Tracked machine problems advice required.

[handymidi]

Hi, I am looking to go down the tracked route but I have a few concerns.  

 

For example. 

What happens if your machine breaks down on site? How do you get it moving again? 

What happens if one of the tracks breaks? 

 

Thanks 

[Mick Dempsey]

1: You acquaint yourself with an engineer familiar with hydraulics and diesel engines, most agricultural engineers are capable enough.

 

2: afaik tracks rarely break, they will oftimes come off, so familiarise yourself with the refitting procedure.

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, handymidi said:

Hi, I am looking to go down the tracked route but I have a few concerns.  

 

For example. 

What happens if your machine breaks down on site? How do you get it moving again? 

What happens if one of the tracks breaks? 

 

Thanks 

You fix it on site.

 

The thing with these hydrostatic drive machines you cannot release the failsafe brakes if the engine is not running, unlike the old stuff when (after much effort) you could pull a quill out so it would freewheel.

 

Tracks don't often break unless the rubber covering the internal reinforcing wires has exposed them to rust. They do often derail, then it's a case of jacking ub that side, slackening the track adjustment (often by forcing grease out of a tensioning ram) and levering the track back on. Easier said than done.

 

When a 3 tonne tracked chipper  shed one on a muddy hillside our fitter had me winch the thing up, mangled rubber track and all, to a flat area where it could be fixed.