TD- 18 International Crawler
TD-18 known as Blaine
2013 to 2017 not much was done with the TD-18 known as Blaine other then dragging a few sleighs around for the filming of Ice Road Truckers which we had a lot of fun doing.
August 2017
the TD-18 known as Blaine was originally a side boom cat that was made in to a dozer or blade cat depending on which country you live in. I bought the cat for the rebuilt motor and figured it would be no problem in changing out the solid under carriage for a walking (flex-able) under carriage. I purchased a parts TD-18 known as Eggo which had a blown crown and pinion carrier. The motor from Eggo went in to the TD-18 known as Dually and now the track frames will be installed on the TD-18 known as Blaine.
first thing to do is get everything laid out so it is easier to work on. Eggo was first to be worked on.
of course the camera was giving me problems but this is a picture of lifting what is left of Eggo off the track frames.
with everything ripped apart you can see the big spring at the front between the track frames and the track frame arms that keep the tracks in line with the cat.
it is nice to have 2 pieces of equipment to do this job. I lucked out and bought a little mini Hoe which is very handy to have around.
with the track frames lined up it to for ever to get the TD-18 known as Blaine lined up on the tracks and frames from Eggo.
the trick is to move Blaine off of his tracks and on to the tracks of Eggo. Not easy to do by yourself.
the Hoe comes in handy for getting things lined up.
Blaine being a side boom cat he had a solid piece of steel between the track frame which will be replaced by a flexible spring.
with everything cleaned up from Eggo the transition can now begin.
this shaft is where the track frame arm bolt on too and Blaine still had the factory paint on the shaft. Took a while to get cleaned up.
the idler tighteners were all cleaned and made usable again plus the idler is chained in so it stays with the track frame too.
the track frame had to be cut to make everything tight for jacking purposes.
now everything is lined up and ready to go. Lots of thought was required to do this in a safe manner.
lots and lots of blocking is required because when you live at the end of the world they have to fly you 1200km to the hospital in the south for the good medications.
the easiest way to remove the solid beam from Blaine was to torch it off because it will never be used again.
now the Hoe being small comes in handy to get things lined up as the under carriage from Eggo is rolled under Blaine.
lots of jacks and lots of blocks because safety is everything when you live at the end of the world.
it is a tight fit but that is why vodka is required when figuring these things out long before the project takes place.
inch by inch and lots of jacking and blocking to get the under carriage in place.
it was a late evening by the under carriage is almost under Blaine.
never can have enough jacks and blocking when dealing with big cats.
still a tight fit but almost in place.
lots of blocks used on the back of Blaine.
the cat is fairly high off the ground so you can see why so many jacks and blocks were used.
Back to TD-18 Blaine repairs page 2
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TD-18 INTERNATIONAL "Blaine" started 2011