PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-614
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 614
JANUARY 2004
PS 614
7
Shocks and Hubs
Good shock absorbers generate heat dur-
ing operation. If any of your shocks are cool
or only slightly warm to the touch, report
‘em. They aren’t doing the job and can cause
excessive track wear.
Roadwheel hubs are the exact opposite. If
they generate excessive heat, it’s a good sign
that the bearings are failing. Tell your
mechanic.
Be careful when checking for hot shocks
or hubs. Either one can generate enough
heat to burn you.
Sprockets
Check the drive sprockets
on your Bradley for broken
teeth, cracks, excessive wear
and loose mounting bolts.
When replacing or revers-
ing a sprocket, make sure all
mating surfaces are clean
before reinstalling the parts.
Pay special attention to bolts
and the surface of the sprock-
et where the bolt mounts. Dirt
between these areas can cause
the bolt to loosen or break.
Track Tension
Improper track tension will wear out track fast! Track that’s too tight cups
sprocket teeth and strains shoe pins. Track that’s too loose gets thrown, damaging
roadwheels and support rollers.
Keep track tension just right by checking it after
every operation. Let the vehicle roll to a complete
stop on firm, level ground. Stop the engine and try
turning the rear support roller with one hand.
The roller should turn freely, but with only enough
room between the track and roller for a pencil to pass
through.
If there’s more room than that, the track is too tight.
If the roller won’t turn at all, the track is too loose.
Either way, it’s time to make some adjustments.
all
you
need to
check track
tension is
a pencil!
To tighten track tension:
1.
Place a pencil between the track and
the rear support roller.
3.
Watch the pencil. The tension is right
when there’s just enough room between
the track and the rear support roller for the
pencil to fit.
4.
Keep an eye on the track adjuster piston,
too. The maximum extension for the piston
is 3 1/2 inches. If you’ve reached that limit
and the track is still too loose, you’ll need to
remove a track shoe and start over.
2.
Wipe the lube fitting with a clean cloth
and pump grease into the track adjuster.
To loosen track tension:
1.
Once again, place a pencil between
the track and the rear support roller.
2.
With a 5/8-in open-end wrench,
loosen the track adjuster bleed valve
just enough to allow grease to flow.
3.
Watch the pencil. When there’s just
enough room between the track and
the rear support roller for the pencil to
fit, the tension is right.
4.
Re-tighten the bleed valve and wipe
away excess grease.
Don’t
stop
there!
The job’s
not finished
until you’ve driven the
vehicle 100 feet, coasted
to a stop and checked
the track tension
once more.
Shocks should be hot after operation
Put pencil here
Loosen
bleed valve
Pump in grease
to tighten track
Piston extended to 3 1/2
inches? Remove a shoe
Look for broken sprocket teeth and cracks
614. 06-07 (C)
11/24/03
3:16 PM
Page 1
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