REAL MAN TRUCKWORKS & SURVIVAL

VEHICLES, CAMPERS, and BOATS => General Maintenance, How to/DIY projects => Topic started by: JR on December 14, 2021, 11:24:12 PM

Title: Excavator Torn Track repair
Post by: JR on December 14, 2021, 11:24:12 PM
Even though I have been posting the fluid change on my 2001 Bobcat 331-D here; http://real-man-truckworks-and-survival.com/index.php?topic=3981.1150  in my Ridge thread. Thought I would post the track repair here and might be a part 2.

Was looking for a way to repair a tear I had in 1 track. Wasn't terrible on the outside but don't want it to get worse. If this stuff works, I have another tear near the center drive area to try it on. Found this on youtube; https://youtu.be/v8j-fD-4NsM and when I called the company, they suggested this; https://products.pangindustrial.com/product/pangit-ab-compound-2-lb-set/ along with their rubber cement, which I purchased.

After it arrived I waited a few days to use it as it has been raining. Today was nice and I got it warmed up inside. Was told with nice weather, 2-3 day sure is the norm. Drilled out the end of the tear as recommended and applied the glue and brought out the heater to warm up.
Title: Re: Excavator Torn Track repair
Post by: JR on December 14, 2021, 11:33:06 PM
After I let it setup, I mixed about a golf ball size of the stuff. Imagine super sticky pizza dough. After mixing for about 5 good minutes I pried the tear open a little and jammed as much as I could inside, then clamped it closed using tape covered wood. I smoothed what I could on the outside and put some heat to the area for a couple hours. The outside firmed up well and I will leaved it clamped for at least a day. Rain returns tomorrow though. This would be a great job for a heating pad if I had one. Plan is to let this cure some and add a patch to the inside with a mudflap or similar.

Time will tell if this works, but might get me more out of the $1700 tracks!
Title: Re: Excavator Torn Track repair
Post by: KensAuto on December 15, 2021, 08:15:13 AM
The outside rubber edge ain't that bad. It's the steel belts a little farther in that matter.
Title: Re: Excavator Torn Track repair
Post by: JR on December 15, 2021, 11:04:03 AM
Its into some of the steel I found when applying this, probably the cable. I know its not bad on the edge, just don't want worse.
Title: Re: Excavator Torn Track repair
Post by: JR on December 15, 2021, 10:49:24 PM
Left it clamped for 24 hrs, then put a heat pad on it as the weather turned again.

This is what the leftover looks like, really stretchy.
Title: Re: Excavator Torn Track repair
Post by: Flyin6 on December 18, 2021, 11:00:54 AM
Interested to hear if this works

Have a couple of chunks myself
Title: Re: Excavator Torn Track repair
Post by: JR on December 18, 2021, 12:52:49 PM
I'm not convinced this is the right fix for this yet. I think the belt glue may have been better as I had no missing material, but I went with the recommendation from the manufacturer. Going to unclamp today (been 48 hours) then apply a piece of mudflap on the inside to hold it together.

Don, if you have pieces missing, this would be the stuff. If you have a tear/s, I would look at the pouches they have for belt repair.
Title: Re: Excavator Torn Track repair
Post by: Flyin6 on December 18, 2021, 04:51:23 PM
I'm not convinced this is the right fix for this yet. I think the belt glue may have been better as I had no missing material, but I went with the recommendation from the manufacturer. Going to unclamp today (been 48 hours) then apply a piece of mudflap on the inside to hold it together.

Don, if you have pieces missing, this would be the stuff. If you have a tear/s, I would look at the pouches they have for belt repair.
OK, copy that

I have a couple of good tears and a few chunks missing that all that limestone probably chewed out
Title: Re: Excavator Torn Track repair
Post by: JR on December 18, 2021, 09:16:05 PM
Repair looked OK up top, but still had a nice gouge out the bottom (inside) that needed addressing.

Wired off the whole area, blew it out then used carb cleaner to really clean. Applied heat to help dry then applied more cement. I cut a patch for the the area about 4x6 out of a mud flap hoping this will hold it together better. Heated it all up and mixed the paste trying to fill the void but it was tuff. Spread as best I could on track and patch and used a piece of wood jammed with wedges to hold down. This stuff seemed to be getting hard already so no pics. Layed a heating pad down and covered to let it dry for a day or so.

I really think the thinner stuff in pouches would have worked better for the patch, time will tell.
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