Building up Bulldozer Track Rollers

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I have worn out track rollers on one of my crawler tractors. I'm thinking of building them back up. Anyone ever done this? I have read up on the process and know of several that have been done, but haven't done it yet.Pictures and progress will follow....
Reply:Have you checked the price on rebuilt onesSent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2Backed my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:I have, and found it's usually not worth it, depends on how much track parts cost though. It's a lot of welding for sure. I've just found after rebuilding rollers, everything else seems to be gone as well. Track work is frustrating, like muffler work!
Reply:Hello drujinin, you may wish to utilize some form of welding lathe or powered rotator in order to provide an even application of build-up weld. Also, do all of your initial build-up work with a "soft rod" and then apply the final layer with abrasion/impact resistant material. Soft rods would be something like:, E7018, E7014, E7024, using these rods will provide a "cushion" for the hard rod to adhere to and assist with impact and abrasion forces which might otherwise cause the hard rod to crack and fall out. If you are doing the work with wire a similar type of process would apply, use a "70" tensile wire and then use the "hard wire/abrasion/impact resistant" as a final pass/layer. These are just a few things that you can consider as you look at your options. Good luck and best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Yep, welding positioner. Don't have to be store bought just something to rotate. Hand operated or electric. Save you a little time when you put them on the lathe.Arcon Workhorse 300MSPowcon 400SMTPowcon SM400 x 2Powcon SM3001968 SA200 Redface1978 SA250 DieselMiller Super 32P FeederPre 1927 American 14" High Duty LatheK&T Milwaukee 2H Horizontal MillBryan
Reply:A company I did some work for did ..Track and rail rebuildingI seen how a lot of it was done at the shop but I was hired for field workThey had rotator jigs for doing idler wheels  and rollers that was all FCAW done with build up wire then ground round then hard facedBe wise when choosing your build up wire because some of the metals are to soft and will squeeze out from between the original metal and the hard face layer like grease or waxMaybe not so critical on the small rollers but it is on the large idler wheels the pressure plus impact they getDoing a total under carriage is not cheap or easy by your lonesome btdt...My father was an owner / operatorhave fun good luck ...glad it's you and not me...I know that sounds terrible Last edited by killdozerd11; 12-24-2013 at 02:39 AM.Backed my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:I actually picked up a like new set of sprockets and rails for next to nothing. I only hate working on stuff like this because I need to bend over alot or lay on the ground. I'm thinking of a simple frame to mount the rollers on so I can sit down, then stick weld to use up some older rod. It isn't an annual high usage machine but if it ever went up for sale. It would sell cheap because undercarriage is always a major expense!
Reply:Worked in the woods for 17 years.  Did many of them.  Killdozer is right.  A lot of work.  Can be done.  I think the logger I worked for just wanted to keep me busy.  Plus we had a lot of big 7018.  I built them up with 7018 then hard rod on the last layer.  If you are fairly careful they will not be too much out of round..  Only had 2 in 17 years.  Never chucked them in the lathe.  Never had any more than 3/16 in that time.  They evened up pretty quick.  Cheaper to hunt up some rollers.  They are out there if you spend a little time.  Have the names of several wrecking yards.  Just have to be patient.1938 Lincoln SA 600 1973 Lincoln SAE 3001984 Lincoln Sa 250DF800 Ford with 10 ton craneVictor and Harris torches.Rolair compressorSouthbend 13" latheAtlas Mill
Reply:doesn't really pay, usually if the rollers are shot the, pins, pads and sprockets aren't far behind.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Company I worked for long ago built up rollers & grousers on the track plates often. Used blade & rippers to raise the machine & then blocked it, for grousers had to roll the tracks 3 or 4 times. removed bottom rollers and didnt worry too much about roundness, track machines dont go fast enough for that to be an issue. High spots would get pounded down, none of the operators (inc me) ever complained.This was an 'underground' company. In my 40 odd years I saw consistantly that 'u g' companies built up tracks, rollers, backhoe buckets, dozer blades, loader buckets "Teeth"  <- always the teeth! On the big excavators, the teeth were like boxing gloves before they would replace them! Big dirt moving outfits generally replaced worn stuff LONG before the u g outfits would. $$$ = why, nature of the work.For yourself, I gotta say, definitly go for fixing em.
Reply:Its cold outside, so sitting on a stool welding seems comfortable!
Reply:Done ton's of them..Piece of cake!...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by drujininIts cold outside, so sitting on a stool welding seems comfortable!
Reply:It has been my experience that roller build up is a monotonous job unless you have a jig made to rotate the roller at a constant rate and use holder for your wire-feed gun Even then unless you are doing it for your own equipment and have lots of time it is cheaper to buy new rollers. Idlers on the other hand even turning them by hand is cost effective to build them up on any dozer D6 and up as long as the centre does not need work. I use normal fabsheild 4 in a 3/32 diameter for the build up and it seems to work well in a highly abrasive placer mining environment.
Reply:Depends on time verse money.  If you have more time than money (like cold winters with nothing to do) it is for sure worth doing.  Guy I knew growing up would build up the rollers during the winter so when spring hit he could be burning the daylight hours.  He used 7014 1/8'' rod.
Reply:I picked up a bottom set of Rollers, welded up the top roller with 5/32" rod, now I need to put the pieces all back together.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterDone ton's of them..Piece of cake!...zap!
Reply:cat has a classic line of parts that are value priced you might look into,   there are many aftermarket track vendors that supply decent parts.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:It was interesting in that I started at 115 amps for 4 rods, then walk away for 10 minutes. Go back weld 4 more rods at 90 degrees to the other weld pads, walk away for 10 minutes. The Roller never cooled as much as I wanted, its rainy and cold so I pushed it harder by welding longer. By the time I quit, I was down to 100 amps and it was too hot to touch but after it cooled, it didn't shrink in the bearing.I'm happy!
Reply:I've done hundreds of grousers.............actually THOUSANDS.............we have a pile of D10's and use the original grousers, put a set of 8's on them, then 10's plus P&B's, then 12's and run them out.  I can do ALL the grousers on a D10 in 5 and a half hours.......technically not JUST me cause it takes 4 of us.  Rollers are a different beast because to make them last you have to keep them cool, so you need to ratate them constantly in water.  We also do idlers on the dozers and shovels....all sub arc.6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers
Reply:One miner I worked for had extra Idlers that I could build up in my spare time but I ended up taking them home in the winter to my shop. there is no spare time when you are a mechanic/welder when you have a dozen pieces of big equipment and a 400 yard an hour screendeck to keep producing
Reply:I found a set of fine used Rollers to install.Consequently I found lots of worn spots that need building up.Like the ends of the carriage rails and the upper roller.