Well, that only took about a weeks worth of full time working in the shop! But, it is pretty much finished and I think it will perform much better now. Ball bearings on the new drive tumblers should really reduce the friction and stress on the chains and motors. The frame rails are now 1/4" wider than before and the tumblers and opposite end rollers, as well as the upper and lower rollers are wider to help keep the tracks flatter and support the machine. I changed the tension screws to an external location which is MUCH easier to adjust now.
I took it out in the back yard and tried it in the grass and a dirt pile by the pond. Seemed to work real good. I'm not getting any of the jerking like it did with the old drive tumblers. I think they were just to tight, but I really like the new style. Much easier to make than the old ones!
I want to make a dust cap for the bearing pockets but other than that, I like it! Brownsville will be a great field test for it, I hope we get some good weather, man was it soggy at the spring show!
Oh, and it anyone has a thought on it, I would like a better way to finish the tensioner. The way they are now, the brass rod rotates and the tension hold it against the tensioner bolt. Not ideal. I would like to put a collage around the end of the shaft but it can't be threaded, otherwise it would screw into the rod and seize it. I need to see this, guess I'll start searching the inter web...
