the plates on the idler bearing block just slide along the guide rail when pressure is applied to the hydraulic track adjuster.
It appears to me to be a lot of friction to have to over come (with the bolts tight) to make it slide along the guide.

The method of applying grease to the hydraulic track adjusters is accomplished by only a hand operated grease gun? The grease gun that I am
using is a pistol-grip grease gun. Do you think that I should be using a lever type grease gun to develope more presure? It appears to me that the pressure that I am applying with the grease gun is not very much.

Yes, you should be using a lever type grease gun to develop enough pressure to have any effect.

What three bolts do you keep referring to??
The side plates (guides) have four bolts and the only time you would need to disturb them is to change shims.

If your referring to bolts on top of the bearing block they are for the slider spring tension and also should not be disturbed. The nut is for the axle lock taper pin and also should not be disturbed.

The area I'm suggesting might be froze is down inside the frame rails where the bearing blocks hook onto the guide bars. This would be an extreme case.

A lever type grease gun has thousands of pounds of pressure. Plenty enough pressure to blow seals out. I have used a grease gun several times to remove stuck pistons in gas engines where the pistons can be remove out of the bottom of the cylinder. With both valves closed and the grease gun adapted to the spark plug hole, pump away and watch the piston break loose. Headless engines are a good place for this application.

Yes, you should be using a lever type grease gun to develop enough pressure to have any effect.

What three bolts do you keep referring to??
The side plates (guides) have four bolts and the only time you would need to disturb them is to change shims.

If your referring to bolts on top of the bearing block they are for the slider spring tension and also should not be disturbed. The nut is for the axle lock taper pin and also should not be disturbed.

The area I'm suggesting might be froze is down inside the frame rails where the bearing blocks hook onto the guide bars. This would be an extreme case.

I'll get a lever type grease gun and try it. I hope that solves the problem.

The 3 bolts that I am referring to are on the "top" of the bearing block. I will retighten in accordance with the SM. What is the function of the "slider spring tension?" So, the front idler does "slide" on the guide rail. Is this correct?

When I applied the 10 ton porta power to try and push the front idler forward it didn't move. Do you think that it takes more pressure than that to make it move forward?

I don't think that I have a rust problem...doesn't appear to be a lot of rust in that area.