Basic Undercarriage - Fundamentals

Welcome to the Basic Undercarriage - Fundamentals web-based training. Knowing the basics of
undercarriage will allow you to talk intelligently and answer questions about the John Deere
Undercarriage.

Copyright © 2017 Deere & Company. All Rights Reserved. THIS MATERIAL IS THE PROPERTY OF
DEERE & COMPANY. ALL USE AND/OR REPRODUCTION NOT SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY
DEERE & COMPANY IS PROHIBITED.

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Course Objectives
By the completion of this course, you will be able to:
o Identify major components of the undercarriage
o List the parts that make up the track chain
o Identify the different types and position of the master link or master pin for removal
o Recognize the standard shoe type used on crawler dozers, excavators, and
crawlers/loaders
o Identify advantages of the conventional drive over the high drive
o Identify the treatment processes used to produce undercarriage

By the completion of this course, you will be able to:

Identify major components of the undercarriage

List the parts that make up the track chain

Identify the different types and position of the master link or master pin for removal

Recognize the standard shoe type used on crawler dozers, excavators, and crawler loaders

Identify advantages of the conventional drive over the high drive

Identify the treatment processes used to produce the undercarriage

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Undercarriage Components

Let’s take a look at the components of the undercarriage.

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Front Idler

The front idler serves as a support for the track to revolve around and is used to keep proper
tension on the track.

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Track Shoes

Track shoes are attached to the links of the chain and make contact with the earth.

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Pins & Bushings

Pins & bushings act as a hinge between each link of the track chain.

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Track Rollers

Track rollers are mounted on the bottom of the frame and support the weight of the machine.

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Track Frame

The track frame supports and holds the track components in place.

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Drive Sprocket

The drive sprocket is driven by the final drive and transmits power to the track.

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Carrier Rollers

Carrier rollers support the weight of the upper portion of the track.

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Track Link

Lastly, the track link is attached to the shoes and creates the track chain.

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Two Types of Track Chain
 Sealed
(non-lubricated)
 Sealed Lubricated
 Both types
contain:
o pins
o bushings
o links

There are two different types of track chains:

Sealed (non-lubricated)

Sealed Lubricated

Each type of chain is made up of several components. Both types contain pins, bushings, and
links. Lubricated track chains provide a film of oil between the pins and bushings, reducing
friction. This feature will increase the life approximately 50% over a sealed track chain.

Let’s look at each in more detail.

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Sealed (Non-Lubricated) Track Chain Components
Sealed (non-lubricated) track chain is less expensive to purchase but wears faster
o A = the Pin
o B = the Seals
o C = the Link
o D = the Bushing

Sealed (non-lubricated) track chain is less expensive to purchase but wears faster. From the
factory, you will find this type of chain on the smaller machines. Excavators usually have this
type of chain because the oil seals in a lubricated chain cannot hold up to the up and down
impact on the pins and bushings during excavating operations.

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Sealed Lubricated Track Chain Components
Lubricated sealed track chain is more expensive but will extend the life of the track chain by 50%
o A = the Link
o B = the Bushing
o C = the Plug
o D = the Pin
o E = the Seal Ring
o F = the Load Ring
o G = the Thrust Ring

Lubricated sealed track chain is more expensive but will extend the life of the track chain by
50%.

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Master Link Removal
 Use the repair manual and follow the procedure listed
 Before removing the track from a machine, you must know:
o What type of master link is on the track
o Where the master link needs to be located
o What position the master link needs to be at to remove the pin

When removing and replacing any component, you should use the repair manual and follow the
procedure listed. The repair manual will list the weight of a part so you know if a hoist is
needed. It will list any special tooling needed to remove and replace a part. It lists torque
specifications or cap screws when replacing a part.

All of this information is critical for your safety and proper machine operation.

Before removing the track from a machine, you must know:

What type of master link is on the track

Where the master link needs to be located

What position the master link needs to be at to remove the pin

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Snap Ring Master Pin

There are two types of master links used on the track chains: Snap Ring and Split Link.

The left picture is a master pin. It is a pin with a snap ring.

