By maxumum on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Instead of replacing stretched chain, is it safe to remove links and add a half link back in if necessary to save a few bucks? I've adjusted my tensioners as tight as they go I still need the chains tighter. I'm on a budget, how much would it cost to replace the chains if I have to? Any input & advice is appreciated.

By Attex Bob on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I did. And I'm still running it that way.

Is it the right thing to do? No it's not. But you can get away with doing it for along time. Make sure your sprockets are ok.

How much? I don't know; I'm still running my Attex with a link out.

Hope this helps

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Someone once told me, (i think someone from these boards,) that stretched chain gets to a point where its already stretched and can't stretch any more and when you take links out, and put halfs in or just completely remove links and relocate the master link, you are more likely to bust a chain because they are already stretched and they don't have any more play in them.

By Missouri's Max Dealer (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

You can't take out links to make your chains tighter. It will trash your sprockets big time. I buy all my standard chain from John Deere. They have great quality and a good price. Don't get dirt cheap chain or you will be stuck in the woods with a broken chain. It costs about $120 to replace all chains on a Max II. What amphib do you have?

By maxamum on Unrecorded Date: Edit

hi it's a max IV.18 hp. ohring chain and just the midle set of chains needs changing. I'll just get new chains don't want to chance the sprockets. The reson I was trying to save money was because when i put it on the lift there was alot of play in the axles.I was told I need new barrings . Can I tell my guy to just to titen down the flanges and that will take cair of it,It's four years old and I have never titened them down befo.

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

WELL IT IS OK TO TAKE OUT SAY 1 LINK EACH CHAIN WHEN IT COMES TIME, YOU CAN EVEN ADD IN A HALF LINK A LITTLE SOONER, THIS LETS YOU PULL THE HALF LINK OUT WHEN YOU NEED TO REDUCE BY THE WHOLE LINK,
IF YOU HAVENT OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE THE CHAINES WERE NEW IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO CHAINGE THEM WHEN STRECHED BECAUSE A LINK MAY ALREADY HAVE BIN REMOVED BEFORE YOU OWNED IT.REMOVEING JUST 1 WILL NOT HURT MUCH BUT 2 WILL FOR CERTIN!

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

AMMM, the chains stop streching when they cannot turn the sprokets without alternatingly rideing up on the teeth wich can brake teeth, bend shafts ,brake chains, rattle nerves, or d: all of the above!
once streched to the limmit of the proper sized sproket the chain begins to aply extra where and tear tooth by tooth to the sproket beond it's designed load, it creats incorect size and shaped sprocket teeth wich cannot transmit the load properly, and if you carry this as far as i have from time to time it will eventualy leave you withought enoph teeth on a sprocket to hold a chain!
i recently replaced a 21 tooth sprocket with only 9 left on it, it just wouldent work at all any more!

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

aarrgh, forgive me for not reading whole thred befor writing, i just look at auto posts on my yahoo mail,
you do not want your tentioner or ideler thingy too tight, you need to lern the gentle art of tentioning in witch you just aply enoph tention to keep the chains from falling off, well just a little more to keep them on for a while with some houres ahead of you before you check and adgust again, if they are tight each link pin has that much more friction in the bore it rides in, a little looser but not loose enoph to fall off reduces much of the friction, when a little lose the friction is only between the sproket teeh aplying power and driven teeth,
when tight all the link pin's all the way arround are expireancing much the same load!for nothing!
id be guessing hear but a over tight chain i fig. sreaches 4 times faster than a loose chain,
too loose and theres a risk of chain slap, wich i think is more responsable for brakeing chains or knocking them off sprockets or shuch,
also poor alignment can cause greater amont of strching as only one end of the pin's is asked to do the work some times, sort of like useing smaller chain on a given load,

By Attex Bob on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Well said David. To get really technical about it, you should not run a new chain on an old sprocket or the other way around. Not that has ever stopped me. ;-)

By Argohunter (Argohunter) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Chain from John Deere? Quality I suppose so but I was dissapointed that when I had to replace the chain on one of my JD implements, I found that my JD dealer replacement chain was not made in the USA.

There are two schools of thought in making repairs on machinery of any kind. Depending upon your budget and the type of use of the machine, a person can make band aid repairs just to keep the machine running like pulling out links or using repair links. If you depend on the machine to help make a living or take you out into the boonies and bring you back, fix the machine right the first time you need to.

From reading the posts on this board, you will get many opinions on what method of repairs to make. That's what is great. You get some new ideas and make a choice. It boils down to how much you can afford to do and go from there.

My machines will sit if they have to, unused, if they break until I can afford to repair it the proper way with the proper parts.

As many people on the board will tell you, proper and regular maintenance is real important to the longevity of the machine. Along with this going hand in hand is using quality made parts for your repairs.

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I think one of the issues with the chains is that we don't really give enough thought to what the stretched chains can do to the vehicle physically. It can put unnecessary strain on the sprockets, axles and other drive components and that all costs you even more money. I fully understand budget constraints and timing etc when it comes to repairs- nobody wants to stop the fun to fix something but it has to be done.

In my ARGO, I have chains that need to be replaced as they jump the sprockets under load and depending on speed etc. and I have been at my dads neck trying to get it done but repairs are not something that anyone wants to deal with but the reality is that if you deal with it sooner, it is less of a problem later on. Depending on what you use your machine for and if you can go without using it a whole lot for a while, you could save up for a bit and only use the machine when you need it until they are replaced.

By mike martindale (Wetsu) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

maxamum,if you need chains, then replace them. i know that this sounds pretty cold-blooded,but replacing 1 set of chains is alot cheaper in the long run than replacing axles, bearings,sprockets,and who knows what else.do your homework and check locally for chain dealers.it took me a while but i found a place about 4 miles from my house that sold diamond brand chain for around 9 dollars a ft.which ain't bad for good ol U.S.of A quality chain.
one more thing,if one chain is bad it is pretty good bet that all are stretched.buy your chain in bulk,it is cheaper that way.

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Just a general question--how much strain does standard tracks put on the drive system in an ARGO MAGNUM? By drive system I mean the chains and axles?

By Scottie (65.168.246.230) on : Edit

Where can I get half links for RS 50 chain? Please help!! This is for a Max IV.

By David Keeso (Argomag) (69.194.78.126) on : Edit

Scottie- Last year i picked up some half links for that chain from a small little machine shop that fixes mainly dirt bikes and small engines. The guy there gave them to me for nothing as they were all spare parts and he also was going to give me a couple new spare parts for the engine in the ARGO. He told me if i came back with the ARGO, he would install the manual recoil into it. Check out those small places most tend to stay away from - they have the best finds!