Flange Top Wear
(May be domed)
CAUSES: (1) Sliding contact with any
abrasive material packed into idler
assembly area. (2) Impact contact and
motion with track links which have
jumped out of tread area.
ACCELERATORS: Speed, packing, adhe-
sion and abrasiveness of packed mate-
rial. Too loose or too snaky track increased
chances of track link damage.
EFFECTS: Reduces wear measurement
distance and resulting accuracy. Reduces
rebuildability in extreme cases.
REMEDIES: Rebuild if critical. Clean
packed material away from area behind
the idler. Correct cause of links jumping
out of tread and running on center flange if
this wear is present in absence of packing.
Idler Position
Some tractors have two-position idlers
which can be adjusted to provide either
“high” or “low” idler position. With the
idlers in the “high” position, there is less
track-to-ground contact area, and the
tractor is more maneuverable. With the
idlers in the “low” position there is a
greater length of track contacting the
ground and greater stability when the
tractor is equipped with heavy, front-
mounted equipment. Idlers should be
adjusted to the “high” position except
where the “low” position is necessary for
machine stability.*
* Ref. page 15, 18 and 19.
58
IDLERS
General Information