You can locate this pin on a track by the drill point at the end of the pin.

To remove this pin, you need a master pin pusher as illustrated in the right picture.

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Split Link Master Link
The split link is held together by the track shoe cap screws

The split link is held together by the track shoe cap screws.

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Master Link Removal
 The master link must be positioned at the 11 o’clock position of the front idler when
removing the right track
 The master link must be positioned at the 1 o’clock position of the front idler when
removing the left track

When removing the track from the unit with either type of master link, the master link must be
positioned at the 11 o’clock position of the front idler when removing the right track. Position
the master link at the 1 o’clock position of the front idler when removing the left track.

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Recommending Types of Shoes
 Track shoes are formed metal plates bolted to each link of the track chain
 The “grip” or grouser on the shoes will vary for use on different terrains

Track shoes are formed metal plates bolted to each link of the track chain. The track shoes make
contact with the ground to provide traction.

The “grip” or grouser on the shoes will vary for use on different terrains.

Selecting the appropriate track shoe for the application will make a great difference in the
performance of the machine.

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Golden Rule for Track Shoes

Flotation means the grouser bar (cleat) penetrates the ground for traction. The rest of the track
pad rides on the surface.

The golden rule for track shoes is: select as narrow as possible, but as wide as needed for
flotation.

Flotation means the grouser bar (cleat) penetrates the ground for traction. The rest of the track
pad rides on the surface.

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Wider-Than-Needed Track Shoes
 When used on hard surfaces, put an increased load on the track-chain pin and bushing joints
and can affect pin and bushing retention in the track links
 Can affect lubricated track chain seal integrity
 Increase stress and loads on idlers, rollers, and sprockets

 You get more leverage with a longer pry

bar than a shorter pry bar
 The wider track shoe is a longer pry bar

It is important to note that wider-than-needed track shoes:

When used on hard surfaces, put an increased load on the track-chain pin and bushing joints and can affect pin and bushing retention in the track links.

Can affect lubricated track chain seal integrity

Increase stress and loads on idlers, rollers, and sprockets

Think of when you use a pry bar. You get more leverage with a longer pry bar than a shorter pry
bar. The wider track shoe is a longer pry bar. If the width is not needed for floatation, then the
extra width creates more leverage, which reduces track life.

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Recommending Types of Shoes

Open-center Closed-center

The type of shoe also makes a difference.

The two main types are open-center (center punched) and closed-center.

Open-center track shoes allow some soil, debris, and material to work out from between mating
undercarriage components through the shoe, which keeps the parts from wearing as quickly.
Open-center shoes are typically used on excavators and on crawler dozers used in landfills and
snowy conditions.

Closed-center shoes are usually used in other applications.

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Track Shoe Standards
A. One bar – Standard for Crawler Dozer
B. One bar open center – Standard for Crawler Dozer
C. Triple bar open center – Standard for Excavator
D. Double bar – Standard for Crawler/loader
E. Self-cleaning – Standard for Crawler Dozer/Special Conditions

In general, certain track shoes are standard for certain machines, as shown in the illustration.
There is rarely a need to change to a different shoe later.

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Conventional vs. High Drive
Conventional High Drive Undercarriage
Undercarriage

John Deere uses the conventional oval undercarriage design.

Caterpillar uses a high drive undercarriage design. Caterpillar’s high drive undercarriage has
some distinct disadvantages when compared to John Deere’s conventional undercarriage
design.

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Cat’s Old Design
Why did Cat create the high drive in the first place?

Why did Cat create the high drive in the first place? Because of final drive failures. Their earlier
models used a conventional oval undercarriage, but had problems with final drive longevity.

On Cat’s conventional model, the push beams terminated at the final drives. This allowed shock
loads from the blade to be transferred directly to the final drives. This resulted in premature
final drive failures.

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High Drive Design
The high drive design moved the final drive up above the track frame

The high drive design moved the final drive up above the track frame. This isolated it from the
impact of the shock loads from the blade. This is called an isolated final drive.

