Mini Excavator Tracks - How to get them back on!  

But that wouldn't make a good video... with free Healthcare we don't worry about being hurt.

Thanks for that. Oh and I did end up finding the 18mm spanner in the supplied tool box.

Hi, what size is the big socket for the drive sprocket? I am trying to get a socket for that big nut on the drive sprocket.

Hi, what size is the big socket for the drive sprocket? I am trying to get a socket for that big nut on the drive sprocket.

Glad you got it sorted. May not be the only time you have to put the tracks back on! I think my toolbox came with the correct size socket for the hub nut. Cheers Dave

down loaded the owners manual. but it does not explain the lock nut and the using the square end of the threaded rod to release the tension. Thank you. Mine is an HT12. saves an old bloke weeks of slasher shovel and grubber.

Thanks Brenda. There are few ways to get the tracks back on and I have found this method is pretty quick and less trouble than forcing on with a crow bar. But each to their own. Cheers Dave.

Hi Craig. Yes the tool box is not so bad but I will get the right size spanner for the adjuster. Cheers Dave.

Thanks for watching. I am still happy with the machine.

Thanks Ian - good to know. Cheers Dave.

@@TreeChangeFarmer ... thanks for replying Dave ... I forgot to mention the 39mm nut is easily released as well as taken up with a cold chisel and light taps with a hammer on the 12 ... not much in it really but now a process not needed on the 12P. We're up here on the Evelyn Tableland far Nth Qld ... thanks for the vids they are a great help esp lavander prep and plantings so will give it a go.

Don't know what's going on with these track adjuster sizes. My ume12 has 30mm lock nut and 15mm tensioner bolt.

Thanks for watching and commenting Tim. There are many ways to get the tracks on. Some use the crow bar method which I have tried but it does get a bit awkward by yourself. I will check my idler tensioner again. It might have a spring but was sure when I took it apart to clean it was just the bolt. Cheers Dave.

@@TreeChangeFarmer I'll be interested to see what you find, my UME12S is probably a tad newer than yours (mine's yanmar engined, built may 2022, and looks mostly the same but I've found a few little differences to yours) and mine definitely has a biggg spring as part of the tensioner assembly.

Yep have used the crowbar method myself!

Yep have used that method myself.

Thanks for watching and the comment. I think the older manual adjusters like I have are on the way out. Other brands of mini diggers of the same size have already gone to the grease adjusters. The New model UME12P may have them.

Nearly everyone I talk to that has a Chinese Mini digger complain about the tracks coming off.

​@@TreeChangeFarmer you get fast at getting them on tho!!! My crappy chinglish manual says to use plenty of butter to tension up the track!!😅 ,it uses a screw tho

Thanks for watching. There will be a video on changing the engine oil and filter and the next few weeks. Stay tuned! Cheers Dave.

I think I didn't have trouble with my track tension until about 45 hours. Just tensioned them up again yesterday. Other viewers have commented that they settle done by about 75 hours. Cheers Dave.

Thanks for watching Allen.

Hi Chris. Got the machine in Nov 2021. Just done a 50 hour service so not much work. Any I have done is well within the limits of the machine. Tracks have come of twice. No mechanical or warranty claims as yet!

Hey Andrew. I was going to get some video of the new model last week but it sold straight away so now waiting for fresh stock. The photo I saw has the joysticks near the arm rest but also retains the centre console with the same controls which I don't understand? If buying a new one I would consider the UME12P but for me if I got, say, $15K for mine, would I pay nearly $5K for side joysticks. Probably not. The new model has a bigger engine but if the hydraulic pump (and there is only one to power all functions) is the same then it would feel like the older machines anyway. Thanks for the comment. Cheers Dave.

@@TreeChangeFarmer Appreciate the response Dave. I had a look in the photo and can see what you mean, seems like they've doubled up on the controls, except the joysticks at the front (not on the sides) are smaller than the UME12 base version. Seems like some strange backup option for controls? Also the UME12P has a hydraulic flow rate of 18.4L/min whereas your version the UME12 has 23.3L/min... so I don't know whats going on. Will give the fellas in Melbourne a call tomorrow to see if I can get some clarity. Once again thanks for the vids, you've got a sub from me.

