• Please be sure to read the rules and adhere to them. Some banned members have complained that they are not spammers. But they spammed us. Some even tried to redirect our members to other forums. Duh. Be smart. Read the rules and adhere to them and we will all get along just fine. Cheers. :beer: Link to the rules: https://www.forumsforums.com/threads/forum-rules-info.2974/

1342 idlers (small, big, and ice breaker)

hillclimber330

New member
I am looking to see if anyone has idlers for their Tucker that they are willing to part with. I am looking for some ASAP. I would travel tomorrow to get them if they were within a couple of hours from me in North Central Wisconsin.
I called the Tucker dealer in Monico Wisconsin on Thursday and never heard anything back from them.
I called Minnesota Outdoors today and left a message (its Saturday now so closed).

Also wondering if the small idler on each side of the drive sprocket can be removed without removing the drive sprocket.

Thank you in advance for any help that you might be able to give me.

Derek
 

Blackfoot Tucker

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Derek,

I can't help you with any parts, used or otherwise. You might reach out to forum member redsqwrl. He's a heck of a nice guy, and lives in your neck of the woods. In terms of terminology, the large diameter wheels at the bottom of the carriers are called idler wheels, and the small diameter wheels on either side of the drive sprockets are called damper wheels.

New ones of both sizes would be available from the Tucker factory (1-866-snocat1). I've had excellent experiences ordering parts from Tucker. They ship parts promptly, and they don't treat shipping charges as a profit center; meaning shipping charges are reasonable. Parts prices though are expensive. But I'll also throw out Tucker is in Oregon, a state without a sales tax. They don't have a physical presence in Wisconsin, so I think you'd at least save the sales tax on your purchase. If your existing idler wheel castings are in good condition you could save money by having them recovered. I don't know if anyone is recovering damper wheels, but I discussed recovering idler wheels last fall in this thread:http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/showthread.php?t=80818

As far as removing damper wheels, in theory you could remove the cotter pin and castle nut on the front, then remove the bolt on the rear of the carrier holding the spindle to the spindle tube, and then hold the damper wheel while simultaneously pushing the spindle out through the spindle tube. I say "in theory" because the spindles tend to "develop an attitude", and can be a significant pain in the butt to remove.

As is so often the case, having the right tool makes the job a lot faster and easier. In this case that would be a Tucker track jack, which is used to compress the track so the bolts holding the belt lacing together can be removed. When Tucker delivered the machines they came with one, but the track jacks seldom stay with the machines as they change ownership. You can buy them new from Tucker, but the price will at a minimum raise your eyebrows.

I have never owned, or worked on, a 1300 series machine, but my gut feeling is even with the front drive sprocket out of the way you won't be able to slide the damper wheel past the grouser bar wheel guides without loosening the track tension considerably. Splitting the track may seem the hard way, but it may be quicker in the long run.

Good Luck!
 

hillclimber330

New member
Thank you for all of the information.
I looked it all over and came up with the same thing.
We'll see what things look like tomorrow as I attempt to remove the damper shaft out the back.
A track jack is no trouble, I have one for skidder tire chains that would work good (if I need go that route).
Being an "ex" diesel truck mechanic, and being a logger by trade, I've swung a maul on some pretty stubborn pins (that's how I split and reassemble the tracks on my processor.
Thanks again!
 

MNoutdoors RIP

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Thanks for the call, we just spoke. Unfortunately we did not have any idlers ready, we do have a bunch not recovered. Get Snow is a good source other than The Tucker factory. Good Luck
 

hillclimber330

New member
Track INC only had one, and it came with the inner seal, but not the outer....so I need that seal, and I (still) need more dampener wheels. So I'm still looking.
 

hillclimber330

New member
Well, after four days of "tracking" down parts, I finished everything up this morning.
Splitting the tracks to do the dampener wheels was THE way to go. I replaced all if the rear dampener wheels, seals, and did the updated seal rings right away too. The hi lift jack worked GREAT for pulling the tracks back together. I did run into a few things that I would NOT Recommend trying. Them I adjusted the tracks to proper tension, and headed out on the lake.
 
Top