By: Tom McIntyre

The weld-on grouser bar process can be quite complicated for the inexperienced welder. Grouser bar material is strong and difficult to manipulate. In addition to the tough materials being used during the welding procedure, it’s important that each part of the grouser steel tracks finished product is welded correctly to prevent machine damage or user injury.

Here are a few important aspects to consider pertaining to the weld-on grouser bar procedure.

  • Make sure to thoroughly clean all the grouser tracks parts, teeth, and materials before any welding.— It’s important to clean all grouser bars, pads, and other items before you begin the welding process. Double grousers usually have two teeth, so check and clean each one. Any dirty spots can lead to an improperly welded together grouser bar, which can result in serious future problems.
  • Before welding, dry off every area that is moist from being cleaned. — In addition to dirt and dust on grouser materials, moisture buildup can negatively impact the welding process. Make sure to thoroughly dry off the entire area before the welding begins.
  • Check the temperature of each piece and adjust accordingly.— The temperature of the welding torch is very important when it comes to grouser bar welding. Check and see if the grouser pads and bars and cold or hot beforehand. If they are cold, preheat with your touch to between 100 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Conversely, if pads and bars are too hot (60 degrees or over), you won’t have to preheat at all.
  • Make sure the measurements are correct. — You can’t have bars that are longer than the width of the tractor pad, so make sure that they are cut accordingly. Also, the tack welds should be two inches in length at minimum.
  • Weld carefully, accurately, and quickly.— Be sure to focus and take your time as you weld, but don’t go too slow. If you aren’t welding quickly enough, interior cracks could form that will put the entire machine in jeopardy. As long as you are properly welding carefully and as quick as you can without making mistakes, you should be fine.

Although the weld-on grouser bar process can be difficult; if you are careful and know what you’re doing, you should be fine. If you want to learn more about welding with grouser bar material, contact 4N Corporation today.