what is a slugging wrench? the one my buddy had does fit it but it'w not a closed end and it stretches open to far when you crank it... so I've got to have a closed end one,,, yikes... so what happens when you take the nut all the way off? it would seem that the spring would be able to move all the way forward to tension the track, or is it all the way out there already... oh and how does one get the 3/4" bolts out of the tension arms so as to put spacers in. do the one and one eighth nuts by the big one have to be loosened to allow for the nut to move. not so much fun after all,,, THANK YOU for all the great responses. Doug

Wrong post.....

"Old wrote:

If it's a before s/n 4G8790 a socket might work. Does look like there might not be enough clearance ahead of the sprocket though.

alright now I'm a bit confused... the adj nut is the two and three quarters one correct? and the lock down nuts are the two nuts that hold down the cap part of the the rod holder which are one and one eighth correct? and by back off the adj nut you are meaning to turn it clockwise which pulls the tensioner back and to put the pressure back on the track one must turn the nut counter clockwise,,, correct??? boy that nut is stuck good... guess I don't want to cut it off though?

Check ebay for used 2-3/4 slugging wrench. They are a heavy duty wrench meant to be beat on with a hammer or add a length of pipe "cheater". May or may not fit with the close sprocket clearance but I think it might.
Loosen the two clamp bolts and turn adjusting nut to open the clearance between the adjuster nut and the nut that holds the recoil spring. Maximum allowable spacing is 3-1/4". Any more risks stripping the threads. It is possible to extend usable life by adding spacers to the front idler arms allowing running chains to destruction.

"Old wrote:

Check ebay for used 2-3/4 slugging wrench. They are a heavy duty wrench meant to be beat on with a hammer or add a length of pipe "cheater". May or may not fit with the close sprocket clearance but I think it might.
Loosen the two clamp bolts and turn adjusting nut to open the clearance between the adjuster nut and the nut that holds the recoil spring. Maximum allowable spacing is 3-1/4". Any more risks stripping the threads. It is possible to extend usable life by adding spacers to the front idler arms allowing running chains to destruction.

the adj nut being the one at the end exposed by rear sproket, and the nut that holds the recoil spring is the one kind hidden inside the housing??? is the front sprocket attached to the rail on a slide? and if so can I attach a chain to the front sprocket and pull on it so as to pull track forward then unbolt the two tensioner arms via the three bolts and install shims in between? this would eliminate the need to break the monster adj nut loose. or am i in left field. thanks so much for all the info.. the wrench my friend had did not work... Doug ps Happy Easter

one more thing,,, when new was the threaded shaft all the sticking out of the adj rod, and as the years went on the rod just kept getting farther and farther into the nut end?

start soaking those nuts with loose juice as sometime in the future you may need to loosen them--yes i have pulled my idler forward to tighten the track but I am not familiar with adding shims---i had a stripped adjusting nut and added spacers on the adjusting bolt but i think my arrangement is different than yours

"mcbitchman" wrote:

the adj nut being the one at the end exposed by rear sproket, and the nut that holds the recoil spring is the one kind hidden inside the housing??? is the front sprocket attached to the rail on a slide? and if so can I attach a chain to the front sprocket and pull on it so as to pull track forward then unbolt the two tensioner arms via the three bolts and install shims in between? this would eliminate the need to break the monster adj nut loose. or am i in left field. thanks so much for all the info.. the wrench my friend had did not work... Doug ps Happy Easter

You got most of it right!!! Shims only would give you a fixed setting. Object would be to shim enough to get the adjustment back in the range of the big nut adjuster assuming you can get it to turn.

"mcbitchman" wrote:

one more thing,,, when new was the threaded shaft all the sticking out of the adj rod, and as the years went on the rod just kept getting farther and farther into the nut end?

You got it!!!

"mcbitchman" wrote:

the adj nut being the one at the end exposed by rear sproket, and the nut that holds the recoil spring is the one kind hidden inside the housing??? is the front sprocket attached to the rail on a slide? and if so can I attach a chain to the front sprocket and pull on it so as to pull track forward then unbolt the two tensioner arms via the three bolts and install shims in between? this would eliminate the need to break the monster adj nut loose. or am i in left field. thanks so much for all the info.. the wrench my friend had did not work... Doug ps Happy Easter

Right again!!!