Track Parts

[catmack]

Ari,

Great work!...are the grousers aluminum?...this next question would be for anyone who wishes to reply, aluminum under carriage for no more than these machines are doing, seems to me okay at least for the excavator class, does everyone agree?

Colin

[ihbuilder]

Colin , yes, unless it's a kobelco bladerunner , all the excavator undercarriage does is get the machine where it needs to be .

[catmack]

Originally Posted by ihbuilder

Colin , yes, unless it's a kobelco bladerunner , all the excavator undercarriage does is get the machine where it needs to be .

ihbuilder,

Thanks for the response, that part I do understand, sorry for not asking a more direct question. I probably should have asked the question a bit differently...is everyone using aluminum undercarriages on their models, happy with the performance and are there any "wear issues"? I am guessing not on the pads, more curious about the rails, rollers etc.. Also, are aluminum undercarriage components on model dozers being used and successfully? Thanks, Colin

[Lil Giants]

Many commercial kits are brass or steel rollers on steel pins, the tracks are either two piece steel or solid cast nylon.

[catmack]

Originally Posted by Lil Giants

Many commercial kits are brass or steel rollers on steel pins, the tracks are either two piece steel or solid cast nylon.

big difference on the brass and steel, two piece track, is this the pad by itself (1) and the complete link unit (2)?...solid cast nylon?, is this working out well? seems like a good way to go on excavators at least and suppose it answers the alum. question if it is. Does this subject warrant it's own thread?

[Lil Giants]

This is the one piece nylon link that's on my 850 now.



Scale Art has a one piece cast metal link.



That's what can be bought for 14th scale. IHSteve has machined his own track parts in steel for his dozer. Other builders, like RCLogger use K1 attachment chain & bolt on their own selfmade pads. McMasterCarr, as well as others carry that chain in various sizes.

[ihbuilder]

Colin , no prob . for a dozer , loader or any machine that will do a lot of traveling , I prefer to go all steel . From my point of view , aluminum under carriage on an excavator model is sufficient . Having said that , not just any grade aluminum . For my 2 I'm building , I'm using aluminum pads and links with real pins and bushing setup ,but I'm leaning toward everything else to be steel for the dead weight . Which will help with digging .

[catmack]

That's what can be bought for 14th scale. IHSteve has machined his own track parts in steel for his dozer. Other builders, like RCLogger use K1 attachment chain & bolt on their own selfmade pads. McMasterCarr, as well as others carry that chain in various sizes.[/QUOTE]

Do you know what the nylon makeup/compound is for the one piece molded ones?, it appears Liebherr models are using a zinc diecast.

Steve, I am with you on the difference in weight made up with ballast in other places of your own choice as it is key to getting the crowd loading effect at scale. I will post what I am working on as soon as it "comes off the press" and will bring it to Cabin Fever.

I appreciate the feedback so far. Colin




Colin

[ihbuilder]

where you there last year ? I'd love to see that motor .

[catmack]

yes, been attending that show for many years.

[ihbuilder]

then was that your cat motor I saw the 2 years I went ? I meet Steve in person in "10" my 1st year there . That was after he suggested I show my stuff off there . I would've brought it in had there been a better area to run it like we had in "11" "12" I missed "11" do to business issues . I'll at least have my 990 totally completed for this year . It works , I just need to finish the details . But considering it was just a frame.boom and bucket this time last year , it went together pretty quick . the dozer is iffy there's still a lot of drive function to do to operate .

[catmack]

Yeah, it's the one that has had slow progress as I am self employed and I think it is harder to commit more time when you are your own boss.
Can't wait to see the loader, I may bring a drawing I did back in the mid '80s of the 992 I was going to do. Life seems to get in the way, I'd like to change all that some day. What scale are you in?...the d353 cat is 1/8 and if I remember correctly the pencil drawing of the 992 I have is 1/8? as well. I like 1/8 as it scales nicely with gears and fasteners but, I guess it doesn't matter when you end up having to make tooling to produce everything you need because you sure can't buy it.
Anyway, when I got back into the hobby in the mid 90s, it was the engine hobby I got involved in and that's what started on the 9G engine build and the thought of the equipment and building highly detailed working models was to follow. As I said before, it's great to see the ground that has been covered in the last 20 years. I am looking forward to being a lot more involved in the hobby.

[ihbuilder]

I'm in mostly 1:14 to match the trucks . the dozer is the odd ball , it's 1:12 . I wanted to make sure I had room to put some guts in it . I'll prob. be knocking the dirt pill down with the loader this year . My dad stopped up yesterday took a look at the Dozer and all the stuff I have to get done for others said " no way for 2013 but maybe 2014 " It seems with every new model I do I get crazier with functioning detail . I have gone as far as entertaining the thought of building a working KT cummins or 855

[catmack]

I would like to work my way out of the business I am in and start doing more hobby stuff for others utilizing what I have to work with. Naturally, 1:16, 1:14 and 1:12 are much smaller and more difficult to work with the physics of the engine, that is another reason I went with 1:8. Like they say, the bigger they are, the more room you need and the heavier they get for mobilization.

[catmack]

I am trying to load pictures of the undercarriage progress. Will it work??

[catmack]

Here is another one! There must be a better way. I seem to hold my own in the shop stuff but, have more trouble with all my files??...the triple grouser will not be tall as in this sample (steel profile), I have thicken up the horizontal cross section since it is alum. for strength. The other two profiles have already been done.

[catmack]

I think these are enough to get the idea. Can take more if one wants.

[dirtpusher9]

Those look great Colin. I think your on the right track (no pun intended). The ones for the dozer look great.

The aluminum would be plenty for the trackhoes but for a dozer that gets a lot of work I would think steel would be the way to go, plus it would give more weight to the machine.

[catmack]

Yeah Joe,

It needs the weight to act like the full size. I am working on a sample link and will post when I have it finished or close to it.