I have a bobcat 321 doint the same thing - I have ordered a seal but can't figure out how to get to the grease piston apparatus - seems like it is all boxed in with the track shroud - is this a job for a backyard mechanic or do I need a dealer mechanic - help!!
See Fish's explanation...other than removing track (heavy - two crowbars), it is a very simple setup. If you don't feel comfortable taking the ram apart, getting it off the machine and taking it to anybody with some mechanical experience should do the trick. To facilitate removal of track, unscrew bleed valve on ram...note: grease gets everywhere....
So I did it and I thought I'd share. I used blade and bucket to lift rig off the ground then supported with jackstands. Open the cover to the grease panel - loosen the bleed valve until grease comes out - if your track is loose it shouldn't have much pressure but be careful anyway.The trick is to compress the tensioner in order to get the track off - I started the rig and stuck a 2x4 in the tracks and ran until board was behind idler wheel - then levered until no more grease came out - then used apry bar and the 2x4 to remove track. Slide out the idler wheel and the slide behind it - mark them as you remove so you don't reinstall backward. Use your prybar to loosen the tensioner mechanism - shove the bar in where the idler wheel went and pry under the big bolt - the mechanism comes out in one piece. I could see the broken seal around chrome bar. Put spring mechanism in vise and pull tube off of chrome bar - if it wont come close grease bleeder and pump it off with grease gun. - clean all the grease - the seal kit was $25 for three rings - 1 o-ring 1 thin plastic washer which holds o-ring in placeand 1 end seal. Pay attention to how the old end seal fits so you get the new one on right. pry end seal off - about an inch and 1/2 in there is an o-ring and retainer - use a 90 degree pick to pry them out - wipe clean - grease new o -ring and insert then insert thin plastic washer retainer - seems like it won't fit but get it started and work it in with out crimping it - it is fairly tight. Install end seal and insert spring mechansim- make sure the grease zerks are in original position lined up with the square steelpump in grease to be sure it works then fully compress to remove all grease - re-insert and reinstall slide idler and track - pump to tension - done
How to reinstall track - with idler whell in as far as possible - set the track on the sprocket side and make sure the sprocket teeth engage the track - I then put a 2x4 under the full length of the track and put a floor jack under the 2x4 - jack the track as high as needed to remove the heave slack - once it was jackedto just under the bottom idler wheels, I was able to use a pry bar to pop it over the main idler wheel - once on- remove jack and pump grease to tension - remove jackstands and go to work - took me three hours - I could do it again in about 90 minutes
