Quiz

Tracks are fitted in reverse

I reckon Wombats onto it

but why does it make a difference ?????/

Paul

It wears the track bushes and sprockets out faster, and has been covered in depth in previous topics.

The backs are on trackwards...

...bassackwards...

It wears the track bushes and sprockets out faster, and has been covered in depth in previous topics.

thank you Catsilver but thats not the answer Im really chasing

I guess the reason I ask isnt for me and no doubt it has been covered before in detail but I dunno I have been on here for a few years and dont recall it spoken about
So with out going into a real long winded explanation can someone explain to people that may not be as experienced as others quickly and with out a whole heap of waffle why and how this happens

A bit like the tyres on the front of a grader and why they are put on backwards hmmmm ? would it still be called backwards if they are running the correct way for those wheels etc etc. Dont want to reinvent the wheel just a short explanation for people that are newer to the hobbie who may not have 50 years experience running tracked machines

so I guess someone with the gift of the gab could they quickly explain why its done how it helps to prevent track and pin sprocket wear and a actual correct reasoning that cat use for this thought pattern
does it say it somewhere in a Cat book might be easier to scan a page whack it up !!!

thanks in advance

Paul

Each track link pitch has a bush pressed in one end and pin in the other, in forward motion, the 'pin' end of the links enters the sprocket first, so the pin turns inside the bush as the link bends to meet the sprocket which drops over the next bush. This is underneath the sprocket, under heavy load.
As the track leaves the sprocket at the top, the bushes then actually turn against the sprocket teeth, causing wear on the bush and sprocket, but they are under little load. When travelling in reverse, the bushes turn on the sprocket as they enter it.
This is why reverse drive side wear on the bushes and sprockets is always greater on a dozer.
Now put the tracks on the wrong way round with the bushes entering first in forward direction, underneath, under heavy load, with plenty of dirt round them, and you will see a massive increase in external bush wear as the bushes are turning against the sprocket under load. ,