Stiff links in digger track chains

[Larel]

As above I have some stiff links in my track chains. Rust/corrosion and lack of use I’d think. Any ideas on getting them freed up? They pull round the sprocket and idler because they hve no choice but don’t straighten when going over the top.

 

[Lincs Lass]

Heat ,,big hammer ,,they must be totally seized or the pins have a flat side

 

[davidroberts30]

Park in a puddle of oil

 

[Lincs Lass]

Get it on a heap of concrete ,,something hard and uneven that forces the plates to flex

 

[Zebbedee]

They will move with use just tight with sitting about as you say, still its better than slack and falling off,,,,,,,,,

 

[milkloss]

Have seen tracks thrown in a fire before but that was for an old crawler to be done up as a hobby sort of thing.

 

[Larel]

Thanks. I have tracked it a few miles over this past couple of months doing ditches but it still seems to be tight, like zebbeddee said I was hoping they would slacken out.

 

[tomlad]

Plant mate has exactly same prob on his IH drott.
New chains about 10 year ago , seizing thru lack.of use ,rust .
Took them off again pre lockdown for steve woods to strip and grease, not back on machine yet but im sure it will b mended.
Depends how much it bothers u i guess.
Billy tried alsorts for about a year to lube up , waste of time, required strip / grease . Obviously his will have basically no wear .
Had same issue on a ex forestry 17 tonner ,mended it .
Sounded like b / s to me but it mended the deawoo 17 .

 

[Karliboy]

Had same trouble here a couple of years ago. Put new chains and sprockets on little old mf200 used it ok through winter then was parked up for a while. Ended up seized up to buggery that it nearly stalled when driving all I did was keep working them and pouring diesel and old sump oil on them best I could. They did free up eventually but a handful of the bushes ended up splitting open on each side which I need to sort at some point.

 

[Larel]

I feel I need to get 2 foot rot baths filed with diesel and sit each track in them. Every couple of days rotate the tracks?

 

[tomlad]

Insane as that sounds billy did it .
Diesel bath
Simpley a waste of time.
Wouldn't have allowed him to do it here for fear of leaking
17 t drott , particularly y hes know as silly billy or that f#cking barm pot .

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Go for a drive.......An hour or more.
SS

 

[H200GT]

Have a PC210 with same issue for last 3 years. Chains are good otherwise, just sized in places. Its used frequently, doing around 1000hrs per annum. Just living with it and cracking on until the inevitable happens

 

[tomlad]

Billys were so tight, hinged, buckled, near impossible to remove. Had to drive out master if i recall correctly. Not enough slack available. Not easy.

 

[Kevtherev]

Drive it in water

 

[Larel]

Go for a drive.......An hour or more.
SS

I have tracked it probably for 45 minutes to eat out to my last job and it hasn’t cured it. Whether it made it better I’m not sure. Definitely hasn’t cured it.