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freighter track tension?

Aaron Tucker

Active member
how tight should my tracks be on the freighter ? if I pull with some force on the back of the pontoon where there are no rails it pulls out about an inch . is that normal or should I tighten them ?
 

Aaron Tucker

Active member
awesome I have the tool to tighten them just dident want to over tighten them . should I try and bend every link alittle or just bend one here and there or just try to do one ?
 

Track Addict

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Tucker Someday

Member
GOLD Site Supporter
Just curious, why do they have you bend the connecting links when the rail on either end of the pontoon is adjustable? Isn't that why you can loosen the rail sections on the ends and adjust them out? I haven't had to do it yet on mine so curious.
 

MNoutdoors RIP

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Just curious, why do they have you bend the connecting links when the rail on either end of the pontoon is adjustable? Isn't that why you can loosen the rail sections on the ends and adjust them out? I haven't had to do it yet on mine so curious.

Not all pontoons have the adjustable ends
 

sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
The first photo shows lifting the track to check for clearance, not adjusting the links center to center distance, as the pontoon shown has adjustable rails.

Be sure to adjust the end rail curves the same distance on each side of the pontoon. Hook your tape measure in the round hole between the outer pontoon bearing and the big drain hole on the outside and the same size hole on the inside. Distance does not have to be the same on each end, just make sure distance is the same side to side on each end. Got it?
 
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Aaron Tucker

Active member
My cat is a 53 and has no track adjusters, just bend the links to tighten . I did one pontoon and was very surprised how fast just alittle bend took the slack out nicely .now I'm just trying to alittle everywhere so its even .

I just got the fuel takes cleaned . the guy at the shop said that he had never seen a sending unit with that big/long of a float . do you think i can rebuild the sending unit for the fuel gauge ?
 

Track Addict

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
You need to figure out the ohm rating in the gauge and get a new fuel sender for it. Most are adjustable but I learned they are also directional depending on what side of the tank yours is mounted.

Summit has them but also a marine option from moeller might work. I used a Stewart warner because that's what my gauges are .
 

DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
How you address the distance on the early pontoons that had one adjuster?

Scott is referring to the adjusters on each end- both inside and outside of the pontoon being adjusted equally. That way the grouser travels around the ends parallel to the pontoon, not off a few degrees. Not equal distant from pontoon end to end.
 

Track Addict

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I get that but the earlier ones only had one adjuster so one side will always be different length ?

I always set my adjusters equal as advised .
 

Aaron Tucker

Active member
heres what came out of the fuel tanks in the freighter . good thing there aluminum and don't rust or they would have been done for .
 

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sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I get that but the earlier ones only had one adjuster so one side will always be different length ?

I always set my adjusters equal as advised .

I have never seen or heard of a pontoon with only one adjuster on the entire pontoon. Must be some ones "improvement", not factory. Would like to see a photo.
 

Track Addict

Bronze Member
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You had me thinking it was the legal weed at first but here is what I came up with quickly.

This cab over with the blade I believe has one and this tucker factory restore has only one It is technically factory....

We can hug it out in McCall!
 

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DAVENET

Bronze Member
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Scott is saying it doesn't matter what is happening on one end of the pontoon or the other. One end could be bottomed out, the other end could be maxed out, it wont matter. The important thing is to have the inside and outside adjuster equal on the same end. Your 'Single adjuster' pontoon (really 2 adjuster) needs to be even on each side (of the same pontoon) so tension on each side of the track is equal.
 

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Track Addict

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Got it. I thought the concern was having the front and back of the pontoon equal bit makes sense right and left is much more important to keep alignment.

So are we in agreement that there were one/dual adjuster setups ?
 

Sno-Surfer

Active member
Scott is saying it doesn't matter what is happening on one end of the pontoon or the other. One end could be bottomed out, the other end could be maxed out, it wont matter. The important thing is to have the inside and outside adjuster equal on the same end. Your 'Single adjuster' pontoon (really 2 adjuster) needs to be even on each side (of the same pontoon) so tension on each side of the track is equal.


I'm pretty sure I understand this but what does one do when you have a variety of rollers on the machine? Say one side (of one pontoon)has more new rollers than the other, how would you even out the sides of the adjusters then? Would you trade rollers around until you could make tension and length correct for each side?
 

sno-drifter

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I'm pretty sure I understand this but what does one do when you have a variety of rollers on the machine? Say one side (of one pontoon)has more new rollers than the other, how would you even out the sides of the adjusters then? Would you trade rollers around until you could make tension and length correct for each side?

Good question Mr. Surfer. If one was to install several , like 10 rollers on a pontoon it would be best to install new rollers, one on each side of five grousers. That way the pull by the drive sprocket will be even. What could happen is that as the new rollers travel around the ends of the pontoon, the track may get tighter if your other rollers are worn a lot. In this case it would be a good idea to make sure that the track is not too tight when the new rollers are at the end of the pontoon. If you want to go all anal, mic. your rollers and make sure the roller diameter is the same on each side of each grouser. So yes, you answered your own question, trade rollers.
 

loggah

Active member
SUPER Site Supporter
The way these rollers are i would think you would not want the tracks to tight,excess rail and bearing wear just like having dozer tracks to tight.
 

Aaron Tucker

Active member
Soooo dose the inner connecting link get bent to tighten the track ? the one that is basically a backing plate for the connecting link ? or is it just the out side of the link ?
 

DAVENET

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
All four (2 outers, 2 inner) in a line are supposed to be done the same amount.
 
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