NOTE: Track treads will show increased wear rates, compared to machines running on tires, when operated on hard surface roads. Tracks, however, show much reduced wear rates (and slippage) when operating in the field.

Inspect tread lugs (A) and guide lugs (B) for wear or cuts. Even in routine operating conditions, tread lugs and guide lugs will exhibit some wear or cuts, especially during the break-in period. Wear and cuts can also be caused by these components coming in contact with sharp objects (such as rocks, stumps, fencing materials, etc).

Tracks normally will encounter some chipping and minor chunking during operation, as well as some "break-in" wear of the guide lugs for the first few hundred hours of operation.

If unusual chunking, chipping, or cracking of lugs exists, see your local John Deere dealer.

If guide lug wear rates do not decrease or if accelerated wear rates occur, the track may be out of alignment. This can be due to a variety of reasons, including bushing wear and frame or track damage.

If wear rates do not decrease after break-in or have recently accelerated, see your local John Deere Dealer.

IMPORTANT: Avoid operating track in grease, oil, or other petroleum chemicals. Avoid spilling these materials on tracks during servicing of tractor.

Avoid trash buildup in any of the frame area. Clean as necessary.

Rubberized Wheel Inspection

Wheels typically see rubber wear from the edges. Significant edge wear may be evident, but the wheels will still perform as intended. Typical wear patterns in the rubber are numerous small nicks and chunks, some small sections with rubber loss, and slight amount of rubber separation at the edges.

Wheels should not be replaced unless they meet the following replacement criteria.

1. Check rubberized wheels for embedded rocks, nails, or other sharp objects. Remove if found. Embedded objects can cause internal damage to the track if left in place.

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2. Inspect wheel bolts for signs of being loose. Wheels are subjected to very high track tension loads and bolts can become loose if not correctly torqued. Track Undercarriage Torque
Front Idler Cap Screws 610 Nm (450 lb-ft) Midroller Cap Screws 485 Nm (385 lb-ft) Drivewheel Cap Screws 610 Nm (450 lb-ft)

• More than 1/3 of the rubber width from either side is lost
• Rubber loss extends across entire wheel width in any area
• Wheel no longer turns freely (midroller)
• Less than 5/16" of tread depth remains (drivewheel)
• Rubberized wheel face begins to build-up with dirt due to lack of rubber thickness

NOTE: Replace midrollers in sets if significant thickness wear is seen on the opposite side wheel.

Inner and outer mid-rollers must be within 30 mm circumference of each other.

Do not pair significantly worn wheels with new wheels on the same axle, as overloading of the opposite side wheel may occur (midrollers), and track alignment could be affected (idlers, drivewheels).

Undercarriage Inspection and Maintenance

1. Remove any debris or material buildup on top of the side weights (if equipped) or on the frame reaction arms. This buildup can wear down the rubber on the drivewheels and reduce their ability to transfer power to the track.
2. Check for material buildup between the drivewheels and the front idler wheels. Material buildup can damage or crush guide lugs and can increase the chances of derailing the track. If guide lug tip damage is seen, it may be due to material buildup, or possibly a loose bolt on one of the midroller spindle assemblies.

TRACK USE RECOMMENDATIONS:

Minimize both transport weight and turning on hard surfaces to reduce track wear during road transport.
Lowering maximum travel speed especially during high ambient conditions whenever possible can promote lower wear rates, as can the following guidelines:

• Using correct operational techniques (minimize skidding on hard surfaces, etc)
  Treadbar scrubbing on hard surfaces can also increase tread wear › avoid or minimize spot turns
• Use proper amounts of ballast and in the right locations
  Both "front heavy" and "rear heavy" configurations increase the amount of treadbar compression (and wear) as the tread respectively contacts or leaves the ground. The least amount of wear will occur with a balanced machine.

Maximizing Track Life

Roading of tracks can increase tread wear up to 15 times the field wear rates. Excessive roading can greatly reduce treadbar life. In addition, track carcasses are designed to exceed tread wear out, so long as the integrity of the carcass is maintained. It is critical to keep moisture out of the steel carcass and to avoid situations where localized cable overloading could occur. It is recommended that track machine owners follow these procedures in order to achieve maximum track life and avoid operational problems, all of which will result in lower cost per hour of operation:

• Maintain correct track tension
  Too low will cause more rapid wear on the wheels and the inside surface of the belt due to slippage and potentially cause material buildup.
  Too high will add additional load and stress to undercarriage bearings, internal track cables and track frame.

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• Keep irregular material out of track such as rocks
  Sharp hard material inside the track is the primary reason for localized track tears and subsequent entry points for moisture.
• Use care when crossing ditches or transitions while making turns
  Diagonal crossing of ditches causes the track to become unsupported in the center and in combination with the idler hitting the opposite embankment, can cause momentary loss of tension that can drop the

center section down and outside wheels, making derailing a much higher risk if in a turn.
• Use ratchet turn technique
  When turning at the end of the field, the best steering performance can be gained by using a bump or ratchet steer technique - turning in several small turns, returning to the neutral position between each ratchet steer. This helps gain more traction and complete the turn more efficiently and with less ground disturbance than by attempting to power and spin through the turn.

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