Pin Press For Caterpillar Tracks Made Out Of Scrap Metal And 30-Ton Bottle Jack

Pin Press For Caterpillar Tracks Made Out Of Scrap Metal And 30-Ton Bottle Jack TRACTORS Miscellaneous 23-4-40 Gary Bakken, Detroit Lakes, Minn: Gary hadn't taken a track off his late 1940's Cat 5T for years, until the right final drive pinion and a couple of ball gears dropped out. "When I tried to remove the master pin in the rail, the pin was so seized up I couldn't budge it," Gary says. "So I made a pin press out of scrap metal and a 30-ton bottle jack. The 6-in. sq. base is made out of 3/8-in. steel plate. I made two 18-in. side braces out of 1/4 by 6-in. strap and a top grid out of 3/8 by 2-in. strap. I mounted the jack on the base and then bolted the base, braces and grid together. The grid fits over the pin boss on the links of the rail to keep it in exact alignment with the jack ram. I wedged a steel shaft slightly smaller in dia. between the ram and the pin to apply force to the pin. "After a little pumping, the pin popped loose and I was able to tap it out fairly easily. "I haven't found another use for it, but it works real slick for this repair and was easy to put together and much cheaper than renting a commercial pin press."

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