Grouser Re-build

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Hey, I 'am thinking of building up the triple grousers on the track loader, they are 14'' wideand need 3 bars of steel about 1/2 x 1/2 on each, 36 on each side. I'am new to weldingand have a harris torch. Has anyone ever done this or know what would be the best typeof welding machine to use, thanks, sam.
Reply:This is something you should pay a pro to do.    due to the extreme shear forces exerted on the tracks you will just peel the bars you weld on right off the track.    They probably need to be some type of special high wear/ hardened steel.  You will need at least a 250 amp mig machine or a good stick welder and then hundreds of hours of stick welding practice before you can expect to get good welds on those tracks.   Put too much heat into the tracks and you will ruin the hardening or temper that they have.... The manufacturer will be able to tell you what material the tracks are made of and also the WPS for building them up if they have an approved process for thatThe fact that you mentioned you have an OA set tells me you will not be successful at your endeavor if you try to do this project.Last edited by soutthpaw; 09-18-2012 at 07:33 PM.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Thanks, soutthpaw, I have seen guys weld on re-bar, but i want it done correct, the loader is the small cat but still weights about 8 tons. I''ll look for a por to get a bid, and see whatnew ones cost. Thanks, wosama.
Reply:You might want to ask here too.  I think there may be some pros on this site in your area.   I don't have any experience with that kind of stuff.  biggest I got is a Bobcat.   maybe able to have them hardfaced too.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:By the time our old 941 needed the tracks reworked, it needed a whole new under carriage. They spray welded the idlers IIRC but I'm pretty sure it simply got  a new set of tracks installed. It's been more than 10 years so I can't remember at this point. If anything my guess is the grousers are built up and then hardfaced. OA is definitely not the right process and to do this right you will most likely need a fairly powerful machine to run the welds..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:They make Grouser bar that you buy cut to length or buy the proper size and weld on One edge is wedge shaped the other flat Put the wedge side mating flush to the old grouser and get fitted up  tack in place  and weldWe do it with FCAW but it can be done with smaw just slowerLast edited by killdozerd11; 09-18-2012 at 08:52 PM.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:You can order the grousers as killdozerd has mentioned , it is not a hard job to complete. I have some that i redone on mine from a D7 down to a D-20 Komatsu , never had one break or come off for any reason. Have welded with 7018 and also fluxcore , the fluxcore is a lot faster and will hold just as well.   If your pads are wore real bad you may need to trim the top of the grouser with a torch to have a flat area to weld the new grouser bars on to.  Myself and one man recently did one of my John deere 850 C pads , if possible pick the machine off the ground and block it up or else be able to move with the machine as the tracks are turned. We tacked all the pads on then weld one side of the front pad that is flat and then move to the back and weld the one flat, then turned till next one was level. Took 7 hrs with two of us - but we wasnt in a huge rush either. If i remember correctly had 42 pads per track.
Reply:Buy the pre-cut / beveled pieces, run a 300 amp diesel Lincoln with something like a LN-25 with big flux core wire.One welder on each side.One man in the operators seat.Run the blade down and the rippers to get the machine off the ground.With some practice you can put a couple of nice tacks on the piece and it will "draw" up to the correct angle. Tack all the pieces and let them draw. This is done running the weld flat (downhand position).Next, reposition your wire feeder and weld out the side you did not tack. Again, run the bead in the flat position.Last, reposition and weld out the side you first tacked.It can be a blow and go operation with two good welders and the right equipment.On the other hand.... done wrong, it's a nightmare.Thanks,HoboLincoln SA200's... at least 15 - 20. They come and go. Growing partial to the "Short Hoods" in my old age. Last count on Short Hoods was 13 in possession.
Reply:Local cat and jd dealers tell me it is not worth welding grouser bars anymore if you are paying to have it done, they say you can buy new non oem pads for the same money. JD dealer sent me over to cat when I was looking for grouser bar stock.  They both said welding grouser bars is not very popular anymore, jd had none in stock and cat had only a couple of pieces and needed to order the rest.  And this is for single grouser  bars on a dozer, it would be that much worse on a triple grouser street pad for a loader.  Also be aware that the grouser bar stock commonly stocked is for single grouser dozer pads, they are much higher than those for a loader.As for me it is worth doing, saves some cash but that was with my welding it for free."The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:Thanks for the advice, Right now i'am taking off the grousers to get ready for new track, pins worn outon both sides, i though i would save some $$ by welding on the bars on before i re-install them.The grousers are about even with the bolt head, and i would like a little more traction. The cost ofa good welder is perty high, but it may pay for its self if i could do the work, still not sure what i will do.
Reply:I worked in the Pennsylvania oil patch in my younger days. A couple of old timers had a crawler with funny looking grousers. I asked them what the deal was, they said one winter we took some old buckets of bolts and our stick welder and welded them on. It was cold outside and warm in the shop, we took turns and had it done by spring.
Reply:Here are some links to compare, I have had customers do it both ways, rebuild or replace, kind of depends on cost of labor.http://www.dura-tuff.com/SavingsDataSheet.pdfhttp://www.lincolnelectric.com/asset...reBU/c7710.pdf
Reply:You are not going to save money by repaing track pads. You stated that you were putting new rails on the machine. If you calculate the cost of new pad bolts and nuts the cost of labor and materials to repair worn out pads you will pay more. If the pads have been in use long enough to be worn out some or a lot of them have been run with loose bolts and the holes will be worn as well as the back of the pad making it impossible to keep them tight.  Don't forget to check the sprokets, idlers and the bottom and carrier rollers. There is a ton of good parts out there oem and after market. Too many people trip over a dollar to pick up a dime when doing u/c on track machines. Do it right the first time and you won't be taking it apart again