Immediately after completing harvest a couple of weeks ago, we decided to tackle one of the more daunting tasks on the maintenance list: Replace the tracks on our older 550 Quadtrac. They were nearly worn out.
We bought new tracks last year but then decided to try to get one more season out of the old ones. Well, we won the gamble. We made it through 2025 with no issues. But we’re not taking the risk again.
The machine is 13 or 14 years old and has around 3,300 hours. In the scheme of things, it is not a high-hour machine. But for a while, we were doing a lot of road miles, which eats up the rubber tracks. Bumpy roads also are hard on these machines.
We’re at the point where maintenance is becoming a greater commitment. Last year we checked the turbo, engine dampener and steering rack, replaced some exhaust fittings, and completed miscellaneous work under the hood. This fall we replaced a couple hydraulic lines under the cab after they started weeping.
This year we pulled the tractor into the shop and did everything on the maintenance lists up to the 600-hour interval. We changed all the filters and engine oil, then gave everything a once-over. We pulled an engine oil sample and checked the coolant.
Then it was on to the tracks. After we removed each track, we inspected the idler, bogey wheels and cast track suspension frame. Everything looked good and we put the new tracks on. By the time we got to the third track, we were pretty proficient. It wasn’t easy but apparently practice makes perfect. (We had some practice earlier this fall when we swapped the combine tracks side for side because the crown of the road was wearing the insides of the belts faster than the outsides.) This project only took about two days. Honestly, I thought it would take longer.
Hopefully, everything will be good for several more years. This 550 Quadtrac has been a workhorse for us. As we continue to minimize “conventional” tillage practices, we just aren’t racking up a lot of hours. But when we need the big horse, it must be ready to run!