@@AndrewHageman I almost bought a UME12P, but went with the UME12. The specs didn't make sense to me and whilst having the joystick near the armrest seems more professional, I only saw it as an extra place where something could go wrong. But in saying that I like how the UME12P has a more open floor space, whereas the UME12 has the fuel tank on the right side, which makes it hard to exit off the machine that side.

@@TreeChangeFarmer Is the one pump powers everything standard on all mini excavators and is that also the case on like a Bobcat E20?

@@flat6fever680 The UHI UME 12 only has the one pump that is rated at 23litres/min. Most similar size Chinese diggers are the same. The bigger UHI machines (2T) have a single pump but greater capacity. This makes it harder to do two functions at once. The Bobcat E20 has three pumps that operate different functions. Two of the pumps are rated at 15 litres/min and the third at 11.5 litres/min. Total volume is 41.5 litres/min. Cheers Dave.

I think it was 39mm which is a weird size. I thought they were all the same on these small Chinese diggers but have found out that there a number of variances. Might pay to get it off and measure correctly. Cheers Dave.

Thanks! got all that situated and now 6 months later i sheared off one of the keystocks on the left track sprocket...@@TreeChangeFarmer

Just tight enough to line up a split pin hole. One side was close the other needed about a 1/8 turn.

@@TreeChangeFarmer Thanks

Hi Jason. I had my machine for over a year before the first track came off. That was while crossing a deep ditch and turning at the same time (not normally done). When I have to turn I do it in little steps, maybe forward and then back and forward again. I don't try to turn 180 on just one track. When do you find your tracks are coming off? Adjustment may be out but usually they are tensioned OK when new til about 70 hours. Check that the drive and the idler pully are in a straight line and that the bottom rollers are not damaged. At the top there is a rail that centres the track . Have a look at that it case it is bent out of shape.

@@TreeChangeFarmer thanks for the reply Dave, everything looks fine and have been adjusted accordingly each time after they are put back on, machine currently has 14hrs on it with the tracks coming off 6 times in this period whilst levelling ground

No way to check the level. Different drive motor than the bigger diggers. No planetry gears just a fluid drive Eaton drive motor.

@@TreeChangeFarmer i thought it may only be a motor. thanks! i have a small 1.2 ton Chinese mini excavator. i saw a bit of oil at one point..but it could have been from when i checked the engine oil..some leaked

Thanks Mike. There will more videos on the Mini Excavator coming! Cheers Dave.

Thanks Dave. I haven't tried that method as shown in the video! Will still try to track down that spanner but the last few times I have tightened the tracks I have done the big nut up hand tight and then another quarter turn on the adjuster bolt and it seems to keep it all tight. I adjust my tracks up a lot tighter than shown in the video. Maybe only 5mm drop down from the bottom rollers as shown. Cheers Dave.

@@TreeChangeFarmer I have my tracks a bit looser. They are short tracks so there's not a huge amount of stretch when an object gets caught or they become loaded up with crap. I keep them that bit loose so that if a decent sized rock or two gets caught between sprocket and track (which happens to me from time to time) it can travel around and not put the track under so much stress that it breaks out a pin or splits the track. That said, I'm also pretty careful with managing my turns and movements to keep side loads on the tracks while moving to a minimum so my tracks become less likely to come off even if a bit loosely tensioned. As for that other video, the strap method can work pretty well but as the bloke sort of learnt towards the end (I'm sure he'll get better with practice), the position that you anchor the other end to becomes important to keeping the right amount of pull on the track so you can spin it around without having to re-adjust the pull on it. I've done similar using chains and hooks on a big machine with steel tracks, that's a whole bucket more fun.

No grease adjusters on this model. Cheers Dave

Hey Howard, I don't have CAT 302 or a John Deere 35G. As you say yourself "I just runnin what I brung". Cheers Dave'

Seriously? Of course it has the tensioning at the idler end, that's what he showed himself backing off. The bolt being further towards the middle of the frame merely indicates the length of the tensioner's sliding sprung carrier that holds the idler wheel and tensions it forwards.

@@TreeChangeFarmer Truth!

@@davejaguar6532 makes total sense now. Thanks for the explanation. It’s what I love about the shared RU-vid wisdom.

Thanks for watching and the comment Paul 👍