I'm curious about making the grousers. Tell me more!Very nice!! The tracks look to be in fantastic shape. Not hard to change to WT...just $$$. Just flip the sprockets over. You have to buy new belting and grousers. Grousers are pretty easy to make for about $30 ea. New grade 8 nylock nuts and bolts are $650. It looks like you have perfect wheel guides. They are worth more than you probably paid for the cat. They are the same on both your ST and WTs and impossible to find.
Thank you for attaching the picture, I think the subject fits right in with my original question on my original post. You did a great job explaining. I have a few more questions I will ask this evening when I have a little bit more time. Thanks for the info. MikePictures. I think we hijacked this topic. Maybe we should PM unless it’s all good.
Do you need to forge the steel?Pictures. I think we hijacked this topic. Maybe we should PM unless it’s all good.
I'm not familiar with Jimmy's method but this tool was the easiest and cheapest way to put shoes on my argo Centaur . I fabricated similar tools using 3-4$ clamps from HF and bolts/nuts from ACE. Way easier to my liking then straps and they always stay in my tool box with argo. U can add a whole in bolt and if you forgot a wrench then use any stick to turn it .BTW, I used pre-punched belting from MN Outdoors. The 4 belts came ready to go and worked perfectly. I used them as a DA (determinate assembly) aid to keep everything else lined up, as it was my first build. They made it easy.
The backing plates are just 1/8”x1” strap from the metal yard. I used Fastenal grade 8 fasteners. The nylok nuts/bolts were about $650. I assembled about ten at a time and pulled them on with the sprockets.
I used the Jimmy Vermont endorsed cargo strap method to join the tracks. I wasted 2 medium duty ratchet straps, and then got the biggest at Home Depot. You need a LOT of force to get the track cinched up to line up the holes on both belts. LOTS. The problem with the bigger straps is the big bulky ratchets that get in the way. it went fine but a real tough job alone. And in the middle of all this you need to get down off the jack stands so you don’t have slack hanging down.
I bought a standard farm jack at Harbor Freight, then put a second foot on the top end. (I used a chain several times before I found a foot) Instead of jacking things up, it jacks them together. Seems to work great, and it's under a hundred bucks.BTW, I used pre-punched belting from MN Outdoors. The 4 belts came ready to go and worked perfectly. I used them as a DA (determinate assembly) aid to keep everything else lined up, as it was my first build. They made it easy.
The backing plates are just 1/8”x1” strap from the metal yard. I used Fastenal grade 8 fasteners. The nylok nuts/bolts were about $650. I assembled about ten at a time and pulled them on with the sprockets.
I used the Jimmy Vermont endorsed cargo strap method to join the tracks. I wasted 2 medium duty ratchet straps, and then got the biggest at Home Depot. You need a LOT of force to get the track cinched up to line up the holes on both belts. LOTS. The problem with the bigger straps is the big bulky ratchets that get in the way. it went fine but a real tough job alone. And in the middle of all this you need to get down off the jack stands so you don’t have slack hanging down.
I have given much thought to grousers for my cat.....Then I remember....many cats have aluminum grousers.I bought 16 gauge 4130 sheet steel and had it formed into 1”x2” channel. I made them full width, just for the heck of it. I drilled the 1068 holes on my drill press. My grouser bolts are 5/16” so I drilled them 11/32”, and the wheel guide bolts are 3/8” so I drilled those 13/32”. Then I used my cold cut saw to 45 the corners, then used my plasma cutter to cut down one side completely (except for the 32 with end plates).I don’t have a TIG welder for 4130 so I had a machine shop weld the plates.16 end plates on each side, 8 facing out and facing in. I had them powder coated, the high carbon 4130 really wants to rust.
I don’t really know what I’m doing. I bought a cat with completely ruined tracks and had to wing it with a bunch of help from the forum. I’ve banged them around on the long bumpy driveway and they seem to be really tough.