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Isolated Final Drive - Deere Design
Deere’s undercarriage design has always had an isolated final drive

John Deere’s undercarriage design has always had an isolated final drive. The load is spread
through the push beam and pivot shaft into the mainframe of the tractor. The shock loads from
the blade do not travel into the final drive.

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High Drive Undercarriage Problems
 Bearing pressure and rotation
 Track tension
 Flex points
 Track bunching

Although Cat was able to isolate their final drives, the high drive still has problems in these
areas:

Bearing pressure and rotation

Track tension

Flex points

Track bunching

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Percentage of Sprocket Teeth
 Deere design allows the load to be distributed over half of the sprocket teeth
 Cat design places the load on one-fourth of the sprocket teeth
 Increased load = increased wear!

The Deere design allows the load to be distributed over half of the sprocket teeth. On the Cat,
the load is placed on one-fourth of the sprocket teeth, half the number of teeth as on the
conventional system.

Why does it matter what percentage of the sprocket teeth the chain wraps around?

Increased load means increased wear!

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Track Chain Tension
On the Caterpillar high drive system, more of the track chain is under tension than on the
conventional drive system

On the Caterpillar high drive system, more of the track chain is under tension than on the
conventional drive system.

Notice in the illustration how the elevated final drive causes the track to be pulled tightly around
the rear idler during forward motion.

This places the track under tension for a much longer distance – approximately 1.6 times the
distance of the track on a conventional system.

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Flex Points
 Cat has three flex points under tension in forward motion
 John Deere has 1 flex point under tension in forward motion
 More flex points = more wear!
 In reverse motion, both the Cat and John Deere have 3 flex points under tension

Cat has three flex points under tension in forward motion while Deere has only one. More flex
points under tension means more wear.

During reverse motion, both the high drive and conventional system have three flex points
under tension. In reverse on a conventional undercarriage, the chain is being pulled around
three flex points instead of one. As the high drive system pulls the rope around three flex points
under tension, the greater the load will be.

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Flex Points
 The lower the number of flex points, the less the pin rotation
 This increased motion under load results in increased wear on the system
 The conventional system has one flex point in forward motion and three in reverse. The high
drive system has three flex points in both forward and reverse motion

Why do fewer flex points mean less wear? The lower the number of flex points, the less the pin
rotation.

Notice in the illustration that, with the single flex point under tension, the pin only rotates
approximately 27.5 degrees relative to the bushing while under load.

Having three flex points under tension in the high-drive system causes the pin to rotate a total
of 92.5 degrees relative to the bushing while under a load.

This increased motion under load results in increased wear on the system.

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Again, remember that the conventional system has one flex point in forward motion and three
in reverse. The high drive system has three flex points in both forward and reverse motion.

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Chain Bunch during Direction Changing
This snapping effect reduces life as contact, load and motion are present when the chain pulls
tight

Track bunching during directional changes is another high drive problem.

The bunching is then followed by a large snap when the track suddenly pulls tight.

This snapping effect reduces life as contact, load and motion are present when the chain pulls
tight.

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Conventional vs. High Drive Summary
The high drive solution, however, has these disadvantages:
o Bearing pressure and rotation
o Track tension
o Flex points
o Track bunching

John Deere uses the conventional oval undercarriage design.

Caterpillar uses a high drive undercarriage design. Caterpillar’s high drive undercarriage has
some distinct disadvantages when compared to John Deere’s conventional undercarriage
design.

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Undercarriage Heat Treatment Processes
Treatment processes used to produce undercarriage:
o Thru Hardening
o Induction Hardening
o Differential Quench
o Carburizing
o SC2 Coated Bushings

Now let's take a look at the treatment processes used to produce an undercarriage. They are:

Thru hardening

Induction hardening

Differential quench

Carburizing

SC2 coated bushings

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Thru Hardening
 Furnace heats
part to specific
temperature
 Cooled or
quenched in oil
or water bath
 Tempered -
heating the part
again to a lesser
temperature
 Air cooled
 Used for:
o Track links
o Sprocket
segments
o Track shoes
o Some pins &
bushings

The thru hardening process heats a part in a furnace to a specific predetermined temperature.
Next, the part is cooled rapidly by quenching in a water or oil bath and then tempered.
Tempering is heating the part again to a lesser temperature. The part is then allowed to air cool.
This process is used on track links, sprocket segments, shoes, and some pins and bushings to
add wear life to these parts.

