This is another "Happy Place" story that happened to me when I was restoring my first Snowcat a few years ago . Some of you may remember it . I can laugh now ,but at the time it was not so funny .I copied this from my KT7 snowcat restore post that I did . I was really into a daily log/diary as I progressed along each day . Yes its true ! Enjoy
It just keeps getting better and better . This morning I woke up to rain falling . I should have recognized this ominous sign and stayed in bed . But NO... I merrily head to the shop after breakfast and into impending doom !
Start taking off the boogie wheels which requires a 4 way lug wrench and a 3’ extension pipe to break the lug nuts loose . I am pretty sure they were put on by some big guy named “Bubba” , with one hell of a mean streak .
Ok , wheels are off now and time to tackle the track rails . 3 hours later I finally get the last snap ring off ,so I can remove the rail assembly .
I start trying to remove the gear drive assembly and the neighbor shows up on his ATV . He wants to help , so I tell him to grab that “ ice pick looking thing and stick it behind this snap ring when I pop it out of the groove . Oh Yeah … You can see where this is going !!!
Anyway neighbor goes home very quickly and I get a band aid for my finger where ice pick made a small hole . Neighbor runs over my sprinkler head as he is high tailing it out of sight on his ATV .
I go back to working on removing gear box and muttering about needing a drink .I then realize I need an internal snap ring plier to remove the last set of snap rings . I head to the local Napa dealer and the salesman ,who is all of 13 tells me “ These are our best pliers” . Never trust a 13 year old !!! Anyway I buy pliers and head back home to finish up . Neighbor waves as I go by and I flip him off with Band Aided finger
. I try to assemble snap ring pliers and finally end up reading directions 30 minutes later . The last set of snap rings are inside a 3/8 inch steel incased case that Houdini could not open and has an inspection hole about the size of a quarter . I start thinking I may need a Chinese fella with two universal joints on his finger to get to that last snap ring set because there is no way my fat fingers will ever get in that little area. . I keep trying and get it to move a little . One last try and I am squeezing for all I am worth . That is about 9000 pounds of force . Those “great” Napa Pliers fold up like a shot duck during hunting season !!!!!! Lucky for me I have my Band Aided finger in just the right spot to cushion the blow of the two handles banging together !!! 
I let out a yell and crotch hop across the shop . I can now feel my Heart beat through my finger .
For those who may not know what a “Crotch Hop” is , I will explain . You put your injured hand ,finger or whatever between your legs and hop really fast while muttering every cuss word you know .
Wife yells out the door that she is making me a Drink ! A double !
Not to be denied my moment of success I attack the snap ring with the biggest hammer I can find ! The driver side track/gear assembly is finally off !!!
Tomorrow I am going to try and do the right side track assembly if my finger stops hurting .
Big Al
It just keeps getting better and better . This morning I woke up to rain falling . I should have recognized this ominous sign and stayed in bed . But NO... I merrily head to the shop after breakfast and into impending doom !
Start taking off the boogie wheels which requires a 4 way lug wrench and a 3’ extension pipe to break the lug nuts loose . I am pretty sure they were put on by some big guy named “Bubba” , with one hell of a mean streak .
Ok , wheels are off now and time to tackle the track rails . 3 hours later I finally get the last snap ring off ,so I can remove the rail assembly .
I start trying to remove the gear drive assembly and the neighbor shows up on his ATV . He wants to help , so I tell him to grab that “ ice pick looking thing and stick it behind this snap ring when I pop it out of the groove . Oh Yeah … You can see where this is going !!!
Anyway neighbor goes home very quickly and I get a band aid for my finger where ice pick made a small hole . Neighbor runs over my sprinkler head as he is high tailing it out of sight on his ATV .
I go back to working on removing gear box and muttering about needing a drink .I then realize I need an internal snap ring plier to remove the last set of snap rings . I head to the local Napa dealer and the salesman ,who is all of 13 tells me “ These are our best pliers” . Never trust a 13 year old !!! Anyway I buy pliers and head back home to finish up . Neighbor waves as I go by and I flip him off with Band Aided finger
. I try to assemble snap ring pliers and finally end up reading directions 30 minutes later . The last set of snap rings are inside a 3/8 inch steel incased case that Houdini could not open and has an inspection hole about the size of a quarter . I start thinking I may need a Chinese fella with two universal joints on his finger to get to that last snap ring set because there is no way my fat fingers will ever get in that little area. . I keep trying and get it to move a little . One last try and I am squeezing for all I am worth . That is about 9000 pounds of force . Those “great” Napa Pliers fold up like a shot duck during hunting season !!!!!! Lucky for me I have my Band Aided finger in just the right spot to cushion the blow of the two handles banging together !!! I let out a yell and crotch hop across the shop . I can now feel my Heart beat through my finger . For those who may not know what a “Crotch Hop” is , I will explain . You put your injured hand ,finger or whatever between your legs and hop really fast while muttering every cuss word you know .
Wife yells out the door that she is making me a Drink ! A double !
Not to be denied my moment of success I attack the snap ring with the biggest hammer I can find ! The driver side track/gear assembly is finally off !!!
Tomorrow I am going to try and do the right side track assembly if my finger stops hurting .
Big Al