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SW48, Help! Removing rear wheel when tension bolt is missing and bearing exploded.

kiamori

kiamori

New member
So long story short, I had this SW48 in the shop for some welding that I couldn't get at without a lift and they broke/lost the belt tension bolt for the tracks. I'm guessing the tension was too high and caused a gap for water entry into the back side and it rusted out the bearings. Need to get the wheel off to assess damage/replace bearing.

Here is how it sits:

Back wheel started to come off

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it's in a bad spot in the woods, so a bit hard to work on but I've got it off the wheels with a farm jack for the moment.

Took my trusty old pipe wrench and took off the cap. Found the bearings apparently disintegrated/exploded inside. (notice tension bolt is missing)
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cleaned most of it out.
1748638182782.png

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Now I've replaced bearings on one of the wheels for this old beast once before but luckily it was the middle one and was not hard using the tension bolt. However, I have no tension bolt and it's the back wheel, I'm afraid my only option to disassemble the track?

I'll take just about any ideas here that will save me from taking that track apart in the woods.

going to get some boards under it and get it jacked up and safe to work on, then my thought was to take the other two wheels off and hope it gives me enough slack to get the last wheel off but I figured someone else might have a better idea for me here?

side question, has anyone replaced the tension bolt on these before? size, tips, etc would be great.
 
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I have no help with tension bolt.

However i have been successful allowing the axle to relax perhaps even pulling it with a come along to its relaxed most position. The other track is likely prohibiting that.

Relax everything and walk the wheel in. Its a bitch but it can be done.

Ive driven tracks back on with ratchet straps pulling them over the wheel guides.
 
The current plan is to get it up on blocks, use a farm jack to spread the tracks enough to get the two center wheels off which should allow me to get the 3rd wheel off. Once off, I am just going to take the whole axel assembly off and repair/replace the tension bolt, I think. Not sure if this is the best plan or not but hope to get to it sometime next week.
 
Hi Kiamori

When you’re referencing the tension bolt….are you taking about the “track tensioner”…..the grease filled “hydraulic” cylinder that pushes the rear wheel back to tension the track? One of your pictures circles that tensioner.

I think taking apart the track is your best bet. You might be able to pull the rear Boggie with the Boggie next to it off….but if your flexitors are good, they’ll apply a downward pressure on the track and make it a bear.

The axle also looks like it might be bent…do you have a way to pull the machine back to your shop?

Bob
 

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I hear the merit in pulling the other two wheels to give you some slack, but i find gravity gets the slack. And my problems get worse.
Bring some 2x4's with you to hold up both the sagging top section and bottom section. This will hopefully get you the slack.

I love these plans. I have a br100/newer bombi i have yet again driven out of its track. (Its my special skill) and i just call a buddy and get right to splitting the track. Prying and forcing it on works. But idlers and sprockets pay hell.
 
I ended up taking the wheel behind the front gear off and that gave me enough slack to get the last wheel off using a farm jack from the back side.
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Looks like I'll need to replace the axel, as this one had a bad bearing for long enough to do some damage. So, if anyone has an extra axel, just the part that slides on rocker I'm in the market to buy one or I'll need to have this one machined.
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Im with BCB. Knock that race off. I see the wear on the seal surface. But hit that race with a chisel and spray some brake clean or wipe with gas.

2) your hydraulic one way grease powered adjuster is all the way out. Do you have a grasp on that process. If yes. Take the grease zerk out and make sure it goes in. The tension on the other side is likely making your life harder than it needs to be.

3) dont have any fun. That is not allowed 8-)
 
Bobcatbob said:
I’ll bet if you chisel the remainder of the bearing off, clean up the axle, you’ll be good. To be safe, put on the two new bearings and wheel….see if you have any play.
Click to expand...
redsqwrl said:
Im with BCB. Knock that race off. I see the wear on the seal surface. But hit that race with a chisel and spray some brake clean or wipe with gas.

2) your hydraulic one way grease powered adjuster is all the way out. Do you have a grasp on that process. If yes. Take the grease zerk out and make sure it goes in. The tension on the other side is likely making your life harder than it needs to be.

3) dont have any fun. That is not allowed 8-)
Click to expand...
I have a pully puller laying around here somewhere, think that will take off the bearing remnants... Then I'll clean her up and probably going to weld a new dirt guard on since it's missing from this axel. then get new bearings on and see if its good.
 
I'm in the camp remove the bearing, I'd use a torch on the edge not straight in to shaft, I've done it on hundreds of electric motors without any shaft degeneration, do it like the letter D cut the flat side and miss the shaft. a cutting wheel on a grinder will do it most of the way and a chisel to pop the last piece in the corner.
 
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