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Induction Hardening
 Electrical process
heats specific
areas on part
 Length of time
determines heat
penetration
depth
 Quenched in
water or oil and
tempered
 Used for:
o Links
o Idlers
o Pins
o Bushings
o Some smaller
bottom
rollers
o Carrier rollers
o Sprocket rims

Induction hardening uses an electrical process to heat a specific area of a part. The longer an
area is heated, the deeper the heat penetrates. The part is then quenched in a water or oil bath,
heated again to a lesser temperature, and air cooled. This process is used for links, idlers, pins,
bushings, some smaller bottom rollers, carrier rollers, and sprocket rims. This process adds
strength and makes these parts stronger where they need to be stronger.

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Differential Quench
 Entire part is heated
 Selected wear areas quenched with water
and oil
 Used for:
o Larger bottom rollers

The differential quench method heats the entire part, but only selected wear areas are
quenched with water or oil. Large bottom rollers use this process.

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Carburizing
 Combines
properties of :

o Impact
resistance
of
low-carbon
steel
o Wear
resistance
of high
carbon steel
 Parts heated in
carbon
atmosphere to
increase surface
carbon content
 Part absorbs
carbon and is
quenched
 Used for:
o All crawler
track
bushings

Carburizing combines the properties of low and high carbon steel on the same part. Low-carbon
steel is tough and impact resistant, but not very resistant to wear. High-carbon steel is resistant
to wear but brittle. Carburizing heats the part in a carbon atmosphere to increase the surface
carbon content. After the part absorbs the carbon, it is quenched. This provides the part with a
softer, impact resistant core and a hard, wear resistant surface. All crawler track bushings are
carburized.

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SC-2 Coated Bushings
 A Bushing with a SC-2 Hard Surface Coating
o Hard surface with a tough core
o Significantly harder than a hardened steel bushing

SC-2 Coated Bushings are track bushings with a hard surface material. Developed by scientists
at the John Deere Technical Center, it is applied to the exterior of undercarriage bushings
through a proprietary process. The end result is a bushing contact surface, that is
exceptionally hard. In fact, the SC-2 coated bushing surface is significantly harder than a
hardened steel bushing without being brittle. This provides an extremely wear resistant surface
that can withstand the high shock loads associated with crawler applications.

The core of the SC-2 coated bushing is the same material as the traditional hardened steel
bushing. So, the SC-2 layer must be worn through before the bushing core starts to wear.
The result is longer life than you get with a traditional hardened steel bushing.

More information on SC-2 Coated Bushings can be found on DealerPath.

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Course Summary
Now that you have completed this course you should be able to:
o Identify major components of the undercarriage
o List the parts that make up the track chain
o Recognize the standard shoe type used on crawler dozers, excavators, and
crawlers/loaders
o Identify advantages of the conventional drive over the high drive
o Identify the treatment processes used to produce undercarriage

Now that you have completed this course you should be able to:

Identify major components of the undercarriage

List the parts that make up the track chain

Identify the different types and position of the master link or master pin for removal

Recognize the standard shoe type used on crawler dozers, excavators, and crawler loaders

Identify advantages of the conventional drive over the high drive

Identify the treatment processes used to produce the undercarriage

Post Assessment Information

You must go John Deere University (JDU) to purchase and pass the post assessment in order to
receive credit for this course.
Search for your keyword:

CSP-17-DLMTC110A
You may go to JDU now to purchase and complete the post assessment.

You must go JDU to purchase and pass the post assessment in order to receive credit for this
course. You may go to JDU now to purchase and complete the post assessment. Search for your
keyword listed on your screen.

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John Deere University (JDU) Help
For registration, enrollment, or technical support issues on John Deere University, click on the
following link for contact information.
Click here for contact information.
http://learn.deere.com/unsec/JDU_FAQs/LMS_FAQs_landingpage.pdf

For registration, enrollment, or technical support issues on John Deere University, click on the
link for contact information.

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