The tracks on my cat are getting kinda loose and I would like to tighten them up. The previous owner gave me the wrench to do the job so I took off the rock guards and found what I thought was a totally adjusted track then a mechanic looked at it and said I still have some room to go on my slide rails. This being my first cat I'm new to this but I thought I could possibly shim the track idler forward to take up slack. Has this been done by many people or is there a better way?

On those early tractors adjustment should be limited to 3-1/4" between the track adjusting nut and the nut that holds the recoil spring.
Yes, it was/is fairly common to shim the idler push arms to get more adjustment travel.

What do you mean by idler pusharms, I was thinking of shimming the adjustment bolt forward to force more travel

How do you propose to do that? The other end of the adjustment bolt is usually a square head captured in the guide housing so the bolt doesn't spin. Adding blocks between the three bolt arm attachment and the guide is what I'm referring to. (More common at the idler end on later tractors) but same affect.

Ok I see what your saying I guess I will pull the idler forward with a chain fall and see what the gap is

Don't get to carried away with blocks, about 1"-2" range would be max. As far as adjustment now it looks like your out of thread and if you go further you risk stripping threads. Also check your idler guides inside the rail to make sure the idler doesn't extend to far.

Ok I will keep that in mind at the mill tomorrow when I look for shims. The machine runs so dang good it's a shame to have to bench it cause of tracks. I've done a lot of work with this 81 year old dozer and it never disappoints

Right here where the arm bolts on is where your referenceing correct?

Have the pins and bushings been turned? If not that would bring the tracks back in some. If yes then you need new rails. Probably not enough slack to remove one link and pad. Then I guess the rails would be way too short even if you adjusted all the way back in?

"4g wrote:

Right here where the arm bolts on is where your referenceing correct?

Yes, that is correct.