Titus Steel co.
GROUSER BAR WELD - ON PROCEDURE

PROPER WELDING PROCEDURE AND GOOD PREPARATION WILL PREVENT CRACKING PROBLEMS
  1. Make sure bars and pads are clean before welding. Give extra attention to ensure all moisture is removed.
  2. If bars and pads are cold, preheat with torch to 100-200 degrees F. However, if bars and pads are 60 degrees F or over, preheating is not necessary
  3. We recommend dressing the old grouser back to approximately 1”; this procedure is normally preformed using and oxy-acetylene torch. The best results are achieved when there is a clean, smooth edge to accept the new grouser.
  4. Cut bars shorter than full width of the tractor pad – 1/4” – 1/2” short at each end
  5. Tack weld grouser bars on pad at each end and center leaving approximately 1/16” gap so the grouser bar can move in slightly as the weld shrinks. This gap can be obtained but striking the shoe with a heavy center punch. TACK WELDS MUST BE MINIMUM OF 2” in LENGTH
  6. It is important to make sure that the ends of the grouser bar are completely welded to the shoe. Don’t leave cavities where the weld was started as this will allow the end of the grouser bar to break off.
  7. Control bead shape or size of the deposited weld As the hot weld cools, it tends to shrink. When a concave bead cools and shrinks, its outer face is stressed in intension. By using a convex bead, shrinkage cracks can be avoided because the weld can shrink while cooling without stressing the outer face in tension and reduce cracking tendencies.
  8. In all cases, a good quality of low hydrogen welding rod or wire should be used. Use proper storage for low hydrogen electrodes and flux to avoid moisture pick up. Any hydrogen present tends to separate out and build up pressure. This pressure, when combined with shrinkage stresses and any hardening effect of the steel’s chemistry, may cause tiny cracks. We recommend using LINCOLN wire as follows

    9. a. Electrode Welding
    b. Mig Welding
    c. Submerged Arc
    		 E-7018
    NS-3M WIRE
    L-60 or L-61
  9. An internal crack can be prevented by limiting the penetration, increasing speed and limiting the volume of weld metal deposited per pass.
  10. It is recommended that amperes and wire feed be set as high as the operator can easily handle. The purpose of this is to achieve a fast low penetration weld pass helping to prevent heat build up and carbon from the grouser bar building up in the weld puddle and making it crack sensitive. A second pass my be necessary

    The following are for references only when welding with 2/32” NS3M
    Tk-1 GROUSER BAR
    Amperes 20
    Volts 26
    Wire Feed 110”/mim
    Travel Speed 9”-13”/min     		TZ-10 GROUSER BAR
    300
    28
    145”/min
    12-16”/min     		TX-10X GROUSER BAR
    550
    30
    set by machine
    14-18”/min
  11. 11. Avoid quenching or rapid cooling of welds. Do not let the welds come in contact with water, mud or snow etc.

    Note: To completely ensure a proper welding procedure, preheating (100-200 F) prior to welding should be preformed. Preheat to remove condensed moisture from surfaces

Toronto, Canada (905) 564 2446 • fax (905) 546 2450 • sales@titussteel.com
Cartersville Georgia 1 800 536 5908 • (770) 386 3079 • fax (770) 386 1412 • sales@titusflux.com

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