Machine Maintenance
19
Undercarriages
The undercarriage assemblies typi-
cally operate in harsh working condi-
tions. They work in mud, gravel, debris
and various other abrasive materials dur-
ing operation. ASV recommends a daily
inspection of the undercarriage assem-
blies and cleaning if necessary.
Materials that are particularly sticky
or abrasive like clay, mud, or gravel
should be cleaned from the undercar-
riages often to minimize component
wear. A pressure washer works well for
cleaning materials from the undercar-
riages. At times when a pressure washer
is not available, use a bar, shovel or sim-
ilar device to remove foreign materials.
When cleaning, pay particular atten-
tion to the drive motors/sprockets and
the front and rear wheels where debris is
likely to accumulate. If working in scrap
or debris, inspect the undercarriages
more often and remove foreign objects
that may wrap around or lodge them-
selves between components causing pre-
mature wear and damage.
Operation on sand, turf, or other fin-
ished surfaces may require less frequent
cleaning, but daily inspection is still
advised.
Track Tension
Proper track tension is very important
for optimum performance and maximum
track life. Tracks that are run too loose
can cause the track to derail, sometimes
causing damage to the track.
During the first 50 hours of operation,
the tracks will "break-in", and may
require an adjustment.
To adjust the track tension:
1. Locate jam nut on track tensioner and
clean the threads thoroughly before
beginning procedure (photo D).
2. Using a wrench, loosen the jam nut
on the track tensioner.
3. After the jam nut is loosened turn the
tensioner until the track tension is
within specification (photo E).
4. Turn the tensioner the opposite direc-
tion to loosen the track.
5. Once proper tension is achieved,
retighten the jam nut on the tensioner.
If the track tensioner is stiff, you may
need to use a pipe on the end of the
wrench for more leverage.
D
E
