How Tight Should Excavator Tracks Be

As the working hours of tracked excavators increase, the track link pins and bushings will wear out to a certain extent. This will cause a decrease in track tension. Therefore, making a periodic adjustment of the track tension is necessary. Today Isabel, the engineer of YUFAN Machinery will explain how tight should excavator tracks be, along with how to check and adjust the track tension.

1. How to Check Track Tension on Excavator?

Step 1: Preparation

🔘 Warm up the excavator’s engine first.

🔘 Drive the excavator to a flat ground. If necessary, use support blocks to keep the excavator stable.

🔘 Check if there is too much dirt or other materials on the chassis. If so, clean the chassis and track area before measurement. Or it will cause inaccurate measurements.

Step 2: Support one side of the track (with two people cooperating)

🔘 To measure track tension safely, two people are required. One person operates the excavator to lift one side of the track off the ground, keeping the other side grounded.

🔘 The other person observes whether the excavator is stable and ready to measure the dimensions. This way can prevent the excavator from moving.

🔘 Place support blocks: Place a block under the chassis during the measurement process. This can prevent unexpected machine settlement.

Step 3: Measure the clearance

🔘 Measuring position: Measure the gap between the lower edge of the chassis side frame and the upper edge of the lowest track plate.

🔘 Recommended value: Between 320mm and 340mm.

🔘 Measuring method: Use a tape measure or straightedge to measure vertically at the above mentioned position.

Step 4: Ensure a safe shutdown

🔘 After the measurement was completed, the operator re-entered the cab, confirmed that there was no one around, and slowly lowered the propped tracks.

🔘 Remove the support blocks.

2. How to Adjust Track Tension on Excavator?

Adjust the track tension through the joint (grease nipple and release valve) installed in the center of the chassis side frame.

1. Slowly loosen the valve

When adjusting the track tension, SLOWLY loosen the valve. To avoid injury, do not loosen or remove the grease nipple before the pressure is completely released.

2. Increase track tension on excavator (inject grease)

Inject grease through the grease nipple, and the cylinder length will increase accordingly. The longer the cylinder extends, the higher the pressure in the spring cylinder that pushes the guide wheel – the tighter the track.

3. Release track tension on excavator (release grease)

If the track is adjusted too tightly, slowly loosen the valve to release the grease in the cylinder. The guide wheel will move backward and the cylinder is to contract, thus loosening the track.

4. Slowly release pressure

The pressure in the track adjustment cylinder is extremely high. Do not allow the pressure to drop suddenly. When loosening the grease cylinder release valve, do not turn it more than one full turn at a time. Release the pressure slowly and keep your body away from the valve.

3. How Tight Should Excavator Tracks Be?

There may be slight differences among different brands and models. However, the common range is from 320mm to 340 mm. In real cases, adjustments should be made based on specific construction environments.

🔘 If the rubber excavators are walking on wetlands, swamps, muddy ground or rocky terrain, excessive wear may happen if the tracks tension was adjusted based on the recommended adjustment value (320mm-340mm). When the excavator is walking on muddy ground, the recommended value is 340mm to 380mm.

🔘 When walking on sandy or snowy ground, the adjustment value should be approximately 380mm.

4. What Are the Consequences of Having the Tracks Adjusted Too Tightly?

🔘 If the tracks are adjusted too tightly (less than 320mm), it will cause excessive wear.

🔘 If the tracks are too tight, the walking speed and power will decrease. This not only leads to a decline in work efficiency, but also causes abnormal wear due to the excessive friction force applied to the pins and bushings.

🔘 If the tracks are too tight, it will also increase fuel consumption.

5. What Consequences Will There Be If the Tracks Are Too Loose?

If the tracks are loosely placed on the drive wheels and the drag chain wheels, more wear or damage will be caused.

Moreover, when the loose tracks sag too much, there may be a situation where they come into contact with the frame and damage it. In this case, even if the lower walking body is strengthened, if the correct adjustment is not made, unexpected failures may occur.

The above is the summary of the methods for adjusting the rubber excavator tracks. We hope it will be helpful for you.