Track Tightener For Skid Loaders

Track Tightener For Skid Loaders TIRES/WHEELS Miscellaneous Arnold Otter Molalla Ore developed a track tightener for his Bobcat skid loader to make a tough job easier It worked so well the tool is now on the market “Using the factory-provided tightener it used to take me more than a half hour to mount tracks on my skid loader Now it takes only about 10 min and when the job is done I don’t have any busted knuckles or cut-up fingers ” says Otter According to Otter the tightener that’s provided with the tracks is basically a ratcheting nylon strap without any hooks on it “The strap is fed through both ends of the tracks and then attaches back to itself Through ratcheting action the ends of the tracks are brought together so you can install the bolts and bushings that hold the track ends together That’s where the problem begins ” says Otter “First the strap doesn’t generally hold both ends of the tracks together in a square fashion – one side is always ahead of the other so nothing ever lines up Second the ratcheting mechanism has only a set number of ‘clicks’ for which you can draw up the track Nine times out of ten the ratchet either draws up the tracks too far or not far enough to insert the bolt and bushing So then you have to use a line-up punch and fight the 600-lb tracks or get someone to help wrestle the tracks in place so you can install the bolts My tightener uses a threaded bolt to draw the loose ends of the tracks together making it infinitely adjustable “When my tightener is hooked up to the tracks they’re held rigid and square with each other You use a wrench to draw the track ends together until you can install the bolts and bushings by hand Even if the tracks only need to be moved a fraction of an inch it doesn’t matter The threaded bolt allows you to move the track’s ends exactly where they need to be for easy hookup without any fuss “Once the bolts are installed you simply loosen the tightener and remove it ” The track tightener sells for $150 plus S&H Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Arnold Otter 35427 S Hwy 213 Molalla Ore 97038 ph 503 829-2829; theotterden@gondtc com or Wurdinger Manufacturing Inc P O Box 385 Scotts Mills Ore 97375 ph 503 930-3496; www wurdingermanufacturing com

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