Hey all,
Just found this forum. Wow. great site. I own a M-29 weasel and both groom with and maintain a LMC 1800. The questions are about the LMC.
Previous maintance guy for this machine didn't maintain grouser bolts tight and, consequently, the holes have torn bigger laterally and grousers can move. How much do you let this go before you say "that's it! Gotta rebuild the track belts!"?
And, related to that question, How tight do you want those bolts so they can start slopping? This seems like a easy question, but as you tighten, the track belting just starts compressing more and more. I'm re-tightening each year after grooming season's over and it's a pain in the butt. I thought about trying to figure out some torque wrench setting, but those darn pinch nuts and weathered bolt threads mess with any accuracy for torque specs, it seems to me.
And, lastly, (the higher-ups trying to pinch pennies are making me ask this question) does anybody re-use bolts or pinch nuts when re-doing tracks? The SS grade 8 bolts and nuts add up to some dollars andthey are trying to save dollars where thye can. My vote is "no way."
thanks for all info here. I'll be visting here often now that I know about the site.
~martin
Just found this forum. Wow. great site. I own a M-29 weasel and both groom with and maintain a LMC 1800. The questions are about the LMC.
Previous maintance guy for this machine didn't maintain grouser bolts tight and, consequently, the holes have torn bigger laterally and grousers can move. How much do you let this go before you say "that's it! Gotta rebuild the track belts!"?
And, related to that question, How tight do you want those bolts so they can start slopping? This seems like a easy question, but as you tighten, the track belting just starts compressing more and more. I'm re-tightening each year after grooming season's over and it's a pain in the butt. I thought about trying to figure out some torque wrench setting, but those darn pinch nuts and weathered bolt threads mess with any accuracy for torque specs, it seems to me.
And, lastly, (the higher-ups trying to pinch pennies are making me ask this question) does anybody re-use bolts or pinch nuts when re-doing tracks? The SS grade 8 bolts and nuts add up to some dollars andthey are trying to save dollars where thye can. My vote is "no way."
thanks for all info here. I'll be visting here often now that I know about the site.
~martin