The 'Today's Job' thread

[doobin]

What’s the reason behind steel tracks for the e27 and what width did you go for?

I want better grip on wet slopes. 300mm is the only option, and looking at the X frame, all that would fit anyhow.

Shouldn't be too big a job to change it between steels and rubber.

 

[Thomas7740]

Not my job but my brothers job today

 

[Lancs Lad]

What a prick of a job. No wonder the last owner only did one side.

Shite parts availability too, so needs must.

Also measured up and ordered some steel tracks for the e27 from Astrak. Didn’t thing the price was terrible at £830 plus vat a side. View attachment 46507View attachment 46508

always a fun job when breaker is out on a spanner job....

 

[doobin]

always a fun job when breaker is out on a spanner job....

Quickest way of splitting a ball joint that I know. Try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Just a normal hitty with a hammer type ball joint splitter, then slide the breaker over the end and keep it in neutral position- much easier with two of you. About a hundred 10lb hammer hits in ten seconds, and no skinned knuckles or sweat.


To be fair, the wishbone did need doing! 🫣

 

[V8Druid]

What a prick of a job. No wonder the last owner only did one side.

Shite parts availability too, so needs must.

Also measured up and ordered some steel tracks for the e27 from Astrak. Didn’t thing the price was terrible at £830 plus vat a side. View attachment 46507View attachment 46508

looks a fun job ... what's it off?

 

[V8Druid]

To be fair, the wishbone did need doing! is completely ****ed

fixed that for yer Doob

 

[doobin]

fixed that for yer Doob

Lol, yeah, the other side had a small hole in it which we'd noticed, got it off and turned it over and, as you can see...

It's off the Iveco Daily. S(h)orted a loose brake pad wear sensor wire whilst I was in there, that got rid of the pesky dash light.

 

[Lancs Lad]

Quickest way of splitting a ball joint that I know. Try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Just a normal hitty with a hammer type ball joint splitter, then slide the breaker over the end and keep it in neutral position- much easier with two of you. About a hundred 10lb hammer hits in ten seconds, and no skinned knuckles or sweat.


To be fair, the wishbone did need doing! 🫣View attachment 46510

Oh I normally use air hammer just tickled me seeing the big breaker

 

[Storrsy]

I want better grip on wet slopes. 300mm is the only option, and looking at the X frame, all that would fit anyhow.

Shouldn't be too big a job to change it between steels and rubber.

I'm sure you won't regret it. Are you replacing the sprockets too?

 

[doobin]

I'm sure you won't regret it. Are you replacing the sprockets too?

Apparently the tracks are all that will need replacing. We shall see.

 

[Shovelhands]

Apparently the tracks are all that will need replacing. We shall see.

Normally you’d try and keep a set of sprockets with the steels, start off new with new and swap them with the rubber tracks accordingly. As the track pitch will wear together on the steels. Mismatched sprockets and tracks can lead to premature wear.
But you’re only talking about a mini digger, you probably won’t notice any difference.

 

[JD450A]

Normally you’d try and keep a set of sprockets with the steels, start off new with new and swap them with the rubber tracks accordingly. As the track pitch will wear together on the steels. Mismatched sprockets and tracks can lead to premature wear.
But you’re only talking about a mini digger, you probably won’t notice any difference.

Tbh on a mini that size the old sprockets will likely be ideal to bed into the steels.

You will want a new set for the rubbers though imho.

 

[CPS]

I want better grip on wet slopes. 300mm is the only option, and looking at the X frame, all that would fit anyhow.

Shouldn't be too big a job to change it between steels and rubber.

Are you sure the bottom rollers will match up OK?

 

[doobin]

Are you sure the bottom rollers will match up OK?

Astrak had me send all kinds of photos and measurements, they seem happy. We will see however.

 

[Brendan]

Waste treatment plant number two nearly in, lots more digging to do this morning thanks to a spring and clay

 

[Furniss]

Day down on the farm - sifting 20 years of shite out of the silage clamps.

 

[William127]

Bit of a tight one down an alley and up the ramps, made more interesting by having the auger on not a bucket. 20 sleepers carried in, with some help from the customers (technically they were responsible for supply and delivery).
4 ton of Type 1 spread and whacked, first course of sleepers and back posts all in.
Helped rip out and re ply line a room at the scout hut on Sunday, took all the waste ply straight to this job, lovely not having to walk on mud anywhere on the job
Finally admitted that this pair of boots are dead so comfy but clearly fallen to bits

 

[doobin]

Astrak had me send all kinds of photos and measurements, they seem happy. We will see however.

Well they seemed to fit straight on ok. Heck of a difference on slope work- only played around the yard so far. They are not pleasant on a hard surface but you’d expect that. I reckon 30% of my work they will be a godsend on, and I’ll wonder why I never bought them sooner. I just assumed steels were bobcats price of £3400 plus £1200 of sprocket and idler! Plus vat!
These owe me £1660 plus vat total. Bargain.

Now that they are on, I can see that I could make up some bolt on flotation pads to take it to around 500mm per side for swamp work. This I think is the best of both worlds- 300mm seemed to be all that was available in such a small pitch and you don’t want wider in the woods and on the hills, it’s just the traction I need there.

I managed to remove the rubber and fit the steel in just shy of twenty minutes per side on my own including fetching tools. Milwaukee 90 degree impact wrench and grease gun making life easy.

I foresee myself blocking up certain jobs and changing between steels and rubbers fairly regularly, so hopefully I will get better. Got a pair of brand new rubbers to fit, that might take a touch longer than the 20 mins a side I fear!

 

[doobin]

By the way, how tight should I have the steels?

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Well they seemed to fit straight on ok. Heck of a difference on slope work- only played around the yard so far. They are not pleasant on a hard surface but you’d expect that. I reckon 30% of my work they will be a godsend on, and I’ll wonder why I never bought them sooner. I just assumed steels were bobcats price of £3400 plus £1200 of sprocket and idler! Plus vat!
These owe me £1660 plus vat total. Bargain.

Now that they are on, I can see that I could make up some bolt on flotation pads to take it to around 500mm per side for swamp work. This I think is the best of both worlds- 300mm seemed to be all that was available in such a small pitch and you don’t want wider in the woods and on the hills, it’s just the traction I need there.

I managed to remove the rubber and fit the steel in just shy of twenty minutes per side on my own including fetching tools. Milwaukee 90 degree impact wrench and grease gun making life easy.

I foresee myself blocking up certain jobs and changing between steels and rubbers fairly regularly, so hopefully I will get better. Got a pair of brand new rubbers to fit, that might take a touch longer than the 20 mins a side I fear!View attachment 46558View attachment 46559View attachment 46560

It looks ace too!